Too Broke For Afterlife

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I yawn and stretch my arms and back.

God, I slept well. For the first time in ages, I actually feel refreshed! Like I'm ready to save the world!

How did I...?

Then, without warning, the memories of last night return.

All at once.

And with that the euphoria is gone.

Oh my god. 

I try to find my phone but my surroundings are all unfamiliar.

Of course they are, Natasha said she would kidnap me. And apparently she wasn't joking.

Okay, where am I?

I'd like to look around this room but it is pretty much dark. Only a thin line of light shines through underneath what I assume is a door. My only point of orientation.

I try to move. Surprisingly, I am not tied up and there are no shackles holding onto my feet. What kind of kidnapping is this? 

"Hello?" I shout unsuccessfully.

I get up slowly from the uncomfortable bed I have been lying on and put one step in front of the other, using my hands to make sure I don't run against anything.

"Hello!?" I try again.

My hands discover a big table and a few chairs and I can hear faint voices coming from somewhere but they are too quiet to make out anything. And none of them answer me. 

Getting closer to the door, I can now see light shining through the small keyhole as well and aim to grab the handle that should be positioned somewhere above.

Pressing it down is easy and when I pull on it, I'm satisfied to realize that I'm not locked in.

What a sloppy kidnapper. Have they never watches SCI Miami?

I open the door slowly and peak through the crack. But what I'm seeing, I did not expect.

I seem to be inside the back room of a small convenience store. There are a few empty shelves scattered throughout the area and dirty fluorescent lights shine from the ceiling. The floor is made of old, beige linoleum and the color almost makes me gag.

Whoever designed this place deserves to get their license taken away.

Then, behind the window front I can spot several metal pumps and a rusty car. Trash is scattered on the ground. And the road and trees in the background are so unusual to my eyes that I'm ready to believe that we are actually in Peru.

But what I see also tells me that it's not a store. 

This is a gas station.

"You're awake, finally."

My head shoots around to the sharp voice and I see how two people are sitting next to the old cash register.

Two people that are way too familiar.

Natasha takes a sip out her cup and scans me with raised eyebrows.

Today, without the makeup and fancy dress she is much less of a femme fatale but her dead eyes are still the same.

"Did my medicine work?"

I blink. "What?"

"Do you have a headache? Nausea?"

"No, I feel good."

Which is surprising, considering my body's alarming alcohol level last night. You know, passing out, hallucinating, being unable to move etc. Considering all that I should be half-dead now, lying in some hospital and not feel like I have just awoken from a beauty sleep. 

"Good. Do you want coffee?" 

"Yes?" 

My eyes wander over to the ramshackled entrance door. Is it unlocked? Can I escape?

"Don't even bother with running away. We'd find you. And if we don't, some Peruvian thugs will. That stuff is so common here, news like that don't even make it into the local newspaper anymore."

Okay. Isn't that a bit racist?

Natasha sighs. "Don't look at me like that. I am merely reciting statistics."

God, I've got so many questions and I don't know which one to ask first. 

1. What is happening? 

2. Am I really in Peru? 

3. Are you going to kill me? 

4. Did you just read my mind?

In the end I opt for the least threatening one. 

"What are you doing here?" 

I look at Walter. Unlike Natasha, he seems nervous. 

"U-uhm-" He fixes his glasses with nervous fingers.

"Last time I saw you, my girlf-" I clear my throat. "Judy was about to be murdererd. You work together with Jasper, right? The guy who tried to kill me? "

Walter's eyes widen. He looks to Natasha for help, but she ignores him. 

"N-no, I already told you, I don't work with him anymore. I'm on your side."

"On my side? Why? Are we fighting a war?" I huff but they don't seem amused by my dry joke.

"Basically." He shrugs. His voice is quiet. "It's a long story."

"And we are going to tell you everything later. But you should take a shower first because bhonestly, you look like shit."

I roll my eyes at the woman. "Last night I was good enough for you to pin me against a wall."

I hear how Walter chokes on his coffee. 

"Oh please, I was teasing."

"Whatever. But if you come near me again, I'll break your nose."

Natasha laughs. "Yeah, right."

I don't know why she thinks that's funny but honestly, I couldn't care less. Let her be a bitch, I'll prove her wrong soon enough. 

There are more important things right now.

"Where is my phone?"

"Locked away."

Natasha inspects her nails.

"You're not allowed to use it for obvious reasons."

"But what if Judy calls?"

The woman laughs at me. "She won't."

Ouch.

"Get over it missy. You guys broke up. It's over and done with. And go brush your teeth or something. You reek of vodka."

I ignore her snarky remarks. This woman is just trying to be edgy with her no-f*cks-attitude. She can't impress me with that.

But a shower does sound like a good idea. The perfect opportunity for me to make an escape plan. And to get rid of the sweat. 

I turn to Walter who watches me with sheepish eyes. "Where is the bathroom?"