Sheep's Clothing by Gary Lewis (free ebook reader for pc txt) 📕

"Fine. Have it your way," Vance said to the silent speaker in his ear.

###

The sun rose high into the afternoon as Vance visited the Sunset Diner for his usual double bacon cheeseburger, a half-pound course of beef and grease, coated with molten cheese. It was a meal fit for a carnivore.

"Better watch that diet," Tony said, walking over to greet him.

"It's good, man. I'm bulking. Anything new on the monster thing?"

"I'm pulling a double today so I wouldn't know." Tony leaned forward. "What's eating you, Vance?"

"Nothing," Vance said, forcefully tapping his cup to the countertop. "Just bullshit."

"Same here, bro,” Tony said, turning back toward the kitchen. “Same here."

"Hey." Vance said. "Tell your boy David to watch his back."

Tony started to walk back over to him, but halted halfway. "I know you're not threatening my family."

"Nah. Just saying." Vance slapped a small pile of crinkled five-dollar bills on the bar and tightened his smug expression before turning away and walking back toward the large, glass double-doored entrance.

###

Loud heavy metal blasted from the speakers of Vance's pickup as he slowed down beside the shopping center near the gym. Something caught his eye in the parking lot. David's red, two-door coupe sat parked close to the entrance of the grocery store. "Suppose I have a few minutes to warm up." He reached to turn down the music as he slowly rolled into the back of the parking section where he found the perfect spot to pull up beside a large camper. It was just enough to conceal most of his truck, still giving him the perfect view of the entrance doorway.

As Vance sat in his pickup, he watched the automatic sliding doors as one person emerged after another. Each time, another unfamiliar face would exit the store carrying bags of groceries or pushing a cart. The past hour really only consisted of about fifteen minutes as his frustration heated along with the summer sun that was cooking him alive inside the cab of his old pickup. "I could be pushing out all this sweat at the bench today," he said to himself as he reached to start his truck.

Just then, David's tall, thin figure emerged from the entrance of the store, walking briskly in the direction of his car. Vance watched as David popped the trunk, tossed in the only two bags he carried and paused to look around. When he climbed into his car and backed out, Vance started his truck. He followed David through the school zone at an inconspicuous distance.

Eventually, David pulled into the old recreation center. It had sat abandoned since the fire destroyed most of the central building the year before. "The hell you up to?" Vance continued around the block to an unused dirt drive on the other side of the park before coming to a gradual stop. He parked beside the unmanaged shrubbery that had reclaimed its natural state, hanging prickly branches wildly in all directions.

Vance quietly shut his door and snuck in the direction of the dirt drive where David pulled in, being careful to stay at a distance. He caught sight of David's car parked alone in the arid, red dirt near the rundown dugouts. They were once filled with life where players, parents and coaches would shout into the evening and the games would go on into the night, but now the life had been smothered from a dusty old place where crushed beer cans and wadded fast-food bags littered the concrete walkway that led to the demolished remains of burnt boards that still piled in the center between the ballfields. It stood as a memorial of what used to be. A silent ghost of the sounds of cheers that once filled the air. David's red car seemed much the same. If he hadn't just watched him pull in, he'd swear it was abandoned long ago.

Vance walked silently toward the car. As he got closer, he began looking around, scanning across the fields to the edge of the forest, woods that stretched across town to fill every vacant niche that wasn't being used. It seemed the trees would completely swallow Pine Bluff if not for the roads and buildings that occupied its place. Perhaps they swallowed David already, as he was still nowhere to be seen and the words Vance held in his throat now seemed pointless.

He squinted into the windows of David's car as he paced around it. The bright gleam of the summer sun reflected from the glass to shield its contents from view. "Alright then," he said as he tried one door handle after another. "Of course. The driver side." Vance slowly opened the door as his head swiveled this way and that before he crouched slowly into the seat and pulled the door shut.

While reaching around under the seats, he brushed his hand through the garbage underneath. Old wrappers, receipts, change, and a small pocket knife were among the debris that was David's road life.

"Waste of time," Vance said before reaching over to pop the trunk. "Almost forgot the dead hooker compartment.” He walked around to the back to lift it up. Only one of the grocery bags still remained. Three rolls of duct tape and a bottle of charcoal starter were among the contents. He closed the trunk and looked around again. As he walked toward the open driver side door, ready to close it back, he saw something laying with the rest of the garbage in the backseat floor. A familiar button.

Vance's face grew hot. Knowing that he didn't have the self-control to hear the reason for it yet, he slammed David's car door shut and strode with purpose back toward his truck.

#David#

The moon still looked full as it became visible above town in the darkening sky. It was 8:46 and David was early as he pulled up to the deserted, rocky parking area at the cliffs. Torn yellow tape and white signs with red lettering that said "Trail Closed," were the only sign of recent activity in a place still heavy with