Sather: [narrating] I set up my audio text recorder in the salt shaker holder. The cafe was empty save for a couple stragglers waiting out the rain. Vanna poured some Nerox Gold into her coffee before sitting down.
Sather: Hi Ms.Donner, thanks for taking the time for an interview.
Vanna: You should thank my husband, he practically forced me to be here.
Sather: Why would he force you to tell this story?
Vanna: My therapist says every time I tell this story I own it a bit more. I have yet to believe her but we’ll see.
Sather: Okay, how about you start your story at the beginning.
Vanna: Well Garth was leaving to some V.I.A planet. I never liked him going to those places, logi’s never had enough protection. Especially V.I.As they always have some rebel group or monster to deal with. Anyway he was out of the house for now. It was just me; it wasn’t an issue since we just got new inferno drones or at least I thought it wasn’t.
[Vanna took a sip of her coffee]
Vanna: It was Tuesday morning; I just got ready for work. The closet was making an odd noise, it was like that since last night. I would have heard the night before but I just upped my sleep aid. I couldn’t have heard a gunshot right next to my head. Now I don’t know why but without thinking I crept up and opened the door. This large man just sat there. Running was the first thing I tried to do. But, my legs just wouldn’t work. He pulled a mask on his face. And the whole time he was just making no eye contact. What was weird was his left arm was clutching his heart.
[A waiter came over to see if we wanted refills. Vanna just shooed him away]
Vanna: So he says “Listen I just want to talk” and of course I begin screaming. My legs started working again and I was about to run. Of course I couldn’t once he picked me up. I started attacking his face and eyes, he didn’t even notice though. The whole time he carried me to the kitchen table his left hand stayed on his heart. He just calmly placed me in a chair and began coughing up this oddly colored phlegm. The coughing fit was so loud I stopped attacking him and looked at his shriveled body. I didn’t notice it at the time, now sitting at the table I saw that his neck was almost green. And he said “I need you to transfer a thousand silver to my account. The loan men will take my body if you don’t.”
Sather: What did you say back?
Vanna: Nothing, all I did was stare at him. He was in so much awful pain I almost forgot he broke in. It took him shouting “Listen! I don’t have much time!” To get me to actually listen to him. He stated again, “The payday loan people are going to take my body, I need your thousand silver.” Now I was shocked, I think I mumbled something along the lines of asking him why they were taking his body. He couldn’t even respond before his heart visibly made a noise. I can’t describe it, a slush sound with metal parts clunking each other would be my best idea of it. Oh gosh, his cry was horrible. He hit the table so hard it dented and that was a solid silver gold mix. He said “I have a daughter and one on the way. Please, please.”
Sather: Did you give him the silver?
Vanna: No! I thought about getting the guards before I saw the gun on his side. I could have outran him; But he was desperate enough to shoot me. You could see it. So I responded asking him why me? And with a pained sigh he said “Your house was the first one that had an unlocked basement” I bided my time by indulging him in his story. “Listen, I needed money to pay for my daughter’s medications. She’s got an infected spinal cord and her mother and I couldn’t just watch her die.” At this point he’s almost out of breath, his heart was visibly pulsing. “I. need. Help.” He kept repeating in a panting voice. Thats before he collapsed and began to shake.
Sather: Did you give him the money?
Vanna: Just in time I did, it took him everything to tell me the account number. The payment hit; and his eyes were almost burning and his neck was almost bulging. All at once his body returned to normal, even his scars were healed. I tried to wake him up but a sound came from his ear informing me it would take a day for the man to go back to normal.
Sather: Wow, did he ever thank you?
Vanna: No, I called the guards and they tossed him wherever. I have his name but I’ve been hesitant to call him.
Sather: Why’s that?
Vanna: Being associated with someone like that doesn’t look good for me or my husband. And besides people like that always want something so I’m glad he’s okay but I want to end our interactions at that.
Sather: Thanks for being here Ms.Vanna. Anything you want to tell our readers before I end this interview?
Vanna: I want to tell them to manage their money better, and not need charity from us. We hate doing it and I know you hate to receive it.
Sather: Uh, okay. Thank you Ms.Vanna.