My Artificial Heart (11) "Ok." We had a lot of fun playing that game. It certainly ended all of that boredom, Tammy was a very good storyteller. With me as Seth the sexy undercover reporter and her as, well Tammy the undercover reporter's sidekick we went a lot of places. One time we even had to brake into the White House and steal the President's dog, and when we went into space to intercept our rival newspaper company's weather satellites we almost didn't make it back. Being with Tammy was a lot better then drawing pictures on the wall. The time I spent in there wasn't as painful with Tammy around, she got me through my time there. Chapter 17: Present I placed the picture back in its place on the wall. "And all this because of her, she must be really mean to do this to you!" After all that even I had a hard time denying it. But regardless if I was right or wrong I had still hurt her. "I'm the one who's mean, I deserve to die a miserable death for what I did to her." I looked around my house, it was much the same way as I had left it. "Don't say that Dreeve. We've gone on 8 years without her, that's proof that we don't need her anymore." "I heard she was going to star in a mainstream film, she's in Hollywood now. Still married to Tray probably." "That doesn't matter Dreeve. We've got each other now, we're the best of friends!" "Yeah, I guess so." I sighed in the cold staleness of my home. "I know what, how 'bout we slip out of here before that mob comes over and go eat some lunch or something. You must be starving." I could hear the footsteps of a large crowd of people come rumbling closer to my house. It was the mob that Willards had warned me about. "Yeah, I think that'd be a good idea." Slipping out wasn't easy, I had to go out the back door and climb over the fence into an small alley behind my home. Since I didn't even have a car I had to walk. After quite a long walk through the uptown Rew City I caught sight of a bright store, with blue walls and instantly recognized the logo of the Sweet Factory. I jumped for joy, it had been so long since I had last eaten chocolate. I made a dash for the place, almost running over an old lady and tripping on my shoelace in the middle of the street. I stood within only a few feet from the candy store, I could already smell the sugar packed chocolaty aroma emanating from inside. I threw the door open and saw before me the most beautiful sight in the world. Chocolate and candy was everywhere, M&M's, Twix, Snickers, Milky Way's, Reese's Pieces, gummy worms, jaw breakers, lolly pops, rock candy, every sweet packed treat known to man laid before me like a minefield of rainbow colored gold. Tears began to form at the corners of my eyes, I was so happy I was afraid I was already dead and in Heaven now. I looked around completely lost in the rainbow sweet paradise that laid before me. I felt like I was truly in heaven, and right there, standing there smiling at me was a beautiful angel, a woman! I stared into her and couldn't get my eyes off, she was so beautiful. "Need any help, sir?" she suddenly asked, I looked around and the place returned to a normal candy store. She frowned at me, obviously offended by my staring. "I... I... I'm sorry. It's just been so long. I don't know where to start." I walked into the store and gazed at the mountainous piles of bright colored candy, I felt like eating them all at once. "Um... ok. Well, would you like some Peanut Butter M&M's, we're having a sale, buy 3 bags and get another one free." Tammy felt happy for me, I hadn't smiled like this in a long time. "Yeah, peanut butter M&M's are my favorite, can I get 6 bags please?" "Sure." The way she said the word, so feminine, so polite, so kind, I loved that. She turned around and began to scoop up a bag full of the peanut butter candy shells. I couldn't help but stare at the tight jeans she wore that so clearly defined her ass. It had been so long since I last stared at a woman. I tried to recover quickly from my stupor, I didn't want to make a bad impression. I had to be sensitive, women liked that in a man. Yeah, that and a six-pack, something I still didn't have... As she turned around I quickly averted my gaze to her eyes, and tried my best to keep them there. Her eyes were pretty, they were the milky brown color of chocolate that seemed to match with the treats that laid before me. She placed the bag of M&M's on top of a scale and weighed them. My fingers twitched, anxious to feel the droplets of heaven in my hands. The price was rung up and I quickly put a $20 on the counter, which I had ready ahead of time. My hands trembled as I tore off the Sweet Factory sticker and reached in, scooping up a handful of M&M's. I devoured them all up right in front of her. I couldn't wait much longer, she stared at me strangely. "Oh God, that's good. Mmm, chocolate, sweet chocolate, I love you." The cashier lady giggled despite herself. "Geez, you act like you haven't had chocolate for years." "I haven't." I scooped up another handful of M&M's. "You're saying too much! Be careful Dreeve." Tammy warned. "Really? Well, you act like you haven't seen a woman in a long time either." She said raising her eyebrow. Great, now I had gone and screwed things up again. I blushed, guessed she had noticed me staring at her. "I'm sorry." I lowered my head in shame. "Hey," she said gently, "don't take it so bad. Lots of guys look at women, don't worry about it I'm just playin' with ya. I really don't mind, just don't do it again." She ended with a smile of forgiveness. I took it she was giving me permission to remain in her presence, I thanked her silently in my mind. "I've been in jail for the past 8 years." "Really? That must explain the staring." she remarked with a wink at me. "Sorry... Just got out today, I haven't seen a woman or eaten chocolate for such a long time." Too much information again, she eyed me suspiciously. "I don't think I should've told you that. Sorry." She giggled again unexpectedly. "You're funny." I smiled again, my face was as red as the M&M I held in my hand. "I'm Dreeve Rytl, what's your name?" She pointed at the nametag on her uniform. Can't believe