Shining Shards: An MC Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Story
Frustrated
Chapter 3: Trouble and Tasty
Jordan threw a longing glance at me, and then a worried glance at his car. “Sure, mister, I’ll go. Sounds good. Katie?”
“Miss?” asked the tow-truck driver, a middle-aged guy in a grey jump-suit.
“Uh, what company are you from?”
“Controller Tows, just like it says on the truck. Hey kid,” he said, turning to Jordan, “which car is yours?”
Jordan pointed to his wreck. I stood there and thought, about police and liability and how cold I was.
“Miss, it would be a lot easier for me to hook up your car first; it’s in front.”
I thought about insurance. I looked over at Jordan. He smiled at me. I tingled.
“Ok, sure, I’ll go.”
The man smiled at us and pointed to the cab of the truck. “There’s some coffee up there, feel free to help yourself. It’ll be a bit of a drive, and accidents always shake up the nerves. I should know, I’ve been around enough of ‘em.”
We took him up on his offer; we climbed in and helped ourselves. The coffee felt lovely going down; I hadn’t realized how badly shaken I was by the whole thing until I had a chance to just sit. It was a little funny though...no coffee I had ever had tasted this sweet...Luckily, the clatters and squeaks of the man hooking my car up to the towing end of the truck erased any need for talk. Jordan and I both looked out our separate windows. The air would probably always be awkward between us because of that kiss.
The man finally finished and got in the drivers seat. He introduced himself as Larry and encouraged us to drink up. The night, he said, was still young; we had a lot of paperwork to get through.
Probably to avoid talking more than anything, both of us downed our first thermos cap’s worth in short order. I moved on to my second quickly because I was starting to feel very sleepy and if what Larry said was true, I would need a caffeine boost to get me through. Funny, that he should have exactly two thermoses of coffee in his back seat, as if he made them especially for us. ‘Of course not,’ I thought, moving on to my third cup, ‘he’s just being nice. It’s just another way to get us to go with his company and not a rival.’
I didn’t risk pouring another cup after my third; I could barely keep my eyes open and I didn’t want to spill hot coffee all over me and the interior. A trip to the burn ward was not what I needed to top off the night. Top off? I meant nod off. I meant schleeeepy... The world became two half-moons, than two slivers, and then disappeared entirely...
What just happened? Have Katie and Jordan just been kidnapped? Read on, ladies and gentlemen, read on to Chapter 4; this time, you have no choice in the matter...