Calm Before the Storm

The storm had at least temporarily abated when Tanya shuffled out to the street an hour later. She only had a small overnight bag in her possession, and a handbag stuffed with the usual array of phone, money and house keys.

She stood there for in the remaining light drizzle for several minutes, as several cars whizzed past. Every time a car came by, Tanya's heart rate peaked as she wondered if this time, the driver would be the strange woman from the comic book store.

The grey sky above perfectly matched Tanya's moody concerns over her impending fate, and she was entirely convinced that if she stood out here any longer, the heavens would open again and the drizzle would turn into a downpour.

With a mixture of impatience and dread, Tanya was caught between wanting the woman to arrive, and hoping she got permanently lost on the way over.

Then, the third car in a stream of oncoming traffic suddenly flicked it's left indicator on. Slowing down, the nondescript blue Holden sedan pulled up in front of her.

Leaning down slightly, Tanya could see the brunette from the store behind the wheel. The woman was dressed in much the same nondescript clothing that Tanya remembered from the shop. A pale jumper hid most of the woman's curves, while baggy pants also did her no favours either. Tanya tried a half-hearted wave, and was rewarded by the passenger side window winding down.

"Umm.. hi?" Tanya said.

The woman ignored her attempted greeting, and looked at the bags in Tanya's hands.

"The only thing getting into this car is you. What are the bags for?"

"Ahh...I thought we were going on a trip for a day or two?" Tanya ventured, uncertainly.

"I have everything you need," the woman replied abruptly.

"Well, could I at least..." Tanya started to say, before the woman cut her off again.

"You are to leave those bags in your house. You have two minutes to do that and get back to this car. In two minutes, I drive away. If you're not in the car, then in thirty minutes you will be the latest Internet sensation. Your call."

Tanya shivered at the ultimatum, and helplessly swayed between her possible courses of action for a moment. It took her a full minute to realise that she actually had **** to make. With a small shriek, Tanya hurried back to the house, flung the bags inside, locked the door and half-sprinted back to where the car waited.

Hopping in, Tanya barely had time to close the door or put on her seat belt before the woman accelerated away into traffic. Bracing herself on the dashboard, Tanya began to wonder where exactly this next torrid tale was taking her.