Chance Meeting

Tarrin was caught. He didn’t intend on actually following her at first but it ended up happening that way. On his way home from an early morning meeting, he spotted her from the car. He requested that Mara drop him off to walk and get some fresh air.

“Fresh air?” She had asked him.

“Yes, it seems like a nice day for it.” He responded, not making eye contact.

“Emm hmm, if you say so sir.” He caught the rolling of her eyes, but didn’t say anything as she put on the signal light and pulled over.

“I’ll call you when I am done getting some fresh air.” Tarrin shut the door after Mara just nodded at him.

From helping with fallen tomatoes to the stray cats, Josey would stop and greet, he found her somewhat amusing. At one point she tried petting a small older dog that was chained outside of someone’s door step. The grumpy dog suddenly started barking and nipping at her making her run for her life from it even though it was on a chain.

The moment she was far enough away, Tarrin growled at it for being so mean and the dog whimpered and went back to its spot by the door of the home. He laughed to himself as he thought of her face when she jumped in surprise at the mean dog.

Watching her browse several stands and then go into a shop that displayed used car seats and children’s items mostly, he was wondering if maybe she was with child, or looking for a gift.

He waited outside at a distance next to a food vendor stall run by an older lady. Tarrin pointed randomly at something to buy just to save face while waiting for Josey to exit the secondhand shop.

Not looking at exactly what he ordered, he bit into something extremely spicy and chewy, causing him to spit it out. The red fiery substance dripped down his tie and Tarrin was suddenly standing there with his mouth on fire trying to fan it. Purchasing a bottle of water, he started guzzling.

Josey had stepped out of the shop at that moment and he ran behind the stall hoping not to be seen.

“Why am I hiding? It’s not like this isn’t a free country. People can go where they please.” He whispered to himself, getting strange looks from the older lady.

“Sorry.” He said to her as he creeped back out and weaved around other stalls to keep an eye on Josey.

While watching Josey, he caught his reflection in a window and noticed the dark stain on his tie. Looking down he grumbled a profanity and started looking around for somewhere to purchase a new one. Seeing a shop that seemed to possibly sell what he needed, he was now faced with the dilemma on how to get by Josey.

A small group of tourists happened to be walking by on the brick paved path between the stalls and shops. This gave him a chance to merge with them and wander past Josey unnoticed, allowing him to duck into the shop. The owner of the shop greeted Tarrin when he entered.

“Good day! Can I help you find something sir?” His raspy old voice from years of puffing on a cigar felt comfortable to Tarrin for some reason.

“Ah, yes. Ties?” Tarrin responded holding his away from his chest and looking around.

“Oh, yes, I see, right this way.” Calling Tarrin over as he went behind the checkout counter, he slides back the little door to reach in and pull out a few different ones nicely displayed in little boxes.

Tarrin eyed them and chose the one with tiny brown dachshunds on it. The little dogs resembled the one that nearly nipped Josey’s hand.

The old man was ringing the purchase up when the chime on the door sounded. Tarrin waited to pay as the owner looked around him and greeted the next customer.

“Welcome! Welcome young lady! Give me a few moments, and I will be right with you!” The old man said with cheery eyes.

“You’re fine, please take your time, I’m just looking.” That voice, it was Josey.

Tarrin quickly handed the owner his credit card. His hearing ability was beyond normal, so once the owner slid the card and pushed a few buttons, Tarrin could hear the soft sound of dial up. Gritting his teeth, he didn’t move. Afraid he would be caught, he mental urged the machine to hurry up.

He heard the sounds of items being picked up and put back and then the sound of hangers being scooted on a metal rack followed by a soft sigh from Josey. At that moment the receipt finally printed and the old man handed it to Tarrin.

Without so much as a thank you or goodbye, Tarrin quickly turned to sneak of the shop but came full stop the moment he met eyes with Josey as she stood by a suit rack.

“Uh..hello..Mr.Stormway.” Tarrin couldn’t respond to her hello. He just stood there staring at her.

The old man looked back and forth between the two and just smiled as he shook his head.

“Are you out shopping today too?” Josey asked, feeling uncomfortable with the silence.

She watched as Tarrin snapped out of it and grabbed the tie around his neck.

“Uhm, uh, yes, seems I have a stain on my tie so I came to uh..buy another one.” His response was nervous sounding, and he didn’t know why she made him so nervous. He held his breath, worried she’d find it odd they were in the same shop.

“Ah, yea, I see. Well, um, have a good day Mr. Stormway.” Josey responded before thanking the old man behind the counter and leaving the shop.

Tarrin turned and nodded at the old man as he let out the breath he had been holding. Leaving the shop, Tarrin glanced around casually to catch sight of her. Not seeing where she could have gone, he pulled out his cell phone and called Mara to meet him on the corner down from where she dropped him off.

Tarrin started to head in the direction he was being picked up while his brain had a two-sided fight. On one hand he firmly believed he followed her because he was suspicious of her being part of a faction of hunters who were looking for him.

On the other hand, he found her interesting. Most people don’t square off with him over trivial matters, and never has a single soul come so close and smelt so good.

Shaking his head and chalking it up to being under too much stress as the full moon drew nearer, Tarrin changed his train of thought to focus on the discussion he had with his uncle this morning regarding the company.

His uncle was the real brains behind Terrace Pharmaceuticals. When Tarrin was young, his father was killed for discovering a genetic altering serum, one that basically went against the foundations of humanity.

His uncle had raised him, and with a bit of power and money, he created Terrace Pharmaceuticals for Tarrin to take over and continue his father’s research, guised as his uncle’s son.

The building looked normal from the outside, but the floor plans would tell a different story.

The building was made up of false floors that appeared as empty and unused office space, but they were in fact safe guards to hide the research being conducted behind normal looking office doors.

To everyday workers, who may accidently push the wrong button in an elevator, or somehow get through a locked door to an unnumbered floor, the office would seem spooky as overhead lights flickered and no sounds could be heard but a low hum.

The doors to the secured labs even boasted made up names and titles with signs saying currently under construction, or moved to a different floor.

Tarrin needed this space in order to find a cure for the genetic mutation his father had inflicted him with. A genetic mutation that made Tarrin walk on four legs during a full moon. It always left him with no memory of what happened the next day and this scared him more than the hunters looking for him.