“Hey, bro. Little car trouble?” Alf said.
Along with the shattered windshield, the hood was dented concave and pocked with deep gouges.
“Yeah. That’s fair to say. Had a bit of an accident.”
“Mountain’s a little too full of accidents last couple days. You hear?”
“I did. It…really sucks.”
Green felt the urge to apologize, but he couldn’t find the words. He felt responsible. All the misfortune arrived with him.
“Friend of mine works as a dispatcher for the cops. Said those campers OD’ed. Like, all of them. Simultaneously. Shit.”
“I guess that could happen.”
“I guess. But two fatal nights in a row? I don’t like it, bro. It’s fucked-up.”
Green looked at his feet. He had no words.
“Hey, like, I don’t wanna get too personal, but…Did you grow a beard…in, like, the last forty-eight hours?”
“Oh. I guess I did. It’s been a strange couple nights.”
Alf tossed the trash in the dumpster and motioned for Green to follow him into the store. Jerome was in his spot behind the register, shuffling his deck of cards. He lifted his chin an inch to greet Green.
Alf pulled out a high stool, sat, and began peeling a banana.
“You want one?”
“No thanks.”
“Yeah, I’m trying to quit too. So, what happened to your ride? And who’s the angry lady?”
“Wildlife encounter. The lady is Valentina. She’s my neighbor up at Dancer’s place. And she’s sorta my boss now.”
“She lives around here? Huh. Okay. Thought I knew everybody in the neighborhood.”
“I don’t think she gets out much.”
Jerome tapped his deck on the counter and looked at Green.
“Oh, right,” Green said, bringing two fingers to his temple. “I got one in mind.”
He tried tothinkthe card at Jerome, imagining the mysterious communication methods of red oaks.
King of clubs. King of clubs.
Jerome pulled a four of hearts from the deck and displayed it.
Green shook his head.
“Sorry. Not this time.”
The bell above the door jangled and Valentina walked inside.
“Cars are vampires and gas stations are the necks they bite to suck the blood of the land,” she said.
Jerome and Alf exchanged a look.
