The Emerald Belle

Not to be earnest, but I’ve always hated driving. Road trips have never been my favorite pastime or how I clear my head. No, I have never been that type of person. Now don’t get me wrong, I do happen to enjoy the pleasantries of nature. Wide open ranges. Mile-long mountains. Crystal clear creeks translucent enough for Narcissus to indulge in, but I’m more of the observer from the comfort of a locked door and a window type of guy. That’s just who I am... Some would call me a hermit, or perhaps glued to my work. They wouldn't necessarily be speaking purely from the tongue.

You can imagine my annoyance when I was informed that I would have to travel to my work's HQ to confirm a business deal. I tried to fly the clientele somewhere closer to me like Chicago or even New York, but my advisers insisted on meeting in Los Angeles. They say it's the city of angels, perhaps that facade is why I chose the location to be there. so, it appears that I will have to make do with driving towards manifest destiny. West. I've built myself a comfortable life by being able to do my work from the comfort of my lazy boy, but duty does call and I'm obliged to keep my comfort…

I'm a little less than halfway into my journey, somewhere in west texas. As I said, I hate driving, Texas feels like 5 small states with different conflicting personalities juggled into one massive area code. I have a few of my businesses scattered across the country. Even a few in Texas. However I will say, The scenery isn't too pecan pie and vanilla ice cream for me.

Since I've got all the time in the world to talk to myself. I might as well talk to you too. Let me paint a monet for you on my current... “Landscape”

“Imagine… you are sitting in an old, beat-up 1970s dodge challenger, and in front of you, is hundreds of miles worth of road. No beginning, no end. Just road. Your dog could run away from you, and you could still see the damn thing running two days later. Where the road meets the sky is covered in tangerine and gray peach fuzz-like dust. Not only can you see it, but you can feel the grit in your teeth when you swallow. Not having anything to drink. So the only taste in your parched mouth is that of tiny rocks traveling in and out of your teeth and into the next one. Your last stop was 90 miles back, and you have 40 till the next one. To your left your glance brushes to the wondrous sight of crimson dirt being swept up into the air like blowing sand into your pocket. A cyst in the crust, not quite a hill and not quite a mountain, but a plateau of child-size... To the right my travel companion, The roads are illuminated by not white dashes or red flares, but by corpses of animals who have dared to cross the treacherous dark highway. Meeting their impending doom. If you were to stretch out all the roadkill, I believe it would wrap around the world twice. I hate to see dead things. Let alone see anyone suffer. I keep my eyes on the center of the road, to avoid distraction. The mind looks for times like this to test once strength

One could go crazy spending too much time on the road like this,

But not us.

No.

Good thing we have each other.

It was looking to be about that time when my challenger sang to me that it was time he got a fuel up. The road marker indicated that I would be coming up on a town in about 20 minutes. This would be my last stop to get gas before I hit my next marker. That being Albuquerque. The road marker read

“ Muleshoe” next exit.

Sounds like a strong drink, and my friend I sure I could use one right now. Now I know what you're thinking, those worried eyes ask me if I brought some type of protection with us on this journey? Your answer would be, of course, I did! I'm not some fool to go on a trip across the country and not bring something to defend myself against the wild west!

I'm not a fool my friend, but you need not worry about what I brought. No use in discussing what kind of present I brought to the party without an invitation. Let's hope it got lost in the mail.

As the soot settled into the cement I could see the town on the horizon. Right at dusk too. it's quite fascinating to me, Nobody would know my stature just from first impressions. The truck. The beat-up clothes and dirt on my face. You wouldn't be able to point me out in a crowd, not even you my friend, and I love it. I hate driving, but I love being a passing stranger. Like a blank page. A story just waiting to be written.

Look ahead!

“MULESHOE, POPULATION 936. FAMOUS ATTRACTIONS!

LOG CABIN LODGE MOTEL!

HISTORIC BILLS BROKEN BBQ!

EMERALD BELLE GAS STATION !”

AND THAT'S IT!

I was to think my eyes were deceiving me when I noticed the faintest green light combining off of an awning ceiling. I pulled into the dimly lit parking lot. The gas station was a hybrid between an antique building and a modern-day 7/11. Speaking of which, a cherry coke icee doesn't sound half bad does it friend?

