It wasn't the best time for a mystery person to knock at Tex's door, but it was the time they'd chosen.
"Gimme a sec!" Tex called as he struggled to zip up his pants so he could face what he could only assume was an eviction notice.
It wasn't until Tex had started to open the door that he'd realized he'd left his material out on the coffee table. After biting the inside of his cheek, he settled for finishing with the door and praying that whoever it was didn't need to come in.
Junji was waiting on the other side with circles under his eyes.
"Hello." Junji greeted.
"Howdy." Tex replied.
"I would like to request your assistance."
"Well, I was kinda in the middle of something."
"I need to break a few laws."
"...Keep talking."
"I need to go to Arkansas."
In an attempt to grab his wallet, keys, phone, and gun at the same time, Tex tripped over both his feet simultaneously.
"You wanna go to Arkansas?" he asked as he collected his things. "Hell yeah, let's go to Arkansas. Let's go do illegal stuff in Arkansas."
"I--"
"When can we go?"
"I'd planned for next week but I suppose we can go today if--"
"Sounds good. If I drive and you buy the tickets, we can be on the train over in twenty minutes."
Junji cleared his throat. Tex slowed down just enough to realize he'd put his coat on backwards and shoved his gun into his sock.
"I will be needing a few guns." said Junji.
"I got guns."
"I was hoping I could get people attached to them."
Tex pulled out his phone and sent a message to his extended work group. He knew that he should have asked Junji a few more questions first, but he was more concerned about getting to the train station.
He waved Junji inside so he wouldn't have to wait in the hall.
To Fellowship of Those Sharing Common Interests
anyone free for a mystery adventure in Arkansas?
Gamer Gril has changed group name to Commune
From Bianca
i can't go i have to go to the city council meeting and ask them not to raise property tax all the time every year
From Luke's Wife
We were planning on conceiving
From Bianca
conceiving what?
From Caverly's Husband
A baby
From Caverly's Husband
Like with my penis
Big Penised Cowfucker has changed group name to Fellowship of Those Sharing Common Interests
From Bianca
i thought you guys already had a kid
From Luke's Wife
Why did you think that?
Gamer Gril has changed group name to Merry Marxists
From Bianca
i thought Sean was your son
From Caverly's Husband
Sean's black
Big Penised Cowfucker has changed group name to Fellowship of Those Sharing Common Interests
From Bianca
sean told me he was your kid
From Bianca
when i asked how he said he was composed completely of recessive genes.
Gamer Gril has changed group name to Was Mao Really So Bad?
From Bianca
why don't you two conceive in arkansas? you could find an abandoned farmhouse by the side of the road
From Luke's Wife
That's a good point
Big Penised Cowfucker has changed group name to Tala Doesn't Wash Her Hands After She Pees
From Caverly's Husband
We'll come
"Alright." Tex said to Junji. "Luke and Cav--"
"What is this?"
Tex looked over to see that Junji was pointing to a slip of paper next to a pen on the coffee table. White rushed to Tex's face when he remembered what he'd been doing.
"That's nothing." he replied.
Junji walked over to the coffee table and picked up the pen and paper Tex had left out. Both the pen and the ink on the paper were red, so it was unlikely Junji wouldn't make the connection.
"I see you've drawn the...outline of a woman bending over." said Junji.
"It was there when I got the table." Tex replied as he grabbed it from Junji and quickly shoved it into a drawer with the others.
Junji looked bored as Tex shooed the both of them out the door.
"What were the responses to your text?" Junji wondered. "I apologize for interrupting you."
Tex took a glance at Junji's face to see no indication that he was particularly put off. Tex didn't really understand, but he wasn't about to complain.
"We're meeting Luke and Caverly." he answered.
"Did you tell them to bring their guns?"
"Don't think I need to."
After Junji stopped by his room to grab his backpack, they met up with Luke and Caverly at the bus station. Just as Tex had hoped, they were all on the train in twenty minutes.
