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

and over with, what do you plan on doing?” Barrette asks, it’s an innocent question but the answer is deep. “I don’t know, I’m not one to plan for the future, haven’t you learned yet I live for the moment. Having a loose plan is one thing but, if this trip has taught us anything it’s that plans change so we have to roll with it.” I reply then look out the windshield to the road ahead of us, the traffic has vanished entirely leaving the wide open road.

“Of course I do have a loose plan, I’m thinking that you were right about LA, I mean sure it’s my home, that’s where I came from but I only stray back because that’s the only place I know. So I might hit the road, travel for a while, raise some hell, get into trouble, and see what else this cold cruel world has to offer a woman like me. Aside from a straight jacket and lithium.” My calm peacefully spoken words are ended with a wise crack that Barrette’s actually at.

“You may be insane Bonnie, but the world really needs more people like you. You’re level headed, and down to earth, you do your own thing and not care or worry what other’s have to say or think about it.” Barrette replies, just as he finishes speaking the car passes a sign that has a half dozen locations on it and their distances. I’m only worried about the top one, Floyd Mississippi population nine hundred and one, five miles exit ninety nine.

“Holy mother of all things devil! What was that?” I shriek as there is a sudden explosive boom well ahead of us but off to the side of the road. The boom was so loud the car windows nearly busted out, Barrette slows the car down to ninety as we round the bend where the town of Floyd should be.

As predicted, the town is there, mostly, what I mean by Floyd is still mostly there is that half of the main part of town is still standing, the other half is fully engulfed in flames and shrouded by smoke. Parked over in amongst the floats is a red Ferrari Enzo that I recognize to be Devon’s. “I knew it!” I shout as Barrette takes the off ramp at a snail’s crawl just in case another explosion rings out.

Town’s people are running away from the far end of town screaming, there are some dragging either dead or unconscious bodies out of the burning buildings. Moving in closer to town I see four black SUV’s with black tinted windows parked in a dirt lot, there are suited men running around with hand guns. These men are Devon’s hit men not just security guards for the Mayor, all around us is nothing but pure mayhem.

“What is he doing?” Barrette wonders rather loudly as he parks the car. “I don’t know but we need to stay low and find the Mayor before Devon does.” I reply shoving my door open enough so that I can reach under my seat where my grandfather’s revolvers are stashed away just as I had them in the Mustang. As gun fire rings out in the distance Barrette steps out of the car but hangs low using the Camero as a shield while he moves to the trunk of the car. As for me I reach back under the seat to find the box of Ammo my dad usually leaves there for his forty five. Sure as day, the rounds are there, these aren’t your average bullets, these are armor piercing rounds, and something tells me I’m going to need them. I load six rounds into one gun before stuffing it into my ride side holster; I load standard rounds into the other revolver before stuffing into my left side holster.

By the time I’m done with the guns and stuffing my knives in their respective places Barrette is coming down my side of the car with his guns saddled up, his pants pockets are lined with Ammo, so are mine we should have enough lead to get through this gunfight.

“Barrette, wait.” I call out as he starts to walk towards town where a full on fire fight is going on between the police and Devon’s men. “What is it?” Barrette asks curiously as I walk towards him with determination, the sounds of my fallen families words ringing in my ears.

“He’s nothing but trouble but he’s the best thing to ever happen to me, I loved him.” “Understanding, let go of the past, trust, love.”

These words spin through my mind as I move towards Barrette with determination, for the first time in so long I realize that I can come to love someone and not be hurt by them. My heart is races with the simple idea of what I’m about to do.

Giving him no warning I grab Barrette by the thickest chain hanging from his neck to pull him down to my level. My lips find his, his arm wraps around mine not sure if he should pull me in closer or not, I want him to with every shred of my being but I know that now isn’t the time, I let this linger just long enough to push unspoken words across the finish line. When I know he understands I pull away from him and walk away pulling out both revolvers as I go.

Barrette hesitates a long moment, stunned by my actions no doubt, a secondary but much smaller explosion sounds off further back in the swamp. The sound jars Barrette back to reality, after shaking his head clear of my actions he chases after me without saying a single word. I clock back the hammers on both revolvers; both revolvers take aim and fire out shooting down two of the thugs hiding behind cars. Barrette takes a stance beside me with his two nineteen Eleven Kimbers and starts opening firing on anyone wearing Devon’s signature black suits. He doesn’t even care if the shot is lethal to the men or not.