The sign of the emerald belle was quite large. It hung about 15 feet. Not your typical gas station sign. Instead of a shell or even a shamrock, about 3 feet from the top of the sign hangs an emerald green bell. With a belle swinging from the side of the bell. Her hair was bright emerald to complement her skin-tight emerald dress and shoes. She looked out onto the road with her mouth open in a “come gas up with us, big boy” look and a mischievous wink whispering to her patrons “If you can handle it”

The Emerald Belle itself was an average size building. Old. made of white oak that you wouldn't even know was there because it was covered sky to dirt with all types of signs from. “Come and take it” to “Love cost less when it's midnight” connected to the building was an awning held together by four pillars that connected the back of the building to the front where the antique and old design is thrown out the window by modern automatic opening doors. Along with the modern doors were the modern pumps. Six to be exact. No more.No less. All illuminated with a that faded green hue.

I parked at pump 3. I always pick numbers that can be divided by three. Useless fact I know, but if you are going to be with me, I think little facts like this could be quite fun. Helps pass the time… Also allows you to make a judgment about me. We are all judges in one way or another. If a dress looks good on a woman's body. If you prefer Coke or Pepsi. Then there's the matter of life and death. Suppose you could get religious with it and say that God is the only one who can judge us, but we were created in his image were we not? So by nature, we were born to judge those around us. Intentionally or not. It's who we are, my friend. human. Like you, what judgments have you made about me since our time together? Ah don’t bother wiping your sweat, I'm not looking for an answer. Not yet at least.

I headed inside to grab a bite for the road. Something to keep me awake and alert, I'm thinking of a coffee and a burrito?. and a cherry coke icee for you my friend. The inside showed the age of the building. The static and grainy radio played “You're so vain” by Carly Simon. To the left of me was the clerk. An older lady. Probably in her 70s and has probably been working at the emerald belle since then too. She was puffing on a cigarette that had molded its shape into her fingers. She had an open bag of Skittles beside her as well. She greeted me as I passed through the door.

“Hello darlin', just so you know we are currently out of camels, our truck doesn't come till midnight honey, but if you want some Marlboros and I'll give you a 2-dollar discount, I just hate when you go into a store. FIENDING! For a cigarette. Craving that puff, you get right up to the counter, and guess what? they don't have your brand of cigarettes. Now ain't that just cruel? If you ask me, it's God nodding his head at you and the devil laughing. “

She let out a laugh that was just the size of her personality. She popped a skittle into her mouth after.

“No thank you, mam, I'm not much of a smoker. If you could just point me to your drink section I would be much obliged.”

She spoke with the fresh taste of the rainbow in her mouth.

“Straight down on your left baby, now you come get me if you need anything else. I'll be more than happy to help you.”

I began to walk away but she stopped me again

“Oh and think about that deal now. I'll do it special just for you hun”

She went back to smoking her cigarette and humming the song “I had some dreams they were clouds in my coffee..”

“Clouds in my coffee”

Her tune carried through the store as I looked through each aisle to collect my items. I found myself back where I started at the register. Where she was still singing.

“Clouds in my coffee! YOU'RE SO VA-! OOP my bad baby! Only once in a blue moon does someone come into the ole emerald belle. I just made the whole store my private concert. Come 30 years ago, you would be paying for such a performance.”

She let out that same laugh before coming back to the conversation.

Well, let's see what you got! One coffee, one jumbo chicken burrito, one icee. Blue raspberry is my favorite. Well, anyways hun that's gonna be 7.50 for all your items. Are you also getting gas? I can check you out here if you would like?”

“No no that's alright. I'll pay at the pump. Thank you again.”

