Julie's Trash Time 3

(story continues from Julie's Trash Time 2)

Continues from part 2

Part Three

Julie finishes polishing the bathroom mirror, then brushes the hair out of her face with the back of her hand to admire her work. This is the last room, and just like the rest of the house it is now sparkling clean. Julie has been working all day scrubbing and cleaning the house top to bottom. She has done a week of chores in one day as a surprise for Audrey, and to give them more play time over the upcoming holiday.

Hearing the garbage truck start down the street Julie races down the stairs and out the kitchen door, grabbing the last two trash bags on the porch steps. She stuffs them into the wheelie bin and drags it to the curb just in time. Julie watches with excitement as the bin is dumped into the back of the truck and the lever is pulled activating the packer.

The driver smiles as he returns the bin but Julie’s eyes remain locked on the trash bags as they are consumed by the loader and her mind recalls every detail of her own collection. The truck moves on and Julie returns the bin to its place on the side of the house, Audrey will be home soon.

Julie gets herself washed up and changed just in time to greet her roommate at the kitchen door. Audrey scans the immaculate room with suspicion.

“I cleaned up.” Julie said.

“Why, what happened?” Audrey said.

“Nothing, I wanted to surprise you. I’ve done all the weeks chores.” Julie said.

Audrey walks around the kitchen. The sink basin is spotless, she can see her reflection in the faucet. She opens the oven door then runs her finger over the range hood but can’t find a spot of grease.

“Just like the rest of the house, four square, spic-and-span.” Julie said.

“I’m impressed, you’ve done an outstanding job, thank you. Let me change and I’ll cook us a special meal, and then maybe we can play for a bit.” Audrey said.

Julie holds her excitement until Audrey leaves the room then does a little victory dance. Hard work does pay off, mom was right the whole time.

“JULIE.” Audrey calls from upstairs.

Audrey must want to compliment me in person on the bathroom Julie thinks as she climbs the stairs.

“Where is the tissue that was here on my dresser?” Audrey said.

“I took care of it, I wasn’t going to mention it because it’s so unlike you to be messy but we all have our moments of weakness, right?” Julie said.

“Where is it?” Audrey said.

“I threw it out, it was just a pile of tissue.” Julie said.

“My Grandmother’s pearl necklace was in that pile of tissue.” Audrey said.

“I didn’t know. Who puts pearls in a pile of tissue?” Julie said.

“I cleaned them, the tissue was drying the silk strand, how did I know you would come into my room to clean, usually it’s just to borrow something without asking.” Audrey said.

“I’m sorry, I know how much they mean to you, I’m so sorry.” Julie said.

“Well don’t just stand there, go get them.” Audrey said.

“The trash was picked up already.” Julie said.

“I want to be alone.” Audrey said.

*     *     *     *     *

Several days pass with the girls barely talking, then Julie has an idea to get the pearls back.

“Are you sure this will work?” Audrey said.

“Remember when I told you the strange experience I had with the new obelisk?” Julie said.

“You said you felt an attraction to similar objects, like a magnet.” Audrey said.

“Yes, so if I turn myself into a pearl I can find your pearls, I just have to be close enough for it to work.” Julie said.

“That’s why you want to be put in the trash, so you’ll end up in the same place? What if it doesn’t work?” Audrey said.

“It will work or I’ll die trying.” Julie said.

“Don’t say that, I want my pearls back, but not if it means loosing you.” Audrey said.

“It’ll work, we have magic on our side, what could go wrong?” Julie said.

“You want me to answer that?” Audrey said.

“Just wait until the landfill closes then use the obelisk to end the fantasy, the worst that can happen is I get thrown in the trash, hauled away in a garbage truck and dumped at a landfill under loads of smelly trash and don’t find your pearls, still a pretty good day, right?” Julie said.

“If you say so.” Audrey said.

“That’s the spirit, we’ll need your wrist band.” Julie said.

“My what?” Audrey said.

“Didn’t your Grandmother’s necklace have a matching wrist band? You know, the one you never wear. We’ll need it to turn me into a matching pearl.” Julie said.

“My Grandmother broke the clasp and I’ve never had it fixed, I also never show it to anyone. How did you know about it?” Audrey said.

“Um, you must have told me once.” Julie said.

