The Waiting Game (Cassandra Project)

May 10, 2009 06:31

No more listening to "Clubbed to Death" while writing.

Cassie took her coffee cup with her and left the small camper to sit in one of the chairs clustered near the twisted oak tree growing between the sidewalk and the boarded up white building. She settled in, checking the other two campers for signs of life before watching the erriely silent Canal Street.

"It's very quiet, isn't it?"

Angel appeared out of nowhere, hands wrapped around a tall glass of water, and settled into a chair beside her. Her hair appeared brushed and her clothes clean but tha didn't dimish the dark circles under her eyes.

"Yeah. Too quiet." Cassie looked at her. "Are you getting enough sleep?"

Angel shook her head. "No. That mattress is about the thickness of a box of cereal and just as comfortable."

"Well, FEMA's not too concerned about comfort." Cassie took a sip of her coffee.

"They seem to be concerned with us." She jerked a thumb towards the trailers behind them. "Callie made a call and they were delivered in a few hours. Some people have waited weeks for one. Lots more are still living in hotels."

"She has connections, what can I say?" Cassie yawned. "I haven't been sleeping well myself-"

"How did you get your money?" she blurted. "I notice you never look at prices, you always just swipe your bank card and keep moving. You never keep receipts and always pick up the check. Whatever you do, is it illegal?"

Cassie patted the girl's arm. "Stock market."

Angel frowned and drank from her glass. "How long until Callie starts work on her building?"

"I think she has a crew coming to gut it today." Cassie frowned at her empty cup. "I'd be glad to sleep in a real bed."

"Me too."

"Me three," chimed in a new voice.

Callie sat with them, wrapped in a silk robe covered with geishas which was very much at odds with the bunny slippers. "Cassie, is there anything in that cup?"

"Nope. Too late, honey." Cassie turned her coffee cup upside down to demonstrate.

"Pity."

"We were just talking about the building," Angel told Callie. "When will the work start?"

"Hopefully, it'll get gutted today or tomorrow." Callie yawned. "Angel, would you be a lamb and go steal a cup of coffee from Cassie's camper?"

"While you're there..." Cassie trailed off and held out her cup. "Oh, and there's muffins in the cabinet if you need a bribe."

Angel laughed and took her cup. "Be back in a moment, ladies." She took the cup and ducked into Cassie's camper.

Callie leaned close to Cassie. "What's the deal with her? I can't see anything!"

"I see... something..." Cassie squinted. "It's fuzzy. There's no danger, I think. Fate muddled the waters when they changed the time line so everything's hard to read. I can't help feeling they did it on purpose."

"If you get a clearer picture, let me know." Callie leaned back in her chair, smiling at Angel.

She had cups in hand and a muffin in her mouth. "'ere 'oo 'offee." Cassie saved her, taking the cups form her hands and passing one to Callie. Angel took the muffin form her mouth. "It seems risky to open a costume shop right now. Won't Mardi Gras be cancelled?"

Callie raised her cup in a toast. "One thing you can say about this city is that the show must go on. I predict Mardi Gras will go on as it has for decades!"

Cassie raised her cup and drank.

The three of them settled back in their chairs and watched the few cars travel Canal Street as the sun climbed over the ruins to light the campers dotting the landscape.

cassandra project

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