From the Ground, Up -- PUBLISHED

The Damaged 'Rose'

Bestia was running late, she would probably still make her meeting on time, but she had wanted to be a couple of minutes early to collect her thoughts and make a cup of tea. She was sitting at an intersection only two blocks from the school, muttering about ridiculous, blind, and therefore poorly programmed traffic lights; she was so annoyed with the wait that she considered running the red. That was the exact moment when a car slammed into the ‘Rose’ from behind, pushing her out into the busy road and the line of traffic. The car was still running and had not, as yet been hit by further cars. Bestia slammed it into reverse, blared the horn with one hand and signalled frantically out the window with the other, and she reversed into her previous position; well almost, she pulled up at the curb as she needed to inspect the damage and get the fool’s insurance details. She took a deep breath and checked the time, noting with some disgust that she would now be late for her meeting - if she got there at all, and grabbed a notebook and pen before climbing out.

She noticed that person who had hit her was a woman, who was still staring blankly out her windscreen. Bestia tapped on the driver’s side window, and the woman nearly jumped out of her seat in shock, before rolling the window down.

            “Can I help you?” The woman asked blithely. Bestia barely controlled her rage, how dare that woman act like she hadn’t just rear-ended another car.

            “I need your insurance details, so that I can get the car fixed. Though I must say yours looks almost worse, and probably would be worse hands down if the damn car they left me wasn’t pink.” Bestia recognised a rant coming on and quickly returned her attention to the woman who had hit her car. The woman who looked decidedly pale, and was looking from her own bonnet to the back of the ‘Rose’,  said,

            “Oh Christ, did I do that?” She asked looking up at Bestia. Bestia studied the woman for a moment. She was pale, of average build, with medium length brown hair hastily scooped up into a ponytail, her hands were shaking and she wore a bluetooth headset - that was obviously connected to her cellphone. Bestia nodded, and asked,

            “Were you on the phone when you hit me?” The woman had to think about that, she was clearly in shock; and then the woman nodded.

            “Shit!” Bestia swore under her breath, now she would have to call the police; so much for simply collecting the woman’s insurance details and being on her way.

An hour later, having called and explained her absence to the school, Bestia was leaning against her car thinking about what to do. The police had informed her that the woman, Mrs Marissa Walker, has no insurance, and that if Bestia so desires she may press charges. If the woman has no insurance, how the hell was she going to pay damages? As it is she has already been ticketed. Heaving a sigh, Bestia knew that she was going to have to make some sort of deal with this woman, this ‘Mrs Marissa Walker’.

            “Mrs Walker?” Bestia asked as she walked up to the woman, who was once again seated in her own car. Mrs Walker looked up at the sound of her name; now that she was in a somewhat clear headspace, she didn’t look too good Bestia noted.

            “Yes, that’s me.”

            “Mrs Walker, I was driving the ‘Rose’ coloured car that you hit.” Mrs Marissa Walker nodded in understanding, and her face saddened.

            “I have decided not to press charges,” Mrs Walker’s face brightened. “But, as you have no insurance we need to come to some arrangement to cover the repairs.” As quickly as Mrs Walker’s face had brightened, it fell.

            “Um, Miss...” Bestia smiled gently.

            “Bestia Kararehe.”