Fear Of Broken Glass

The Carpark

'She seemed reluctant.'

Justin looked across. 'Reluctant?'

Ulrika was outside in front of them, looking around the car park. She walked to her car, opening the back and reaching inside.

The two men sat side by side in the stationary Citroën; two heads eyes front. It was the saddest car Justin had seen in a long time, the color of mustard that had gone off. A Fiat 127 looking like it had just been retrieved from the scrap heap, driven without respect by learners; dented, beaten and covered in a continuous line of flaky rust that extended around every door edge and wheel arch.

'What do you think?' Ash asked.

'Pile of old junk.'

'The girl I meant. Bet it's seen a lot of action, if you know what I mean?' Ash grinned, 'I think she's a bit of all right.'

'A bit of all right.' Justin watched her walk around to the open door, opening it and taking hold of a loose bag then placing it on the seat. 'Is that all, a bit of all right?'

Ash watched her, then looked across at his companion speaking slowly. 'Yeah, a bit of all right.' He turned back again without waiting for a reply.

They watched the back of Ulrika's head as she removed items of clothing. First her jacket, sitting half in, half out of the rain. She reached down and unlaced her hiker's boots, fast yet effective hands pulling off first one, then the other, before placing each foot inside the car. She stretched upwards, as she must when taking off wet trousers.

'So you think she's worth a visit then?' Justin looked across at Ash. 'Is that what you mean?'

Ash didn't say anything. He watched her as she removed another item of clothing. A hand appeared holding a pair of jeans, disappearing again. And all the while the two men watched in silence. She took off her wet clothes, rubbing her hair with a jumper. When she was done she pulled a jumper over her tousled head and leaned out of the car, taking off her wet hiking socks, revealing the fine white skin of slender ankles.

'That is what I mean.' Ash was looking at her with intensity as she rubbed her feet, briefly, before pulling them back inside the car.

Ulrika was quick, getting out, transformed, dressed in black leather boots with heels and a short red leather jacket above tight-fitting dark blue denims: A striking contrast to the drab, dark and wet olive green of her hiking gear. She looked around the car park, then back at the two waiting men and gave them a smile and the thumbs up.

Ash responded with his own thumb without smiling, then looked at Justin. 'Not much room for a three point turn in there.'

Justin watched Ulrika get back into the car, stretch denims so tight they revealed each curve of her slender posterior. 'Not much.'

'I think we should invite her back. Being out here, exposed and all.' Ash turned to his companion and gave him a knowing look.

Justin turned to his side, watching her tussled hair. Then he was getting out of the car, walking towards her. He looked across the car park at five other cars. All empty. And a police car, also empty. Ulrika looked up as Justin reached the open driver's door, leaning forwards to look down at her, smiling.

'Hungry? We live only a few minutes from here.'

Ulrika took her hands off the keys and looked up, hesitantly. 'I really have to get back.' She looked away, out into the park.

'Something to eat, some coffee before hitting the road?'

Her hand reached for the keys again. 'Really, I have to be going.' She nodded, 'Thanks so much for the lift.'

Then Ash was standing next to Justin. 'Come on, come and meet the rest of the guys.'

'There are more of you? Where from?'

Justin looked across, hating the way Ash nodded, smiling like that. He hated even more, the way he said it, as if it was an invitation to a party only the hosts knew the nature of. 'Denmark,' he said. 'We all drove up from Copenhagen.'

***

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