“Yeah, that must be it, I’ll get it.” Audrey said.

A short time later Audrey sits at the kitchen table in front of a tiny ball of silky white. She knows Julie can hear as she talks out loud.

“All that’s left is to put you in the trash. You know the pick-up is delayed one day because of the holiday, but I’m sure you won’t mind spending the night outside in the bin.” Audrey said.

Julie had forgotten about that. Audrey would have her payback for Julie’s unintended snooping, not that Julie considered extra time in the trash as punishment. Audrey picks her up and drops her in the kitchen waste can. The bag isn’t full but Audrey gathers the top and places a twist tie to hold it closed, then lifts the bag from the can, carries it outside and drops it in the wheelie bin on the side of the house. She wishes Julie pleasant dreams as she lets the lid fall with a thud.

Pleasant dreams indeed as Julie, feeling warm and cozy in the dark trash bag among the kitchen waste, prepares for a long night.

In the morning Julie hears Audrey on the back porch. The bin opens and Audrey drops bags into the bin. Dropping turns to stuffing as more bags are added.

“Just wanted to give you a proper send off.” Audrey said as she forces the lid down and pulls the bin out to the curb. “See you tonight,” she adds as she heads off to work.

Julie’s excitement grows with each passing minute at the anticipation of what is about to happen. In her mind she can see the blue wheelie bins lining the curb waiting for the garbage truck. Just bins of trash to be collected.

The truck turns onto the street and stops at the first house. Form the sound Julie can picture exactly what is happening. The thump when the driver puts the bin into position, then the engine revs as the hydraulics are activated and the bang when the lift hits the stops and the contents falls into the back of the truck.

Continuing down the street the routine repeats at each house. Finally the truck stops next to Julie’s bin. She senses movement when the bin is placed behind the truck, then the noise as the lift raises the bin and turns it over. The driver uses the hydraulics to bang the bin against the truck and free the stuck bags at the bottom.

Julie falls into the rear of the truck. The empty bin is returned to the curb and the driver moves to the next house. Several stops later the hopper is full and the packer is activated scooping Julie and the rest of the trash bags inside the garbage truck.

Being so tiny, Julie doesn’t really notice how full the truck is getting, nor does she know how long they have been driving around. She just hopes she will be dumped close enough to Audrey’s pearls to make this work.

They arrive at the landfill and Julie hears the familiar sound of the tailgate being lifted, then the ejector plate pushing the trash out of the truck. Now she must wait for Audrey.

Julie tries to imagine what time it is, if the driver worked his route until four, and got to the dump by five, whatever, it must be late enough by now. Wait, something happened. Julie feels strange, like there is something inside of her. That’s impossible, she’s a pearl. But there is something inside of her, she can feel it. A string, there’s a string going through her, she’s on a string of pearls. It worked, she found Audrey’s pearls. Something is wrong.

Audrey isn’t sure what to do, she rubbed the obelisk a while ago but nothing seems to have happened. She thought Julie would crawl out of a pile of trash, but from where? She walks along the ledge above the trash piles when a flashlight shines on her.

“Hey, you can’t be in here.”

“I’m looking for someone.” Audrey said.

“Everyone has gone home.”

“No, something I lost, I have to look for it.” Audrey said.

“You have to leave or I’ll be forced to report you for trespassing.”

The security guard walks Audrey to the entrance and pulls the gate closed, locking it with a chain and padlock.

Audrey doesn’t know what to do, she starts for home hoping to find Julie in her pajamas fresh from a hot shower safe and sound.

Julie tries to figure out what went wrong, but there is nothing she can do, she is trapped in a trash bag in a mountain of trash. Tomorrow she will be buried with tons of dirt.

Unknown time passes as Julie loses hope, then a disturbance is felt. Must be the earth movers covering the trash. Julie’s bag is ripped open and a hand searches around, then grasping the pearls pulls her free.

It’s dark and Julie is covered in kitchen waste making it hard to see, then she is placed in a sack with other objects. Julie calls out to Audrey but gets no response. Whoever it is throws the sack over their shoulder and begins walking.

Audrey is overwhelmed with despair. She sneaks into the dump the next night calling out to Julie but gets no response, she doesn’t know how to begin to look for her roommate and it only gets bleaker as days pass.