Traveling on high speed trains everywhere was pricey. Junji covered all four tickets.
"What are we doing in Arkansas?" Caverly asked.
"I have arranged a--business meeting." Junji replied.
"Oh."
"Although she can't see us until four, and it isn't even noon yet in Arkan--."
"It's fine." Tex cut in.
The train ride to Arkansas only took about ten minutes, but they were still about thirty miles away from the address Junji had written down. Zipcars were a little harder to come by in Arkansas, but Tex managed.
The only available cars were tiny electric compacts. No one felt like squeezing, so they ended up renting two separate ones.
"Least we can have our own adventures." Tex said as they examined the cars.
"Am I going with you?" asked Junji.
"Depends. You wanna go with me or them?"
Junji turned to Luke and Caverly.
"What were you two going to do?" he asked them.
"Each other." Luke replied.
"I'll come with you two."
"We're consummating."
"I'll go with Dallas."
Tex adjusted the mirrors and seat while Junji ran over the time and address with Luke and Caverly. He bit back a smile when Junji climbed into the car.
"Surprised you didn't offer them your sperm." Tex said once Junji had shut the door.
"I don't have sperm."
"Uh--okay."
Wanting some freedom, Tex took off towards the address in a slightly different way than Luke and Caverly's car. Junji fell fast asleep one minute into the ride. Tex would have liked to talk, although driving through the countryside quickly proved itself more than enough to hold his attention.
When he found a grocery store that seemed to be the only one around for miles, he slowed down so fast that it knocked Junji out of his nap.
"Why are we stopping?" Junji mumbled as Tex parked the car.
"We're gonna get some groceries."
Tex stepped out of the car and breathed deep, taking in the scent of dried grass, dead skunk, and Pray to End Abortion signs.
"Can I wait in the car?" asked Junji.
"No."
The store seemed to be local, so local in fact that its name was both unrecognizable and hand-painted over a brick layout. Junji walked slowly enough that Tex had to resist the urge to pull him along.
The non-automatic doors of the store led into a single department about a third of the size of Target. The store sold a variety of items, but cat food seemed to be a specialty.
"Now, there's a difference between an Arkansas accent and a Texas accent." Tex explained to Junji as he led him down an aisle. "An Arkans--"
"I can't tell your accent from Barton's."
"...I don't even know--what to say to that."
The line at the register was only a few people long. No one stepped behind them while they waited, and Tex got the impression the store was closing for a lunch break soon.
"Is there a reason you've not picked up any items?" Junji asked.
"Oh, yeah. Thanks."
Tex grabbed a random candy bar from the shelves near the checkout station.
"How long we got?" Tex wondered.
"It is twelve thirty now, so a little over three hours."
"Great. Then you won't mind if I'm a lil' chatty."
"But then I will have no one to talk to."
Tex nodded with sympathy.
"Sometimes in life, we have to deal with hard things and bad feelings." he replied. "Part of learning to be an adult means--"
Junji let out a noise of disgust loud enough to cut Tex off.
"You'll be fine." followed Tex. "Come on, we're almost up."
As she finished up with the people in front of them, the checkout clerk waved Tex forward.
'Please just call me--' Tex thought as they made their way to the register. 'Just call me--"
The checkout clerk was a cute, chunky woman who looked like she was in her early thirties. Tex placed his candy bar on the conveyor belt in deep anticipation.
"This gonna be all for you, honey?" the woman asked.
Tex wiped the tears from his eyes and cleaned the jizz from his pants before opening his mouth to respond.
"All I need." he replied.
The checkout clerk let out a chuckle. Tex read on her shirt that her name was Amillia.
"You from Texas?" she asked with a tiny smile.
"Born and raised."
"You making camp around here? Or were you one of the ones that moved after the..."
"I live in Seattle now."
Amillia's eyes lit up with interest.
"You're coming all the way from Seattle?" she pushed.
"Yeah, although--"
"What's it like?"
