Dania Beach- Chapter 8

By

Christopher C. DeRoche

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          She entered the condo through the screen door in the back rather than taking to hallway through the front. She could still smell the bacon in the air from the breakfast as she cleared the doorway and shut it behind her. The bacon overpowered the garlic eggs that her mother was so famous for making.

          Kara took her shoes off just inside. Her mother always despised shoes being worn in the house. She said that it tracked the sand all over her floor. Kara was programmed at a young age to trade the comfort of a shoe for the cool, hard surface of the tile floor on which she now stood.

          “Mom, are you here?” She called out, hoping for a response.

          The dwelling was silent except for Kara’s feet pattering on the checkered tile floor while searching for some sign that her mother was home. She kept calling out and soon realized that she was alone. Her mother had eaten her breakfast and left for work already. Kara’s heart sank because she wouldn’t have time to hug her goodbye before the flight. Her mother worked over an hour away and she couldn’t just run there, give her a hug, and then make it to the airport without missing her flight.

          The smell of the bacon made Kara feel hungry. She questioned if she should be hungry or not now. She thought that with the immortality that she may never have to eat. It wasn’t like she was going to starve to death. Curiously, the bacon gave her the craving to eat and she went to the kitchen to give in to the urge.

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          Searching the refrigerator, she found that her mother had placed some bacon on a plate and covered it with a paper towel. Next to the plate of meat there was a carton of egg beaters. Kara retrieved both ingredients from the fridge and set them on the counter. She reached in the cupboard above the stove for a potato.

          She placed a pan on the surface of the stove and turned the element to medium. After getting a sharp knife from the drawer she proceeded to dice the potato to prepare for cooking.     

          Renewing the various smells in the kitchen, Kara leaned against the counter taking in the fresh aroma of breakfast. The butter sizzled in the heated pan prompting Kara to put the potato dices in.

          While the breakfast fried, Kara thought about Max. His gleaming blue eyes remained etched in her memory. His dark complexion framed by his black hair and high cheek bones was perpetually attractive to her.    He was also a gentle person with a kind heart. He carried a sensitivity and compassion that she has never seen before in a man. She had never met anyone like him before and she was eager to return to him. She felt strongly towards him and magnetized to his charm.

          After the table was set and the food on the plate, Kara sat down to enjoy her meal. She savored the salty bacon and devoured the egg beaters mixed with potato. She was thankful that food still tasted the same even though she didn’t need to consume.

          Beep Beep.

          Her cell phone alarm sounded reminding her that she needed to get to the airport for check in.

          She quickly picked up her mess and placed the pan in the sink to soak. She was sure that her mother wouldn’t mind a little mess considering this was the first time she had been down in 6 months to visit. Kara gathered her bags and decided that she was going to run to the airport. She also found that the her luggage wasn’t as heavy as it used to be. She wondered if her muscle strength increased as well. She deducted that it must be that she doesn’t get fatigued.

          The baggage was attached firmly to her body as she sprinted down the road to her destination.

          Suddenly her stomach felt ill and halted her full speed run. She bent down on one knee clutching her stomach. When the pain subsided, her vision cleared and she was in front of an Amoco station. She witnessed as two young adults hurried out and ran towards a car.

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          She had just sifted. It was involuntary. She wondered how that had happened. She then realized the scenario in which she was in. She was running and the two juveniles’ were robbing the gas station. They must have killed the clerk or someone inside because she was in the right place at the right time to cleanse the soul. She didn’t want to investigate further because she didn’t want to be involved. She started her run again; her goal of the airport steady in focus.

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