080617

Quarter for your thoughts

"Hey, there's a message in this bottle."

Kai looked up. Jenine held up her beer. Sure enough, a piece of paper floated near the bottom. There was some writing on it.

"Looks like a fortune. Drink up so we can read it."

"Don't be silly. It would stick to the inside of the bottle and we'd never get it out." She drained her water glass, poured the beer into it, fished out the note, and laid it carefully on the table. She leaned forward to read the tiny letters that almost completely covered the paper.

"Where is that girl with our food?" Waiting for Jenine to puzzle out the note reminded Kai how hungry he was. "Carla! Can we have more chips and salsa? The hot kind. And more beer."

Jenine frowned. "It's hard to read. The font is weird. Anyway, it starts 'Don't tell anyone the contents of this note.'" Her voice trailed off.

"And then?! Is it like a chain letter? If you don't do what it says your dog will be repossessed?" While Kai was talking, Jenine was reading. Then, she carefully folded the paper in half and tucked it in her pocket.

Now it was Kai's turn to frown. He leaned forward and whispered loudly. "Your nipples are hard. Only two things do that and I don't think you just read some beer-note sex. What's going on?"

Jenine whispered back, so quietly he could barely hear her. "It's a prediction. We should get out of here. Now." She stood up.

"No! What? Why do you believe that stupid note? I'm staying right here till I get my chimichanga."

"Wherever that note came from, they knew things. About me. I think it's real." She backed away from the table, motioning to Kai to get up.

He leaned back and folded his arms. "I want my lunch."

The window exploded inward and a red Ford F150 plowed into the table and Kai. Jenine screamed and jumped.

She ran to the truck, but when she got there she could see that Kai's entire chest was crushed. She stood up and turned around just as a police officer ran in. He was tall and broad-shouldered. His eyes were the color of the summer sky.

"Hello Officer Smith," she said. "I've been waiting for you."

"Have we met?"

"Not really."

"You're bleeding. Sit down, I'll be right back."

"I know," she whispered.

Publ. Daily Cabal 2008

The end