Creative Writing

[darkelf105]

My story for creative writing, thus far. 

            Bethzida Martinez was almost positive that she was going to burn alive in a terrible fire. She watched in horror as yet another jet of flame arced across the greasy wall of the café she worked at, causing the paint to bubble and the residue of filth to sizzle. She coughed at the burnt stench and tried to skitter closer to the front of the building. There was a shout and the stomping of heavy boots. Another jet of flame tore along the baseboards of the wall, this time leaving a long black trail. Cursing followed that jet of flame and the smell of canola oil blossomed in the air. More fire streaked away filth from the wall. Beth sucked in a panicked gulp of air and was ready to start running, when her manager Stephanie leaned back in her chair and glared. The cigarette in her mouth wobbled up and down as her jaw worked in silent annoyance. She grimaced. The frown caused all of the lines around her heavily lipsticked mouth to pull down like melting wax. Her hands hovered over the crossword puzzle she was working on.

“Rob put away that goddamn lighter and get away from that spider before someone gets hurt.” Stephanie jammed her cigarette into the ashtray and glared at Rob, daring him to disobey her.

Bethzida looked away from Stephanie and hid her face. She didn’t want Stephanie to yell at her, too. After all, chasing the spider with a can of cooking spray and a lighter had all been Rob’s idea.

            “Aw, c’mon Stephanie, that fucking thing is huge. Someone’s gotta kill it.”

            “Yeah? So step on it with your shoe.”

            Stephanie lit another cigarette from her rapidly diminishing pack and took a long drag. Rob grinned as he came over and helped himself to one.

“You shouldn’t smoke,” she admonished. “It’s bad for you health. Ruin that boyish complexion.” Rob’s grin grew broader.

Stephanie sighed and motioned for Rob to let her light it. He obliged and soon was sitting next to her, smoke curling from his lips, joining the scum of gray above both of their heads. Her annoyance with Rob and his fire throwing actions seemed to diminish with every pull of smoke she sucked in.

“Your smokes taste like shit, Stephanie.” He purled a long, slow stream from his mouth and glanced over at Bethzida.

“What’s wrong Beth? You look like Old Scratch himself just came in here.”

“Nothing.”

Bethzida never knew what to say to Rob. He wasn’t the type of boy she was used to being around. She didn’t know what made her more uncomfortable, that he was a high school drop out or his piercings. She had almost run from the building when he had pulled out his lighter and gone after the spider he had discovered in the storage room.

She sidled closer to the stainless steel counter she was standing next to and fidgeted with the dank rag that was lying there.

“Shouldn’t we be doing something?”

Stephanie looked up from the crossword puzzle she had started working on again and Rob peered at her from behind the paperback he had just opened, cigarette hanging limply from his mouth.

“Naw, Beth. We did everything. Counters’re wiped. The floor’s been mopped and polished. Tables have been scrubbed down and all the food prep for tomorrow’s done. We are all set. So relax. Pull up a chair. Make yourself a salad. Do some of your ever-pressing homework for college.” Stephanie smiled, her yellowed face breaking into a thousand fine cracks. “Besides, it’s not like anyone’s in this place right now.”

Bethzida was still uncertain. “Are you sure Mr. Koontz won’t be upset? Shouldn’t we really be working?”

“Beth,” growled Rob, “Stephanie just told you we were all set. There’s nothing to do. So do what you like.” He smiled, his grin unfurling on his face like autumn clouds. “Unless of course, you wanna go look for the, ah, mouse we saw earlier.”

Beth’s face paled and she scooted still closer to the counter, inching around to the other side of it, putting its steely palisade between her and Rob’s suggestion.

Beth glanced back at the table that Rob and Stephanie were sitting at. Her backpack lay there, Rob’s foot occasionally glancing it as he read. Bethzida supposed she could work on her college application. She still had to write parts of her personal biography and the whole thing needed to be proofread and spell checked.

She inched back around the counter as unobtrusively as she could and tried to reach for her bag without disturbing Rob’s foot, which now rested comfortably on it.

Rob glanced up at her and then down at his feet.

“Oh. Sorry Beth. Here ya go.” He lifted her book bag up for her, smiling. She took it from him and tried not to look him in the face. He was very attractive and that made her nervous.

“Uh, thank you. Um, Stephanie, is it okay if I take my work to the front register and work on it there?”

The older woman cocked her head and studied Bethzida. She seemed to reach some conclusion and shrugged.

“Sure, hon. You can keep an eye out for customers.”

Beth nodded and quickly retreated from their company.