Pietrovich "Peter" Schulmberg wiped his brow as he exited the Greyhound bus that had been his home for the last two days and several hundred miles. He hefted his heavy luggage in his brawny arms as the bus rolled on to its next stop. He had come to the town of Cherry, slightly north of his true destination, ; for some strange reason, no buses went through the small town, although several went through Cherry and on to Brownsville. Oh well, Pete thought to himself with a smile, America is crazy country anyway.

     Arriving at a nearby taxi station, Peter inquired as to the fare for a one way trip to Barken. "Excuse, please, how much to drive to Barken? The bus driver said was not on his route." The taxicab owner stepped back a step and eyed Peter curiously, warily.

     "You talk kinda funny," he said thickly. "Sound kinda like on of them lousy pinko commies. What you doing 'round here anyway?"

     Peter laughed. "Ah. You are right, friend. I am foreigner from out of town here. My name is Pietrovich Schulmberg, but you may call me Peter. I am coming from home to visit mine cousin Sasha who lives in Barken. Can you please take me into Barken? I will pay handsomely." The cab driver's eyes narrowed even more.

     "Take you to that hellhole?" The driver spat on the ground in disgust. "I wouldn't go there if you offered me a million dollars! Nothin' but a bunch of devils in that town---devils, I tell ya! You must be crazy to even want to go there!" The driver walked over to the main building. "It figures a stinking 'commie' like you would be headin' that way. What's with this stinking country anyway? Us good, decent, hard-working folks is being overrun by you foreigners from without, and the devil's spawn from within." He shakes his head in disgust and walks inside. Peter walks over to the door to comment that he is an American citizen now, has been for 7 years now, and is as hardworking and as decent as the next citizen when the door is slammed in his face.

     "Well, is no way to treat guest from out of town," Peter mumbled. Sighing, he picked up his bundles and headed to the town cafe`. The talking came to an abrupt halt when he walked through the door, as every eye in the place turned towards him. "Greetings, comrades." he replied nervously. "How is weather 'round these parts?" His friendly banter met only more silent stares, so sighing again, he went to the counter. "I would like nice steak, please, well done with side of fries," he said, flashing the waitress with a million-dollar smile.

     "Nice accent, hon," she replied dryly.

     "Huh? What accent?" Peter asked.

     "Never mind. One steak and fries coming up." Moving closer to Peter, she whispered, "Eat it quickly. Here in Cherry, we don't much like new faces in our town. Strangers kinda spook us---never can tell when someone might be a demon in disguise." She stood back up and frowned again. "That will be eight-forty, deary. Cash only, no rubles." Wordlessly, he handed her a ten-dollar bill.

     As Peter ate his food, one of the young girls casually walked up to him. She was nice looking young woman, about 22 or 23, and she was dressed in a short cut skirt ending at her mid-thighs---normal in any other town, but somewhat out of character for a conservative, uptight place like Cherry seemed to be. "Mind if I join you, stranger?" she asked, sitting down before he could even answer. "Hi, my name is Stephanie. Stephanie Traxler."

     "Pleased to meet you, Miss Traxler. My name is Pietrovich Schulman, but you can call me Peter. Would you like something to eat or drink?"

     Stephanie smiled at him. "Thanks, but I'm fine." She leaned forward and whispered quietly. "I go to the University here in Cherry, but I live in Barken. I'm a friend of your cousin Maxie---" Maxie was everyone's nick name for Sasha Maximoff "---and he told me you'd probably be down this way this week. Finish your meal, and I'll drive ya to town."

     Peter smiled. "Thank you, Miss Traxler. I would enjoy going for ride with you out of town. This place seems...um...nice place to visit, but I am wanting to get to Barken as soon as possible." They both leaned back, and Peter lifted his fork to finish his last bite of food when suddenly he was shoved out of his seat to the ground.

     "Get away from her, you sonofabitch commie!" Stunned, Peter looked up into the angry hateful glare of the taxicab driver. He had his arm around Stephanie's shoulders, as if to 'protect her' from the obvious threat that Peter represented. For a moment he wondered if perhaps Stephanie and the man were a couple, that he had unknowingly angered her jealous boyfriend somehow---but Stephanie shattered that fantasy immediately.

     "Marcus!" she yelled, elbowing him in the groin. "Let go of me, you lousy creep!" Marcus nearly sank to his knees from the blow, but managed to keep his grip on Stephanie's shoulders---now, not to restrain her, but to support himself. "Peter, are you okay?" she asked, trying to get to him. "You have some nerve Marcus! What the hell did you think you were doing? Who in the hell do you think you are?"

     Recovering rather quickly, Marcus grabbed Stephanie forcefully by her shoulders and shook her. "Who the HELL do you think YOU are? Talking to me this way...congragatin' with a lousy stinkin' red? I am not about to let my woman make a fool---"

     "Woman?" she cut him off. "Woman? Marcus Alexander Edmonds, I have not now nor EVER been your woman, and if you think so, then YOU'RE the fool! We only dated once, just once, a few months ago, and after I found out what a bigoted creep you were I told you never to speak to me again!" At that, Marcus slapped her face hard enough to leave a red imprint against her lovely peach complexion.

     "You BITCH!" he spat out venomously. "You'd pick a fuckin' Soviet red over ME? You ARE crazy...next thing you know you'll be out dating jewboys, nee-groes, and ching-changs! It wouldn't surprise me if you dated one of those devils from Barken!"

     If only you knew who you were talking to, Stephanie thought, feeling her blood start to boil. She could feel the change coming; the anger and frustration of the situation was rapidly wearing down her control. While it would be FUN to watch the expression on Marcus' face as she shifted right in front of him, she realized that the mortifying degradation he would feel for having made a fool of himself over a 'devil' was nothing compared to the pain and sorrow SHE would feel if the townspeople caught up with her. They were all watching silently now, but at the first sign of fur they would be moved into violent action. She had to get out of here.

     "Let me go you creep!" she yelled angrily, pulling against his grip. Angered again by her resistance, Marcus drew back for another slap---but was unable to swing forward.

     "Nyet!" Marcus looked behind and upwards to stare into the cold grey-eyed glare of Peter, who was holding Marcus' wrist easily with a massive hand. "There will be no more slaps, mister! Let girl go now--- the lady does not wish your company." Marcus strained against Peter's grasp, and Peter tightened his grip on his hand, crushing it painfully until Marcus, with a cry of pain, released Stephanie. Peter glared at Marcus. "Hitting a woman---and you dare to call ME a monster? You should be ashamed to show face in public!" He released Marcus' hand and walked over to Stephanie; Marcus sank to his knees, clutching his painfully swollen hand. He turned and looked at them with hate filled eyes.

     "This AIN'T over!!" Marcus yelled. "You think that muscle-bound, steroid-pumping Swartzenegger clone can frighten me? Well think again! I'll get you...I'll get you both!! And there's nowhere you can run to get away from me...I'll track you down...make you PAY for humiliating me in front of these people!!!" He tried to stand, but the movement caused his hand to throb, and he again sank to his knees.

     Peter turned to Stephanie. "You okay?"

     "Yes," she answered. "You?"

     "Okey dokey."

     "Good. Let's get out of here, Peter." she said glancing uneasily at silent but malevolent crowd.

     "Da, Stephanie. Time to get hell out of Dodge!"