My Boyfriend Has Wings

The Midnight Shift can be Dangerous

Faith grabbed her winter coat and headed for the door. She was running late for work. But something on the television caught her attention. "Another body was found this evening by the South End railroad tracks," said the reporter. "This makes a dozen over the last few months. Sheriff, any leads on the identity of the serial killer?" asked the reporter.

"I can't disclose that information, but I want the residents to know we are working around the clock on this case. It's our top priority."

"Thank you, Sheriff. Meanwhile, some residents are refusing to leave their homes at night. Sales of guns have tripled."

The program cut to a local resident being interviewed, holding up a gun proudly. "I feel safer knowing I'm armed. It's the good guys with guns who stop the bad guys with guns."

Serial Killer? thought Faith. A mental image of her brother, Jax, pointing a gun directly at her and firing came to mind. No, her brother was crazy but not that crazy.

***

Later that night, Faith stared out the window, bored. She worked for the county department of transportation at a tollbooth. It was approaching midnight and freezing out. She hated working the overnight shift. Time dragged by so slowly.

In the distance, the empty, desolate highway stretched on forever. The headlights of a single car slowly faded as the vehicle moved farther away, leaving nothing but darkness.

She had never felt so lonely.

This was her life, living in the middle of nowhere in a rundown farmhouse with no running water and working the midnight shift at a tollbooth. The feeling of isolation made her want to scream.

A car finally pulled up to the tollbooth. For a split second, she felt relief, until she realized who it was.

Leo Thomas.

The dumb jock from high school who had bullied her mercilessly.

Faith felt her adrenaline spike and her fight or flight response kick in.

Only she had nowhere to run.

She was trapped in a tiny tollbooth, a tiny metal box.

"Look who it is, my favorite mutt. Hey Poodle," Leo called out from his BMW. A large dog barked from the backseat. It resembled a Rottweiler.

"That's not my name. Why do you call me that?"

"Because you're a dog," he snickered. "Joking. Because you have curly hair like a dog--I mean like a poodle."

"God, you're so stupid." Faith tried her best to ignore him and waited, but he just stared at her. "Well--hand it over."

"Hand over what, Poodle?"

"What do you think? The two dollars for the toll." Dumbass.

"You know I never have to pay like ordinary folks," he said with a sly grin. "Open the gate."

"I can't do that."

"Yes, you can. You have before."

"Yes, and remember I told you that was the last time. I could be fired." Faith knew this would happen. She regretted paying the toll for him the first time. She only did it so he would leave her alone.

Leo revved the engine of his BMW. His dog just kept barking. Leo looked so angry. His cheeks were flushed red, and his red hair seemed even redder than usual.

Faith braced herself.

"Hey Poodle, throw this away for me." Leo held out a bag of trash. Did he actually expect her to take it?