Chapter Five

            The Texas sun was blazing as we stepped out. I couldn’t feel cold, but I could feel the warmth.  I looked down at my skin to see if I was on fire. No, not yet. I took another step out of the door. I was fully immersed in the sun now.  I felt fine. As fine as dead can feel. I can leave the house in the daylight. Score one for Rachel. Take that Mr. Bitey. Wait, if I can go out, I’m sure he can also be out in the sun. Still. Score one for Rachel.

            It was only a little after six am. No stores would be open yet. It was still reassuring to know that I wasn’t destined to live in the dark for the rest of my (undead) life. Cooper happily ran away from me in the backyard, he was prancing around in his usual outside happy dance. I grabbed a ball to play fetch with him. I reached my arm back, threw the ball, and watched as it (accidentally!) launched right through my ever so annoying neighbor’s window. Of all the windows. “Sorry Cooper.”  Surely, they can’t know that was me? Well… I guess they could. That window in particular is directly overlooking my backyard. We’re just going to hope they didn’t notice that.

            “Rachel! Was that you?! Why the hell did you throw a ball through my window? You better pay to fix this! Come out here, right now!” My neighbor, the infernal Nancy, was in front of our houses, yelling her head off. Okay, okay. I’ll go. I walked back into the house and out the front door.

            “Nancy, it was an accident. I was throwing the ball for my dog and it went too far. I’ll give you the money, just let me know how much.” 

            Apparently, this was not good enough for Nancy. “What if you had hit ME? You could have killed me! You need to pay more attention to what you’re doing. Either you’re a terrible aim or you did that on purpose!”

            My aim really is terrible. “I told you, I was playing with my dog.”

            Nancy kept on. “You’re lucky I was down in the kitchen and not upstairs getting ready, that would have gone right into my bedroom and hit me. I should call the police and report this. This is unacceptable.”

            I had enough. She doesn’t know when to stop. “Nancy, SHUT UP! I’m going inside. Bill me.”  She stared at me with an open mouth as I walked back into my house and slammed the door.      

            Now I was really, excruciatingly hungry. Starving. Nancy is lucky I didn’t kill her, indeed.  I wouldn’t want to eat that woman even if she was my last hope for survival. Yuck. Bitch for breakfast.  Who would I eat though? I didn’t want to eat anyone. I guess I didn’t have to kill them. I’m not sure why Mr. Bitey killed me.  Maybe he lost control? Or maybe you can’t stop.  Did it have to be people? The thought of blood at all was grossing me out. I’m not going to think about it until it’s a necessity.  Unfortunately, I felt like that time would be coming soon.

            I went back to my computer to find out what time the phone store opens. It doesn’t even open until ten am. TEN! I had things to do, I don’t want to wait at home until ten.  I clearly wasn’t going into work anymore. I had no car to get there, no phone to tell them I was not dead, and no solutions I could think of. I guess I was jobless. Can dead people apply for unemployment? Maybe the paperwork was never filed to alert the authorities that I was dead. Maybe the government still counts me as living.  I’ll figure that out later.

For now, I guess I’d kill time by trying to find my car.  My house wasn’t that far from the gas station it happened at. I could go there first and maybe someone would know where my car went. I grabbed my ludicrous purple bicycle, took it out front, and started pedaling back to the scene of the crime.

            When I got there, the parking lot still looked empty.  There was a car there, the same car from the night I was murdered. I leaned my bike against the side of the building and walked inside. The man inside looked terrified when he saw me. Upon seeing his face, I realized I had still not changed or showered. My clothes were coated in blood still.  Oops. “Sir, do you remember a car that was left in your parking lot last night? There was a black Audi that I drove here, but I woke up in the hospital and have no idea where my car is.”

            He stared at me a bit longer and replied “It was you.  I found you in your car last night.  We thought you were dead.  I saw your car sitting there for an hour or so with the door wide open and I finally walked out to see what was going on. You really looked dead. The police had your car towed to an impound lot nearby.”

             What to say? Impound lot. Okay, at least it hadn’t been stolen by that asshole of mystery. “Oh, yes. This man came into my car and attacked me. I’m okay though.  Do you have the number or the address of the place it went to?” Not that I could use the number right now. 

            The man was still staring at me. Must be the blood on my clothes. “Um, it is Lincoln Towing. They’re just a few blocks east of here. I can give you their card.” Yes! Score two for Rachel. I could ride my absurd bike there. I took the business card and then took my exit.

            I started riding in the direction of my car (and hopefully my phone and keys).  It normally would have taken me longer, but it was surprisingly easy to turn the bike’s speed setting up and pedal. Hard. I was speeding on my bike just as I do in my car. My muscles didn’t tire as easily now. I saw the sign “Lincoln Towing” approaching in the distance and felt my stress lifting away. As I pulled in the lot, I could see a booth with a man working and realized I didn’t have my purse either. My wallet must be in the car. I’d have to try anyways.

            I walked up to the man trying to think of how to best state my case.  I figured I’d just go for it, as I do with most things in life. “Hello, my car was towed here last night. My purse, my phone, and my keys I believe are all still in my car.  If we can just go to it, I should be able to pay to get the car out.” This man was staring at me too. Damnit, the blood on my clothes. I have GOT to take a shower and change. ASAP. Still staring. Men never seem to know there should be a time limit on staring. “Sir? My car…?” Okay, maybe he had a condition. Special needs. Let’s try again. “Take me to my car, PLEASE.”

            “Yes ma’am, right away ma’am.” the man replied. Okay. At least we were getting somewhere.  Even if the man twice my age called me “ma’am”.  I didn’t even have wrinkles yet sir. I described my car to him, and he led me right to it. Everything was still here! Yes! I guess my murderer didn’t need any money. Must get his kicks elsewhere. I checked my phone quickly. Six missed calls from Owen. Oops. No other missed calls. Typical. At least I had a way to contact people again. “Sir, how much do I owe you?” The man was still staring at me. “No charge ma’am.” he said.  No charge. Perhaps that was the dead person special. They find you dead in your car and the impound lot was free? I thought they were like money sharks and always charged.  Just as well though, I was ready to get back home and clean myself off.