The North Star | COMPLETED ✔️

Chapter 10 ~ The man at the fork in the road

^^ Jessie's Stranger above

Chapter 10

I cleaned stations. Stocked supplies. I talked to customers and smiled like I meant it. For a week. It felt oddly natural being there. Boe and Scarlet didn't seem so bad once I had a chance to expect what would come from them. Zeke made it clear in every action he made that he cared, and Charlene never stopped her mothering.

And every night, I'd visit the bar. Every night since he saw where I slept, the stranger hadn't said a word. He studied the room, gave me my booze, but every once in a while, I'd catch those intense eyes on me, searching, reading.

And I still had his flannel.

Not because I needed it. The jacket Charlene had gifted me was warmer than any piece of clothing I'd ever owned. Then why did I still have it? Definitely not because it smelled amazing, like earth and nature and man.

No. I had it because I didn't want to bring up the fact that he'd given it to me. I didn't want to draw attention to how disgustingly, damn sweet that was.

But after a week of working, I had something that would rid me of my need for the stranger once and for all.

A paycheck.

"You should save your money, girl," Mr. Frankfire said for what felt like the hundredth time.

"I'll make more. I've got a job. Once I start tattooing, I'll make over double this in half the time. Besides, I didn't hear you complaining when you were shoving that burger down your throat."

He glared at me, but his lips twisted. "I'm homeless. Of course I ate the damn burger. Doesn't mean you should have bought it. At the very least, you could have gotten one right down the road for a dollar and nineteen cents. Nine dollars for a hamburger!" He scoffed. "What kind of highway robbery are they pushing on people nowadays? There ain't nothin' special about that damn cow! I guarantee you Monsanto pumped the same amount of poison into both of them!"

"Is that what that flavor was? I'm gonna have them dust a little extra of that on mine next time."

If poisonous cows didn't kill me, the look on his face after that comment would.

It was late when we rounded the corner to the bridge, too late for a warm spot, but the night wasn't as bad as the ones of the previous week. My eyes shot to Main Street, and I was overly conscious of the pack on my back. Crumbled in the bottom with the rest of my dirty clothes was a flannel three times my size.

The time had come for me to return it. I'd buy a bottle with my earnings and offer a drink in return. The last thing I needed was to be indebted to someone. Then, after that, I'd buy my booze from the liquor store.

For some reason, my stomach twisted. I couldn't have cared less about the dark stranger with the sharp eyes that cut right through me. He was a dangerous man for the most dangerous of reasons. It had always been about the drink. My continued visits had always been to keep the nightmares away. It'd been over a week since Drake found me in my dreams. The Wild Turkey blackouts had calmed my nerves like no meditation ever could.

That and someone standing guard, inner Jessie whispered.

I ignored her.

"I'll catch up to you," I said, patting Mr. Frankfire's shoulder. I dug the flannel out of my pack, then passed the bag to him. "Keep it for me?"

He grunted and grumbled beneath his breath, but his gnarled fingers closed around the strap and he slung it over his shoulder. "Don't spend all your money."