Bottled Abyss (19 page)

A big rig blasted its horn as it bulled through the intersection. Janet slammed on her brakes. Liquid sloshed over her hand. She gasped and dropped the bottle. At once a surge lifted in her chest and throat—a new coin sprung free, clipped her front teeth and sailed under the steering wheel to land black and messy over the speedometer.

Janet blinked in shock. Her red light hadn’t changed. The left green arrow had and cars were still turning, some of the drivers ogling the dumbass parked halfway into the intersection.

She picked up the bottle, which had fallen under her legs. Somehow, nothing had spilled on the floor. More bizarre was that the top of the brim quivered with brown fluid, threatening to spill over the sides. Janet stood the bottle on the passenger seat. The correct light now changed green and she proceeded cautiously.

The skull headed coin caught her eye as she drove on. She despised this one like she did the other that had come from her throat, but at least now there would be a coin to leave behind for Faye and Evan.

Except…

Janet’s plans had changed. There would be no hanging. She couldn’t even consider doing it, just like she couldn’t think about taking a single drink again.

There would be no suicide.

She was trapped here.

FURY

Jerry’s whining at me and just wish I could clout him one against his curly little head—such a self-serving, little faggot—

Must find that Ancient Greece and Rome Numismatic book after the last parents leave today, probably in the garage,
with the rest of my forgotten college days, my Lord
—what a poor, ignorant woman you are Jan-Jan, to just give something valuable up at a mere suggestion—it’s sad, but some people just let the world drive right over them and instead of blaming their lack of survival instincts, blame a complete bystander—

Jerry’s still at it, god how annoying—

“I told you already—Young people who don’t clean up their messes, don’t get to have rewards—”

“But I did clean up, Mrs. Horrace— I always clean up— She gave the coin to me—!”

“You
always
clean up—? Ha—! And are
you
yelling at
me
—?”

That drops it for him, then—see, it’s the same thing with pathetic kiss-ups like Jerry—he could press the issue, but he doesn’t—he lets me win, lets me walk all over him—
it will be happening his entire life, Lordy
—

Almost time for Mozart’s Musical Mastery—should get some different song books later when I go out to the garage, these songs are getting boring to play—don’t feel like bending over the piano today—stupid session anyway, none of these pricks even pays attention, all they care about is running around and blowing snot rockets—

Coin has a strange texture and that tiny dot—bet I could see what it was with the magnifying glass, if that douche-sack Sarah Hines hadn’t broken it—

Bowels are tricky again—have to go and try one more time at relieving myself—guts feel so packed—hate that bathroom—too damn small to do anything in—

Mean to set the coin down, but take it into the bathroom with me—oh well—can study it some more—no way is this thing a fake—who would be in the market for a replica drachmae anyway—? A film company—? A museum might want it for an example— so weird that All-Boobs and No-Brains got her hands on something like this—just a freak mistake—seems Janet’s whole life contains those—Lord, that’s so mean—