The Drought by Patricia Fulton, Extended Imagery Page A
Authors: Patricia Fulton, Extended Imagery
Tags: Horror
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him?”
Elise shook her head.
*
Nathan was backing down Elise’s driveway when he saw his deputy’s car coming up the street. He felt his face flush at the thought of Daniel catching him with his sister. There were no secrets in Reserve. He and Daniel might not discuss the relationship but it was unlikely Daniel was unaware of its existence. Most of his guilt stemmed from the obvious nature of his relationship with Elise. They didn’t exactly go out to catch a movie, or go around town together.
As the patrol car pulled abreast of his truck, Nathan thought he caught a flash of raw emotion cross Daniel’s face. Jealousy? For a brief moment Daniel’s face had the look of a cuckolded husband who’s come home early to find his wife doing the delivery man.
Daniel rolled down his window. “Afternoon Sheriff, you back on active duty?”
Whatever emotion Nathan thought he saw through the window was gone. Daniel’s face seemed open and genuine.
Nathan waved his hand back the way he’d come. “Not exactly. Elise phoned in a missing dog report. Just thought I’d come check it out, make sure she and Angelina were doing all right.” He added a bit defensively, “You were on another call.”
“Samson will show up, he always does.” Daniel’s jawbone was as tight as a drum.
Out of habit, Nathan reached out and thumped the side of his truck. It was as hot as a stovetop. He jerked his hand back inside the window, cleared his throat and said, “Daniel, I was thinking about asking Elise out to the movies sometime. You mind?”
Daniel barked out a laugh. “Damn Nathan, the woman is almost thirty, she has a child out of wedlock, I imagine she can do anything she wants without my permission.”
“You sure? I don’t want any bad blood between us,” and I don’t believe for a second you’re all right with this.
“Come on Nathan, I’m not your priest, if you want absolution from your guilt, go to church on Sunday.”
Nathan could see Daniel’s lips moving, he could even hear the words falling casually into the hot afternoon air, but when the two men locked eyes he felt a jolt of dry electricity, a spark of two wires crossing, and then the sound of one voice layered over another. It was like someone was thumbing the knob on an old CB trying to pick up a conversation through the static.
She’s a bitch in heat Nathan, any dog will do. And I do mean any dog. You should introduce her to that bloodhound of yours, I’m sure you’d be in for the surprise of your life… might even enjoy it, too.
Nathan jerked away.
Daniel was snapping his fingers. “Hey, where’d you go off to?”
“What did you just say to me?”
I said, if you want to ask Elise out, go for it, I think she’d like that.” A small smile lingered on Daniel’s face.
Some things you can’t lay your finger on, some things you can’t prove, not with words anyway. You just know. You know because your heart is beating a little faster, and your balls have tucked themselves up real tight against your ass and you can feel a cold sweat sliding down your back.
Nathan’s shirt was clinging to the vinyl of his seat when he pulled away. He couldn’t explain what he saw in Daniel’s eyes, couldn’t explain what he thought he heard, but for the first time since the heat index had crested over the 100 mark, Nathan felt a cold chill run through his body.
Chapter Ten
Junction, Texas
Suzy’s father was a drunk. He was not the town drunk, but on special days he was a close contender for the title. On the morning of June 16th, Murphy awoke from an alcohol induced slumber to the sound of someone blasting on a horn. It wasn’t a polite, “tap, tap, could you please move out of the way.” Someone, just outside his window, was pressing against the horn hard enough to come away with the insignia indented into their palm.
He squinted at the clock. “Jesus, can you believe this shit?” It was 8:00 a.m. Still dressed in the clothes he had
Elise shook her head.
*
Nathan was backing down Elise’s driveway when he saw his deputy’s car coming up the street. He felt his face flush at the thought of Daniel catching him with his sister. There were no secrets in Reserve. He and Daniel might not discuss the relationship but it was unlikely Daniel was unaware of its existence. Most of his guilt stemmed from the obvious nature of his relationship with Elise. They didn’t exactly go out to catch a movie, or go around town together.
As the patrol car pulled abreast of his truck, Nathan thought he caught a flash of raw emotion cross Daniel’s face. Jealousy? For a brief moment Daniel’s face had the look of a cuckolded husband who’s come home early to find his wife doing the delivery man.
Daniel rolled down his window. “Afternoon Sheriff, you back on active duty?”
Whatever emotion Nathan thought he saw through the window was gone. Daniel’s face seemed open and genuine.
Nathan waved his hand back the way he’d come. “Not exactly. Elise phoned in a missing dog report. Just thought I’d come check it out, make sure she and Angelina were doing all right.” He added a bit defensively, “You were on another call.”
“Samson will show up, he always does.” Daniel’s jawbone was as tight as a drum.
Out of habit, Nathan reached out and thumped the side of his truck. It was as hot as a stovetop. He jerked his hand back inside the window, cleared his throat and said, “Daniel, I was thinking about asking Elise out to the movies sometime. You mind?”
Daniel barked out a laugh. “Damn Nathan, the woman is almost thirty, she has a child out of wedlock, I imagine she can do anything she wants without my permission.”
“You sure? I don’t want any bad blood between us,” and I don’t believe for a second you’re all right with this.
“Come on Nathan, I’m not your priest, if you want absolution from your guilt, go to church on Sunday.”
Nathan could see Daniel’s lips moving, he could even hear the words falling casually into the hot afternoon air, but when the two men locked eyes he felt a jolt of dry electricity, a spark of two wires crossing, and then the sound of one voice layered over another. It was like someone was thumbing the knob on an old CB trying to pick up a conversation through the static.
She’s a bitch in heat Nathan, any dog will do. And I do mean any dog. You should introduce her to that bloodhound of yours, I’m sure you’d be in for the surprise of your life… might even enjoy it, too.
Nathan jerked away.
Daniel was snapping his fingers. “Hey, where’d you go off to?”
“What did you just say to me?”
I said, if you want to ask Elise out, go for it, I think she’d like that.” A small smile lingered on Daniel’s face.
Some things you can’t lay your finger on, some things you can’t prove, not with words anyway. You just know. You know because your heart is beating a little faster, and your balls have tucked themselves up real tight against your ass and you can feel a cold sweat sliding down your back.
Nathan’s shirt was clinging to the vinyl of his seat when he pulled away. He couldn’t explain what he saw in Daniel’s eyes, couldn’t explain what he thought he heard, but for the first time since the heat index had crested over the 100 mark, Nathan felt a cold chill run through his body.
Chapter Ten
Junction, Texas
Suzy’s father was a drunk. He was not the town drunk, but on special days he was a close contender for the title. On the morning of June 16th, Murphy awoke from an alcohol induced slumber to the sound of someone blasting on a horn. It wasn’t a polite, “tap, tap, could you please move out of the way.” Someone, just outside his window, was pressing against the horn hard enough to come away with the insignia indented into their palm.
He squinted at the clock. “Jesus, can you believe this shit?” It was 8:00 a.m. Still dressed in the clothes he had
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