by Joan Arling

Dedications: Having a sequel to Angels was ‘So it’s all my fault, huh?’-Gwen’s idea, so don’t blame me :-)

Feedback is always welcome: joanarling@e-scribblers.com.

Copyright © 2009 by Joan Arling. All Rights Reserved.

---

“What do we do now?”

“Well, we need some kind of distraction”, Jane replied. “Ready for action?”

Without waiting for my answer she started an all out run in the direction of the girl, pulling me behind her by my left hand. Within seconds she stopped in front of the girl, looking at me in feigned panic.

“We can’t leave her alone out here” she exclaimed, and I picked up the cue, “Come on! They’re almost onto us!”, pulling at her arm to urge her on.

“No way, she’s got to come”, grabbing the girl’s hand with her free one, “with us”, and began running again, pulling us both along.

We came to a shrouded crossroads and headed straight into the vegetation, cowering and catching our breaths. “What, what... ”

“SSSHHHHH!!! Quiet, for heaven’s sake!” hissed Jane, with success.

Wordlessly the big eyes in the lean face took Jane in, then me. In a whisper, “What the hell is going on here? Who are you?”

I had used the time to come up with a story, “There’s a bunch of... of hooligans out there, and they caught sight of us... ”

Jane took over, “And they started running after us, so we took to our heels — Quiet now, I think I can hear them!”

We listened carefully, but only the noises of the night were audible.

“I think they lost us”, I said, and straightened slowly, looking in all directions.

“Do you see anyone?” Jane asked.

“No, I think we’re in the clear.”

The two of them came up from their cowering positions. “Jeez!” Jane pretended to wipe sweat from her brow, and addressed the girl.

“What are you thinking, walking alone out here after dark? What’s your name, anyway?”

“Maggie. And who are you? And you’re not walking around with a group of bodyguards, either!”

“Oh, this is Angela, and I am Jane. Our car broke down some miles down the road. Going by the traffic signs, there ought to be a town nearby. Could you show us the way?”

Wordlessly, Maggie pointed the direction.

“Won’t you come with us? Or do you have a date, or something?”

I started to grin behind Jane’s back, but that grin fell from my face as I saw Maggie’s eyes fill with tears. Jane took her in her arms, and let her sob against her shoulder.

“There, there... Nothing is ever as bad as it seems at first sight.”

I thought wryly that by now those imaginary hooligans could have surrounded us, as well as called their friends to join in the fun, but Maggie was too deep in her grief to entertain the obvious idea.

We slowly walked in the direction Maggie had indicated, and it was only a quarter of a mile before we were walking the deserted streets of Nowheringham. In fact, before long we spotted a bar with a neon rainbow above the door, and Jane steered Maggie in its direction while I frowned in disbelief. I cleared my throat, and rubbed my thumb against my forefinger in Jane’s direction, indicating that we’d need money in there. She smiled and patted her hip pocket, winking at me. Puzzled, I put my hand in the side pocket of my jacket, and pulled out a bundle of notes. At a glance I could only tell that it would have been enough to carry us through a month, had we still been leading our former lives, and I took in a sharp breath.

Maggie let go of Jane for the first time since she’d begun clinging to her. “Uh... I’d better get going now.”

“Aw, come on. You showed us the way here, we’d be delighted to have you join us for a while.”

“I’ve got no... no money.” After a short hesitation, she amended, “On me.”

Jane took her hand, and I said, “Don’t worry, we’re on an expense account.” I coughed to cover up a giggle, and Jane shook her head at me, smiling. She gently pushed Maggie through the door by her shoulders, and followed her in. I paused briefly, looking into the sky and sent a thought upwards, ‘Thanks, Gabe!’ This job showed unexpected perks.

“This is the craziest night of my life”, Maggie sighed.

“Tell us about it, will you?”

Maggie fell silent. After a while she whispered, “You saved my life, you know that?”

I started to say, “Hey, that’s our j... ”, but Jane interrupted, “We couldn’t have left you to the hooligans, could we now?”

“No, it’s not that, even though you did frighten me with that.”

“What is it, then?”

“I was going to... ” She closed her eyes, but that did not help against the tears that started running down her cheeks again.

“You were what?” said Jane, then, like she was slowly comprehending, “That bridge? You were – Don’t tell me you were going to do something foolish! Why on earth would a girl like you... ”

“Because she wouldn’t have me!” Maggie wailed. “She was the world to me, but when her p-p-parents found out, she denied everything. She wouldn’t even look at me!”

Jane and I thought that a shocked silence would be the appropriate reaction. Maggie lowered her head onto her forearms.

“Oh God! And then your parents?”

“They just threw me out!” Her voice shook with the sobs that racked her body.

A good-looking butch, perhaps five years older than Maggie, had been looking our way for several minutes, and now came over to our table with a scowl on her face. “Excuse me, may I ask what is going on here?”

She looked into Maggie’s face, as she raised her head to the new voice. “Mags? What are you doing here, and at this hour? And who are these two people with you? Did they do you any harm?”

“Jenny? I had no... No, these two are friends. They’ve been... ”

Jenny looked at Jane and me with doubt written all over her face, then addressed Maggie again.

“I think it’s better if you come with me now, Mags.” She wrapped a protective arm around Maggie’s shoulders. “No offence, ladies, but I don’t know you.”

With that she led Maggie outside, leaving us smiling at one another.

“Gimme five!”

“Yes!”

Gabriel looked up from our report. “Not all bad. For firsttimers.”

He focused on me. “Do you usually call your boss by his first name? ‘Gabe’ indeed!”

Before I could answer, I felt Jane’s arm around me. “What? We got the job done, haven’t we? So what’s next?”

His lips twitched. “One week vacation. You did OK.”

The End

Feed the Scribbler: joanarling@e-scribblers.com.