I needed a bathroom. The thought popped up out of nowhere, interrupting my daydream.
"I need to find a bathroom," I said, more to myself than to the air around me. The snow was falling harder now, sticking to the shoulders of my black suit. Belial was gone, back upstairs to wait for the goods from Wang Lei.
I saw a blue sign with the familiar pictograms of a man and a woman across the street. A small concrete building, squeezed between a pharmacy and a dim sum restaurant with steamed-up windows.
I crossed the street. I ignored the traffic light. Cars slowed down, a faint honk sounded, but I didn't care.
The door to the public restroom was heavy and made of metal. It creaked as I pushed it open. Inside, the sharp smell of disinfectant mixed with the faint odor of urine. The floor was wet white tile, leaving the imprint of my shiny dress shoes. There was only one other stall with its door open. Empty. The sound of water dripping from a leaky faucet was rhythmic.
Drip… drip… drip…
