The Minus Man

Title: Journey
Author: Chelsea
Type: The Minus Man
Genre: General (for now)
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Takes place after the movie, Vann is moving on to another town
Disclaimer: I don't own the charactors from The Minus Man

Chapter One:
My heart thunders so loudly I want to cover my ears. I remember the way the officers eyes looked as she shone the light on my face, full of suspicions that shared their space with doubt. When she turned the other way at the detour I let out a breath and promised myself that the next place I end up at I will be more careful.

I drive down the cold, uncaring high way until I find an exit and eventually make my way to a quiet street with no lamp posts. Stars are spread out in the black sky, they shine and whisper to me of things coming ahead. On and on I drive until I reach a town, like many other towns, bordering on rural but not quite there. I travel the streets until I find a small motel. I turn into the parking lot and park my truck in one of the many vacant spots.
Sitting in the seat I look down at my hands and think of all the people that have died because of me. I wonder about their ceremonies, the flower arrangements, people mourning. I think of the townspeople arguing about who was poisoning people. I decide that I have to find some place else to settle. I nice town, with small shops and a job opening at the post office.

A lady sat behind a window with a hole in it for communication purposes. I ask her if there are any rooms available. She looks at me with tired eyes, contemplating whether a sarcastic comment is really worth it. After a brief debate with herself she takes a key of a hook on the wall and tells me my room number is E 42. I thank her and walk away to the sidewalk bordering the building, lined with rooms. I stop at E 42 and fit my key into the lock, I open the door, step inside and shut it behind me.
Looking around I see that there is a bed, nightstand with a lamp on it, a television, and a door to a bathroom. There are some pictures hanging from the walls that I only briefly glance at for they do not interest me. I walk to the bed and sit down with my feet resting on the floor. I stare at the yellow striped wallpaper until the stripes are no longer in straight lines. I feel the tug of sleep on my eyelids and decide that I will sleep. Slowly I descend into the semi-comfort of the bed not bothering to pull the blankets over me.

The sunlight invades the motel room through the window and splashes onto my face. My eyelids flutter open and I glance around myself, for a few seconds I'm confused before I remember where I am. Right away I sit up and use the bathroom before grabbing my key off the night stand and leaving the room.

One week later...

I'm driving again. The sun is overhead and there are no clouds in the sky. The lines in the center of the road sail by me on a sea of concrete. I remind myself that it is I sailing by them, they are bound forever to that one place they now rest, and I pity them. I'm driving by fields of tall grass waving in the wind. There is a rusting, broken down tracter in one… it reminds me of a dead animal beinds surrounded by ravenous ants, the grass resembling the ants.
I'm passing a sign that reads "Entering Brownsville". I don't like the name, it's hostile. As I enter into the heart of the town I see that it reminds me a lot of my previous place of residence and I think that this would be a nice place to stay. I park my truck beside the side walk in front of a diner called Will and Marie's. I wonder who Will and Marie are.
As I step over the threshold of the place a bell rings over head. I look around and see that it is a well kept establishment and there are a few families and several other people eating. I take a seat at a booth near the front window and wait for a waitress to bring a menu.
A girl who looks around sixteen notices me and walks to my booth carrying a menu. Her dirty-blond hair is pulled back in a messy bun and although she looks bored, she wears a smile as she approaches my table.
"Hello sir, here you are," she says as she hands me a menu,"Can I get you something to drink while you're deciding what you want?"
Her voice is very innocent and sweet. I look at her, her eyes are blue, she's very short maybe just five feet tall. I give her my smile, as I have to so many others and I can see in her eyes that she feels special.
"I'll have a coke, please, Jenny," I say to her, reading her name tag.
She smiles,"Coming right up."
I watch as she walks away toward the drink despensers. I look down at my menu and open it looking over all the different dishes. I decide to order a BLT just as she appears back beside my table holding a soda in her hand.
"Here you go," she says setting the glass down beside me,"Are you ready to order or do you need a few more minutes?"
"I'm ready, I'll have a BLT please with toasted bread," I say to Jenny.
"Alright sir, that'll be up in a few minutes," Jenny says to me while reaching over for my menu. As she extends her arm out it bumps against my soda, the soda topples over and spills all over me. I don't mind much, but she is on the verge of hysterics.
"Oh... oh, I'm so sorry, sir," she says while grabbing a hand full of napkins from the holder on the table. She hands some to me for my pants and uses the rest to wipe the table. Her eyes are brimming with tears.
"Hey, it's okay, why are you crying?"
She looks up at me with an expression that shows she had been oblivious to the tears. She wipes them away before replying,"My, my boss is going to fire me."
"For knocking over a soda?"
"I'm too clumsy and he says that the diner would be better without me."
She finishes cleaning the table and walks away, after a few moments she comes back with a new soda.
"Thank you."




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