Phil shook his head rapidly back and forth, while Bob continued to stare at him. Bob’s hands were open to shove him down, but now they were clenched fists.
“What the hell? Why d-”
“Because genius” Bob was coming as close to yelling as he could. “You were standing at the door of the boxcar with some slack-jawed blank look on your face. Ordinarily, it would be a harmless zone out. However, and this is the big however, you were doing it in AN OPEN DOOR WHILE WE WERE GOING THROUGH RAILROAD CROSSINGS. At least five cars were LOOKING RIGHT AT YOU while you were staring off, looking for North Dakota or what I don’t know.”
“Geez, I did? I’m sorry Bob. I…must have zoned or something…”
“Or something. We have an assassin and the police looking for us. We’re in a boxcar to keep a low freakin’ profile. That means NO STANDING IN THE DAMN DOORWAY WHEN WE’RE GOING THROUGH THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN ABERDEEN.”
“Right, right. Sorry.” Phil’s face was turning red. He had a worried look. Bob’s fists unclenched. He extended an open hand to Phil to help him up.
“Look, I’m just trying to keep us both safe. I yelled your name three times and I had to shove you. You just weren’t responding. It’s like you were totally somewhere else.”
“Just lost in the moment or something.” Phil took Bob’s hand and stood up. He started dusting himself off. “At least you didn’t shove me off the train. We’re still moving?”
Bob turned around and stood right by the door. He saw buildings, train crossings and trees still moving towards him. “I don’t think we’re stopping at the rail yard today. I wonder where this train is going?”
“Right now all I know is East.” What’s East of Aberdeen?”
“Not much…Groton? Webster? Summit?”
“Yeah, we’re going to stop in Summit. That’s exactly where I was thinking.”
“Hey, they have those billboards up by Watertown. And a website.”
“What the hell were you doing up there?”
“Casino. You were in Spearfish that weekend, so I had to find a card game elsewhere, and gas wasn’t so dang expensive.”
Bob looked back at Phil. Was he for real? Either Phil has a gambling problem, or he almost went to Aberdeen once to see Michelle already and didn’t tell me. Bob looked back out the door and saw the city start to fade away. “Isn’t Aberdeen bigger?” he said as he gestured Phil to come to the door. Phil looked out the door and saw houses far off, and a lot of green and trees coming towards them.
“I think we’re getting a view of the underdeveloped North side. I think we’re still in town.”
“Well, maybe Summit is where we’ll end up. I know they have a really good convenience store.” Bob thought of laughing, but he aborted when he saw Phil walk around to the other side of the door. He had an odd look on his face, and it wasn’t a funny one.
***
Geoff Pryblinski folded the shirt and pants neatly, and he sat them atop the sport coat. This needed to be a quick Goodwill drop. He knew he’d have to change cars again soon, but he had no idea how long it would take the airport to find his donation’s previous owner. Suddenly, his phone started to vibrate. It was a new text, but the number wasn’t familiar. It simply read:
NOT SCOTLAND
NOT MARYLAND
NOT WASHINGTON
STAY CLOSE GO FAR
