Spacecraft Parking Lot, a five minute freewrite (Brian, Part 4)

Brian isn't sure when he became an Older Person. He doesn't feel particularly old.

Not that he ever felt particularly young either.

He tries to smile at the woman, hoping she will go away now.

Would you like me to walk with you? she says. Just in case they come back.

The boys won't come back, Brian says. They have better things to do than come back.

She opens her mouth as if to say something, but changes her mind and closes it into a tight smile.

Okay, she says. I'll leave you be. She turns and hurries down the street.

Brian wonders if he was rude. He doesn't mean to be rude. But people sometimes tell him he comes across that way.

He continues to walk towards the library. There is a poster on the next bus stop advertising a band called SpaceStationParkingLot.

Brian likes live music, but doesn't like crowds much so he doesn't go out much. He knows the venue, a small pub, not that far away. He likes it. It has ways to get out if you need to in a hurry. Brian doesn't like to feel trapped.

But he often feels as though he is caught in a trap.

...