“You had to get your money. You worked for it.”
She stuck out her tongue and blew. Her lips clattered. “A lot of good that did.”
“What do you mean?”
“Lola told me since I didn’t work a two-week notice, there’s a penalty.”
“For quitting?”
“Without a notice, yeah.” Jody shook her head. “She docked my pay thirty percent. I worked a short week last week, so I barely got paid anything.”
“Who’s Lola?”
“Third-shift manager.”
“And she told you this?”
Jody nodded.
“She can’t do that.”
“Well, she did.”
“And you let her?”
“What else was I supposed to do? I get paid under the table anyway, so it’s not like I can complain to the labor board.”
The money wasn’t the issue; it was how Jody had been treated. I began to grasp how poorly I reacted when somebody wronged her. “I’ll go in there and get your money,” I said, unbuckling my seat belt.
“Forget it. It’s not worth it. Lola probably kept it anyway.”
“If she did, that makes it very important. I’ll get it from her.”
“Why?”
I ran my hand through my hair, groaning softly as I tried to keep my cool. “Nobody should treat you like that. I don’t give a shit if it’s only two dollars. That’s your money, and you’re going to get it.”
Finally, Jody smiled. “My protector.”
“Damn right.”
Smiling, Jody turned toward the window. Her happy face melted into a scowl. “There’s the bitch now.”
I saw her. I used to watch a lot of Skinamax movies as a kid, and Lola looked as if she could have been the star of some of my favorites from the ‘80s. Maybe she had been. She had a look about her that suggested she’d been a knockout at one time, but now she’d had a lot of medical tampering to try maintaining it. Probably in her late forties, everything about Lola was fake—her hair, breasts, face. Her bare stomach looked too tanned and dry, as if I were to touch it, the skin would feel like upholstery. Her pierced navel twinkled in the restaurant’s light.
And she was talking to Earl, making the same expressions Jody had prior to his groping gesture. But Lola’s seemed to be legitimate.
Jody was quiet as she watched. Her dark hair hung beside her face, blocking most of it, but I could still see the seething rage in her eye.
“Do you want me drive us out of here?” I asked.
“Let’s not leave just yet,” she said.
I looked back at the window in time to see Earl put his fist in Lola’s open hand. Her fingers closed like the mouth of a Venus flytrap around his chubby hand. She pulled her arm back, slipping a skinny roll of cash into the tight line between her ample bosom.
“What was that?” I asked.
“Earl just paid extra.”
“Ah. I see.”
“And that means Lola will be going on break soon.” Jody looked around, leaning forward. She peered past me, out my window. “Drive over there,” she said, and pointed.
I looked to see what she was pointing at. Beyond the massive island of gas pumps, I saw an unlit parking area that looked large enough to hold football games. Moonlight glinted off an array of windshields and chrome stacks. Wheel covers glowed like dragon eyes.
“There?” I asked. “Why?”
“If a trucker plans to stay overnight, that’s where he’ll park. And that’s where Earl’s going to take Lola.”
Without another word, I cranked the car. I backed out of the parking space, being cautious of people walking about. There were a lot, men and women. Even some kids dashed here and there, yelping like baby coyotes, playing as if they were at the park. I wondered where their parents were. In a place like this, cute kids could easily disappear.
“Drive straight back,” said Jody. “The lots are connected.”
Passing the gas pumps, the odor of fuel filled the car. The rumble of massive engines grew loud enough to drown out Faith No More. I shut off the radio.
The car bounced when the wheels left the concrete. Dark dropped on the car, filling the windows outside like black water. Back here, there were no paved places, parking curbs. Trucks were parked in a line, some with trailers, some without. Bushes segregated the area into sections. I was surprised by how many trucks were packed in.
Jody, sitting forward, looked around. I drove slowly, making sure she had time to study each truck. When I turned toward another section, Jody pointed. “Earl’s truck,” she said.
Ahead was a beaten semi attached to long trailer. Once a cherry shade, the paint had faded to a soft pink hue. Rust dotted the grille and hood, larger patches stretched across the door like a hideous skin disease. There was no company logo anywhere on the machine.
