Catherine Kos – Author

Happy Sunday!

This short story i’ve posted today is a dream I’ve had for years and finally, I’ve put it into dreams.

Hope you like it! Happy reading!

-Catherine Kos

The Last Night

Riley and her new coworkers walk out of the big department store they work at, out into the cold darkened parking lot. The night was quiet, all the other stores in the strip already closed, all the cars have gone but theirs.

“So, what are you doing this weekend?” Courtney, the tall-red-headed manager, asks Riley as she turns to lock the doors.

“Um,” Riley replies awkwardly, brushing hair fresh black hair behind her ear. “I’m not entirely sure yet. I might take my brother shopping.”

“Oh! That sounds fun,” says the head cashier Trisha. “Are you going up to Woodfield Mall? I love it up there.”

It was only Riley’s fourth day working at the clothing store, and Riley could see that she didn’t exactly fit in but she needed the money and that was the important thing. Riley couldn’t see herself hanging out with the girls outside of work but she forced a smile on her face and nodded at Trisha.

“Yeah, maybe.”

Trisha smiles kindly at Riley but she’s really just ready for Courtney to finish locking up so she could go home.

Finally, Courtney turns the last lock into place and all three of them turn to the parking lot.

And then a familiar sound sounds through the air, making Riley still. On instinct, she leans her head forward, looking down at the pavement so her black hair falls around her face and she prays that the motorcycles heading this way go right past them.

“You okay?” Trisha asks, making Riley look up.

“Yeah,” Riley chokes out. She looks at the entrance of the parking lot just as the group of five motorcycles turns in.

Oh no, Riley thinks.

She thinks about running for it. Maybe if she could get the store keys from Courtney she could run back into the store and out the back entrance into the alley and take it from there. But she knows she wouldn’t have enough time to get all the locks undone. By the time she tells her feet to start running, the bikes are coming to a stop, blocking the three women from crossing over to where their cars are parked.

Riley looks at the frontman, standing up straight, pulling her shoulders back. Now, that he’s in front of her, she won’t hide. He places his feet on the ground and turns his head to her.

“Mack needs to see you,” Jason says, sliding his sunglasses to the top of his head. His bright green eyes meet hers.

Riley doesn’t speak, thinking about her options. She could feel Courtney and Trisha’s eyes on her but she doesn’t look away from Jason.

“I need to see Morgan,” Riley tries, talking about her youngest brother.

“He’s already waiting for you,” Carson says, climbing off the back of the bike behind Jason’s.

Tears threaten to form in Riley’s eyes as she looks at Carson, her best friend. Or at least, he was. But that feels like a lifetime ago.

Carson steps in front of Riley, holding out his hand. She waits until he meets her eyes to hand over what he wants. It takes a moment but then he lazily lifts his eyes to hers. There guarded as usual. She takes a deep breath, dropping her car keys into his hand. Once the cool metal touches his fingertips, he spins on his heal and takes off to the other side of the bikes.

She doesn’t how he knows which is hers, but Carson goes straight to her rusted corolla and opens the driver’s door. She looks back to Jason, finding him looking expectant.

He nods to the back of his bike. Resigned, she steps forward, head high. She doesn’t glance at the other men on the bikes behind Jason’s or the woman she’s leaving behind. She walks straight to Jason, and swings her leg over the back of his bike, and settles in behind him. Her hands rest on either side of his hips.

“Riley, are you… okay?” Courtney asks, sounding unsure.

Riley forces a bright smile onto her face and turns to the woman.

“All good,” she assures them.

Jason doesn’t wait for them to say anything else. He revs the engine and pulls away, the other bikers and Carson following behind.

Less than a week ago, Courtney and Trisha met Riley for the first time, and this is the last time they see her.

The end.