Tex shrugged.
"It's better than hell." he answered.
"Really?"
"But only cause, eventually, you die."
"Oooh. Why don't you move down here?"
There were many reasons Tex couldn't move to Arkansas, ranging from gun laws to business reasons to no one else wanted to.
"Business reasons." Tex reluctantly replied. "Got me a little industry."
"Good on you. So then, what brings you down here and a--little to the right?"
"Oh, we, uh, we're roach exterminators. We're--"
Tex glanced towards Junji to see that he was endlessly walking face first into the drywall next to the door.
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
"--here on a contracting deal." Tex finished.
Amillia shot a concerned glance in Junji's direction.
"He's real tired." Tex explained as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Oh. You two in town for long?"
"I wish. We gotta be somewhere in about three hours, and we'll be on our way after that."
"Well if you're looking to kill some time, I'm off in about fifteen minutes. We could drive my truck in circles around my backyard if you want."
Tex could not think of anything in the world that he would like to do more. After glancing down at Amillia's left hand to make sure she wasn't married, Tex let his smile return to his face with full force.
"Dunno." he replied. "I don't usually circle the wagon with ladies as pretty as you."
Amillia covered her mouth with her hand while she laughed.
"Meet you out front?" she asked.
"Looking forward to it."
Tex almost forgot to grab his candy bar before leaving. On his way out the door, he collected Junji from the wall and led him back to the car.
"What happen?" Junji slurred as Tex unlocked the doors.
"I'm meeting Amillia for a date in about ten minutes."
"What am I supposed to do?"
Tex opened the candy bar and bit off a piece. After working a peanut out of the chocolate, he began to roll it over his tongue.
"I think you should go inside." Tex said after they'd both situated themselves inside the car.
"Inside what?" asked Junji.
"Anything. There's a coffee shop, and a gun store, and a church--"
"I don't want to."
"I really think you should go inside."
"I don't want to."
"Then you just gonna have to accept your fate."
Junji scowled and turned up his nose.
"You want me to accept my fate?" he asked. "Fine. I will accept my fate."
Tex watched as all signs of life left Junji's face and body, leaving behind the shell of a robot not yet given a mind.
"Junji?" Tex asked.
Junji said nothing.
Tex gave Junji's arm a tiny poke. Junji didn't budge.
Tex gave Junji's nose a tiny poke. Junji didn't budge.
Tex gave Junji's eye a tiny poke. Junji didn't budge.
After checking Junji's pulse to make sure he wasn't dead, Tex decided to make the best of the situation.
"Alright, see you later." he said as he exited the car.
He left Junji with the keys.
Driving Amillia's truck around her backyard went well. Cooking a frozen pizza and using scissors to cut off slices went well. Smiling and nodding while Amillia talked about her opinions on illegal immigration went well. Having sex with Amillia in the barn while three of her five cats watched went well.
Amillia was nice enough to give Tex a ride back to his car around three thirty, where she sent him off with a wave and a Tupperware of peach pie that her grandmother had made.
Tex was in a good mood as he walked across the parking lot to his Zipcar.
Junji's position and dead expression were exactly as they'd been when Tex had left, except his eyes were red and the car smelled like weed.
"Junji?" asked Tex.
Junji said nothing. Tex waved his hand in front of Junji's face.
"Dou shita?!" Junji shouted.
Tex smacked a hand over his own chest and yelped in surprise.
"Oh." Junji followed with wide eyes. "Oh. Sorry."
"I'm back."
"I noticed."
"Did you?"
Junji didn't reply as Tex rolled down the windows and started the car.
"How did you even do that?" Tex wondered.
"Years of self discipline."
"That what that smell is?"
Junji pouted. Tex realized he had little ground to be snarky.
"Look, uh, thanks for taking the high road." said Tex.
"It's fine."
"And hey. I brought you something."
"What?"
Tex pulled out a box of non-perishable smoked salmon. Amillia had given it to him when he'd eyed it in her pantry, as she'd said it was an unopened Christmas gift.