I handed her a 10 dollar bill

“Keep the change pussycat”

“Oh goodness. No, thank you! You come back soon alright now”

I let the bells hit the door as I walked out to go pump. like I said, this was a modern pump so it had one of those little screens that promote the “WORLD FAMOUS BBQ SANDWICH or BUY A 36 OUNCE DRINK, GET A CHEESE SANDWICH HALF OFF” Besides the woman in the store, I was the only one at The Emerald Belle. The street was dark. The only light was coming from the neon green lights from above. An eerie feeling came upon me in this town. The street was dead quiet. You could hear the tumbleweeds blow by if you listened hard enough. The only source of sound was coming faintly from the 6 pumps all playing the same ads about the SPECTACULAR deals. I checked the pump to make sure nobody had stuck a needle inside or anything crazy. I'm a bit weary of gas stations. I paid and placed the handle in my vehicle. For a 21st-century pump, it sure moves slowly. I waited and listened to the sound of the defining silence. Always keeping aware of my surroundings. I don't trust gas stations and for good reason.

Hey! Hey! Save your judgments till the end, my friend.

I placed the pump back onto the handle and pressed the screen for my receipt.

“Error”

Wonderful... I don't need a receipt anyways. I turned to go back into my car when a loud sound of breaking glass and hardwire punctured through the screen of the gas station pump, in a sharp grasp an arm proceeded to grab my hand through the inside, pulling me to come inside the gas station pump with them.

I pulled away from the grasp of the unknown arm. effortlessly. The grasp wasn't too strong. The arm pulled back quickly, like a snake ready to attack its prey. I looked around in disbelief at what had just happened and where this arm disappeared to. I did the risky thing and decided to look inside the blooded hole where this unknown person punched with great force.

Ever so slowly I peeked through…

A gasp of air and a mouth came through the hole in a frantic and desperate tone, the person spoke in pockets of breath. Like they haven't had air until now.

“ AAAAHHH PLEASE! PLEASE! YOU HAVE TO HELP ME….. FOOD! WATER! OH PLEASE THEY HAVE KEPT ME DOWN HERE FOR AGES.”

They eagerly extended their hand trying to reach whatever they could grab. With little care with every stretch and every centimeter, they were tearing off the flesh on their arm. I took out the burrito from my bag.

“Leave the hole empty. I will put this through.”

Stillness passed through as they stood back and awaited my offering. I carefully passed the burrito from my hand through to the stranger. Cautiously attempting to not get blood or flesh on the wrapping or on myself. The hand eagerly grabbed the other side, and without thought ripped open the foil and proceeded to feast on the burrito with great excitement and great mess.

They even began to laugh

“Hahah..hahah chicken…. How I've missed your taste sweet mistress of meat.”

Without care, they wiped the food off their dirty mouth. Another silence came, and now an eye was staring at me through the hole.

In a slobbered voice they spoke again. Dirt and spit came back at me.

“OOOOOHHH THANK YOU! I haven't eaten in so long, I don't even remember how long it's been.HAHAH oh please! you must help me before they come back. Please! please! They are going to sell me! At least they say they are. Oh please ive been placed in this pump for god knows how long. I just need to get back home.”

“How do I get you out of here?

“I don't remember much... There is a trapped door under this pump where they sometimes put food and water. I believe it's connected to an even bigger door! The door that they used to put me in here…”

“I REMEMBER!! Huzzah! Maybe this will help”

I tried to keep up with the strangers' chaotic thinking.

“I was stopping for gas…just outside of Ennis…. You know Ennis right?? Ennis texas?? Oh no matter, now you are here! HAHAH! AND I’M SAVED. Well anyways, I remember getting gas and then I felt a sharp prick in my left arm. My memory has been fuzzy since then, but I remember the green lights off this gas station! OH! And inside!

“Inside?”

“INSIDE! Look for the flickering light. Whatever door is below the flickering light! That's! That's how you will save me! Look for the flickering light!!! NOW GO! GO NOW!”

“HAHAHAH SAVED! I’M SAVED!!!”

Fuck.

I headed back into the station. “Don't fear the reaper” played silently as the woman behind the counter sang along to this song too.

“I knew it! You know people who say they don't smoke are always the ones who smoke! Really it's a goose and a gander-”

I had to cut her off

“No mam, I was wondering if I could use your restroom before I hit the road. It's a long drive where I'm going and it never hurts to try”

She looked at me with an understanding face.

