Chapter 3

The bus just kept going and going.  The digital clock the bus driver had on the dash board read 9:04 pm, they had been riding the bus for almost twenty minutes now. The monotone lights of the building and businesses streaked by as they passed them, getting fewer in number as they went along. The buildings seemed to get older and more run down as they went by, until most of them were unused and abandon, with little or no lights around them at all, except for the dull orange street light that hovered over them and a lot of those were burned out or busted. David started to wonder what kind of place they were going to.

"It's not far now, just a few more blocks." Gracy told David, trying to keep his interest up.

"Uh"? David pulled his attention away from the window and his bleak thoughts about where they were going, half hearing Gracie.

The bus went on for about eight more minutes and then Gracy rung the bell for the next stop. The bus pulled over against the sidewalk and Gracy and David got to their feet walked to the front and stepped off the bus. The bus driver quickly shut the door and took off in a lurch. It was clear the driver didn't like being in that area and wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. They were in a dimly lit part of the city surrounded by nothing but gritty one story abandoned buildings. David was struck by a  sickening sense of dred at the site of them.

"It's not as bad as it looks, it gets better a few blocks from here where the motel is." Gracey told to David, trying to make an excuse for this place.

David now felt an even deeper sense of sympathy for this lady. He couldn't believe that she had been coming to this place by herself every night. He now realized she had it even worse than him. He wondered why she didn't have a place closer to civilization.

"The hotel is not far from here.... Do you want to come with me?" She says the words to him as if she was giving him an option of leaving, as if she thinks this placed might have discouraged him from wanting to be with her.

David was surprised by her words and as uncomfortable as he was by these surroundings the last thing he wanted to do was leave her. Not only because of his adornment for her, but now a strong sense to protect her physically as well as mentally from this place.

"Yeh!" David said sounding like it was absurd for her even suggesting that. He walked up to the side of her giving the impression that he was willing to stay with her, his eyes open wide trying to make things out on the poorly lit street and they both started to walk down it. 

In both their minds the question Gracey just asked David and his reaction to it signified the final gesture that they both needed to put their insecurities at ease. Gracey now felt like she had a chance at starting a relationship with someone. She didn't know what kind of relationship. All she knew was that she had found somebody that genuinely seemed to like her, and that was something she never had.


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