I missed that. "Sandy. Sandy Sewell." "That's a pretty name." I smiled warmly. "Are you trying to hit on me now?" She frowned at me. "Uh, no. I mean, ah, geez..." She laughed again, it was such a blessing to hear her laugh. "You are so cute. I'm just playing with you again, this is the most fun I've had since Oz got his shirt stuck in the safe after I had changed the combination and went home for the day." I gulped down the last of the M&M's in the first bag. "You seem to really like chocolate. Are you a chocolate fanatic or something?" she taunted in a playful tone. "Yeah." I said, my hands still trembling. "Are you alright?" she noticed my shaking hands. "Yeah, I feel... great." I smiled as her soft feminine hands gave me my change. "Thanks." I was thanking her for more than just giving me my change back, that was for sure. "Hey, did you hear about the guy that was released from jail?" Tammy leaped up inside of me, as a cold chill came upon me. "Um, no?" "Yeah, can't believe they let someone like him out. He should be locked away forever. Not to mention he lives practically next door to a school. I hope they kick him out of there and send him as far from here as possible. Can't really remember his name though." "Yeah..." She must've not realized I was the one she was talking about, she probably thought all the talk about jail time was just a joke. I wondered how long I could keep this up. "I hate people like that, they shouldn't even be called human." "Yeah." I agreed again, trying to hide my fear but obviously failing to do so. I had to get out of there. "And why were you in jail?" "Oh shit.." I knew I should've never told her that. "Excuse me?" She said clearly offended. Damn, I said that thought out loud! "Uh I mean, I was in jail for..." I trailed off, couldn't think of anything! "Evading the police!" Tammy suggested. "Evading the police." I blurted out. "Oh, wouldn't stop for a traffic ticket or something?" "Yeah, they took a way my driver's license too." "Good thinking Dreeve, that ties in perfectly with why you take the bus all the time if she ever does ask!" "Thanks Tammy." "Uh, I'm Sandy." Crap, said that aloud too. "Sorry, I mean Sandy. You look like someone I know who goes by the name of Tammy." Tammy giggled at me. "Oh I see." She smiled pleasantly at me, as if to let me know that all was well. "Well, thanks for the chocolate Sandy, um, see you later." I scooped up my precious stash of sweets and went for the door. "Bye bye." She smiled a final time at me. She was such a nice lady, I didn't want her to find out who I really was. I wanted to start all over again, but even than the taint of my crime would not leave me. Bad things happen to bad people, how true that was... Chapter 18: Get a life, get a job. Repent for your crimes with your own blood and sweat. I went over to the employment office with low expectations. I had become a drone of the government, and the small card they handed to me after waiting in the noisy lines confirmed it. "Trash man, a job suitable for one like me." I said as I walked out the doors of the unemployment office. "Don't say that Dreeve. Look on the bright side, at least you'll get some exercise, and you'll finally have a reason to go to sleep early." "They could've at least given me a job as a janitor, but trash man?" "Don't worry about it Dreeve, you'll be fine, trust me." Despite her reassurance I still felt uneasy about the job... "Andale ombré!" Ortega teased as he hefted a large trashcan over his shoulders and straight into the noisy jaws of the dull green garbage truck. I hurriedly grabbed another trashcan, but was just barely able to get over myself and into the trash bin. Even though the sun was just barely rising and the cold stung at me wherever it could I was already soaked in sweat. "15 more blocks to go Rytl, let's move!" Carl the driver yelled out in his rugged, aging voice. I envied him because it was his turn to drive while Ortega and I got all the hard labor. His dark, dirt coated arms were as huge as my legs, and his unshaven beard revealed him to be a veteran garbage man. Guess I was the newbie of the group. I threw over a bag of trash just before it ripped spilling its discarded contents in a shower of wastes. Darn cheap trash bags... "Holding up ok Tammy?" Her pace was quicker than ever, I began to worry that she would malfunction and die. And it wouldn't be good if that happened. "I'm... ok... Dreeve. Just a little...winded. Don't worry about me." I tapped at my chest to quickly feel Tammy's rapid heartbeat. I couldn't stop myself from worrying though. "Apudase!" Ortega barked out, always seeming to have a trash can emptied into the garbage truck before I could even lift one up. He didn't seem to speak much English, but then again I didn't speak much Spanish either. When we had emptied them all out I quickly leaped off the railings and held on tight. The garbage truck took off, it's heavy engine heaving off a cloud of dust and smog. "You should be proud of yourself, you're the first white trash man in history." Ortega taunted again. "I'm not white, my parents were half Irish." Carl stopped the truck and immediately we jumped off. "You look pretty white to me brother." Only 15 more blocks to go.... 15 blocks later I was glad to finally have a seat in the truck as we headed for the docks, where the trash would then be shipped over to the dumping site, wherever that was. The best reward was when I finally got my paycheck, at $15 an hour the job wasn't so bad. But I was so exhausted that I didn't even feel like cashing it in. I got on the next bus headed for Rew City Square. I took my seat at the back of the bus and closed my eyes, which still stung from the constant smoke the garbage truck generated. "This trash business is tough. Are you going to have to do this every day?" Tammy was as tired as I was. "Monday through Friday." Tammy moaned in disbelief. "This is way too much for me! I can't stand another day of this-" Tammy suddenly stopped herself. "Uh, what I meant is, well, I'm sorry." "It's ok Tammy, I'm sorry to have to put you through all this."
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