First, If you haven’t already
Snippet Sunday – Rufus Amalgam Loved his Bluetooth, Part 3
The mud down by the creek was so thick and sticky that Rufus lost his shoes within seconds and his feet were getting cut up by hidden roots and buried thorny vines as he thrashed around in the thick underbrush that covered the shallow water.
“He’s not here, I swear to God!” he yelled up at Sandy.
The sun was rising now so at least he could see what he was doing, but Rufus hadn’t slept in over a day now and his head was swimming with effort and lack of sleep. He looked up the bank at Sandy but all he could see was a blanket standing up with two hands holding the top corners. She was using the blanket as a shield so she didn’t have to see what was going on down in the creek. She didn’t want to actually have to look at a filthy naked Sylvester if Rufus pulled him out of the weeds, dead or alive.
“Keep looking!” Sandy yelled back. “He’s got to be down there somewhere.”
“I think maybe he woke up. He must have walked away.”
“Do you see any footprints?”
“We’ve been stomping all over here all night, how can I see any that are his?”
“Shit, Shit, Shit, what do we do now?”
“Hey you were the one with the dead guy… the comatose guy in her apartment, you figure it out.”
“Don’t start in with me, you sent him to see me in the first place. You’re in this as much as I am. You’re in as deep.”
“Well, he’s not here, help me up, I can’t get out of this muck.”
Sandy flipped a corner of the blanket down to Rufus who grabbed it. She backed away, pulling him up out of the creek bed.
“Jeez, look at you,” Sandy said, “You are covered with mud… it smells like hell. I don’t want you in my car like that.”
“Give me a break, what are you going to do? Leave me here? Put the blanket down on the passenger’s side, I’ll sit on it.”
“That’s my favorite blanket, no way.”
“Favorite? You’ve already used it to haul a dead guy.”
“He wasn’t dead, only comatose.”
“We didn’t know that at the time, did we?“ Rufus snarled as he haphazardly spread the blanket out and plopped down. “Start ‘er up and let’s get the hell out of here.”
As they were driving, Sandy turned up the radio to drown out Rufus’ constant complaining with some Country Music. At the twenty minute break there was a morning traffic report.
“And the East-South Carribelo Expressway is stopped,” the voice said. “Police report a naked man running across all six lanes of traffic. We have not had confirmation.”
“The Carribello? That’s right near your place isn’t it.”
“Yes it is, dammit. You don’t think that he’s…”
“Of course he is. Where else is he gonna go. I don’t think we should go to your condo… lets head to my place and wait it out.”
“No way. I am not going to that hellhole of yours. And I want some help, some reinforcements if he shows. I’m not gonna let that loser run me out of my condominium.”
It didn’t take long. They parked and as they were rushing to the apartment the thick bushes along the front walk began to rustle and the naked Sylvester popped out to block their path. Sandy and Rufus jumped back, but really didn’t have much choice but to throw the blanket back over Sylvester and rush him up the stairs and inside as quick as possible.
They hustled Sylvester into the shower. While he was getting cleaned off, Sandy dug around trying to find something for him to wear. They had already thrown his clothes away on the way to dispose of the body. She found a green pair of sweats and a T-Shirt – that would have to do.
She threw the clothes into the steamy bathroom and he emerged looking like a lime popsicle.
“I am so glad to see you, “ he said to Sandy, “I have no idea what happened to me.”
“Now that you’re out, I need one too,” Rufus pushed by into the bathroom, hoping there would be some hot water left.
“Hey, why is he so muddy? He smells like the place that I woke …”
“Umm, I have your wallet,” Sandy changed the subject, “and your keys.”
“How did you get those?”
“Ummm. Well… you see….” Sandy couldn’t think of a thing she could say.
Bill Chance 