“Well of course! All you had to do was say something. I try to tell my grandkids that all the time, but they never seem to listen. So go all the way to the back. Now there are two doors. Take the one on the left. I always tell people to go to the door that is not flickering. Damn light. I try to tell my bosses that the damn light needs to be replaced but it looks like I'm going to get this old body up there anyways to fix that light soon. anyhow try not to get lost hunny. Holler if you need help I'll be right here”

I nodded my head at the woman and headed towards the back. I checked to see if she was watching me, but she was not, she now had a bag of peanuts and a diet Coke she was putting her sights on instead.

The flickering light. I looked up at the ceiling to see the flicker. The door on the right. I checked one more time out of paranoia. I was fine. I took a deep breath and went inside. I shut the door like a mouse and stood in what looked like a storage closet.

The crazy bastard. There was nothing in this blasted room but toilet paper and Coke cans. Perhaps there is a secret entrance? I looked around. Rummaged around. Under cans. Over packs of gum. In between cigarette and beer bottles.

Nothing.

On the wall next to the outlet. Was an engraving. I perched my head closer to see the description of the engraving, and what will you have it.

a beautiful woman on top of an emerald bell.

How fitting.

I pressed the tile with the engraving on it, and the tiles disappeared into the wall

A magnificent sight. As the wall opened up just like automatic doors. It displayed stone steps that lead down to a sort of basement or dungeon. I stepped down to see that the walls had the same texture of sandpaper and were covered in blood and dirt. Two torches hung on either side of the wall. Illuminating the steps downward. Once I reached the bottom of the steps I came upon what looked like a dungeon of unimaginable macabre horror.

The smell was that of old and fresh feces. That along with hot vomit. It was unimaginable. It burned through my nostrils and out through my eyes and grew out through my scalp. The second thing to greet me was a flock of flies. It feels as if I had walked right into the den of the mother of flies and all her bastard children.

The room was unpleasantly hot. With the only moisture being that of an unknown liquid dripping from the ceiling. That was all before I reached the main room of the dungeon.

The main room itself was lit very poorly. Making it difficult to see. However, the lack of light did not cover the bodies that lay in front of me.

Corpses. Many corpses, women, men, and children. The children's faces expressed pure horror and fear. Their bodies were as thin as a stream of water. Encapsulated in the dust. And flies. The women's corpses were the same as the children's. Many of them were holding each other.. Waiting for food. Waiting to perish.

The men's bodies were separated from the women and children. The most noticeable difference is their limbs. Specifically, their legs had been removed. This was to ensure they fit inside the trap door inside the gas station pump. Some of the smaller men were spared having their legs taken from them. Although in the end, they all met the same fate.

On the ground was a slightly bigger cage than the pump. This led up to a caged ladder that led to the trap door that would put them inside the gas pump. This was connected to all 6. All the other pumps were empty. They must have been clearing people out. Number three looks to be pretty lucky. I looked around for my Swiss army knife and was able to pick the first lock on the cage. I climbed up the claustrophobic ladder and knocked out the trap door.

Thud

Thud

“Hello? Are you still there?”

An energetic reply awaited

“OH YES!!! OHH YES YES YES! I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT SIR! I JUST ABSOLUTELY KNEW IT!! Now I think if I kick it hard enough it should break, but be ready to catch me! Hollar when you are ready!”

I climbed down to the bottom and prepared for his impact. I yelled

“IM READY” I didn't think he would be able to do it but

One thud.

Two thuds..

Three thuds…

WHOOSH

A falling he came.

“Wooooohoooooo! Don't worry, I caught on to the ladder and let me climb down!!! Sweet release from the god of mercy!!!”

The stranger met me on the ground below and his face of joy strikingly turned to horror as he looked at what had happened to the others who had been trapped with him. He looked at me in gratitude and pain.

“My name is Robert”

He stuck his hand out to meet mine

“We aren't out of this yet, Robert, but I'll gladly shake your hand once we are out of this.”

He smiled as we walked back up those same steps I had walked down before. When I opened the door, The woman at the counter was still lost in her own world.

“You go back out the front door, and I'll go through the front with the clerk.”

Robert nodded his head and proceeded out the door. I headed back to the icee machine and got another cherry Coke icee and headed toward the counter.

