On the Run by M Zeigler (short story to read TXT) 📖

“Barrette this looks like a reversed Bonnie and Clyde trail.” Bonnie says setting the map down between us. “That’s because it is, if we start here and work our way into Louisiana and work our way back here to this destination I can make it to the mandatory awards show and we stop Devon, plus you and I don’t go down for Murder.” I explain to Bonnie who nods her head in approval, she looks from the map out to her car.

“If we’re going to pull this off, I’m gonna need to do a tune up on the beast and get new tires. The tires are almost smoked clean off that car.” Bonnie informs, translating her words, she is saying yes that this is a good idea.

“What are you doing?” I ask Bonnie as she slides under her car, it’s been two hours since we agreed on the plan and I made a few calls to get some car parts brought over for Bonnie’s car. “I’m not entirely sure.” Bonnie groans back obviously straining to loosen a bolt. “You need some help with that?” I offer looking down at her from the top of the engine. “No, I got this.” She replies as the bolt finally let’s go, I have to admit when she opened the hood on her car I was and still am impressed. I cannot believe that she did this work by herself, the only reason I believe it is because of the pictures she has on her computer of her working on the car.

“Ugh, thank you.” She rumbles sliding out from under the car. “I hate it when the Radiator plug won’t go back on.” Bonnie gripes correcting my earlier thoughts that she was removing something instead of putting something back on. “Okay, so the tires are on, the engine is refilled. I think we are ready to hit the road.” She announces just as Sheriff Montgomery comes walking up the driveway, he’s wearing normal civilian clothes today, and looks as if he just stepped out of the hair salon. “So soon?” Montgomery teases running a hand through his muddy brown hair so it doesn’t look so police officer like.

“If it’s any prize to you, I wanna be here as much as you want me here.” Bonnie announces. “Ouch, what is Christianson not good enough for you?” Montgomery replies, Bonnie shakes her head no. “Not when the population is two hundred and I’m a wanted criminal with a murderer on my tail.” Bonnie replies waving me away from the car so she can close the hood. “Fair enough, so I got this out of evidence earlier. I thought they might come in handy for something.” Montgomery says handing me a box, I don’t bother opening it I simply thank him and place the box in the back seat of the Mustang.

“Okay, load up Barrette we are out of here. And remember Montgomery, we want everyone to know we were here.” Bonnie says as my mother and my brother’s move more boxes out of the house and over to my mother’s truck that is bound for my house. “Don’t worry we got things on this end.” Montgomery assures as Bonnie and I turn around to walk in the house.

 “I have the stove, Barrette can you get the heater?” Bonnie remarks walking towards the kitchen, I hear her turn on all the burners in the kitchen, however the flames don’t ignite; neither does the pilot light on the over. Only the propane gas leaks into the kitchen starting to fill the house that is already closed up ready for our next stunt. Bonnie meets me at the back door where Montomgery is now standing in full uniform with his brown eyes gazing into the house. “I’ve always wanted to do this.” Montgomery says to me in a much to chipper voice as he removes his gun from its holster. “I’ve wanted to blow up a house before to. Of course most cops aren’t so cool as to let me.” Bonnie says as she closes the back door.

“Just too bad your firing blanks right?” I rumble back to Montgomery clearly not amused with the fact he is enjoying the fact he gets to shoot at me. “In my head, these aren’t blanks. Just remember you’ve caused me a lot of grief.” Montgomery informs as we step to the corner of the house but far enough back that we can’t be seen from the street.

After a quiet five minutes Montgomery’s phone bings that he has a text message, that means the town is ready for action. “My grandmother would be mighty proud of this.” Bonnie coo’s excitedly as she grabs her white duffel bag filled with fake cash and drenched in pig’s blood. “Alright light’s camera, Bonnie and Clyde.” Montgomery says with a huge smile plastered on his face.

“Bonnie run!” I shout out shoving her away from the corner of the house, she fumbles to the ground just in time for me to run around the corner and grab her. Montgomery fires two blank shots at me, I pull out my gun and fire three more blanks back at him, by this time Bonnie is back on her feet and running. Montgomery runs around the corner when we are out of sight and fires another three rounds at us. This time Bonnie lifts one of her grandfather’s revolvers and fires blanks at the cops chasing after us.

