somehow God's plan, but she didn't believe it. She didn't believe that any all-powerful entity would create something so beautiful as the earth and its inhabitants, only to let it all be systematically destroyed in such a painful, foul way. So, she decided to have gratitude for any ray of sunshine in each day that could be a symbol for the return to the way life had once been. Bless this momentary crumb of sustenance, however bland and tasteless it may be.
After Cheryl took a couple of bites, a little boy sitting next to her who looked to be three or four, with big, watery eyes began to wail. His mouth was covered with crumbs from the biscuit, and he twisted his head away from his mother's attempts to force feed him with a spoon.
"This is all you get, baby. You better eat."
"Don't like it!"
Of course he didn't like the beans. They were spicy and had some unidentifiable herbs added to them that didn't seem to go together.
When the mother tried to push the spoon on him again, the child started to scream at the top of his lungs, causing everyone around to turn their heads in his direction.
Mark looked the other way and started shoveling food in his mouth.
Cheryl handed one of her biscuits to the mother. "Here…I've got extra."
"Thank you," the woman said. "God bless you." She handed the biscuit to the boy. He instantly went quiet as he bit down and began to suck like it was a pacifier, tears streaming down his ruddy cheeks.
She went back to her meal, but ate it slowly, trying to mentally stretch it into something more palatable. Mark finished his mess of beans and biscuits just a minute later. "See ya later…" he said, clearing his tray.
"Where are you going?"
"Back to the room. I could use a nap after such an action-packed day." He gave her a goofy salute before walking away.
Curious about his sudden departure, she headed towards their room after she was done eating. Sergeant Cruz stopped her in the hall on the way and told her that her second patrol shift later in the evening was cancelled, because they were still working on clean up from the day's earlier attack and just manning a smaller force in the meantime.
"Unless you want to help the Removers?"
"No way," she said. "I'd prefer a night off."
After some more talk about the attack, she told him she'd see him on her next shift and went on her way.
When she got back to the room, she found Mark lying on the bed, eyes shut, with earbuds in his ears and a slow grind of guitars leaking out from them, screeching like a howling cat.
"You awake?" she asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed.
He didn't reply, though she figured she'd clearly said it loud enough for him to hear over the music.
"My second shift was cancelled, so I was thinking about going to The Tavern. Maybe I could bat my eyelashes and pump some brass for more information about today's attack."
No response.
"They're also having a bikini contest."
If he was awake, she figured that would have elicited at least an eyebrow raise, if not a snickering comment.
"I'm entering in it."
"What?" Mark said, opening his eyes and pulling out an earbud.
"Just kidding." She started to unlace her boots so she could change into pants. "We could go to The Tavern or see the Friday night movie."
"What is it?"
"A comedy. I think it's "Liar, Liar" with Jim Carrey."
"Seen it."
"What about The Tavern then?"
"Nah."
"Something a little more groovy like The Dance Hall?"
"Not my favorite place. And, I don't have enough credits…"
"Really? With all the overtime you've put in, you should have an abundance."
"After I bought the Glock, I made a trade with Scott Paynes."
"For?"
"More Internet access time."
" Of course . Well…if you're going to be a slug tonight, I'm going to go out without you then. Gloria mentioned the other day that she was going to the movie, and I'd rather hang out with her then stay here and watch you go clickety-click all night and rant about conspiracy theories."
"Suit yourself," he
After Cheryl took a couple of bites, a little boy sitting next to her who looked to be three or four, with big, watery eyes began to wail. His mouth was covered with crumbs from the biscuit, and he twisted his head away from his mother's attempts to force feed him with a spoon.
"This is all you get, baby. You better eat."
"Don't like it!"
Of course he didn't like the beans. They were spicy and had some unidentifiable herbs added to them that didn't seem to go together.
When the mother tried to push the spoon on him again, the child started to scream at the top of his lungs, causing everyone around to turn their heads in his direction.
Mark looked the other way and started shoveling food in his mouth.
Cheryl handed one of her biscuits to the mother. "Here…I've got extra."
"Thank you," the woman said. "God bless you." She handed the biscuit to the boy. He instantly went quiet as he bit down and began to suck like it was a pacifier, tears streaming down his ruddy cheeks.
She went back to her meal, but ate it slowly, trying to mentally stretch it into something more palatable. Mark finished his mess of beans and biscuits just a minute later. "See ya later…" he said, clearing his tray.
"Where are you going?"
"Back to the room. I could use a nap after such an action-packed day." He gave her a goofy salute before walking away.
Curious about his sudden departure, she headed towards their room after she was done eating. Sergeant Cruz stopped her in the hall on the way and told her that her second patrol shift later in the evening was cancelled, because they were still working on clean up from the day's earlier attack and just manning a smaller force in the meantime.
"Unless you want to help the Removers?"
"No way," she said. "I'd prefer a night off."
After some more talk about the attack, she told him she'd see him on her next shift and went on her way.
When she got back to the room, she found Mark lying on the bed, eyes shut, with earbuds in his ears and a slow grind of guitars leaking out from them, screeching like a howling cat.
"You awake?" she asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed.
He didn't reply, though she figured she'd clearly said it loud enough for him to hear over the music.
"My second shift was cancelled, so I was thinking about going to The Tavern. Maybe I could bat my eyelashes and pump some brass for more information about today's attack."
No response.
"They're also having a bikini contest."
If he was awake, she figured that would have elicited at least an eyebrow raise, if not a snickering comment.
"I'm entering in it."
"What?" Mark said, opening his eyes and pulling out an earbud.
"Just kidding." She started to unlace her boots so she could change into pants. "We could go to The Tavern or see the Friday night movie."
"What is it?"
"A comedy. I think it's "Liar, Liar" with Jim Carrey."
"Seen it."
"What about The Tavern then?"
"Nah."
"Something a little more groovy like The Dance Hall?"
"Not my favorite place. And, I don't have enough credits…"
"Really? With all the overtime you've put in, you should have an abundance."
"After I bought the Glock, I made a trade with Scott Paynes."
"For?"
"More Internet access time."
" Of course . Well…if you're going to be a slug tonight, I'm going to go out without you then. Gloria mentioned the other day that she was going to the movie, and I'd rather hang out with her then stay here and watch you go clickety-click all night and rant about conspiracy theories."
"Suit yourself," he
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