Chapter 10 - head pills

About a block down from his apartment building, Karson stopped into a 7-11. With his head still pounding from last night’s bender, he decided a bottle of iced tea was needed to wash down a few more head pills. Focusing on work was going to be a struggle today. Opening the door the convenience store brought a momentary stay of relief as the air conditioning washed over his face. It suddenly felt like he had dunked his head into a sink of cool water. He quickly went over to the back of the store and located the shelf with iced tea on it. Opening the cooler door, he grabbed a bottle and held it to his forehead, eyes closed, enjoying the cool air from the open door and the cold condensation from the bottle as it suddenly hit the warmer temperature of the store.

Feeling momentarily better, he opened his eyes slowly. Leaning against the open cooler door, he caught a glimpse of something in the reflection. Someone outside the store was looking in, their hands cupped around their face to block the sunlight as it pressed against the store glass. He’s looking for someone, at least I think it’s a he, thought Karson. His eyes a little cloudy from the headache. It had looked like a dark shadow against the window. He closed his eyes again for relief. Wait a minute! Whoever it was, was looking directly at me. What the hell. Karson quickly opened his eyes and looked towards the side window where he had seen the figure. There was no one there. He shook his head out and rubbed his eyes and looked again. Still, there was no one there. Had he been mistaken? Maybe they hadn’t been looking at him. Maybe on one had even been there. Perhaps it was just a shadow of something that was outside. Closing his eyes one more time, Karson closed the cooler door and moved towards the counter. It must be the hangover. God his head hurt. Paying for his iced tea, Karson walked out of the 7-11 and onto the sidewalk.

Not a good way to start the day, Karson, he thought to himself. He would have to hold Digger off for a while. It was just getting too painful to go drinking these days. Each day as he got older seemed to extend the amount of time it took to recover from those nights of drinking. Whereas before he would back in tiptop shape within a few hours, nowadays the average recovery was two full days. Thankfully Professor Johns wouldn’t be in today though. He was down in Calgary on business – no doubt getting wined and dined by CHOMAC for his moonlighting work. If he were lucky, perhaps the professor would take him down with him as well one time. Although he had never heard of any instances when the professor had done so with anyone else in the past. My lucks not that good. That was Karson’s last thought as he turned into onto campus grounds and headed for the science building.

About a block behind him, walking cautiously but keeping pace, a man kept an eye on Karson. He had in fact been looking in the window at the 7-11, but only momentarily before he ducked in behind the store and waited for Karson to leave. He had been watching Karson ever since he stepped out of his apartment building and knew he had a bad hangover. The man following Karson had watched him drink until 3am the night before at RATT.