Something fun - The collaborative story project

[Carole]

"You've dropped this." The man held out her leather folder now a sodden mess.
Helena hand clutched her trench coat convulsively at her throat as if the material could protect her in some way. A chill traveled from her crown to her toes making her shudder. The man pushed her case toward her insistently, his smile never reaching his eyes.
She peered through the darkness at his face, not know why he made her nervous. He was pleasant enough to look at, clean shaven and well dressed, yet there was something, an indefinable presence that made her hesitate, making her insides quiver with unease.

[Nathan]

While the woman stared at me, I continued to hold out her folder. For some unknown reason she refused to take it, which was now beginning to irritate me, as the weight of the bag was tiring my already weary arm. The horror reflecting in her eyes was unmistakable, and I could think of no reason for her reaction. I had on my best toothy grin, which, I was sure, was how most humans would present themselves to a complete stranger under these circumstances.

[Carole]

I felt her eyes boring into my back as the damnable rain obscured the street. Bloody, bloody wet planet, filled with cold mists, low hanging clouds, and those irritating rainbows. What do they see in them, their power makes my eyeballs feel like they are frying.
I knew it looked like I faded into the night, but I ducked behind the brick wall, squeezing into the tight alleyway so I could watch her. She looked like one of those pathetic beasts always hanging around the trash bins, but for the life of me, I couldn't remember their names. I knew I should have paid more attention during class. If I couldn't remember the name of the greasy little scavenger, how was I going to deal with that drown rat...that's it...a rat of a woman.

[Nathan]

As Helena stood drenched, the last images of the unknown man vanishing from her mind, the next bus pulled up to the stop. She trudged up the few steps, slid her pass card through the reader, and watched in dread as the light blinked out a crimson morse code, notifying the driver she was out of funds.
With a simple nod, the driver wordlessly ordered her back out into the downpour. The doors hissed menacingly as they closed her off from the dry sanctuary. The bus roared away, leaving her to ponder her next move, just as the sky dumped a fresh bucket of rain onto her head.

[Carole]

My plan was working. Holding as still as I could be I emptied her card of all the funds she had. For shits and giggles I redirected it to some thing called Go Fund Me to a starving writer trying to raise funds to write a book on the wide variety of hair color and how they affect your life. What can I say,these humans? They amuse me. I am not normally vindictive, but I will say she deserved it. Helena Frobisher deserved everything that life dumped on her.

[Carole]

!!!!!! GENIUS!!!!

[Carole]

Revenge is a dish best served cold is one of these Earth people's favorite sayings, well, I am freezing right now. Freezing in the dry rain that falls around me sucking my life force when I need it most.

[Ben]

She unlocked the front door, throwing her bag and keys onto the antique hall table, not even worried if she scratched it. Her late husband would be appalled, but what did she care about him? He was long gone.
Helena was still irritated about how her evening had turned out.
Stupid.
She should have easily had enough money to buy that entire bus, let alone pay for a measly bullshit bus fare.
Her asshole ex-husband was the one who took care of any financial needs she may have, she simply worked to keep herself amused.
First thing in the morning she was going to call her bank and let them know exactly what she thought of their service.
As she threw her wet clothes towards the hamper, Helena walked nude down the hall and into her luxurious bathroom, starting the bath running.

[Carole]

I watched her through the window. Indeed, Helena was a slob. The clothes landed on the tile next to the hamper, a punishable offense on my home planet. My hands balled into fist. I wanted to run in there and pick up the discarded clothing and twist them until every drop of water...I must calm down. I'm losing track of why I came here. I have a mission and it must be completed.

[Carole]

"Can I shower first?" She asked with a seductive gleam in her eye. Helena was trying hard not to shudder with revulsion. She was sick of Charles Van Cleef III. She was sick of his tiresome games, of playing Isolde to his Tristan, Bonnie to his Clyde, Jane to his Dick.
Maybe it was time to move on. Bending down, she snatched up her wet clothing. She strode past him, her head held high. Tossing her dark curls, she said, "See you around, sucker."

[Carole]

These humans, they never accept responsibility. It was always the butler did it or the dog ate my homework. Yeah, but what if there is no butler or no dog, what then human? So tiresome. I wonder what they say if they had to deal with qwarknerts in their lives, like some of us have to.

