Tom's paranoia

'Need to run! But where? I know, in the woods! Yes-yes-yes, that can work. I'll build a wizard's tower. My tower! With auto-guns, land mines, a big razor wire fence, no dogs, don't like dogs, solar panels and by the time all that gets done I should be a wizard! Then I can make stone golems that will walk round and kill anyone who tries to get in. But for that I will need all the stuff that old wizard guy told me about. What was some of the things? Oh right, colored chalk, string, a crystal ball or mirror and some marbles. I'm losing them all over the place. I think they're runni-'

Tom's face ached with considerable pain about the size of a hand. She

stared at him with legitimate concern.

"Hey, are you done being... Crazy?"

Holding a hand to his face and checking for any blood in his mouth.

"Yeah I'm good. Did you have to hit me so hard?"

She was about to say something, but was cut by the store clerk. She was a gray colored type of dog girl with angrier in eyes as she looked over at June.

"Sr. is everything ok? Your 'Girl Friend' is not mistreating you right?"

Tom looked back and forth between the two of them.

"No, everything is fine. We were about to get go'n. Sorry for making a big fuss."

Tail wagging, the dog girl smiled at him.

"It's no big fuss deer, you can come back anytime."

Next she looked over at his 'Girl Friend', lost her smile and growled. Tom was about to call out the box girl's name, but then remembering he never did learn it.

"Rrright, let's get go'n."

Not looking at the store clerk, she simply nodded at Tom and followed him outside. As they walked down the street, he informed her of the new plan.

"We need to get out of this town as soon as possible. That damn dragon knows where I am after I tried to use my debit card. Do you have any family that lives anyway near by?"

Sounding a little panicked.

"What? I can't go to my parents, not looking like this! What will they think?"

Without missing a beat Tom answered her.

"That's easy, tell them the truth. When thay ask about me, tell them I'm an old friend that got you out of that lab. Also, we just need to hide out at they're house until we know who is going to come looking for you."

She thought about this a second or two.

"But why can't we go to your parents place?"

Once again Tom replied with a quick answer.

"The damn dragon would already have someone there waiting for me. Also, she doesn't know about you yet."

Muttering something under her breath.

"Ok, but we don't have any money."

Smiling to himself as he said.

"Can't call myself a good paranoid booms-day prepper if I don't keep a hundred on me at all times. So, do thay lives close by?"

Finely caving in she told him the address. Carefully copying the info in his mobile phone and starting the hunt for a taxi.

"Good to know your parents aren't too far off. There are some bars at the end of this block and we should be able to get a taxi there."

She asked as a thought struck her.

"Hey, how do you know all of this stuff? Like where to go and what to do?"

In a sing song voice, he said.

"par·a·noid!"

She just sighed and didn't add anything to his answer. There was some people outside the bars talking and smoking, but no one bother them as they hailed a taxi. As he got in, he moved over to the right side so she could use the seat with the tail hope for monster girls. The taxi driver was an older man with snow-white hair. He looked at them in the rear view mirror and asked.

"Where you two kids going?"

Tom pulled out his wallet and gave him the address as he asked how much it was going to be. The driver did some quick math in his head.

"It will be about twenty or twenty-four."

Tom nodded politely and passed him the hundred. The old man didn't even look at the money as he passed back seventy-five. It was a nice drive as it started to rain. About four minutes into the trip she looked over at Tom and asked in a nervous tone.

"So you ready for meet the parents night?"

With a raised eye brow, he asked anxiously.

"Should I be worried?"

Tom's paranoia

'YES!'

The driver let out a long cackle. She gave the old man a harsh look.

"You're not helping."

He laughed even harder at this. Before she could say something else, Tom put a hand and said.

"It will be ok."

She sat back looking nervous and didn't say anything else. As they pulled up to the well-kept house, Tom informed the driver to keep the charge and got out. It was a charming home, in a nice little neighborhood. Lights all along the historic street and lush green trimmed lawns.

"Nice place your parents got here."

She seemed kind of sad when she replied.

"I miss it some times."

Walking to the front door she rang the door bell. Some of the lights turned on inside and other noises. An grey-hair muscular looking man opened the door with an angry face and rased a double barrel shotgun to Tom face. There was a ominous sound of a hammer cocking back. Her dad looked down at the barrel of Tom's revolver in his chest. Keeping his eyes on him as Tom smiled and said.

"I like your dad."