Green Desert - Chapter 1.1.5 - Fírí

Shards of glass flew from behind me, hitting my head, landing in my lap. Zhíno jerked the steering wheel, but accelerated down the highway. Through my ringing ears, I could hear Zhíno shouting, “. . . bastard! Fucking bastard! Fucking Pétíso-damned bastard! He shot me!”

I turned my head to look and window glass fell from my hair down between my shoulders and the seatback. In the dim light from the dashboard, I saw black blood spreading quick on the arm of Zhíno’s pale tshirt.

“You’ve been shot.”

“That’s what I fucking said, you dumb bitch!” He raised his hand to hit me but winced awfully and dropped his hand back to his lap.

Light up ahead. Buildings. A gas station. I could tell it was closed, but I held my tongue as Zhíno whipped the car into the lot. Other buildings and street lights down the road signaled a town was starting. Zhíno screeched the old car to a halt just in front of the store’s glass entrance and hopped out, the engine running. Bandages. He was looking for bandages. The gas station’s glass door shattered. Zhíno gingerly stepped through.

I stared at his back as he disappeared into the darkness. I’d had my fill of Zhíno, that was for sure. I couldn’t take one more minute of that jerk.