In spite of being on the run and having the company of a lady like Anita, something deep and grave nagged at the back of Martin's mind. It was vague, something on which he couldn't place a finger. A sense of collective concern seemed to touch him in ways he did not expect. A sense of concern for humanity at large. Maybe this had something to do with the situation they were in. But Martin was too well trained to dismiss the feeling as situational.
Several minutes later Martin pulled into the parking lot of ‘Olive Garden’, the first restaurant that he noticed and thought might be promising.
"This'll work, I hope?" Martin asked once he parked the car.
"I'm in no position to complain," she said. They got out of the car and wandered into the restaurant.
The place was relatively empty, at least from what they could tell. The dark tiles that spread across the floor were appealing, and although the restaurant had an overall welcoming atmosphere. Martin found the mundaneness of the place relaxing; in a way it was a true break from everything else he'd been through over the past few days. They were there because it was a choice, not because someone’s life depended on it.
Though- as he'd been thinking in the car on the way there- it could have been a lot worse. In the end, he still met Anita; who he was sure, at the very least, would become a good friend. The prospect of more with Anita was tempting, but also scary. He was positive that even if there was a chance, he wasn't ready for it. And because of that, it was best for him to put those thoughts aside. And then there was this vague feeling at the back of his mind about the whole of mankind.
A feeling to which he could neither give shape or color.
They were seated at the back of the restaurant, at a table of high chairs far away from any other customer. Martin decided to order Pan-Roasted Pork Chops with Potato Pancake Roasted Apples and Bacon Jam. Anita breezed through the menu card and ordered Grilled Farm mutton along with Maple-infused Sweet Potato Mashup, Sautéed Brussels Sprouts and roasted Chanterelle-Chestnut. He felt obligated to talk to Anita, but after ordering his drink, he found that he was more concerned with burying his face in the menu than uttering a word to her. His stomach churned with anxiety, but while he was flipping through the pages of the menu, he realized it wasn't because he had that vague feeling.
(To Be Continued Tomorrow...)
[The complete Book ‘MAN FROM TOMORROW’ can be downloaded at amzn.to/2MSf1ng]
No comments:
Post a Comment