Page 64 of Tethered

I pick up the top book.The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

“I loved this one when I was a kid, and when the movie came out, I was obsessed,” she says.

“This sounds perfect.”

“Great. Let me scan these for you. Do you have a card?”

“Not since I was a kid.”

“No worries, I’ll just issue you a new one.”

“Can I take this one too?” I show her the cookbook. She looks at it and nods, zero judgment in her eyes.

“Of course.” She carries them all over to the desk, where she leaves them so she can sort me a new card.

This, of course, leaves me in close proximity to Judy, who is half a foot shorter than I am, and still manages to look down hernose at me. I continue to ignore her until she finally speaks. “I will not have you corrupting Sarah with your witchy ways.”

“I need the blood of a virgin to sacrifice under the next full moon. If you’re offering, I suppose you could take her place.”

She gasps. “How dare you. I’m sixty-nine years old.”

I snort at the irony. “Being a virgin is nothing to be ashamed of, Judy. I’m happy for you to volunteer as tribute.” I mentally pat myself on the back for using a book reference in a library.

“How could you even know that?”

I lean over the counter and grin like we’re old friends. “We both know there’s not a man on earth who would ever willingly fuck you.”

She gasps again, clutching her imaginary pearls. “You worthless hussy.”

“If I had feelings, I’m sure that would have hurt.”

“I should call the sheriff on you.”

“Ooh, please do. Tell him to bring his handcuffs.” I wink.

I swear she goes a version of purple not usually found on a human. She reminds me of a grape, and I have the strangest urge to reach over and squeeze her head until it pops.

“You were an evil child, and now you’re an even more despicable woman.”

I lean closer and dip my voice. “Do you know what’s truly disgusting? Knowing a child is being beaten and doing nothing to stop it or to raise the alarm and get her help. It’s seeing the torment she is put through day in and day out from her peers, and yet turning a blind eye to it. Will you still feel righteous when you meet your maker, and you have to explain why you let that shit happen?”

“You were the devil’s spawn.”

“Well, shit, and here I thought we were all children of God.”

She forgets I was forced to sit through Sunday service with her in attendance, and dozens of others who failed to practicewhat they preached. Their hypocrisy was the hardest pill to swallow.

“Here we go,” Sarah says, walking back around with a library card in her hand. Her smile falters when her eyes jump from Judy to me. She brushes it off and starts scanning the books, making book small talk to me, effectively shutting out any input from Judy. “You want a bag?”

“I’m only carrying them back to the truck, so I’ll be fine.”

Judy huffs again. I clench my teeth as I offer Sarah a polite smile, ready to get out of here. I can already feel a headache beginning to form.

“No problem. I’ll walk you out.” She picks up the books from the desk and walks around it to stand beside me. “You’ve gone a little pale, actually. I think I’ll walk you back to the truck, just to make sure you’re okay.”

Judy huffs again, and I idly wonder if you can still huff without a tongue, before Judy pipes up. “I think she’s big enough and ugly enough to find her own way back.”

Sarah’s face flashes with anger. “My mother used to say if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”