[Ben]

"Sorry Maam, that credit card is declined as well."
"Goddamn it! Are you stupid? Just run it again!" Helena exploded at the poor clerk behind the hotel desk. As soon as she said it she regretted it, but it did make her feel bad.
The clerk sighed but ran it again anyway. Ten times a day he dealt with idiot customers that had no money or expired cards. One day soon he was just going to start slapping people.
"Sorry, declined. Again." He replied feeling better.
"Fine! I'll just sleep on the streets then. Forget It!"
"Excuse me? I couldn't help but notice you were having some trouble? May I be of assistance?" It gave me some sort of perverse pleasure to be the architect of her fall, yet step in and offer her a life line.

[Carole]

I was all oily charm, well that's not a surprise, Our skin oozes the oil that runs in our veins. We shook hands, I could see her recoil when she took mine, but I held her sweaty palm in my sure grip. You know what they say about oil and water, don't you? Let's see old Helena squeeze herself out of this jam. huhuhuhuhu. That our form of maniacal laughter, by the way.

[Matt]

After a greasy handshake that seemed to last eons – though, compared to the man in front of her, she knew nothing of eons – Helena finally retrieved her hand. She looked at it, expecting some sort of foul liquid to be dripping from her fingers and palm, but there was nothing but her own sweat. She swore she'd felt something revolting on the man's hand, but whatever it was, it had evaporated nearly instantly.

“I'm John,” the man said. His beatific smile reminded her of the zealous Christians she'd known long ago, back when her mother forced her to go to church. Hopefully he wasn't one of those nutjobs; last thing she needed right now was someone proselytizing to her.

“I'm...Lily.” No need to give this guy her real name – not until she knew what his angle was. The clerk glanced down at her credit card, reading the name, then narrowed his eyes, but he didn't blabber like an idiot and ruin her deception.

“Lily?” The man's smile devolved into a smirk, as if he'd seen right through her ruse – but only for a moment. Then the megawatt grin returned. “That's a lovely name.”

“Thank you,” Helena replied, trying to appear pleased.

“Sorry for eavesdropping, but it seems like you're having money issues.”

“I am,” Helena said, letting out a theatrical sigh. Act like a poor, helpless woman. Get some money out of him, just enough for a room for one night, then throw him a chirpy “Thank you” and be on your way. “If I could maybe, um, borrow some money, just enough for a room, it'd be a big help. I'd pay you back, of course. You can take down my contact information, and we'll get together tomorrow...”

“I'd love to help you,” John said, interrupting her.

“Thank you,” Helena said. “That's really kind of you.”

“As for paying me back – well, I have something...unconventional in mind...”

Of course. He wanted to sleep with her. Dammit, why were people so shitty? She shot a glance at the clerk. He was leering at her like she was about to strip right there in the lobby; he knew what John was proposing as well as she did.

“What do you mean, unconventional?” Helena asked coldly.

“I'll pay for your room, but first I'd like you to accompany me on the outing I've planned for this evening.”

It sounded so absurdly formal, she had to stifle a groan. “An outing to where?”

“There's an art gallery nearby. Very avant-garde. There's also a tiny cafe attached to the space, where they have poetry readings. I was going to soak in the rich textures of the paintings and then listen to some angst-ridden poetry.” He let out a “huhu” sound; Helena supposed he was chuckling. “Then again, isn't all human poetry angst-ridden?”

“I...I suppose,” Helena said, turning his offer over in her mind. It didn't sound so bad – if he stuck to art-and-poetry, and didn't try to woo her. She'd be careful – no drinking, no physical contact, no flirting. Just get through this crap, take his money, and get the room.

Then again, he could be planning to drag her into an alley and slit her throat...

Oh, stop being such a wimp, Helena told herself. Those sorts of things only happened in movies and novels. Besides, she had mace in her pocket, and she'd taken a few self-defense courses. She could handle herself.

"That's a fair trade," Helena said, nodding. "I'll join you, sure."

“Well then, shall we?” He held out his arm, and she had no choice but to hook hers into his. Physical contact already – not good. She tried to compensate by making her face rigid, clearly indicating she wasn't charmed by anything that was happening.

The clerk handed her useless card back and said, "Enjoy yourself, ma'am. There will be a room waiting for you when you get back." While his words were respectful, his tone was surly; he was clearly enjoying seeing this bitchy broad forced to jump through hoops for a few bucks.

John led her through the hotel's double doors, back out into the deluge. Luckily, though, he had an umbrella, which he seemed to produce out of nowhere.

“It's only six blocks away,” he said. “I know the weather's terrible, but you don't mind walking, do you?”

As if she had a choice. “No, that's fine.” Being back out in the rain caused a recent memory to flit through her consciousness. She cut her eyes over at John. Hadn't she seen him earlier? She thought so, but she couldn't be sure...