To The Castle Borne

by J.R. Parsons

About the Author: J. R. Parsons's latest story, "Bama Carter Gets Rode," appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. He calls Southern California home.

Excerpt

“Yo ho, yo ho, an EveryEats life for me,” Angie sang as she drove across the bridge to Bellville Island Thursday evening.

She patted the Pirate Mike’s Seafood box on the passenger seat. She didn't understand why anyone would pay twice the cost of a meal for a five-mile delivery, but she wasn’t complaining. Since being laid off from her job at the Newtown Beach Yacht Club amid the latest economic downturn, this gig was the only thing that put bucks in the bank.

And singing kept her sane. Especially singing made-up ditties on delivery runs. Earlier that evening, she had worked a Chick-Chick delivery into a verse from Shania Twain’s “I Feel Like a Woman.”

Minutes later Angie’s phone beeped, signaling her imminent arrival at the delivery destination. Seeing approaching headlights, she eased over to give the oncoming van room to pass on the narrow street. Instead of waving thanks, the driver shouted something unintelligible and hit the gas, his broad face peevish under a red Mia Ristorante cap.

Angie sighed. Some people shed misery like Itzi, her Corgi, shed hair. Shrugging, she drove the short way to where Mariners Drive ended, made a U-turn, and parked. Exiting her vehicle, she did a double-take. Somebody needed to give England back its castle.

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