“Stop in the name of the law!” Montgomery shouts at us, Bonnie laughs and flicks open a massive metal lighter that she pitches at the house, the metal breaks the window and the house explodes sending Montgomery flying a ten feet away from the house. Everyone in house ducks and as planned starts running around screaming as if they are terrified. “Get in the car Barrette before we get caught!” Bonnie shouts at me as my old buddy Cletus comes running up in front of the car with his camera phone recording. I look right at the camera before diving into the car through the open window; Bonnie tosses her duffel bag to the back seat and starts the car. As soon as the ignition turns over her radio is up full blast playing Travis Tritt’s hit tune Modern day Bonnie and Clyde.

Faster than anyone is prepared for the girl driving this beast of a car downs the clutch, shift into gear and slams the gas pedal while dumping the clutch. The back tires sling dirt and other debris about thirty feet in the air, the back tires causes a sliding start towards the mostly fallen white fence that used to blockade the front yard. Upon hitting the paved main road here in town the Mustang gains full traction and screeches at a high speed heading straight towards the on ramp leading onto old one twenty nine. The newest deputy sheriff, Harold, a twenty two year old fellow Georgia boy with sandy blonde hair and hazel eyes leaps in his patrol car to go after us.

By the time Harold’s old beaten down patrol car even gets to the onramp Bonnie and I have already put a good half mile distance between us and the cop. None the less Harold makes every effort to pursue us, looking at the driver’s seat Bonnie is laughing like a maniac banging on the top of the steering wheel. “That was awesome!” She trills so loud it’s almost more deafening than the radio; I can’t help but share in her little happy moment. That was pretty amazing; we just blew up a house and scrambled out of town in traditional Bonnie and Clyde fashion, with the shootout, the high speed vehicle, and the panic!

By the time we hit the city limits of Christianson, Harold has long since given up pursuit yet Bonnie is still weaving through traffic like a mad woman. After turning the radio way down I look over at her with a goofy grin. “Travis Tritt? Now that was a little over kill.” I remark as she juts between some old timer driving a station wagon and a younger gal driving a weird hatchback hybrid. “Honestly, I would have thought you to have better taste than this. Travis Tritt is a classic and that was so not over kill, a bit theatrical yes but totally not overkill.” Bonnie replies sliding back into the fast lane, we have a three hour drive ahead of us and she’s showing no signs of slowing down.

“Yeah it was a bit theatrical, but hey, it’s in your blood right?” Bonnie gives me a warning look from the corner of her eyes. “Do I not have that right? I mean, you’re basically the reincarnation of Clyde Barrow, and I’m the direct descendant of Bonnie Parker the first. We are following one of the many routes they took on their outlaw days. We are the Barrow gang just umpteen years later and with a much faster car.” Bonnie gives me the close minded opinion of her logic, I can’t really argue with that though. She does have a good point, the only difference at this point is the fact that Bonnie and Clyde the original couldn’t get out of the trouble they were in, and they were entirely guilty as charged. Her and I are not guilty as charge, Bonnie killed those two men out of self defense and I was busy trying to beat the stupid out of her homicidal cousin.

“Ya know I’ve learned one thing in this last week.” I admit to Bonnie turning around to face the windshield. “What is that? I’m not as crazy as you think I unicorn?” She gives out her best effort at a joke, although that is pretty good considering she’s usually insulting people. “I’m not going to complain about my family being so bad anymore. Our family looks like saints in comparison to yours.” I say proudly, Bonnie frowns when she looks over to me. “Why do you keep saying our family?” She asks.

“Because it’s obvious my family is accepting you in and your family is trying to kill us both.” My response brings a look of happiness, contentment, and excitement into Bonnie’s eyes. Something I haven’t seen since we started this trip. “I’m an LA angel with family that is born and raised Georgia, as if my life couldn’t get anymore screwy.” Bonnie says contentedly with a small approving smile on her lips.

On the run chapter 7

The heist

Barrette’s perspective

“What is the plan on getting the files?” Bonnie asks as we exit the gas station where I just intentionally spent a hundred and five dollars on one of my credit cards making sure that the gas station attendant knew who we were and called the police. “The mayor lives in an easily accessible house. I figure by the time we get to Auburn it’ll be about five o’clock so I say we head over to his place and pay a visit?” I suggest as I start t put gas in the car, taking my dear sweet time about it.

Bonnie takes a close look at the now exposed tattoos on my left arm, she takes in the details of the two angels, the crosses, the demons,