When all gun fire in the street is done for because Devon’s men are dead the cops look at Barrette and I with huge eyes, they aren’t sure what to do as we walk down in the smoke filled street where people are still trying to drag bodies out of the almost fully engulfed buildings. “Where’s the Mayor?” I shout to the nearest woman who looks at me with fear. “Where is the Mayor, no games I will shoot you here and now.” I warn her in a voice more venomous than a black mamba, the woman nearly faints in my arms when Barrette takes a double shot at two more hit men running by.

“The last time I seen him was running from the fire house yelling about a bomb, that was before the place blew up. It looked like he was heading back to his house for something! Please I have children, a husband don’t, don’t shoot me I beg of you in god’s name don’t kill me.” The woman replies shaking like a leaf as she raises her left hand to show me her wedding ring set. I shove the woman down behind a car instead of the useless trash can she was hiding behind when I found her.

“The fire house was three doors down, the Mayors house is farther up the street. You think Devon is there by now?” Barrette asks as he slings me behind his massive form so he can shoot another of Devon’s thugs that is running down the alley between the local bar and the grocery store.

“It’s worth a shot, have you ever been in heavy combat?” I reply as I dart down the alley way leaping over the bad guy that Barrette just took out. “No, the most I’ve ever come to heavy fire is a shooting range.” Barrette responds as I stop at the edge of the building to press my back to the wall Barrette does the same thing just on the wall opposite me.

“Then take a word of advice, stay low, don’t be seen and if someone shoots at you shoot back and don’t miss!” I shout over another series of explosions and gun fire, Barrette gives a curt nod, I quickly peek around the corner then dart back. Barrette does the same on his side of the wall before we nod at each other and step out turning right back behind what is left of the fire house. I duck to the ground as we approach the end of the wall which is lower than the rest. Looking out into the housing structures across the street I don’t see anyone that is a threat to us so I run out with Barrette right behind me.

Now out in the open I see several of Devon’s men looking at us with raised guns, it’s like a firing line formed over here! Thankfully between Barrette and I being a good shot the men drop to the ground dead, all but one who takes off running. Barrette lets him escape figuring the guy isn’t going to pick a fight with us a second time after watching his comrades die off.

“See the house up ahead on the right?” Barrette asks quietly as we duck down in the middle of some very large hedges, I push back the branches to peer out just as some more police officers come running by. “The yellow one?” I reply in a hushed voice, Barrette nods confirming my response. “Looks like a double story, pool in the back yard, not a very huge yard either. There’s someone upstairs in the right hand room to.” I inform then look back at Barrette.

“Mark is a skinny older man, like a walking skeleton, old as the hills usually wears a pale yellow tux.” Barrette informs, I glance back to the window, that is definitely not Mayor then, whoever is in that upstairs room is someone with the same build as Barrette and the guy up there is definitely not old as the hills.

“What’s that down on the left corner of the house?” Barrette asks as he moves forward also pulling back branches to peer out. “Looks like a basement.” I reply leaning to the right a little trying to catch a better look. “Makes sense the house is early nineteen hundreds.” Barrette replies. “I thought that basements were outlawed in this part of Louisiana because of the gator population.” I ask Barrette who looks at me with a light bulb above his head.

“They weren’t outlawed because not everyone could afford to fill in their basement but it was required that they remove the doors leading down into the basement.” Barrette corrects my terrible memory, I had heard from a friend that they outlawed basements because gators were getting into people houses and eating people after huge storms.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Barrette asks looking at the small padlocked iron door hatch that leads down into the cellar. After thinking for a brief moment I stress one problem to Barrette that will not be easy to fix. “I am, but we can’t get inside, I bet there’s at least twenty of Devon’s goons in that house right now.” 

“Then what do we do?” Barrette bites back as frustrated with this situation as I am. “How am I supposed to know?” I reply just as short tempered as he was. “You’re the cat burglar, I’m a southern rock country star, I sing, you destroy things. So you tell me how we get in there!” Barrette replies being sarcastic.

“Now is hardly the time for your sarcasm cheese shoulder.” I taunt, reminding him of being shot during the roof top shoot out. “Well excuse me Meat slicer.” Barrette returns fire with his own rude, taunting remark. “Wait I have armor piercing rounds. Do you think they would be enough to bust that lock?” I ask Barrette who I’m guessing knows