Re: Stakeford Auto Repair (01/19, 2:16 pm)

by Cliff Alset Thu Jan 28, 2016 2:16 pm

The black wolf continues to fix his eyes on Cliff. Then with a sudden upward turn of his furry head, the animal begins to howl. Cliff is transfixed in a mixture of fear and admiration. The wolf seems to be singing. It's eyes are closed. Then the sound of a car approaching to his right forced Cliff to turn away. It looked like Cameron's vehicle. Cliff quickly returned his attention to the wolf. The animal had vanished.

by Hollis Brown Thu Jan 28, 2016 5:55 pm

Nora reaches her right hand back and rubs the back of her neck. "Thanks," she says. She slides her hands into her pockets. "But I'm actually leaving town." She pauses for a few seconds, and then takes her hands out of her pockets. She begins to use her hands while talking. "I've been asking everyone to keep it as quiet as possible," she explains. "I'm leaving Stakeford... indefinitely. These repeated murders have everyone scared, but they stay because they have a history here. I really don't. I came her just a few years ago, like yourself. I don't have any family here, so it just is not worth it. I came here because my mother used to live here, and before she passed away, she spoke fondly of her time in little old Stakeford. But I'm beginning to think that town she loved no longer exists."

She clasps her hands together. To an onlooker, it might look as though she is pleading with Jackson. Her voice is unsteady as she continues, "But even if the killer is caught and things try to return to normal, I'm not sure they can. Not for anyone in this town, but especially not for me. What happened between Samson and I, what happened to Martha... I think you understand. Please don't ask me to explain, if you don't. I need to leave. There's already a replacement for me. I can do this town more good by being gone than by being here. I don't to walk around as a living reminder of what happened to Martha and what Samson did wrong. None of us deserve that."

by Jackson_Lee Thu Jan 28, 2016 7:03 pm

It was a fair explanation. Jackson listened avidly to Nora, her reasons why she was leaving, her unsteady voice. To Jackson, Nora seemed spooked. Rightfully so. "I won't try to convince you to stay. But I'll miss working with you, Nora. You're an excellent doctor, and anyplace would be lucky to have you", Jackson spoke softly, walking with her to the door of the auto shop. Making sure that Nora and himself were completely alone, he gave a look of concern and asked, "What's going on? You seem frightened, panicked. Did something happen to you? Something else than what everyone knows?"

by Hollis Brown Sat Jan 30, 2016 1:26 pm

Nora walks with Jackson up to the door. She listens to his concerned questions with a sullen expression. She gently shakes her head at him. "If I stay here, I think I'll die," she says. "Either the killer will get me, or I will live in such a poor state that it would hardly be living anyway. Someone is killing women in this town, and Martha was just killed, and now everyone knows about me and Samson. There's nothing more to it."

She leads him outside. The man smoking his e-cigarette is no longer there. Nora stops and turns again toward Jackson. "I know I can't run away from this," she says. "This gut-feeling worse than guilt... It will follow me wherever I go. But I can't stand the sight of this place any more. Samson will drink himself to death if I just leave him, I know... But no matter how much I tell myself that, I can't shake away the sudden clarity, the sudden realization of my apathy. I no longer love him. When Martha died, when I found out about her death... it was either that moment, or when I realized that everyone in town knew about us, one of those moments in time... The feelings were not there. I can't even say they died. Then I would have found a body. They just... Weren't there. They left."

"I have gone back and forth in my head as to why," she continues. "But whatever the case is, it seems they were dependent upon conditions that no longer exist. I won't go into all this with you. It won't help either of us. But regardless of my feelings, there is a killer out there. Anyone who stays, knowing that... I guess I can't judge. But I want to live."

Nora smiles. She lifts her head up and looks at the light gray overcast sky. "Take care of yourself, Jackson," She lowers her head, to look back down at him. "I won't ask you to take care of this town, because there might not be any hope for that anymore. But at least take care of yourself."

STAKEFORD AUTO REPAIR IS NOW CLOSED

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