Tunnel by Josh Anderson

Author:Josh Anderson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: EPIC Press
Published: 2015-06-30T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

February 3 & 4, 1998

* * *

Moments later

Kyle ran for as long as he could before slowing down to a fast walk on 181st Street. He was about two short blocks from the train and felt like his chest was going to implode if he didn’t take a break. He also desperately needed replacements for his old, prison-issued canvas slippers.

The image of Ochoa’s head blowing apart, clear off his neck, kept running through Kyle’s head. If he failed to stop the bus crash now, Ochoa would have died for nothing. He had to try to think of something else—anything at all.

“Hey!” a voice called out behind him.

Instinctively, Kyle turned. It was the chatty waitress standing in front of Salvado’s, the restaurant he’d eaten at with Ochoa just a couple of hours ago. She was smoking a cigarette while she read a magazine.

“You’re still dressed like some kind of mental patient,” she called out.

Kyle turned and gave her a polite smile, but he didn’t stop. In another time, in another universe, he would’ve been all over the opportunity to talk to her. She was the kind of girl he always liked—soft looking with a mischievous streak.

Having caught his breath, he started jogging in the direction of the train station.

A few seconds later, he heard footsteps closing in on him, and then a hand on his shoulder. He knew it was her. “Hey! You’re rude, you know that?”

“I’m sorry,” he said, irritated that he had to stop again. “Look, I’m in a hurry.”

“Where ya goin’?” she asked.

“I gotta catch the train.”

“Downtown?” she asked. “I just heard one pass. So you’re looking at another twenty minutes. Don’t bother hustling.”

“Thanks,” he said, still not stopping.

“Where’s your buddy, the Sasquatch?” she asked.

Kyle stopped and took a breath. “Don’t call him that.”

She wrinkled her brow. “Uh . . . Sorry.”

He felt a hitch on the inside. If he let himself, he would start sobbing right here. “He’s somewhere good, I hope.”

“Okay, weirdo,” she answered.

“Have a good night,” Kyle said, starting toward the train again.

“Hey, wait up,” she said. “Lemme get my jacket. I’m going that way too.” She ran in the direction of the restaurant.

Kyle thought about ignoring her, but if she was right about the train time, then he was just going to see her up on the tracks again anyway. She went inside the restaurant and was out again within thirty seconds.

“Haha,” she said. “Good luck finishing service without a waitress!” She laughed to herself and then screamed out “ASSHOLES!” to punctuate the laughter.

“So, what are you in such a hurry for?” she asked. She shrugged when he ignored the question.

“You remember my name?” she asked, tucking her arm under his. “Allaire Thompson . . . ”

He liked watching her lips move, and imagined kissing them. He didn’t need a distraction like this right now, but he couldn’t help himself. “I’m Kyle Cash.”

“So, are we, uh, gonna hang out, or what?” she asked.

“I can’t,” Kyle answered, wishing he’d met her under different circumstances. “I need to catch a bus upstate.

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