Demon Town, page 43
“The preacher’s kid?” Milo interrupted.
“Yeah, him. She didn’t think that it was appropriate to be seeing him and working there. Something like that.”
“Well, that bites.” Milo mumbled.
“I guess that’s just one less heart for you to break, Casanova.” Mikey laughed and pretended to look hurt when Milo gave him the evil eye.
Mac was disappointed to hear about Mikey’s news concerning Lisa Thomas and Shawn Brown, but kept his thoughts to himself. She was out of his league anyway and as his mom liked to say, there were plenty more fish out there. As Mac steered his truck through town, he came to an intersection that turned on to Highway 19 where he stopped and waited for an opening in traffic. On the other side of the highway stood an old man in a tattered jacket and hat. In his arms he held a black and grey cat that kind of reminded Mac of his pet that he had when he was younger. The old man and the cat both seemed totally oblivious to the traffic going by them and for a moment Mac felt like they were watching him.
“What’s the story with the old guy?” Mac asked and pointed towards him. “I’ve seen him before.”
“Isn’t that Highway Mike?” Milo answered. “He travels from town to town looking for food and handouts because he lost everything. Alcohol is what I think somebody said.”
Mikey shook his head. “No, that’s not right. The story is that the guy was loaded. He was some successful business man with a family and a big fancy house and one day he just up and walked away from it all and never went back.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Lost his mind, I guess. Poor, old bugger. Doesn’t have a penny to his name now or even a place to stay. He just wanders from town to town, but at least he has a cat now to keep him company.”
Mac found an opening in traffic and proceeded to pull onto the highway. He glanced once more at the old man and the cat and was surprised to see them still staring at him. The old drifter smiled at Mac and then held a thumb up which Mac first thought was directed at him, but then realized that the old man was probably hoping to hitch a ride from a passing car.
“You know, I swear that I’ve seen him somewhere before.” Mac looked back in his rearview mirror.
“Sure, he’s usually through Paradise Flats two or three times a year. Everybody sees him around, but nobody really knows what his story is.”
“A person should buy him a cup of coffee sometime and maybe find out. It might be pretty interesting.” Mac said as he pulled into Quincy’s parking lot.
“You might be right, Mac.” Mikey replied. “I bet he’s seen things and been places that would make us cringe.”
Looking back once more, Mac saw that the old man and the cat were both gone. Somebody must have picked them up he thought and he felt a pang of guilt as he wished he would’ve thought of the cup of coffee idea sooner.
“Next time.” Mac whispered to himself. He couldn’t explain why, but he was positive that he would cross paths with the old man and the cat again. “Maybe then, we’ll find out what your story is.”
THE END
About the Author
Edwin J. Stokirmas continues to use his writing as a therapeutic means to help him deal with the demons within. He writes when time allows as he works at his regular job by day and lives in Canada.
Special thanks to Linda White for her editing skills and Ambient Studios for their artistic talents designing the book cover.
Read more at Edwin J. Stokirmas’s site.
Edwin J. Stokirmas, Demon Town
