The Messenger (2011 reformat) Read Online Free PDF Page B

fine
justice to those shorts."
    Marlene
smiled, nonchalant, as she pulled the plastic cut-out tab from her coffee lid.
"Thanks, Marv. My husband tells me the same thing every morning but he has
an easier way of saying it. He just tells me I've got a killer ass."
    "I would
definitely concur with that."
    "Well, I
better go, Marv. Work's two blocks away, and I'm late."
    "But
wait. I thought you mentioned yesterday that you no longer work at the main
post office."
    "That's
right, Marv. I got reassigned to the west branch."
    "But
that's on the other side of town, isn't it?"
    "Sure is.
I just have something to drop off here first. Have a good day!" Then she
left the store, knowing Marvic's eyes were following her. Marlene appreciated
the compliment. It made her feel positive about herself. It made her feel
complete.
    A few minutes
later, she was parking in the front lot of the main post office. She paused a
moment in the sun, to look at the long and rather sterile brick building. The
west branch looked so much nicer even though it was so much older. The west
branch was quaint, its drab bricks painted a vibrant white, with pastel blue
trim, and children's art work from the local elementary school adorning the
front windows.
    But this
place...
    This place
looks like shit, Marlene thought with rare profanity. It wasn't even her own
voice in her head, but she wasn't capable of comprehending that. It was
something else.
    And the people
inside...are shit. The voice darkened.
    It's time, my
lovely Marlene. It's time to deliver a message, isn't it?
    "Yeah,"
Marlene replied to herself in a hushed voice.
    The
motion-sensitive front doors parted; Marlene walked into cool air, so cool in
fact, her nipples seemed to pucker. The sensation struck her with such
intensity that she thought obliquely of her husband- the way he'd come up
behind her by surprise, slip his arms around her, and tweak her nipples. Yes,
yes, that's exactly what it felt like-
    Someone standing
right behind her. Right up against her. Pinching her nipples.
    But that was
impossible. Even Marlene, in the strange daze that had struck her since
yesterday when she'd gotten off her first shift at the west branch, knew that
no one was standing right behind her.
    "Hi,
Marlene!" said Emmy, her friend at the first teller window. The line of
familiar customers looked over, too, and all smiled and waved. “How was your
first day at the new office?"
    "Oh, it's
great. I love it."
    "But I'll
bet you miss this place don't you? Just a little?"
    Marlene shot
her friend the warmest smile. "Of course, and I miss working with you guys
too. A lot."
    Really,
really? she thought in that weird voice again, the voice that seemed like her
own but with another voice hissing behind it.
    You don't miss
this place. You don't miss these people.
    Marlene
frowned to herself.
    And they won't
miss this world...
    "Well, we
miss you too," Emmy went on, stamping a postmark onto a customer's
package. "But it's all for the best. Opening the west branch really takes
a lot of the workload off us. I still can't believe how much Danelleton has
grown in the past year."
    "Yeah,"
Marlene muttered.
    She was just
standing there. Staring.
    "So what
are you doing out our way?" Emmy asked.
    Marlene almost
felt as though she were hovering. It took her several moments to answer:
"Oh, I just..." Then a long pause.
    Emmy cast a
concerned look past the register. "Marlene? Are you all right?"
    Now Marlene's
eyes felt hot, like coals punched into her eye sockets. Her words droned from
her mouth. "I just stopped by to say hi."
    Emmy was
squinting over, and so were several customers in line.
    "Plus I
needed to drop off this package."
    "A
package?" asked another teller. "For us?"
    "Yeah.
Special Delivery" Marlene said.
    Marlene stood
wavering in place, yet she felt quite secure in what she was about to do. That
voice in her head, too-part hers, part someone else's-etched with confidence. I
am the Messenger. Bring my message...
    Again,