When the Bus Stopped

Chapter 22

The river rushing past was icy blue. The shade reflected the temperature. Lucy wasn't spending any time watching the water, which was throwing itself energetically upon boulders in its path. Instead, she walked with her head down, eyes glued on the gravel in front of her... waving a metal detector from side to side in a focused fashion.

All of a sudden it started beeping furiously. Stopping she stooped down to unearth the mother load... which turned out to be a lone aluminum can. She flung it over her shoulder into the large bamboo pack on her back and continued onwards.

"Lucy?"

She turned toward the voice, spotting Daniello in the distance. "Hello!" She waved her metal detector cheerfully.

"Lucy... Jesus Christ! What happened to your face?"

"I'm just trialing a cosmetic range for a pharmaceutical company. It looks like I've had a reaction." Her face had continued to swell out until her eyes were nothing but tiny green slits.

"God. It looks so painful."

"I've had better days."

"I searched through all the shops in the village looking for you. I figured you'd been working somewhere."

"I've moved on from sales. I'm now starting a career in recycling. I woke up early to try sifting for gold ... but it turns out this is much easier."

"Where did you find this thing?"

"A nice guy gave it to me... I think he felt sorry for my disfigurement. We are going fifty fifty in the profits I make."

"And how much money is that, do you think?" He pointed at her pack.

"Well, I've found a few weird things... who knows... a hundred dollars. But I'm hoping for the best."

He laughed. "You are such an optimist, Lucy Falkwell."

"Why would I be anything else?" She gazed at him in confusion.

"Well, other people..."

"Oh, right... you're talking about "normal people" again. You know what? Being normal doesn't sound very alluring."

"In the defense of us normal folk we don't risk our faces with cosmetic testing."

"No. You make the poor guinea pigs suffer instead." Her swollen face was twisted up in annoyance, before she continued. "If it weren't for all these women - with more money than sense - no one would buy anti wrinkle cream in the first place." Angrily, she began waving her metal detector in front of her again.

"I'm sorry," he took a deep breath. "I just worry about you."

She softened. "There is no need to worry. This is a good spot. It looks like there were plenty of camp fires here."

"Lucy, I've been trying to find you because-" his voice was drowned out by manic beeping.

"We've really hit the mother load this time." She threw the metal detector into Daniello's arms. Falling to her knees she began scratching wildly at the gravel below him.

"How do I turn this damn thing down?" Daniello called out over the racket.

"I don't know... aim it away from here!"

He moved away and abruptly the beeping subsided.

"Sorry, I still haven't got the knack of all those buttons. Sorry... what were you telling me?" She smiled politely as she deftly unearthed some previously enjoyed beer cans to throw into her bamboo basket.

"I've been trying to find you because I need to clear something up."

"Oh not him again!" Lucy interrupted.