Status: Critique greatly appreciated, nitpickers welcome! Don't be a silent reader!
The Key Chased the Blade
Bus
We sat on a bench of a bus stop with a cover over it and were silent for a while. Water dripped off my hair and onto my face and lap. I was also making a puddle near my feet because my pant's legs were absolutely soaked. Then, because I couldn't stand it any longer, I started to wring them out.
"Noah, do you think we should go to the police?" Simon asked quietly.
I squeezed a hell of a ton of water out of my jeans and then looked at him. "And say what? It's not like we found a dead body. We'd be wasting their time."
"It's animal abuse. And maybe vandalism too." Simon swallowed. "It wouldn't be a waste of time, animal abuse is illegal."
I chewed on my lip and continued to wring out my pants. Simon went on, "Whoever did that to those birds should go to jail. That's - that's just plain wrong. It's just sick."
I nearly bit right through my lip when I heard his voice crack. He was going to cry. But I looked up at him and saw no tears, just rage. He was absolutely furious. Then he looked back at me with such intensity that I thought he was going to go back there and kill whoever hung those birds up. God. He was in a fit.
"Do you want your coat back?" I asked.
Simon blew out his breath and covered his face in his hands, and then he wound his fingers in his hair and tugged at it. "No, you keep it, Noah," he said softly, and he took some more deep breaths before looking at me again. The anger had gone and now he just looked pained. "We really need to go to the police about this," he said quietly.
I nodded, but I really didn't want to bother the police department about it. Man, I wanted to forget about it. I was about ready to march home and go get some coffee.
Then I heard a rumbling noise, and I looked over to see the bus coming for us. We were the only people at the stop. Jesus. Simon instantly got up off the seat.
"Simon," I said, but he cut me off.
"I'll pay for your way," he said as the vehicle lumbered to a halt. "If you want to go with me to the police station, I'll pay for it."
"Simon," I started, but the bus doors wheezed open for us. God. This was not happening. I was having visions of going home, sitting in front of the TV watching House and drinking coffee, not this. But I knew I was getting sucked into an adventure. If this day hadn't been one already.
"Fine," I huffed. "I'll pay my own way though."
"Noah, do you think we should go to the police?" Simon asked quietly.
I squeezed a hell of a ton of water out of my jeans and then looked at him. "And say what? It's not like we found a dead body. We'd be wasting their time."
"It's animal abuse. And maybe vandalism too." Simon swallowed. "It wouldn't be a waste of time, animal abuse is illegal."
I chewed on my lip and continued to wring out my pants. Simon went on, "Whoever did that to those birds should go to jail. That's - that's just plain wrong. It's just sick."
I nearly bit right through my lip when I heard his voice crack. He was going to cry. But I looked up at him and saw no tears, just rage. He was absolutely furious. Then he looked back at me with such intensity that I thought he was going to go back there and kill whoever hung those birds up. God. He was in a fit.
"Do you want your coat back?" I asked.
Simon blew out his breath and covered his face in his hands, and then he wound his fingers in his hair and tugged at it. "No, you keep it, Noah," he said softly, and he took some more deep breaths before looking at me again. The anger had gone and now he just looked pained. "We really need to go to the police about this," he said quietly.
I nodded, but I really didn't want to bother the police department about it. Man, I wanted to forget about it. I was about ready to march home and go get some coffee.
Then I heard a rumbling noise, and I looked over to see the bus coming for us. We were the only people at the stop. Jesus. Simon instantly got up off the seat.
"Simon," I said, but he cut me off.
"I'll pay for your way," he said as the vehicle lumbered to a halt. "If you want to go with me to the police station, I'll pay for it."
"Simon," I started, but the bus doors wheezed open for us. God. This was not happening. I was having visions of going home, sitting in front of the TV watching House and drinking coffee, not this. But I knew I was getting sucked into an adventure. If this day hadn't been one already.
"Fine," I huffed. "I'll pay my own way though."