Eventide

Chapter 2, Unknown Leech

Chapter 2

UNKNOWN LEECH

(Uprising, by Muse)

     Sunlight warmed my cheek as I yawned and rubbed my eyes.  No tears, no cold sweat, and no racing heartbeat.  My nightmare had taken yet another night off.  I was three for three; three nights of restful, uninterrupted sleep.

     The clock read two, as in two in the afternoon.  I did the math as I stretched.  It had been ten whole hours since my head had hit the pillow.  Whatever had given me these past few night‘s peace, I was deeply grateful.

     I dressed in jeans and a tank top, then padded to the kitchen where I stirred the embers in my stove and added kindling and a log to get the fire going.  I nuked a cup of yesterday’s coffee in the microwave to hold me over until I could percolate a fresh pot on the stove.  The battery bank that powered my house was low, so I dragged my generator outside and kicked it to life to recharge my batteries.  I didn’t need much in the way of electricity.  Not owning a TV or needing light to see at night helped with that, but I did need to recharge my laptop, power the satellite internet connection, and I used my microwave occasionally.

     Living so far from the town proper, my cabin had none of the luxuries most people took for granted, like electricity from the power company or indoor plumbing or running water.

     Hot cup of coffee in hand, I brought my laptop to life and checked my email.  Sure enough, Emily’s email sat in the queue.

     Her email read:

Dear Leah

Why do I keep watching General Hospital.?  It takes forever for anything to happen.  Yet, I tune back in each day thinking today’s the day.  So where’d I leave off last week?

Sonny’s trial is still going on!  You know how much I hate trials.  I’ve asked this before, but what kind of mob-guy is Sonny?  He doesn’t allow drugs or prostitution in town.  So what illegal mob stuff does he do?

Kristina finally told the truth about Kiefer.  That actress keeps making these PSA’s about girls being abused by their boyfriends and telling them to get help.  I would have liked it better if Kristina had put a stop to the abuse the first time it happened.  The message could have been, ‘Hey girls, getting hit once by your boyfriend is one too many times.  Instead, the message is ‘Put up with it until you land in the hospital.’  Bah!

See, I get too worked up watching General Hospital.  I have to remind myself it‘s only a soap opera.

Lisa is still flirting with Patrick.  Shame on her.  He’s married.  Robin should kick her butt.  Didn’t Robin learn martial arts from her secret agent parents?

What else?

Oh, Hot Johnny was working in his garage looking all yummy.  I didn’t pay attention to what was going on or what he said, so nothing new there.  But, did I mention he was working in his garage?  In a tight T-shirt?

That’s about it for G. H.  Not much has happened since my last email.

The boys trampled my herb garden again.  I totally lost it.  Grabbed the closest thing at hand and ran out screaming and waving it at them.  Wouldn’t you know, it was a wooden spoon I had grabbed.

Remember how Mom used to chase the neighbor’s dog out of her garden?  It’s official.  I am my mother.

Well, maybe not.  No one ever laughed at Mom right in front of her.  The boys got a real kick out of me that day, which only made me angrier, which only made them laugh harder.