“You’re sure?” I asked.
“I know it’s his because he always talks about it,” Jody said. “Especially when he tries to get me to meet him out here. Says I should come out and visit his two-stack Mack with a shack in the back.”
“Yuck,” I said.
“Not that I’ve ever considered doing so, because he’s a disgusting ogre. He smells. Bad. Kind of like old sweaty socks wrapped inside cured ham.”
Jody’s description made my stomach bubble. And I figured it was an accurate depiction.
“Where should I park?” I asked.
“Somewhere close,” she said.
I found a spot between two big trucks, swung the car around, and backed into the dark chasm. I put the car in park, then shut it off. Silence fell over us like a thick muffling tarp, the enormous vehicles absorbing all sounds.
Jody rolled down her window, which seemed to make the quiet even heavier. Humid air that smelled vaguely of rubber and motor oil drifted in.
“Why are we back here?” I asked.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Jody asked, putting a cigarette between her lips. Thumbing her lighter, she brought the flame up. Orange light flickered across her puckered lips. When the flame went away, her face was hidden by shadows again.
“Jody, this might be pushing our luck.”
“You’re saying you don’t think we should?”
“I didn’t say that at all. I’m saying here…” I pointed at the surrounding trucks. “Maybe this isn’t the best place.”
“It’s the only place we can get them both. Nobody will see anything.”
I wasn’t convinced. Everywhere I looked, I saw a truck. Most of them probably had a driver stowed inside, snoozing in the bunk. Some of them might even have a guest in their bunk, enjoying some quality time. Sure the metal on the trucks looked thick, but I doubted they were soundproof. And we were bound to make a lot noise very soon.
“You’re sure they’ll head back here?”
“You saw Earl slip her the money. They’ll be out here any minute. Earl’s a nighttime driver, so he’ll be hitting the road soon. Wants to get him a piece before he takes off. That’s how he says it, you know.” Sticking out her jaw, Jody made a gruff face. “‘I want to get me a warm piece before I have to the hit road. Helps keep me awake. You don’t want me to crash, do you, darling?’”
“The line he uses on you?”
“Every time. And when I tell him no, he always goes to Lola. I guess she’s always quick to pick up my discarded trash.”
I laughed. “Wow.”
“I guess that makes her a cannibal, huh? Trash eating trash?”
“You really loathe her, don’t you?”
Jody rolled her eyes. “Lola, the loathed.”
“Lola, the Jody-loathed.”
Smiling, Jody said, “Lola, the everybody at Honkers-loathed.”
“Except for Earl.”
“Oh, right. Lola, the everybody from Honkers—except for Earl—loathed.”
Our laughter sounded booming in the quiet car. It felt good seeing Jody smiling again, thinning the darkness with her humor. Suddenly Jody jerked rigid and her laugh choked off to a gasp
. “Shit,” she said, tossing her cigarette out the window. “There they are.”
Through the windshield, I saw the slinking dark form of Lola’s tanned body. The white of her shirt looked like a floating dishrag. Her hair was bright in the moonlight, pulled back to show a pale face, except for the dark smudges of her eyes and mouth. To her right was Earl, hobbling on legs that probably strained to hold up his massive torso. His face was completely concealed by his beard and long, slick hair. Slightly ahead of her, he stopped to let her pass. When she was in front of him, he gave her rump a hard slap.
Lola let out a startled squeal, which brought an obnoxious laugh from Earl.
Spinning around, she whacked Earl with a purse that looked large enough to hold a bowling ball. “Would you stop doing that?” Lola said. “My ass is starting to hurt.”
“It’s your fault,” he said in a winded voice.
“How’s that?” Lola asked.
“Ass that nice, I can’t help but smack it.”
I saw the dark puddles of Lola’s eyes move upward as she sighed loudly. “Well, I’m not going to let my ass go flabby just so you’ll be easy on it.”
“Hey,” said Earl. “I’m paying for this. I should be able to touch as much as I want.” As he finished talking, Earl reached out and pinched the black curve of her shorts.
This time, Lola laughed. “That’s better,” she said. “I like to be pinched.”
