The Gathering 01.61 – The Gathering ReDux – Pt. 9

            Shane sat on the couch, eating ice cream; she was going to get fat if she didn’t stop this eating thing.  She sighed, no ***** and she wasn’t even interested.  She sighed again, she was sighing a lot lately.  The sign of old age.  A knock on the door and Shane got up and ran over to the door.

            “Ms. McCutcheon?  The tall man at the door asked, Shane‘s deep voice answered back with some trepidation.

            “Depends?”  The man pulled out a photo of her and nodded, verifying that she was indeed Shane McCutcheon.

            “This is for you; the car will be waiting for you when you are ready.”  Shane tore open the yellow envelope and read.

You are invited to a Gathering Of Friends

Don’t pack

All clothing will be provided

Bring no money

Just yourself.

            Shane grabbed the house keys and went out to the limo that was sitting in the parking lot.  She couldn’t put her finger on it, but she was thinking that this was something really bad.

            “Look man, I don’t know what this is all about.  Cuz I don’t have a clue to what the deal is with this…”  The man smiled cutting her off in mid sentence.

            “Look Ma’am.  I’m just here to drive you.  You.”  He showed her the picture and her face was a mask of confusion.

            “What do I gotta lose?”  Shane threw up her hands.  She opened the back door and stepped into the lap of luxury.  She didn’t have anything, so she had nothing to lose.

*****

            “Here you go Marina.”  Ashley said, handing Marina the daily mail.  She did it everyday since Marina had plucked her off the streets and helped the young girl get onto her feet.  Marina put it aside and Ashley stood there, as if waiting for something. 

            “Is there something else?”  Ashley nodded, pulling out a 100 dollar bill from her pocket, waving it around like a white flag.

            “A guy outside told me that you have to open this right away, and he gave me this.”  She waved the bill in front of Marina again, who grimaced.  She took the envelope, trying to decipher what it was from looking at the outside, not being able too since there was no return address, she opened it.  With reluctance.