Wishing for a Quiet Night

Harder to find a Motel 6 than you’d expect, but I’d wager it was harder for us than most. Weapons, we managed to hide not too bad. Scared to high hell one of those grenades will jostle and go off – I ain’t educated in maintenance, on those, but I ain’t got a clue what to do with ‘em.

Curtis ran errands for me this morning. Got me plenty I could use. New clothes, a duffel bag to replace my little one. It’s useless to me now, I got more than I had before I was sucked into that universe. A guitar case. Empty.

That’s what I’m using to stash the Mauser and launcher, for now. Wrapped up real careful, but I just didn’t know how else to store ‘em. Couldn’t tell you why, but for some reason, Curtis ain’t batted an eye over my weapons, or asked too many questions. Gent’s either got the tolerance of a saint or naiveté of a fool.

Curtis looks like he belongs. No matter where he goes, I reckon he’d blend. Decent looking, proper clothes, bit of a dazed look on his face like he’s thinking real hard about something. What we decided, we’d wait until later afternoon, then travel for a bit on foot. I’d lead Windmill.

Until we’re on the outskirts of populated areas, gonna be traveling too conspicuously. I’ll have to come up with an alternative, somehow. Maybe it’ll be easier once we’re further South.

For now, we found ourselves a motel. Dirt cheap, plenty of room in the back – it’s set up like a strip of rooms, so we got one on the ground floor and sneaked Windmill around back. Tethered him proper, made sure he had plenty to sustain himself, and headed back inside.

Curtis offered to get a second room, for himself. Told him not to bother. I just spent weeks in the company of killers. One more stranger ain’t gonna bother me.

Besides, he’s just a gent, and I’m armed.

Only worry is, I’m dead on my feet. The sleep I got last night was so heavy with nightmares, my head’s still spinning. All night, it was like I was reliving that Hell. Ambrose’s death. Clara’s. Sawing through Kallaway’s neck with my knife. These floaty little giggles I had to be imagining, ‘cause I know I ain’t ever heard a sound like it before in my life. It was like my brain added ‘em, just to make it all worse.

Going to keep an eye on Curtis, tonight, but I pray that once I do fall asleep, it’ll be dreamless.