The Clanging of Bells – Part II

(Read Part I here)

Edward walked through the automatic doors and into the high ceiling main room of the bus station. Cool, circulated air kissed his cheeks and welcomed him in. He stopped in the middle and looked for the locker room, tossing the key and having it land in the palm of his hand.

Lines of people hurried past him, going every which way, dragging their suitcases or bags or sometimes children behind them. Edward though they all looked like ants or bees, he couldn’t decide. But the image made him smile.

A short, heavy-gutted security guard walked over to Edward.  The guard looked up at Edward and scowled in an attempt to seem menacing.

“What’s you so happy about bub?” he said.

The intruder deflated Edward’s daydream of all the people being insects, he floated back to reality.

“Oh, just enjoying the weather,” Edward said, and made to walk away.

The security guard wrapped his stubby fingers around Edward’s biceps and squeezed. He led Edward from the main room and down a dingy hallway. Edward tried to protest, but the guard just clamped down on his arm and pulled him along.

They stopped in a grey square of an office. A thin line of windows bisected the wall behind the desk, and a few browned spider plants sat on the ledge.

The security guard pushed Edward towards a metal folding chair, as he reclined in his leather one. He leaned back and Edward heard the springs squeak.

“We don’t usually let vagrants stand around dreaming in the middle of the station,” the guard said.

“That’s a good policy to have,” Edward said.

The guard leaned forward, his gut pushing into the edge of the desk.

“Don’t get smart with me,” he said and pointed a thick finger in Edward’s face. “You’re lucky I didn’t just throw you out on your ass. But I saw your head, and the last thing I need is some bum bleeding out on the front steps.”

“Well,” Edward said, “This is easy enough to resolve. Just take that finger out of my face and use it to point me in the direction of the lockers.”

Edward held the key up like a crucifix of the security guard. The guard shrunk back a bit. The corner of Edward’s mouth curled up in a slight smile.

The security guard jumped up and walked around the desk.

“Get up,” he screamed.

Edward did as he asked. He followed the security guard through the hall and back out across the main room.

“It’s on the other side of where we just come from,” the guard said and left in a hurry.

Edward tossed the key in his hand and made his way to the locker room.

He followed the numbers around the room until he reached box 341. He inserted the key and unlocked the door and opened it.

He shut it almost just as quickly. Edward looked over both shoulders to make sure that security guard wasn’t still watching him. He opened the door just wide enough reach his arm in.

His trembling fingers closed around the cold black of the snub nosed .38, and he quickly put in his jacket pocket. The weight of the gun almost pulled him over. Edward balanced himself, keeping hold of the door to support his weight.

He noticed the folded sheet of paper still in the locker. He pulled it out and saw another, larger swirl of ink drawn on the paper. He stared at the ink cyclone, his eyes following the path around and around. Edward’s head swam.

He steeled himself by slamming the locker door shut.

Edward opened the note and saw that it contained a single word;  the name “Diana” in the same blue ink as the cyclone. He fumbled through his pockets looking for the matchbook.

His hand grazed the cold barrel of the gun and a bolt of lightning twisted up his spine.

He found the matchbook and flipped the cover open. He compared the two ink swirls. Edward realized he had no idea what he was doing, but he knew he needed to be doing something.

He closed the matchbook; his thumb rubbed the embossed logo of the Pineapple Club. Edward put the note and matchbook and his hands in his pockets. He tried to walk through the crowd with attracting attention, but he could feel the pistol bump and sway against his hip.

Edward reached the automatic doors and he exhaled deeply as they opened and released him onto the late afternoon street.