#19 American Idol

Alice lowered the passenger side window to toss their coffee cups into the parking lot trash can.

"Pull ahead a smidge, Liz. I can't reach."

"I can't. Just toss it in," Liz said.

With a grunt, Alice tossed the cups. They separated in mid-air, moving apart. They struck opposite edges of the trash can's rim. One cup bounced up and fell inside. The other cup spun and then tumbled to the pavement.

Without looking over at Liz, Alice let out a sigh. She opened the door and the bottom edge scraped against the curb.

"Hey!" shouted Liz.

Alice turned her head to smirk. Just for a second. When she got out, the car raised up just enough to lift off the curb. She stepped up on the sidewalk and around the trash can to grab her coffee cup. Beside it lay an object that caught her attention.

She scooped up the cup and dropped it in the can without even looking, her whole attention now fixed on the object on the sidewalk.

Liz couldn't see Alice. The car door and trash can combined to obscure her view. "Alice! Let's go. We're gonna be late again!" Liz said.

Alice stood. Her hands cupped in front of her belly, she held the object. She searched her mind to find some familiar thing so she could describe it. Attach meaning to it. But this thing, a carving of some kind both confused and intrigued her at the same time.

Liz's patience ended. "Alice. Get your ass in the car. What are you doing?"

Alice turned her head smoothly. Locking eyes with Liz, she said, "Go on without me."

Furious, Liz unbuckled her seatbelt, slid across the seat and pulled the door shut. Once behind the wheel she threw the car in gear and shouted, "Fine. Good luck finding another job!"

Liz sped along the parking lot until she reached the entrance to the street. She looked back at Alice in the rearview mirror. Alice still held her hands in front of her belly. Whatever she was holding glowed and ghostly green. It cast a green tint over Alice's yellow shirt and white pants. Liz put the car in reverse.

Alice heard the gear drop and the whine of a car moving quickly in reverse. She smiled as she stroked the image carved into the idol. The octopus-like head with tentacle feelers in place of a mouth. Wings folded against the back. Webbed, clawed hands. It was, just, beautiful.