“I know you do, darling. I know you do.” Keeping his thumb and forefinger against the smooth hillock, he repeatedly pinched like a crab taking a stand. This brought high-pitched squeals from Lola.
“And just so you know,” Lola said, “you’re the only one who gets to pinch and pop me like that.”
“I’m special, darling?” Earl asked.
“Don’t go getting a big head about it.”
Earl rubbed his crotch. “Too late.”
Lola laughed.
“Think they might be able to see us?” Jody whispered from beside me.
“Doubt it. We’re pretty far back.”
Earl said something I couldn’t understand, then grabbed Lola’s arm as he had Jody’s in the restaurant. He pulled her against the hump of his stomach.
They started kissing.
“Jesus,” I said.
“What’d I tell you? She’s a cannibal.”
“This is…disgusting.”
I wanted to turn the radio back on to drown out the gross smacking sounds of frantic kissing. At one point, she actually licked the fat guy’s bell-shaped nose, running her tongue up and down the bridge as if it were a pockmarked Popsicle.
Earl hefted Lola by her rump. Dropping her purse, she hugged his neck, her legs wrapping around his broad waist as they kissed. Lola moaned between the wet slurps of their lips.
“Ugh,” said Jody. “He must’ve given her a shit-ton of money for her to be acting like that.”
“Maybe she actually likes it,” I said. “Sure looks that way.”
Jody made a retching sound.
Lola squirmed against Earl, wriggling her hips so her crotch rubbed his sagging stomach. Earl laughed as if his mouth was full and when Lola pulled back her head, I saw it had been. Her tongue tore free, lashing across her lips as she panted.
“Been waiting to do that all night,” she said.
“Drove me nuts, watching you tonight,” said Earl.
“It did?” Lola asked.
“Uh-huh.” He rubbed the small of her back. “Bad.”
“Do I drive you nuts more than Jody?” she asked.
“Wha—what?”
“You heard me. I saw you talking to her earlier. You seemed awfully heartbroken when she told you she’d quit. Even made her hug you.”
“It wasn’t like that,” he said. “She’s just nice, that’s all.”
“Uh-huh,” said Lola. Her hands hooked around the back of his neck as she leaned back to look him in the eyes. “Think she’s prettier than me?”
“Yes,” I answered for him.
Jody gave my knee a soft pat.
“‘Course not,” Earl said, lying. “You’re my Booboo.”
Jody snickered. “Booboo?”
“Am I really?” Lola asked, her voice taking on a sweet quality.
“Yes. Very much. You’re all I need.”
“And I drive you nuts?”
“Yes. Tonight I nearly busted in my pants watching you in the restaurant. I wanted to throw you on a table and pound the shit out of you in front of everybody.”
Lola laughed. “Maybe you should have. Did it drive you nuts when I did this?” She slid out of his roaming hands, turned around, and bent over. The night-colored bottoms pulled taut against her rump. She made motions as if she were wiping down an invisible table.
Earl moaned. “Yes.”
Then he gave her a swat. Lola let out a little squeal. She turned around, reached through the sagging sides of his shirt and rubbed his rib cage. “I can’t stay away from you, lover.” Her hand moved down and squeezed him between the legs. “Or this.”
Earl let out a long, coughing moan. He cupped a breast, filling his hand. That made two breasts that had been in Earl’s hand tonight.
“I knew you’d like it.” Lola, keeping her eyes on Earl, lowered. Her face was level with his jutting crotch. “Well, hello there.”
Earl laughed.
“I’ll see you in a just a second, won’t I?” She gave the tented tip of his jeans a little tap with her finger. Flinching, Earl let out a hissing gasp. Lola grabbed her purse and slowly straightened. “Come on. Let’s get in your truck.” She put her back to him and started for the faded red semi.
Lola waited while Earl unlocked the compartment.
“I didn’t realize those opened from the outside,” I said.
“Not all of them do,” said Jody. “Just the guys who own their trucks. They’re the lucky ones with outside access to whore doors.”