"!!??" Junji asked.
"Here you go."
Tex tossed Junji the box. Junji tore through the paper with his teeth.
They found Luke and Caverly waiting outside a building that Tex assumed was their desired address. Tex parked his car next to theirs.
The building behind them was a single story white box that looked like any small business from the outside, although it lacked any description of services and had only been given the name 'Business Agency'.
"Did you conceive?" Tex asked Luke and Caverly.
"We won't know for a few weeks." answered Luke.
"Then I can use my Shaq pregnancy test." Caverly added as she held up a box.
"That is exactly what you said it was gonna be." Tex replied.
Junji led them all around to the back of the building to reveal another door. Before entering, Tex wiped his feet on a mat that read 'If you're looking to do business, and I mean any kinda business...'
Through the door was another door, this one cracked slightly open. Caverly reached it first.
"Can we just go in?" she asked.
"Sure." Junji replied.
Caverly peaked through the door. A moment later, she looked back at Tex with a significantly whiter complexion.
"Maybe this is a bad idea." said Caverly.
Tex raised an eyebrow.
"You'll do fine." Junji replied as he walked in.
Caverly opened her mouth like she was going to argue but quickly closed it when Junji's body disappeared.
"Well, I guess Tex is in for a surprise." she muttered.
'Please let it be aunt Jemima.' Tex thought as he followed Junji through the door. 'Please be--'
Tex entered the room to see a middle-aged woman with red hair and bright blue eyes.
His jaw came open with a tiny pop.
"Oh my lord." the woman said the moment she'd looked up from a stack of papers on her desk.
"Lida?" Tex replied in disbelief.
In a clean flick of her wrist, Lida pulled a familiar J-frame revolver out of her hip holster and lined the barrel up between Tex's eyes.
Luke grabbed for his hip and Caverly grabbed for her purse. They both had their guns out and pointed in Lida's direction before Tex could finish putting his hands up.
"Point taken." Lida said as she holstered her weapon.
"I take it you know this woman?" Junji asked.
"Know her?" answered Tex. "She stabbed me in the goddamn kidney."
Lida didn't reply. Tex grabbed a pen from his pocket and shoved it in his mouth before running his eyes over her office.
It was clear that Lida was doing pretty well for herself, just like she'd always said she would be. All four walls were decked out in antique handguns and quite a few paintings worth of Texas prison art, and a small round table to Tex's left held up a crystal stand for a champleve silver dial pocket watch.
It had been about three years since Tex had last seen her. She looked the same as he'd remembered her, with her freckled heart-shaped face, neat red curls, and, in layman's terms, big titties.
Lida chuckled, quick and empty.
"Dallas Portemeñe Tex." she said slowly.
"Lida Candella Formé." Tex replied.
"How you been?"
Tex let out a dry scoff and let the tip of the pen in his mouth point at the floor.
"Oh, I've been swell." he answered. "Got a new business partner, got a new kidney--"
"Mercy killing ain't a business and you know it."
"I eat."
Lida's eyes darted to one of the finer handguns along her wall.
"Well, you could eat more." she said.
Tex shoved his thumb into his front pocket and took a few steps forward until he was about a foot away from Lida's desk.
"Maybe I could before you ripped out my stomach." Tex replied.
"Shoot, you still hung up on that? I weren't trying to kill you, just bankrupt you a little."
Tex didn't notice when Junji's gaze started to dart between him and Lida.
A second later, Junji leaned back against the wall and pulled out his smoked salmon.
"And how you doing?" Tex asked. "Still kicking puppies, or have you outgrown the habit?"
"Not sure. You a man yet? Or are you still half of one?"
Junji ate a bite of his smoked salmon.
"No, really." Tex pushed. "Whatcha been up to?"
Lida's eyes lit up with sickening pride.
"I run it." she replied.
"You run Arkansas?"
"Arkansas? I run Dixie."
