Evil's Root

Chapter 5

Right on schedule, Ernie Stark hopped onto his seat at the bar, his eyes eagerly searching for Sandra's attention. When she turned and saw him his heart leaped; her smile was like a blast of sunshine. She walked down the bar and stopped in front of him, one arm resting on the counter top.

"You are the most regular guy I've ever known. I could set my watch by you." Ernie blushed and shifted on the stool. "You want your usual or maybe something. different?"

The way she said it, Ernie felt his innards stir and his mouth went dry. "Wha- what's different? I mean, what do you mean- I mean."

"I just meant something else to drink for a change." She smiled and leaned her other arm on the bar and their faces came very close. "What did you think I meant?"

His face flamed and he watched amusement lines form at the corners of her eyes. "Nothing. I didn't- I only wondered."

Ernie turned to stone as she rested her fingers on his hand and squeezed lightly. "You're a nice guy, Ernie, somebody a girl could like to know better."

She knew his name! He sat, like an idiot, his mouth agape and his eyes locked to hers, listening to the words that had haunted his imagination ever since he'd first seen her, and he couldn't respond. It was like a breaker had blown and all his circuits were dead.

Sandra released his hand and straightened up. "I guess I was out of line--"

"No! No, you weren't." He finally found his voice, even if it did sound like Mickey Mouse. "I- I'm just surprised. I never thought you noticed."

"Oh, I noticed, Ernie. I can tell when a fella has an interest . . . and when the interest is mutual."

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Sandra towelled off and stood in the bathroom doorway of her apartment watching Ernie fumble his way into his clothes. She laughed to herself as she realized she hadn't needed to go this far, the guy would have licked hot asphalt out of her path for just holding her hand.

Now, she knew, he would do anything, anything she asked no matter what. The plan was taking form. Ernie slowly did up his shirt, his mind an explosion of light and colour. He found he had to breathe through his mouth to keep from hyperventilating. Nothing on earth could match the rapture he'd just experienced with Sandra, and to think it was her idea! He stood and tucked the shirt into his pants, turning to see her watching.

"Oh, I didn't know you were through."

Sandra let a corner of the towel go just enough to freeze poor Ernie once again. "Are you leaving?" She asked in a little girl voice.

"Huh?"

"Is that all it meant to you, A quick toss, Ernie?"

"Oh no!" He plunged across the room to her side. "No! God, Sandra, don't even think that. I just figured you would want me to go."

"After what we had, Ernie?" The towel fell between them, and he sucked in so much breath she had to pat him on the back. "Are you okay?"

Ernie looked at her with so much longing she almost felt a little frightened. Frankenstein would have envied the ease with which she had created this jellied mass. She led him to the bed and they sat, while Sandra planted the seeds of her idea between careful ministrations that kept Ernie as taught as a piano wire.

In less time than it took her hair to dry, Ernie was so on board and fully committed - to the death - a prospect she hoped would not occur. Sandra only had to point him, and he would have run into the sea without question.

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Ted listened on the phone to the description of the guy Sandra had found to do the robbery. He frowned as she described him as a Woody Allen-ish type, a dictionary definition of nerd.