The bus eventually slowed down to a stop, and Jered chewed over her words. He could walk out now, and avoid her line of questions, but it would not solve anything, instead, it would just strengthen her suspicions. It was like slapping a big 'I DID IT' on his forehead. No, they were not even suspicions, she firmly believed in her words, as she if he had seen first-hand him swallowing those pills. She didn't look like she wanted some shallow revenge though, so maybe he could sit back down, and see if he could turn the cards around.
There was no need to escape.
"I mean... I'm not condemning you. Actually, I'm just curious about the results."
Jered titled his head slightly to the side, just enough to give her a sideways look, "Pills? Do I look like someone who'd do such a thing?" he rolled his eyes for emphasis.
"No, you actually don't. But I know you did. Arya is not particularly sneaky in her attempts to hide the pills under her tongue." Rainey simpered with that sweet and kind voice of hers. She was not stating an opinion, she was stating a fact. "Come on now Jered, stop with your foolhardy behavior, I'm old in body but young at heart. I've seen plenty of misbehaving kids and adults alike. Your tantrums are childish... and completely out of place." her lips moved up and down slowly, as if to allow him to savor every single syllable that came out of it, "You're just another puppet trying to cut its strings... with the wrong tools."
Jered fixed her an impressed smile, "I'm going to recommend that last aphorism to my sister for her next post on her social media. I hope you don't mind." he shook his head with a resigned chuckle. "So, who are you exactly?"
"Just a caretaker that is a tiny bit concerned about her stolen resources. Do you have any idea how much I had to spend to have those pills developed? I could have bought your life, and still have some money left for a coffee." Rainey yammered on like a grandmother lost in her own thoughts. "You took something that normal people can't even begin to imagine. And now I'm broke! Of course, it's not entirely your fault, but you're a thief and I'm angry!"
Of course... the system might have been related to those pills, or at least they played a big role in triggering its activation. Did Rainey want it back? Pfft, like hell he'd hand it to her. But no... she didn't seem to know about it. She even asked about the results, which meant that those pills had an aleatory effect, or perhaps they were never supposed to grant someone such a game-like interface that could interact with reality. It was most definitely a problem now that he knew how all of that chain reaction started.
In his defense, he didn't know the shit he was getting into. He looked at the opened doors, at the grim weather outside, and at everything that'd happen once his choice was made. It was so impulsive of him that he visibly frowned, but then again, he was a teenager; that was his lame excuse. Maybe he could get away with just a slap on the wrist, after all. Moreover, something was urging him to go down that rabbit hole.
"Oii, kiddo. Aren't you getting out?" the driver's voice cut through the tension, "I don't have all day."
Jered turned around, "It seems this is the wrong stop, sir. Sorry," he said.
"Aye aye, it's no matter. Just don't press the button casually, I already get that every day. God knows the hassle I gotta go through to feed my family..."
With that, the whistle blew out as the bus hit the road yet again.
Jered flopped his butt right next to Rainey, the latter scrutinizing him with a twinkle in her eyes. "Don't look at me like that. It doesn't look like a wise choice... I know," he stared at her with all the honesty of a robber in a bank, "But hey... a man's got to take risks. Also, I feel like we could become good friends. We do have that sparkling chemistry."
"Bullshit. Well, I have no intention of intimidating you or anything. Instead..." she stated whilst taking out a chocolate bar from her purse, "Want one?"
"I've been told not to take candies from strangers."
"Oh? Fair enough..." she unfurled the plastic and nibbled on the sugary goodness inside, "I just can't have enough of this..." it almost put a frown on his face when she melted into low grunts of delight. It would have not been an issue per se if she were quiet—or if she were 20 years younger—but she didn't show reservation and kept her moans so high it prompted the poor driver to cough a couple of times. Who knew what lecherous images were rolling down the driver's head now, especially with Jered being such a young man.
"You're making the driver uncomfortable... he's probably thinking that I'm your chew-toy."
Rainey smiled like a kid, with crumbs glued on the corners of her mouth. It reminded him of children who were unable to eat anything without smudging the food all over their faces. The contrast was so jarring it physically hurt him. "Oh, you generation z have no sense of humor." she swallowed the last dollops of chocolate and chortled, "Anyway, what do you think about working for me?"