"Uhuh. And who do you run it for?"
Junji ate a bite of his smoked salmon.
"Some Italian guy." answered Lida.
"And who do he work for?"
"Don't know. Illuminati, oil, the DNC, goddamn Elsagate, I don't really care."
Junji ate a bite of his smoked salmon.
"Seattle women getting you down?" Lida followed.
"Two at a time."
"I've seen city girls. Reckon you'd need more than one."
Lida had a point. She was one of the first women Tex had seen in a while who didn't look horribly malnourished.
"Gives you something to relate to, though, don't it?" Tex replied. "Needing more than one."
"You say that like I was the only one with an eye on other men."
Tex's jaw set itself somewhere near a snarl. Lida was unaffected.
"...Damn." Caverly whispered.
"I was faithful." Tex said with high cheekbones.
"And so was I." Lida replied.
"Guess we got different definitions of faithful, then, sweetheart."
Junji ate a bite of his smoked salmon.
Out of the corner of her eye, Caverly began to eye Junji with suspicion.
"Junji, are you--" she stammered. "Are you getting off on the disfunctionality of this relationship?"
"That's disgusting!" Junji replied, visibly shaken. "That is not specifically what I'm getting off on!"
Junji seemed very puzzled when both Luke and Caverly began gagging.
"Junji, that's gross." said Luke.
"I don't understand." Junji stated.
"We're in public."
"I was sitting peacefully without any noise or indication that I was violently inflamed. Why would it matter if no one is aware?"
"But I was." Caverly replied. "Your pupils were massive."
Junji touched his chin.
"That's a good point..." he trailed off.
"What if he'd been wearing sunglasses to mask the size of his pupils?" asked Luke. "Would it've been alright then?"
Lida cleared her throat.
"What did you need from me?" she asked.
Junji took a stand.
"I'm the one who spoke to you on the phone." he explained.
"That right?" Lida replied. "Apparently you were also the one who got all hot in the pants over my personal life."
"My deepest apologies for getting caught."
"It's alright. Can't say I mind too much, if I'm being honest."
Tex wasn't sure if Lida was trying to piss him off or just unwittingly following a trend that was already pissing him off, but either way, Tex was pissed off.
"So you're Tex's new business partner?" Lida asked Junji.
"Yes."
"Small world. And I see you've met the eco-fighters?"
Luke and Caverly both looked over.
"How you two doing?" Lida wondered.
"We're doing pretty good." Luke replied.
"And have your economic opinions changed at all?"
"No, we're still both staunchly for corporate takeover."
Lida opened her mouth like she was going to say something, but quickly closed it and turned back to Junji.
"Anyway." she started. "What can I do you for?"
Junji pulled a blue thermos out of his backpack. It was clear from the yellow sticker it was the same one he'd had in Hong Kong, but when he opened it and began to carefully lay out the contents on Lida's desk, Tex could see the insides had been upgraded from gold coins to platinum.
Lida whistled.
"I would like you to work for me." said Junji.
Lida reached under her desk and pulled out a beaker and a small paper packet. Tex watch as Lida poured some water from her water bottle and mixed it with the contents of the packet. Once she'd finished, she fished out two coins, one from the center of the second box Junji had placed on her desk and one from the bottom of the last one.
She used her pinkie nail to drop a bead of liquid onto both coins. Tex couldn't see what was happening, but Lida nodded.
"Alright." she replied. "Kill my old boss, and you got a deal."
Tex scowled and took a seat on the tiny round table. While Lida and Junji worked out the details, Tex reached a quick hand behind his butt, grabbed the pocket watch, and shoved it into his back pocket.
He was still scowling by the time Lida and Junji had finished.
"Thank you, Mr. Tagawa." Lida said. "I'll shoot you a text next time the boss goes on vacation."
"I look forward to it."
Junji stepped away. He seemed ready to go back to the car, but Tex knew that Lida wouldn't be able to resist getting one more word in.
