by Jaz Johnson
“So, uh, how old are you?” Roland asked, giving quick glances over at Saphora as he drove along the highway. One hand was gripping the steering wheel, while the other was on the stick shift. Saphora stayed quiet as she stared out the window at the passing trees along the side of the road. A few moments went by before Roland cleared his throat and tried again.
“Hello. Anybody there?” he asked a bit mockingly. Saphora sighed, and grudgingly turned her head so that she could look at him. He glanced over at her again, this time looking a bit longer after seeing that she was actually giving him her attention. They had been driving for about ten minutes in silence. “Oh hello! I was beginning to think you were dead,” he chuckled. Saphora rolled her eyes, turning away from him to return her gaze towards the window.
“You must think I’m young,” she scoffed.
“Yeah? And what makes you say that?” he asked, shifting gears.
“Talking to me like I’m a child,” she said, somewhat mumbling. There was a slight pause before Roland’s next words.
“It’s called sarcasm. And you don’t have to be a child to get it.” He glanced over at her turned head. “Just stuck up,” he mumbled. Saphora blinked, and turned again, her head in somewhat of a tilt.
“Excuse me?”
“Look, all I asked you was how old you were.”
“You also accused me of being a murderer.”
Another awkward silence.
“Okay, I’ll give you that,” he said, nodding. Saphora shook her head, looking back out the window.
“Gee, thanks.”
“So are you going to answer my question?”
“I’m in my twenties.”
“You’re not going to give me a number?” he asked, as he switched lanes, coming closer to the exit that he needed to get off at in order to get to the zoo properly. Saphora groaned.
“I don’t know a number. I can’t remember my birthday, or what year I was born. Fran thinks she found me when I was around the age of seven, okay?” she said, leaning her forehead against the palm of her hand.
“Oh …” He nodded, shifting gears again as he slowed down to make way for the exit. “So that would make Fran what, like, mid-thirties? Early forty?”
Saphora spazzed as she started to reach for the lock on the car door. She’d had enough of Roland. Figuring she could walk the rest of the distance to the zoo. She couldn’t believe the insensitivity of this man. Not only was this man pressing on her nerves, but he had the profound stupidity to think that the age Fran found Saphora had anything to do with her own. Her nerves were wearing thin. She pulled the lock free on the door, causing Roland to become alarmed. He jerked his head towards her, as the car swerved in his shock. She moved to open the door, but Roland reached over and took hold of her hand as he began to pull the car over.
“Hey! What the fuck are you doing?!” he shouted, trying to keep her hand away from the door. She grunted, trying to jerk her hand away from him. In the process, her subconscious awakened her power. Her rage fueling her power to forcefully swing the car over to the side of the road, as her hand snatched away from Roland. He screamed, as an angry truck driver honked their horn. They both lunged to the left against their seatbelts. Roland scrambled to get his hands back on the steering wheel to steady the car. Once it stopped wobbling, he looked around frantically, trying to piece together some logic of what just happened.
“Did you feel that? The fuck was that? Wind?” he said, as his head swiveled around in bewilderment. Horror fell over Saphora as she gripped onto the car door for dear life. Her head spun with the dying motions of the car. Was it happening again? She didn’t want to believe it. She didn’t want to think of that day again – believe what had happened. She stared at her trembling hands, balling them into fists before scrambling to unbuckle her seat belt. Roland watched her as if she’d gone mad.
“What are you doing? What – wait, wait!” Roland shouted as Saphora opened the door to the car and pushed herself out. She stumbled when she did, but continued to walk forward a few steps before stopping and getting a feel for where she was. Roland turned off the car and opened his door, stepping out and turning around to yell at Saphora, who was trying to remember which way to go after walking past the exit.
“Are you mad? Get back in here! There could be another gust of wind!” he shouted at her as he looked around to see if there was some explanation in the clouds above. Saphora turned around, glaring at Roland.
“Yes. I’m furious, thank you for asking. I’m walking the rest of the way to the zoo. Just go back to your job.”
“What – If I left you to walk all the way there I wouldn’t be doing my job. Get back in the car!” he shouted, reaching his hand out to her. She scowled.
“I don’t need some wannabe cop who’s trying to get with the caretaker of a woman he just recently accused of murder, driving me around like I’m some sort of helpless child!” she said, beginning to walk off towards the exit. Roland jolted forward around the car towards her, but stopped when she turned around to face him again.
“Okay, okay. Look – I’m sorry. Please? Just get back in the car okay? I won’t talk to you the rest of the way if you just get back in the car.”
“No. You just want to meet Fran. And I’m not going to let her talk to some pretentious snobby little-“
“Whoa! You have got some serious anger management issues. Geez – I – Look. I just don’t want you to get hurt with this crazy weather. Will you please just get in the car? I won’t even get out when I drop you off. I swear,” he pleaded, taking a step towards her.
She groaned, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to tell him why the car swung over the way it did. And maybe, she thought, that if he didn’t speak to her for the rest of the ride, or speak to Fran when they arrived at the zoo, that it wouldn’t be that unbearable. Looking around, she tried to make a quick decision, feeling her temple pulse.
“Yes? Okay? Please?” he asked, gesturing to the car.
Saphora glared in his direction, the gaze landed on the car. She didn’t answer, but she walked to the car, sure to stay clear of Roland. He sighed in relief, dropping his arms and groaning. He shook his head, grumbling under his breath as he followed opposite her to get into the driver’s side.
“What the hell was I thinking?”