Ashley's Asylum (3)

35 | Ashleys Asylum

Beneath a canvas gazebo, on a picnic bench, Ashley sat opposite Michael and slowly chewed a bacon bap while he ate marmalade toast. The smell of fried food, toast and coffee surrounded them. With so few eating there was little background noise to break the awkwardness between them.

She looked across at Michael with eyes that held a dozen questions. How close did they come to pissing off someone who could have them lying face down in a lake with a click of the fingers?

Her mind returned to the trailer. The stench of Nala's breath still clung to the insides of her nostrils and made her feel unwell. The fair manager reminded her of bad fruit, shiny and bright on the outside with an insidious rot. Her skin tingled where those plum coloured claws raked down her face. 

Did she just stand silent in a transaction that involved her body as payment?

Ashley wanted to shower and wash away the filthy feeling Nala had given her. She discreetly rubbed away the tickle on her chin and picked at bacon fat while waiting for Michael to finish his food.

"What did she say?" He eventually asked as he wiped crumbs off of his jeans.

"She said I could stay," Ashley paused, "for a price."

Michael rested his elbows on the bench and rubbed a finger against his forehead.

"Did she say what?"

"No," Ashley pushed her paper plate away and drew her milkshake closer, "and yes." She took a sip before continuing. "She said I have a pretty face."

Michael lowered both hands as if to clasp hers, but he didn't reach for her across the table.

"It won't be anything like that" he dismissed, though his quick understanding made her doubt that. If anything he seemed to have anticipated it.

"Why not?"

"Because I said so."

He spoke so surely, if Ashley hadn't been in the room with Nala and experienced her first hand, she might have believed him.

He wiped a hand over his lips, the flat line of his mouth softening to a half smile.

"You don't need to worry."

Ashley twisted her straw around in her drink, creating a small whirlpool with chocolate sauce. Telling her not to worry was cheap talk, he didn't see the way Nala looked at her, the way she looked at them while they were outside. She had all three of them under the thumb.

Ashley glimpsed up from her drink, "Nala thinks she can control you, now I'm here."

She caught Michael's eye and saw impatience there.

"And I told you not to worry," he pulled his drink close and stood. "What people think and 'reality' are two very different things," he looked down his nose at her, "you of all people should know that."

Her eyebrows furrowed, they both knew he wasn't infallible but he had proven time and again what happened to those who underestimated him. Ashley felt in danger of doing it even now as she weighed up who was more dangerous, him or Nala. It didn't make his words any less bitter to hear, the nasty reminder of her ignorance left a bad taste in her mouth.

"Don't look so mad" he added, "you know better now don't you."

Ashley provided him with a tight-lipped smile. "Yes."

He nodded once, his smile returning. "Walk with me."

Ashley rose from the table. Michael didn't see the stony stare that followed him over to the bin.