Writer's Island - Just Around The Corner - Prompt #14

Sitting at my desk my mind is not focused on my work, but rather it is floating on thoughts of what might be going to happen later tonight. For several weeks, I had been talking on line with a guy I met in a game room while playing Scrabble. Now I want you to know that I don’t usually talk when I play because, well for two reasons, I don’t play well and I don’t trust people I meet on line. You know what Dr. House says, “people lie”, and I think that’s especially true when you talk on line. When I say “talk on line”, I actually mean type back and forth. It seems that everyone has a camera and microphone and they want to see you and actually talk to you, but I just can’t. I guess because I am afraid. I have no idea what I am afraid of, but I know what fear feels like and that is what it is.
Because Rick didn’t ask me what I was wearing, if I had a cam and all that kind of stuff, I started typing back to him. Like I said, we have been typing for several weeks and tonight we are going to meet. We are meeting at the mall in Greensboro at 7pm. I don’t live there, neither does he, but I thought it would be an easy place to meet, Rick agreed.
I am so excited, I can’t keep my mind on business, so the best thing I can do is call it a day. Headed home, I am trying to decide what to wear. I am thinking a skirt and a tank top or would that be too revealing, well I do want him to be interested! Yes, a skirt for sure.
I treat myself to a long bubble bath. My legs are smooth as silk; the scent of my perfume is in the air. I am having a good hair day……..I am ready to go.
As I am driving to the mall, my music is loud, I am singing along, “Waiting on a Woman”, I am smiling just thinking about meeting him. It is already dark, but I am not worried about where I am parking, because he will be walking me back to my car.
I am 10 minutes early, wow very unusual for me. I am generally late. I get out of my car and head for the mall. These heels are high, but I am walking okay. Actually I am walking my sexy walk and feeling great. I am not that familiar with this mall, but we are meeting at the food court on the first floor, so how hard could that be.
He described himself and he will be wearing a black shirt. I described myself and I told him I would be carrying a red purse. I pick a seat where I can survey the food court and I wait. I am nervous. We haven’t exchanged phone numbers or even talked on the phone, All I really know about him is his name. I am watching everyone as they pass, but I don’t see him.
Maybe he is just running late. It is 7:23 and he isn’t here. I hadn’t even thought about him not showing up. Okay, he’s not showing up, it is 7:49. I’m heading out. Why didn’t I park closer? Where are my keys? Where is my car, I must have gone out the wrong door. Am I upset? Hell, yes! I notice there are several lights out making the parking lot so dark. I am usually so careful, but not tonight.
Just around the corner is my car. A false safety. Above the din, I think I hear my name. As I turn toward the sound I am yanked back into the darkness, by a man in black. My screams are drown by screeching tires and gunshots, five, six, I don’t know how many. I don’t want to see people dying on the pavement or already dead. I hear someone shout call 911 and another voice saying I think this one is dead. I am so light headed from fear without Rick’s support my legs would have failed me. We walked back into the mall the way I came out. Tonight I am not going around that corner. I am still upset, but not mad anymore. Later, over coffee Rick explained, he had a flat tire and had to wait for AAA to come to change it. He couldn’t call; we hadn’t exchanged phone numbers. I shudder to think what would have happened had Rick not shown up when he did.