Earl stepped back so Lola could climb the metal step. Bending forward, she entered the bunk up to her waist. She brought up a knee, keeping her other leg down as she squirmed. Earl helped her by putting both hands flat on her rump and pushing.
She flew inside, laughing.
With an eager grin on his face, Earl quickly climbed into the bunk with the flawless delicacy of a cat. I could tell he’d done this many times. His arm reached out and jerked the compartment door shut.
I sat back in my seat, turned to Jody, and was about to ask her what she wanted to do next. But when I saw her, I couldn’t speak.
While I’d been watching Earl helping Lola into his truck, Jody had removed her dress and put it on the dashboard. Now she was on her feet, back arched as she lifted herself. She pulled down her panties. Her breasts shook in the murky light, her nipples hardened dots.
I tried to ask her what she was doing, but only made quiet coughing sounds.
Jody plopped down on the seat, tossed her panties on top of her dress, let out a quick sigh, and said, “Be right back.”
The door opened, and Jody hurried out. I reached out my hand, thinking maybe I ought to grab her. But I was way too late. As my fingers spread, the door shut on me. When I looked out the windshield, I saw Jody running toward the semi. Her skin looked dusky and sleek in the moonlight. Ass flexing as she ran, her bare feet kicked up small clouds of dust. Her long coal-black hair fluttered behind her like a magic carpet. Something in her hand blinked whenever light touched it.
My knife.
Fascination kept me from going after her.
Jody halted outside the whore door. Keeping the knife behind her back, she rapped her knuckles against the truck.
Earl’s voice was muffled when he asked, “Who’s there?”
“Earl, it’s Jody. Is that offer still on? I figured, what the hell? Why don’t I let you show me the shack in the back? I mean…it’s my last night at Honkers and all.”
“Jody?” Earl’s voice was high-pitched and full of surprise.
“What the hell’s she doin
g out there?” Lola shrieked.
“Lola?” said Jody. “Is that you? Earl? You got Lola in there?”
“Uh…yeah, she’s in here.”
Jody giggled like a little girl. “I don’t mind joining in, if that’s all right.”
“Shit, really?” Earl cried. “That’s great news!”
I heard the indistinct arguing of Lola and Earl coming from the truck. Too far away and the bunk door shut, I couldn’t understand it. But I easily recognized Lola’s disapproval.
Something clicked, and the bunk door opened. Earl, shirtless, hung out his head, grinning through his tousled beard. Still wearing his hat, he took one look at Jody and his eyes turned to zeroes. “Holy shit,” he said. “My God Almighty. You’re…naked.”
“Figured what was the point in waiting.” Jody grabbed her left breast, squeezing it so her nipple pointed at Earl. “I’m ready to feel those big hands on me again.”
My mouth was dry as I watched Jody fondle herself. My face probably matched Earl’s—mouth hanging open, eyes wide as tires.
Earl shook his head. “Get in here, girl, and make this the best night of my life!” He held out his arms.
“Gladly,” said Jody.
Lifting a bare leg, Jody placed her foot on the step. She jumped, springing upward from her elevated foot. Instead of going into Earl’s welcoming arms, she brought up her own arm. The knife, clenched in her fist, punched into his throat. The blade vanished up to the hilt.
Earl’s smile never faltered. When his blood began to spurt over Jody’s naked flesh, making it look as if she’d smeared herself in tar, Earl tried to scream.
“What are you doing to him?” Lola cried from the bunk. I saw her arms slap at Jody from inside, missing every time. It looked like she might have been trying to climb over Earl’s tubby mass to get to Jody.
Jody shoved Earl back. Lola screamed as the big man’s body dropped on her. Then Jody climbed in, pulling the door behind her.
Even though the door stifled them, Lola’s screams were still blaring and filled with agony. I looked around, expecting to find truckers stumbling out of their trucks in half-sleepy dazes to find out what the ruckus was about.
Nobody came.
Lola’s shrieks tapered off to throaty groans. Then Lola finally went quiet.
A moment later, the bunk door popped open. A woman slicked in dark fluid crawled out. She looked like Jody, but different, a new creation reborn inside of Lola’s blood.
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