text: "What can I do?" You say aloud.
  
  Nadine is full of suggestions:
  
  > get even with him.
  "This is a kind of thing that I would get some help with. Let's talk to my buddy Earl about it."
  
  "Who's Earl? I don't want everyone in 3 counties knowing my business. I was hoping I could trust you to be discreet."
  
  "Earl isn't going to say anything to anyone, Earl is in the business."
  
  "What business?"
  
  "If you have to ask..."
  
  This sounds dangerous, but Nadine stands up and waves for you to follow her. You plod along as she crosses the room and taps a man on the shoulder. Earl, you presume.
  
  The man doesn't look particularly dangerous, but as Nadine leans in and explains your situation, Earl gets a glint in his eye. You start to feel like this is a stupid idea.
  
  Earl simply says one thing, "6,000."
  
  You look at Nadine with a crazy look. Nadine steps away from Earl and you two huddle up.
  
  "What did I tell you, huh? He'll get rid of your problem easy."
  
  "What the hell, Nadine? I don't want to kill him."
  
  "Kill!? Fuck! Jesus! Earl won't kill him, just put the fear of God into him- he's my cousin. He just has a mean streak that he likes to profit from."
  
  > Where are you gonig to get $6,000?
  "Are you serious? That doesn't solve my problem tonight. Where am I going to come up with that kind of cash? You want me to take out a loan at the bank!? And when they ask me what for, what do I tell them?"
  
  I know it sounds like a lot, but maybe he can cut you a deal. Let me talk to him.
  
  > say "Try something..."
  Nadine goes back over to talk to Earl.
  
  They talk and she comes back with Earl. Earl says more than a few words now, "what I can do is make sure he doesn't bother you again, but you need to understand that I am taking a huge risk. That's worth more than a few bucks. I can maybe do something for like 4,000. But I won't be able to go any lower."
  
  "I can't believe I'm saying this but..."
  
  > say "It's a deal!"
  You shake hands and Earl smiles. He gets some details from you and then tells you not to worry. He'll take care of it in the morning. He suggests you go and sleep at a place a couple of towns over so you are no where close where you can get in trouble.
  
  > The next morning...
  You slept like a baby in the motel room. Now in the late morning, everything seems less nerve-racking.
  
  You are hungry and would like to take a shower.
  
  > take a shower...
  Even though you don't have a fresh change of clothes, you might as well grab a shower and take full advantage of the amenities you are paying for.
  
  30 minutes later...
  
  You towel off in the bathroom and stare at yourself in the mirror. You look like a person who is afraid of her own shadow. The makeup you put on to cover your bruise is all gone and the spots are turning a sickly greenish color. You touch the tender spot and remember the look in his eyes as he lashed out at you.
  
  You shiver and shake it off. Time to get out and into the sun!
  
  You shake out your jeans and slide into them. They are cold from being draped over a chair all night in front of the air conditioner. But you also feel refreshed and ready to move on.
  
  You pocket the tiny shampoo and conditioner bottles and leave the room.
  
  What should you do with your weekend?
  
  > leave to go get breakfast...
  As you walk out of the Lobby door into the late morning sunlight, you see your pickup... but the windshield is smashed in and a landscaping brick sitting among the glass rubble on the driver's seat!
  
  You look around the parking lot.
  
  You are looking for HIM. You don't see anyone in the parking lot.
  
  How did he know where you were? Did he follow you from work? Where is he now? Did this happen last night or this morning? Do I call 9-1-1 or the non-emergency police number? Am I in danger?
  
  The questions are flooding in faster than you have time to contemplate answers. You keep spinning around and around checking every corner of the parking lot in case he's somewhere coming out at you. The main question that repeats and repeats is: Where is he now? Where?
  
  > return to lobby of hotel and call 9-1-1 ...
  You aren't going to stay out here as a wide open target in the hot sun and bake while you wait for the police. You walk up to the car and decide to snap a few photos of the damage for the police and insurance company with your cell phone.
  
  You are holding your phone scrolling through the pictures and turn toward the lobby and start walking back.
  
  You haven't taken two steps before you trip and fall onto the asphalt with a loud startled scream- scraping your palms on the ground and they start to bleed. Someone has ahold of your ankle!
  
  You swivel around to see exactly what you expected to see, He has grabbed your ankle from underneath the pickup truck! You scream at him!" What're you doing! Get away from me!"
  
  You start kicking at his hand and his face. He starts yelling at you ,"Why didn't you bail me out?! You fucking left me there! You heartless bitch!"
  
  You continue screaming for help, "Get away from me! Let go of me! Help!"
  
  He continues swearing at you over your screaming,"Now you've got the cops thinking I'm some kind of drunk bastard that likes to hit women. You said I hit you! You know it was just a push! With the shit you were spouting, I shoulda hit you!"
  
  He releases your ankle, just long enough so he can get ahold of your throat! You can't scream anymore and he continues yelling at you with alcohol-laden breath as you scratch at his face and slam his forearms with your fists.
  
  "How do you thinks it makes me feel to think that you think that of me? I love you and you fucking do that to me?"
  
  You can't hear anymore as you lose focus and slip into unconsciousness.
  
  You are dead.