Slater slid down the wall to hunker on his ankles, and pulled the stinking thrift-store trenchcoat tighter around him. He tried to listen through the sounds of the rain pouring off old steel onto ancient brick, tried to hear if they were coming, but his senses were shot after a weekend of turnarounds and upheavals. He cast his mind back, determined to focus, and wondered when he last slept.
Friday.
He'd woken on Friday, and his life had been normal.
Less than 72 hours was all it took for everything to go to shit.
FRIDAY, APRIL 3:
A report by GPS manufacturer TomTom ranks Tampa traffic as the 11th worst in the nation. Yes, there are 10 places where the traffic is worse than Tampa's, and you'll have plenty of time to consider that while sitting in your car this morning.
It was revealed that Princess Leia herself, Carrie Fisher, will be among the guests of honor at Tampa Bay Comic Con at the end of July/beginning of August. Note to self: Optimal comic store burglary timeline established.
SATURDAY, APRIL 4:
A fire broke out during late dinner hours in the kitchen at long-beloved South Tampa Italian restaurant Bella's. Authorities are looking into the possibility it was set by a kitchen worker who'd heard from one too many customers exactly what they thought was a spicy meat-a-ball.
SUNDAY, APRIL 5:
And finally, three men were stung badly enough to require medical attention in Pasco County after they happened upon a wild hive of more than 20,000 bees. You just know the gap in the story between "happened upon hive" and "stung badly enough to require medical attention" is full of bad decisions, right?
Image of bee by Bodhisattwa via Wikimedia Commons.