Freak Lightening

Axel had scads of dreams that were so varied they were spilling out of his ears, and onto the pavement, mixing with the oil, and the rain. He hunched his back against the fierce pellets of rain, and high-tailed it back to what he could make as his car from the fading lights of Lou's Liquor. As high as his hopes were, there was only the beat, and the penalty box his dick-chined boss would throw him in if he came back with a low count on the meter. As a driver for Blue Handle Cab Company, he'd been working for three months now. It was late, he was tired, but he would keep on hitting these damned streets like a gambling fiend 'til he found at least one fare on this dreary night in Gibsonton, Florida. He had two beers in him to keep the ride interesting, and his tape cassette player was blaring the guttural rants of Howlin' Wolf.

Her name was Vicky, and she worked at Sally's. That's all Axel could get out of his first fare of the night. He had scooped her up on Dime Street between Thistle Rd. and Blake Avenue. Her red dress rolled down her luscious legs like a tidal wave of sheer fabric, leaving Axel out of breath, and groping through the darkness for words as he eye-balled her in the overhead mirror. She looked like she had just gotten back from an Opera, or some high-class party that he could never afford to dream about. Her hair was dark amber, and coiled in mesmerizing ringlets that were slightly distracting, but he was mostly pre-occupied by her low neckline showcasing a tremendous pair of breasts that clung so naturally together in their hammock of a bra. He was lucky to have grabbed her at all. Tony was in the pickup zone before his car, but the stupid bastard had stuffed himself with burritos as usual, and called up Axel on his CB to fill in for him because he had a bad case of the shits. For this kind of customer, Axel was gonna have to pay Tony back personally for passing up such a peach of a fare.

"So, where will it be, Ma'am? Do you...are you on your way to some party or something?"

"No...just returned from one...Hey, do you mind just driving around for awhile and letting me think? I'll let you know when I figure out where I'm going, I just need a couple minutes of silence."

Axel could sense a troubled quality to her face. Her lovely red lips were puckered together, and her brow was all knotted up. She kept looking out the back window, and staring into her shiny gold purse that had tiny diamonds outlining its edges. Axel took his three fingers from the wheel, shifting to the right hand, and checked in his flannel shirt pocket for the flask he always kept handy. He took a quick swig, and saw her slip a pack of cigarettes from her purse. He offered her the car lighter, and she thanked him. Vicky blew hot smoke on the back of Axel's neck, and he shuddered with a mixture of pleasure and revulsion. He rolled down his window to let the car air as she smoked.

Taking the long way around to the central part of the city, Axel drove Vicky down some back roads that he had discovered himself in a daydreamy state when he had been exploring just for fun as a teen twenty years ago. He never imagined he would be in Gibsonton for as long as he had been. He swore he would get out of this old Carnie town for years. His abnormalities would not even be that repugnant to a 'normal' citizen. He had three fingers on his left hand, and a tail poking out his custom made jeans. Big deal. He had seen freaks from this town alot worse off then that. Tammy, the bearded lady had left eons ago, and Dolph the Dog-faced boy, her son, was taking big steps towards leaving, which was admirable because he had had a bad case of Agoraphobia for as long as Axel knew him.

"Ok, I figured it out. I think I want you to take me to the old amusement park on Delphi that's two streets behind Main. I got a special friend that flops at one of the defunct offices over there that the workers would use. I think it's across town, can you step on it?"

Axel had a map sprawled out on his lap, but he never used it. He just liked to see the places in front of him, and notice the landmarks, because it made him feel like everything was compartmentalized and in it's place. He was champing on a cigar now, and the ashes were burning little holes in the map. He swung the car around and gunned it towards Calvary Street.

When she was standing outside his cab on Delphi, Axel leaned a shoulder out, and looked her in the eyes with the toughest look he could muster.

"Hey, you need a fella to walk you to your guys office building? It might help to have a hand in case you get jumped. This ain't the best of neighborhoods."

Vicky took a long drawn out gaze to the right and left of the street. The night seemed menacing but exciting like an electric storm was on its way. She looked back at Axel with his shoulder popped out of the window. She took a long drag of her Virginia Slims cigarette and blew it back at him.

"That would actually be quite nice, if you please. I guess I am a little bit nervous. I never met Mario at his digs before, and this place seems strange. You really wouln't mind?"

Axel got out of the car, and took her small hand in his right hand. He brought it up to his lips, and kissed the knuckle of her lily white middle finger.

"It would my pleasure, Ma'am."

©

2017

Bunny Villaire

(To be continued...)