Fishing For Worms-Chapter 3

Fishing For Worms-Chapter 3

The sun was waking up when we came out of the woods. The dull oranges and reds slowly molded into bright purples and yellows, nudging the earlier risers from their beds. Louis wanted to stop and watch the colors dance across the sky but the marine had gotten a head start and if our current perdiciment was as pressing as Louis swore it was then every second counted. “Louis we have to keep moving” I said urging him forward “We’ll rest in town but first we have to find out if anyone has seen the traitor.” He listened, relunctantly looking up at the sky as we walked. “Vincent how are we going to find him? I mean it was the middle of the night when you caught up with me and there is no way of knowing where he was headed.” He was right, I hadn’t thought that far ahead, I guess I was hoping that someone in town had seen him, knew his name. Maybe he had made a mistake. I hoped to God he had made a mistake. These marines are tough and they are the best at what they do and one on a mission is the worst. The only advantage we had was my military career, at least I could anticipate his possible moves, that and he was unaware that I was in the game.

Trudging into the small town we had to dodge early morning traffic. A few passer’s by gave us odd looks but continued on their way undaunted. The great thing about American’s is that in the morning they just don’t give a damn enough to be nosy. Crossing over to the town’s only cafe and breakfast, smiling polietly at the local’s we entered. Louis set off for the rest room and I found us a table in the corner. The army pounded safety and contigency home like a master carpenter, so much so that I no longer think about finding a table with eyes on both doors and all the customers,it simply comes naturally. A waitress aproached her name tag read ‘Kaylee.’ Her eyes were begining to colapse onto the dark puffs under them. Early Early shift. Her plaid top was stained with coffee and her the strpies on her stockins were folding over each other, straining to stay awake she took my order. “Will that be all?” Her new york drawl gaver her away as an outsider in her town. “No hon, my friend will be joining me soon.” Nodding she glanced wearily at the seat across from me. Poor dear. “Love, have a seat he won’t be long.” Gratefully she plopped down, the weight of her fatigue slipping away momentarily. “Been here long?” The look on her face murmured ‘original.’ “Since 2 am.” Great! Maybe she saw the marine. “Kaylee was there a guy in here a couple…” I was interrupted by Louis storming up the aisle, his shirt wet from splashing water on his face. “Whose your friend Vincent?”

Its been quite a while since I’ve been in love but the glistening in Kaylee’s eyes was unmistakeable. Getting up to let Louis sit she stammered, “W what can I get you?” Blushing Louis mumbled “Whatever he’s getting.” Smiling she jotted something down on her pad and walked away with a skip in her step, Louis’ gaze following her. I had to admit she was cute and her smile lit up the room like fireworks. “Vincent, can we stay” Louis pleaded. Grinning I shook my head. “You could try to find out if she saw the marine though, she’s a little taken with you.” “Really? I hope so, she’s beautiful.” Our conversation was cut short by Kaylee brining our meal; biscuits and gravy. “I’ll be back with your coffee boys.” The whole time keeping her eyes on Louis almost spilling my plate over the edge. “No rush” this time Louis looked back as if locked in some sort of trance. “Good” her hazel eyes glittering in the morning light.

The heat rising from the coffee steamed my glasses causing me to miss the passing of notes between my love struck friend and our waitress. Wipping them clean I squinted to see Louis. “So, you going to ask her about him?” “Do I have to? What if she thinks I’m gay?” “Just say he is a friend or something. We need to know if he was here if we’re going to get those paper’s back.” “What papers?” Her curious voice shot through the aroma. “And you” she said staring me down a cigarette dangling from my lips, “There is no smoking in here.” Frustrated I laid it on the table and began shoveling the food into my mouth. “You can smoke outside though.” The authority gone her voice sounded hopefull” A sharp pain shot up my leg. Louis had kicked me. Punk. Taking the hit and my coffee I left the two lovebirds and stepped outside into the cold. The snow backs glaring back at me reflecting the sunlight. With a swift flick I lit the cigarette. A pouring over my tongue the smoke left a terrible taste in my mouth. Stale. Turning towards the window I spotted Louis and Kaylee, heads dipped inward. There was no way they were talking about the marine.

“So what are you guys doing out here?”

“We’re traveling, hitch hiking. Vincent was in the army and he wants to show me the ropes.”

“That’s so cool! I’ve always wanted to do that, it would be so exciting!”

“Yeah, its ok.”

“OK! You have to tell me about it, tell me everything!”

“Well it was pretty lame for a while to be honest, lots of waiting and walking, until last night anyway.”

“What happened!”

“Some guy jumped us, Vincent says he was in the marines or something. Stole everything. Including our books. That’s what we’re doing now, trying to find him.”

“Why? Just let him go and bum it, that would make a great story to tell. How you hitch hiked across the country with no money, surviving only of the goodness of people, with beautiful company.”

“Vincent is hardly beautiful”

“NO! Silly I meant me, take me with you, I run away from home all the time my parents wouldn’t even notice.”

“It’s too dangerous, besides Vincent wants to find this guy. He says the marine betrayed their brotherhood, its a soldier thing I guess. Really I think his manhood was bruised.”

“Hehee. You wouldn’t really leave me behind would you?”

“Uh. I’d like to take you with me, I would, but…”

“But nothing, it’s settled I’m coming.”

“But Vincent wou…”

“What about him? He’s too ‘bruised’ remember. Besides, he wouldn’t part you from your girlfriend would he?”

“Girlfriend?”

“Yup.”

“Absolutely not! Louis you know it’s too dangerous. And she’s…”
“She’s what?” Kaylee’s voice was frigid. “She’s what? To young? A girl? Weak?”

Damn it! Why are they always like that?

“Kaylee I don’t mean to offened you but you have no idea what you’re getting yourself into. I already have to watch after Louis.”

“You’re going after that marine that stole your stuff.”

“Louis, you, me NOW!” I yanked his arm pulling him towards the exit. There was no way she was going with us, not a chance in hell.

“Where are you taking him?” Kaylee started after us, “I want to go with you!”

“We have to talk about this.” She stopped deciding weather to follow or not. “Just stay here, I’ll let him say goodbye.”

“Vincent I want her to come with us” Louis had never begged for anything in his life. He had always seemed to me a lost boy. A rich boy. One who could ask for anything, anything at all and get it without question. I wanted to let her come, for his sake at least. “You know we can’t Louis. What if she got hurt, what then?” Louis wasn’t listening, he was staring through me, into the cafe. Kaylee was staring back pleading with her eyes, asking to be freed.

“Look at her Vincent, she’s suffocating here and what if she saw him, what if she knows where he went?” Yeah, that’s why I was going to ask about him! I wanted to yell at him, shake him awake, make him realize the brevity of our situation. “Louis I hate you for this you know that right?” Hope sparked and I’m sure that the look on his face lit hers up aswell. “Ask her what she knows and then we’ll get out of here.” “All of us?” “For now, until she makes him and then she’s on her own.” Louis hugged me and ran inside. Punk.