Annoyingly, an earworm was out of its starting blocks

Here’s the next part of a story which might turn into something longer… or might not! Jay has been relocated with a new identity to the village of Oxhope. She has met a few people at the local pub, The Otter, and is tentatively getting to know them

Jay ran steadily, not fast, she wasn’t running from something, she wasn’t running to something, she was just running as anyone might. She wasn’t really a runner, she had never run anywhere in the time before, the time she must forget. In the in-between times, the middle before the now, she had started to – been encouraged to, as a sort of therapy. It would be good for her, exercise was good, got the old endorphins going, it could be a sort of meditative thing as well as a physical thing, the steady rhythm, the empty head, plat plat plat plat, one foot in front of the other.
One step at a time, and then annoyingly, an earworm was out of its starting blocks, One day at a time, sweet Jesus that’s all I’m asking of you… good grief! She tried to overpower it with something different Bad Guy by Billy… She was running too fast and slowed back to plat plat plat.
She came down onto the beach and stopped to catch her breath. She began to jog along and then thinking it was too empty and lonely, turned and headed back, this time along the path which would take her on a loop round the village.
Running as therapy… she allowed herself to think about it, yes, she felt good with the exercise, but also she had to admit she was in training, she was keeping fit just in case she ever had to run.
Jay slowed as she rounded the corner by The Otter and someone called out to her. She looked across the road and it was the women in the possible quiz team, Em or Gem.
Be normal, be friendly.
Jay crossed over, “Hi!”
“Hello Jay, looking forward to quizzing tonight?”
“Yes, but don’t expect too much of me, my mind always goes a blank in quizzes.”
“It’s just for fun – it really is the taking part. Did Ed say it’s a bingo quiz?”
Jay was slightly baffled, bingo? Did they play bingo halfway through or something?
Em or Gem saw her confusion. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing to do with actual bingo, it will all be clear when you see the sheets.”
“I hope so!” Jay was unused to casual chat these days and tried to make conversation and asked Gem/Em whether she had seen any of Otterfest. Yes, but in the evening , and they chatted for a few moments about what a great event it had been then Jay said she had to get home before she seized up.
“See you tonight, Jay!”
She trotted on past the carpark, and she felt tight with anxiety, all she wanted to do was get behind her front door, and not come out again, even for a bingo quiz.
But bugger it, she would.