Audrey needs to ask the Genie for help, but how? Audrey doesn’t know where to find him, she has only met him once. He came to them because of the obelisk. That’s it, she will call him with the obelisk. He came because it was overloading the magic grid.

With the obelisk in hand, Audrey clears her mind of all thought to prevent starting a fantasy, then furiously rubs the obelisk.

A large cloud of purple smoke fills the room and Audrey screams as a soaking wet portly man, completely naked, crashes to the floor along with some amount of soapy water. The man clambers to his feet then sees Audrey. He grabs the first thing in reach, a cork drink coaster from the coffee table, and attempts to cover himself. Audrey can’t help herself and breaks into laughter at the ridiculous sight.

“I was enjoying a nice bubble bath.” Genie said.

“I’m sorry, but I need your . . . why don’t you get dressed first.” Audrey said.

“I didn’t have time to pack.” Genie said.

“Can’t you just snap your fingers or something?” Audrey said.

“My current employment situation doesn’t have the same benefits package.” Genie said.

“Julie is in the trash and I need to rescue her. You have lost your powers, but could you use the obelisk to help me? Send me through the trash to put me close to Julie, being roommates would create an attraction to bring me to her, then use the obelisk to end the spell and we would get both out.” Audrey said.

“Might work, and helping you may put me back in good graces with Mr. Sinatra.” Genie said.

“Thank you, the truck will be here soon, just put me at the curb and be at the dump when the truck unloads.” Audrey said.

“I won’t concern the neighbors?” Genie said.

“Right, I think my mother left a bathrobe here that should fit you.” Audrey said.

Audrey tries to stay calm sealed up in a plastic trash bag in the wheelie bin with other trash from her kitchen. She waits in the darkness alone, she has put her life and the life of her roommate in the hands of this strange man.

Genie wheels the bin out to the curb and turns back toward the house. A neighbor scowls through the parted curtains of a window and Genie pulls the robe closed and tightens the belt. “Feel fortunate I don’t have my powers right now old woman.”

Audrey hears the truck, then the wheelie bin is moving. She wonders what Julie sees in this as the bin is turned over spilling Audrey and the rest of the trash into the back of the truck. The packer is activated sending Audrey inside.

For hours the truck makes stop after stop packing trash onto Audrey. Finally the truck is moving continuously until it arrives at the landfill. The hydraulic pump activates pushing the trash out and into the pit. Audrey knows Genie has to wait for the place to close, so she waits.

Still waiting, Audrey is getting nervous. She’s not sure how much time has passed but it seems like a long time. Maybe Genie got lost or arrested for trespassing, maybe he never came at all.

Suddenly Audrey is back to normal, as normal as one can be in a trash bag buried in a pile of trash. She rips her way out of the bag and crawls out of the stinking trash shouting for Julie.

She sees Genie, still in the pink bathrobe and wearing a pair of her bedroom slippers.

“She should have come out with you.” Genie said.

“She didn’t, she must still be in there.” Audrey said.

“Your friend isn’t here.” Genie said.

“She must be here, where else would they take the trash. It’s my fault Julie will be buried in the trash forever as a pearl.” Audrey said.

“A pearl did you say? As in a string of pearls?” Genie said.

“Yes, we were trying to find my Grandmother’s pearls that were lost.” Audrey said.

“I see, come along, I think we can straighten this whole thing out.” Genie said.

They return to the strange little house in the woods where Julie first met Genie. He removes the string of pearls from a box and uses the obelisk to end the spell and restore Julie to normal.

“Over the years when I have needed favors from mortals I thanked them with magic trinkets or objects like your obelisk. Many of those objects have been discarded or fallen into the wrong hands, so I was, let’s say promoted, to Chief Collections Officer to get them all back.” Genie said.

“It was you who picked me up at the landfill.” Julie said.

“I sensed the magic in the object but it wasn’t on my list, so it went into this box of unknown items until I could identify it.” Genie said.

“I guess you’ll want the obelisk back.” Julie said.

“You keep it for now, I need one success story for the Board of Directors, but I hope we have all learned a valuable lesson.” Genie said and began to untie the bathrobe belt.

“You keep that for now.” Audrey said and the girls made their way home.

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25.07.17