Traffic (Complete two-hundred pages) (Moving to Kindle Vella in 30 Days! )

34

MARGARITA

MARGARITA WAS STILL LYING in the same position as before. Her body was relaxed, but her hands were still holding her butt, where she'd been brutally and publicly beaten. What kind of people were these? Jack thought. Were they on drugs?

Jack did not bother to approach her. Nor comfort her. Nor ask for comfort for himself. He merely looked around the room, unable to move as though there was still a gun to his back. He guessed he wouldn't be seeing the boy on the bus tonight. Nor would he see Penelope in dos horas. He would be stupid to try to leave out the door. No doubt did the giant have a way of detecting him should he try to escape. Be it a camera, sensor or Raúl right outside the door. He found a chair and sat in it.

Watching the rain fall even harder on the balcony, he noticed a tall green plant finally fall over, bent at the stem. It caved and fell on some smaller Asters, Dahlia's and sunflowers as it thrashed left and right by the wind that started. The assault by the taller plant tossed the soil out from under the small flowers and dirtied the transparent door.

Jack chose to stand and was about to open the door to remove the plant but stopped. The forces of the rain and wind were too wild. He decided it easier to stay inside. He saw the tall green plant kick and scream at the smaller more beautiful flowers and finally at once it was too much to take and Jack quickly pulled the curtain to block the view. He swallowed. His throat was hot.

Just then he looked over and Margarita was staring at him. Her face covered in tears. She just looked at him though as if he were as low as she was. Her sympathy did the opposite of make him feel good.

"You okay, Pat?" she said.

Jack took a moment. Remembering his name was Pat. He was thinking of something.

"What is it?" she said. "You scared?"

Jack looked at her pensively. "No."

"Then what is it?"

Jack waited to respond before he pointed to the curtain. "My mother and father had a garden."

Margarita looked surprised. "They had their own garden? In the city?"

Pat must've grown up in the city. But that's not where Jack grew up. "They had their own garden. Those same flowers, too."

"Where are they?"

"The flowers?"

"No. Your parents."

Jack took a moment to answer. Too long to answer. So he didn't.

"I'm sorry," said Margarita.

Jack didn't respond.

"Can you turn off the lights and get in bed with me?"

Jack didn't know what to think about that. "I'll turn off the lights." So he did.

After a moment Margarita asked, "Where are you, now?"

"On the floor."

"I'm going to take off my dress, if you don't mind."

"I don't mind."

And they slept. Grateful for the roof that shunted the rain and wind.