Snack Food Hero

Chapter 8: A Promise to Break

A thick bed of leaves cushioned the footsteps of Bash and his girlfriend, Rainbow, as Buddha led them down the path behind the apartment complex. Trees and bushes lined the path and branches hung over like a natural ceiling of shade.

Bash stopped walking and Rainbow looked at him. He sniffed the air and said, "I keep smelling Creamys."

Rainbow sniffed around with her pug nose and opened her mouth wide. "Ah yah," she said without closing her mouth. "Uh-huh."

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"You can smell better with your mouth open. You didn't know that?"

"No, we're not snakes. Holding your mouth open like that is dangerous, it's just asking for a fly to lay eggs in your gums."

Rainbow buckled over with laughter. Catching her breath, she said, "Maybe I am part snake since it works for me."

Bash laughed. "You smell it, though?"

"Yes, actually. I mean, I'm not quite the Creamy connoisseur that you are, Maestro, but I definitely smell something ... baking. Could it be cake?"

"No," said Bash. "We better get back, though, my shift's about to start."

"What time does your shift start?"

"Six tonight ... I think it's about five now."

"Wait," said Rainbow. "I thought you said you're your own boss."

"Exactly," said Bash. "I have to set the example."

"For who?"

"My employees."

"How many employees do you have?"

"Well, so far it's just me. And so I'm the top employee, which is even more reason to set the example."

#

In the wide mirror that spanned the bathroom, Bash looked at himself in his uniform. We'll call the police, he remembered the apartment manager saying. The name on the shirt said, "Lewis", and he knew he was going to hate any flack he got over the name. He couldn't even tell if it was the former owner's first or last name, and Goodwill didn't keep any records like that.

Buddha laid on the couch while Bash got her dressed in her doggy security outfit. Tugging it into place, he said to Rainbow, "You think Lewis is dead?"

"Lewis Who?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's Mr. Lewis."

She snickered as her eyes found the name on his uniform and realized what he was talking about.

"Yea," she said. "I bet he's dead ... and ... he died while wearing that uniform."

Bash and Buddha were both staring at Rainbow. Finally, Bash said, "You're sick in the head, you know that?"

She cracked up again. "I totally know that! It's my edge."

Rainbow walked over to Bash and held his hands. "Just sick enough ... that I can't let you go."

"What are you saying?"

"You can't go be the security guard, Bash."

"It's not something I have to go be. It's who I am."

"Your name isn't Lewis! You don't have anyone paying you to do security. And no, I'm not bailing you out of jail tonight."

"I won't be in jail tonight."

#

Rainbow watched Bash and Buddha enter the living room donning their complete security guard costumes. Bash walked right up to the dining table where she sat drinking tea and holding a magazine open.

"Not only will I not be in jail tonight," said Bash. "But you're gonna thank me. So, go on, be mad. You'll see."

She laughed. "Seriously? Come on, tell me why I'm going to thank you. Please tell me."

"I'm gonna find out where that smell is coming from, and I can feel it, Rainbow, it's gonna be all over the news."

"I hope you're right," she said. She looked at Buddha. "Is she wearing a cape?"

"Yea!" said Bash, turning around. "Look, I got one too!"

"No," she said. "Absolutely not. Bash, they will put you in an asylum if you wear a cape."

Rainbow helped him remove the capes and said, "Will you promise me one thing? If you find out where the smell is coming from, will you come home?"

"Only if you promise me something."

"Okay?"

"You have to thank me."

"Okay, Bash. I don't care what that smell is, but sure, I'll thank you and then you'll stop playing security guard."

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