“Thank you again for letting me use your restroom. I'd like to pay for this as well”

“Oh baby, it's not a problem at all. I was getting worried bout cha I was nearly about to go kick the door down to make sure you didn't drown and don't you worry bout that drink. it's on the house! Not too many nice folk come through here and it's nice to see such a handsome face. You have a wonderful night now”

I looked out the window to see Robert staring at where he had punched a hole into the tv screen. He started at it emotionlessly until he went back and got in the passenger seat of my vehicle.

“Thank you, mam. I'm very obliged.”

I Let those bells sing one last time as I got in the driver's seat. Robert sat next to me.

“We did it! We did! Please if you can take me to the nearest police station or whatever major city you are going to. I'm forever in your debt! OH! And what's your name?”

“I need to make one phone call and then we can be on our way and I'll answer any question you have. Please help yourself to anything in the bag and ah here this is for you. My friend”

I gave him the cherry coke icee and pulled out one of my many phones and speed dialed number 3. Robert sat in bliss as he tore into one of the paydays I had stored in my seat. I looked at him reassuringly. Lying to him with my eyes.

“Hello, Mila. It’s Silas Belle. Can you please put my vice president mr alexander on the phone? Wonderful.”

Robert smiled at me unknowingly as he bit into the peanut candy.

“Yes, mr alexander. It's me silas belle. I was calling about our location in Muleshoe texas. Yes, it seems there was a fault in your clearance of all of the cargo from this location of The Emerald Belle.”

I got out my case with some hallucinogens and inserted them into a syringe. At this point, Robert was looking at me motionless and horrified. Before he could make a move on me, I injected the syringe into his left shoulder. His face was similar to that of the one he made when I first rescued him from that cage. Well, I don't know if rescue would be the appropriate word. More so, cleaning up someone else's mess while I could be home, but once again duty calls, and the more people I sell. the more comfortable I am. He struggled a bit as I put him down. Poor thing. If he wasn't so weak from hunger, maybe he would have been able to put up a fight. Oh well.

“No no yes Alexander i'm alright. Yeah. I just had to take care of the last bit of cargo that was not taken care of properly. I need someone down here in the next hour. Take out the clerk and burn the building to the ground. Sell the land. Then have our Tokyo investor buy it and start building again don't want a good transporting location to go to waste. I'll be in California in a day. Have a bottle of patron and a dozen donut holes with sprinkles. Oh and ah one more thing. Have Mila go down to the 7/11 and get me a cherry coke icee. I'll see you shortly.”

Robert's eyes fell from fear to confusion, then to sadness as he slowly slipped away into a sleep-induced spell.

“You see my friend. I was right.You don’t bring the present unless you have an invitation! Right now you have gathered your judgments about me and who you think I am as an individual. Which you wouldn't be wrong, but you would never know that based on our one passing glance. Us both strangers, and both have empty pages in the chapters with our names. It's so exciting how many chapters I have in my book! and you my friend have been the finest addition to this one! Now I know the ride has been long and bumpy and tiring. Oh yes, all these things I'm highly aware of, but it's all going to make sense soon.You are a part of a much bigger puzzle in this game we call life. My piece is to make every inch of this world in one tiny way or big way, mine.Now like you have seen, i dont have the best methods, but they sure are effective! I'm sorry that you're suffering is only just beginning, but who knows? Maybe in the next life you will have the upperhand on the situation.”

I let out a humorous laugh, but seemed to be entertaining a empty crowd. Oh well no bother.

… So say god is the only one who can judge us, but we were created in his image? So by nature, we were born to judge those around us. Intentionally or not. It's who we are, my friend. This was our destiny. I’m to judge you. Just as you have judged me.”

I turned on the radio. “Band on the Run” by Wings played through my speakers.

“Oh, how I love this song! I honked my horn and blew my final kiss to the clerk and headed back on my way to California. Ill always have a special spot or this location of The Emerald Belle. So much charm. So much character, but just like books some ideas need to be scrapped to make room for better thoughts. Better creations. Just how god had to destroy the dinosaurs to make room for man, and how he flooded the earth to teach man a lesson. Believe it or not, destruction is a form of creation, but anyhow my friend.

The road awaits, and my story is merely just beginning.