"And goodbye to you, Dallas." Lida added. "I won't be hearing from you."
"Ooh, you're damn right there." Tex replied.
Lida waved her hand for them to leave. Tex flashed her one last dead smile before turning on his heels and setting his face in stone.
Tex had never liked the feeling that there was anyone out there who hated him.
The trip back was dead silent most of the way. Junji was asleep for both the car and train ride, so he didn't notice, but Tex suspected Luke and Caverly could both easily tell he was in a bad mood.
Although neither of them seemed interested in commenting.
Tex knew he needed something to take his mind off the day by the time they'd gotten on a bus to the city. Thinking quickly, he pulled out his phone to see if he could coax Tala into suggesting a meeting.
To Garbage Band
Tala, you at the office?
From Gamer Gril
yeah i'm emulating wii tennis
To Garbage Band
why?
From Gamer Gril
because my apartment is too small for motion controls
To Garbage Band
how would you feel about an update meeting?
From Gamer Gril
pretty good, actually. something came up
From Gamer Gril
when can you get here?
From Spoodge King
Dallas and I can be there in a few minutes.
Tex looked to the seat next to him to see that Junji was also on his phone.
Junji waved.
From Gamer Gril
that's good. barton's already here
To Garbage Band
hell's barton doing there?
From Supreme Jackass
i'm watching Tala play wii tennis
To Garbage Band
why
From Supreme Jackass
idk i woke up here
From Gamer Gril
shipping wall.png [https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d8b082993c4a47ea20be7b2/1576522656202-FNQIWUMNAJ9UM6O39W95/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kCSo-aIAh8HD2uYJ_o_FUbJZw-zPPgdn4jUwVcJE1ZvWhcwhEtWJXoshNdA9f1qD7dVqjJOA2bbs_Tozk7Nfgn4DBnMRa2GogaUA-5m2um4fEcOdmYJeP5scoLduXn-hXg/shipping+wall.png?format=300w]
From Gamer Gril
SORRY WRONG CHAT
From Supreme Jackass
what was the right chat?
From Spoodge King
Why are Dallas and I the only pair you don't ship?
From Gamer Gril
I felt like that would be like if Jim and Dwight fucked and honestly some yaoi is just too advanced for me
To Garbage Band
what's yaoi?
No one replied. Tex took it upon himself to Google yaoi.
Tex stopped Googling yaoi.
To get to the office, Tex and Junji got off the bus a stop before Luke and Caverly. Tex felt bad about having gotten so worked up in front of them, but they both seemed more concerned about him.
"Take it easy, Tex." Luke said as he waved them goodbye.
"Take what easy?" Junji asked Tex after the bus had left.
"Uh, it's just a phrase."
When they broke out into a quick jog towards their destination, Tex noticed his legs felt like they'd gotten stronger.
"Run, Forest, run!" a passerby shouted from across the street.
"Thanks, nobody's ever yelled that at us before!" Tex replied.
Tex kept up with Junji all the way up the stairs. He was out of breath by the time they walked into the meeting room, but he felt a little better about himself.
Tala was sitting at the table playing Wii Tennis for both teams. Barton was on the couch watching Tala play Wii Tennis for both teams.
"Hello." Junji greeted.
Tala stopped playing Wii Tennis. Barton pulled out a newspaper. Not wanting to hear how winded his voice was, Tex sat down and grabbed the folder sitting next to Tala's laptop instead of trying to talk.
"We have a spot in Canada." Tala said as Tex gave it a read. "I got the address and the guy's face from Google."
To Tex's deep relief, he saw that the target lived alone in a house. And considering how vacantly suburban the area around the house was, they'd probably be able to knock it out in an hour or two.
"How'd it go in Arkansas?" Barton asked from behind her newspaper.
Tex refrained from commenting.
"I closed my deal." Junji replied.
"Was the mob boss interesting at all?" Tala wondered.