"Working for you?" he parroted as he sent a wary glance her way.
"You stole something precious, you have to pay for it. Also, as far as I can see, you did obtain something out of that reckless stunt."
"Technically, I didn't steal it. I asked for it, and it was handed to me willingly. Arya is the one who should be punished for her profligacy."
"Oh no, don't be a smart mouth. You should be kneeling down and thanking whatever god you believe in, because I'm going out of my way to be nice to you."
"I'm touched by your magnanimity, why don't you allow me to help you cross the road next time?"
"Fuck you."
"Yes, sure. But I want to be paid for it."
Rainey wore a mischievous grin that was not fit for her old face, and her misbehaving hand started tip-toeing across his inner thigh, before giving his crotch a soft squeeze. "Are you sure?" she purred. That was so, so wrong coming from her.
"Hey, where do you think you're touching!" Jered whisked himself away from her hand, "You have to marry me first, pre-marital sex is a bad thing. Also, I want you to sign up for life insurance."
"Oh boy, you'll drive me crazy. I already know it." her voice was so subdued that he knew she was mentally waving the white flag.
"You already are crazy, Rainey, I'm just helping you become sane."
--
The bus sped away after dropping them off at their requested location. Jered had an unwilling frown etched on his face, while Rainey was humming quietly along the way.
Gravewall Mental Hospital.
Those were the words printed atop the steel gate in strong characters. The infrastructure didn't have a gloomy atmosphere around it like in the movies, instead, it looked more like a cozy mansion surrounded by greenery. It was not the first time he had been there, not if the amount of pills stolen could testimony to that.
"I reckon you know the way from here, right?" Rainey started, "I have a small thing to take care of, but I'll be back right away. Oh... and don't you dare steal again, I swear I will rape your mind, body, and soul if you do that again."
He just nodded in reply. "Sounds good to me."
She gave him a superstitious stare before trotting off.
Jered walked up to the gate and waited. As if on cue, after a soft click, the gate automatically opened itself. He wandered through the short pathway to the main entrance, where a psychiatrist was quietly smoking a cigarette. A thunder cracked out overhead as the wind rushed back and forth, sweeping fallen leaves and rainwater everywhere. The raging weather would have been the perfect background for a movie reaching its crescendo, with him the clueless victim about to walk into the devil's den.
"You know... we aren't supposed to smoke. Something about an old geezer thirty-odd years ago abruptly lashing out at the caretaker of that time. A sniff of too much and cheap booze had made him high-strung." the old man blew out a puff of smoke whilst giving him a friendly smile, "So a ban has been lifted up. A funny story. Well... It's been quite a while since you last came here. Feeling lonely Jered?"
"Ah Jerry, I don't know what I could ever do without your wrinkly ass around here. Also, weren't you the one who lashed out at that poor soul?" Jered returned with a chuckle, "It's a biblical mystery how you managed to wind up working here after that."
"Can't help it if the crazies here love me."
"Yes, I'm sure they do. You smell of sperm and unwashed balls. Have you been bedding them?"
Jerry huffed another ring of smoke, and replied with a frown, "Who did you take me for, lad. Of course I've laid some of 'em asses." he then flicked the butt of his cigarette away and leaned down, "Let me join you in on a secret. Most females here, co-workers, nurses, patients, are always in heat. There's nothing to do here but to stare at a wall or get freaky under the bedsheets, heh. And I gotta say, between them all, patients are my favorite. They're just so... I don't know, weird and daring and wild."
"Wow... would have never guessed that..." Jered said in faux surprise, "How do you even keep that sort of rhythm at your age?"
"I just smuggled in some elixir, if you know what I mean."
"Ah yes, I'm glad you finally committed yourself to do some exercise. It's all smooth sailing from here on. Now, if you excuse me, I have somewhere to be." Jered patted him on the shoulder, and walked inside, "Don't lose yourself too much in promiscuity, sticking your dick in crazy is a big no-no if you're not fond of having a knife constantly hovering near your nuggets."
There was a loud raspy chuckle that followed him before the main entrance closed.