Tex's eyes opened wide. He turned over his shoulder and tried to shoot Junji a desperate glance, but Junji'd opened his mouth before Tex had finished the gesture.
"Yes, actually." answered Junji. "Dallas says he was married to her at one point."
Barton spat out her mouthful of coffee onto the center of her paper, dying it a greyish-brown.
"You ran into who?" she asked.
Junji looked confused.
"Dallas' former wife." he repeated.
Tex kept his glance straight ahead as he felt Barton's eyes boring into him.
"Dallas?" Barton started slowly. "May I speak with you in the hall?"
"Uh, not right now." Tex replied as he got out of his chair. "I have to go--um--shit myself."
Barton jumped from her chair just as quickly. Tex bit his lower lip to keep from whimpering as he started to pick up the pace, and then again when Barton started to match him.
By the time he'd passed the door frame he was running faster than he'd ever run in his life.
"Dallas?" Barton asked as she continued to gain on him. "There's something I want to talk to you about."
Tex made it all the way down the hall to the door of the staircase, which he whipped open before leaping forward. After hopping down two flights of stairs in three jumps, Tex bolted through the door of the next available floor.
Unfortunately, it only ended up prolonging the problem as he found himself being chased down another hallway.
"Dallas, you get the hell over here right now."
As he stormed down the hall, Tex noticed an open door coming up on his left. He dove into the open room the millisecond he was in range. When he landed flat on his stomach, he used his foot to kick the door closed from the inside.
He shot up onto his feet to see that thankfully, the office was empty. He could hear Barton's hands trying to work the doorknob open from the other side. They might have succeeded if he hadn't flipped the lock in time.
"I'm not letting you do this to me, Dallas." Barton spat from behind the door. "I'm still not over the hell you put me through three years ago."
Tex quickly searched the office he was in for another door that led into the hall. He found one about ten feet to his left, but Barton came charging at him when he tried to open it and he was forced to shut it with a yelp.
He grabbed his chest and squeezed his eyes shut the second after he'd locked it. Tex stood still against the door for several long minutes, clutching his chest with his hands while his thighs trembled against the frosted glass.
Barton probably could break either door down, but she proved herself unwilling. When her shadow started to walk off away from both doors, Tex let out a sigh of relief.
Although he breathed it back in a moment later when her shadow passed by in the opposite direction. When she walked by the second door before turning around again, Tex realized she was patrolling.
It took about five hours, but Tex eventually managed to work up the courage to make his move and memorize Barton's walk patterns well enough to evade her sight and escape down the staircase.
Tex's heart was still pumping even after he'd gotten home and locked his door. He had several missed text messages, but thankfully, none of them were from Barton.
From Spoodge King
What happened?
From Spoodge King
Dallas?
From Spoodge King
You've been shitting yourself for quite some time now, are you alright?
Tex poured himself a cup of juice before sending his response. It was around the time he usually went to bed, although the adrenaline coursing through him made him doubt he'd be able to sleep anytime soon.
To Spoodge King
yeah. just got a little caught up
From Spoodge King
I'm sorry. I did not think the information I shared would make certain people
From Spoodge King
react in such a way.
To Spoodge King
it's alright. no way you could've guessed it
Tex didn't realize just how thirsty he was until his first sip of juice turned into a gulp.
From Spoodge King
May I ask for some context?
To Spoodge King
i don't really wanna talk about it
From Spoodge King
I understand.
To Spoodge King
i'm feeling a little winded. you wanna watch a movie?
From Spoodge King
Can I choose the movie?
To Spoodge King
guess I chose last time, so fair's fair
To Spoodge King
though i don't wanna watch something in japanese
From Spoodge King
Hmm. There are quite a few English movies I've enjoyed.
From Spoodge King
One of my favorite films is in English, in fact. Have you ever heard of Naked Lunch?
To Spoodge King
ain't a porno, is it?
From Spoodge King
No.
From Spoodge King
You'll enjoy it.
Tex did not enjoy Naked Lunch.