Auto Gangsters
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The night of the party, I got home late and went straight to bed. The next morning, when I woke up in a sweat-soaked tangle of sheets with my head pounding like someone had set it on fire, I knew something was wrong. My mother’s voice kept running through my mind: “You can’t keep this up forever.”
And then she’d add her own special warning: “And you’re not going to have to. It’ll be over soon enough. You just need to hang on long enough for me to find someone else who can take care of you.”
I didn’t know how much longer that would be. Every day seemed worse than the one before. But I refused to believe that things couldn’t get any better. I’d been able to make friends at school now and again—even if they were only temporary relationships where we all pretended we were best friends.
I wasn’t ready yet to give up hope that someday I could go back to being normal. At least until the moment I walked out into the hallway after breakfast, saw the empty spot by Mom’s desk, and realized what had happened.
“Oh, no,” I said aloud as I stumbled toward the door.
But it was too late; she was already gone. Her purse lay beside the computer keyboard where she always left it, but there was nothing inside it except a few old receipts, a lipstick, and some change. She’d even taken her cell phone off the charger.
When I looked outside, I could see the car parked across the street from my house, so I figured she must’ve gotten herself another ride home. If she hadn’t done it last night, I wondered why she did it today? Did she finally realize the truth about Dad?
Or maybe he’d lost his job or fallen asleep somewhere along the highway, and she needed to be away quickly. Either way, she didn’t want anyone following her anymore. That meant she probably wouldn’t be coming back anytime soon. Which meant I was alone… again.
It was too bad. This time, I thought, I might actually be ready to let her go. Maybe I should tell her before she took off for good. Then she wouldn’t feel forced to leave without saying goodbye. As long as I waited around, though, I was afraid she’d think she still had time to come back.
So instead I spent most of the morning doing homework. By noon, I felt drained. I decided to skip lunch and go upstairs to lie down. I hoped to sleep long enough to forget everything for a while.
After two hours of tossing and turning, I gave up trying to rest altogether. There was too much happening, too many new things to try to understand. For instance, the reason I’d woken up sweating and dizzy the night before came rushing back to me.
Even if I never found out exactly what happened between my parents, I could guess. They’d argued more and more lately. One thing led to another. Finally, they started fighting right in front of me. Something set him off, and then it was too late to stop anything from getting physical. He hit her. No wonder she was gone now.
I wanted to call Grandma, but I knew it’d only upset her. All of us, including Grandpa, had learned the hard way that calling the police wasn’t an option. The cops were nice people, but their first concern was finding ways to help them catch the criminals, not help innocent victims like us.
Not that it mattered anyway. We weren’t going anywhere, so it made sense to save everyone’s time. Besides, it would do no good to tell the authorities about the gun. No doubt they’d assume Dad used it against her and throw the whole case out. After all, how likely is it that a guy like Dad would ever shoot anybody?
That was part of the problem. Our lives weren’t really our own. I understood that now. Everything I did was influenced by whatever Dad was planning, whether it involved shooting somebody or taking us somewhere safe. But I also knew that if he found out I called Grandma, he’d put a lot of effort into making sure she couldn’t pick us up. His idea of punishment would be far worse than any beating. And he’d use me as bait.
As much as I hated to admit it, I was scared. But I couldn’t allow myself to show it. I had to stay calm. Think. Plan ahead. Be ready for any eventuality. Otherwise, we’d be doomed.
So I got dressed, grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, and headed downstairs. I picked up the paper bag from the table, stuffed the money inside, and ran my hand over the handgun once again. It felt heavy. Solid. Powerful. Like it belonged to someone else. A stranger.
My stomach was knotted with nerves as I slipped on my shoes. I pulled open the kitchen drawer, found the key to the garage, and went outside. Unloaded, I checked the clip to make sure it was loaded with bullets, slid it into place, and locked it behind the wheel.
Next, I opened the glove compartment. Inside sat the box with the shotgun shells, the extra magazines, and the bulletproof vest. I took one look at the vest. Unloaded, I checked the clips to make sure they were loaded. Unloaded, I checked the chamber to make sure it was empty. Unloaded, I tossed it onto the passenger seat and climbed inside.
The radio was tuned to a news station. “A judge has just ruled that the city can start dismantling the barricades around the Capitol building.”
The speaker sounded young. “We’re going to have to find some other way to get downtown,” she said, “but until then, you’ll need to walk through the checkpoints every day to reach your destination.
In the meantime, we’ve asked the National Guard to assist us in protecting the safety of Washington residents. Anyone who sees something suspicious is urged to immediately report it to the nearest guard post. Thank you.”
“Good luck,” the DJ laughed. “They’re gonna need it.”
***
Dad didn’t bother coming home last night. When I finally fell asleep, I dreamed of running away from the house and never looking back. Of being lost in the woods, far from anyone who loved me. At least this morning I wouldn’t wake up alone.
Mom had left me a note, telling me where she’d parked the car. She’d even drawn a map. So I followed her directions down the street, past the vacant lot, across the park, and into the parking lot next to the church. Only when I turned on the ignition did I realize I’d forgotten to bring the spare keys.
If I’d been able to drive us to the hospital yesterday, there’d still be hope. Instead, I was stuck sitting here waiting while Grandma drove as fast as possible without getting stopped by traffic lights.
It might seem crazy to think that I could change anything. That I could somehow convince my parents to see things differently. Or that they’d let us go before they hurt us too badly. I’m pretty sure Grandma’s already figured out that we’re gone. And Dad will figure it out soon enough. He knows his family better than I know mine. There won’t be any surprises left for him.
Grandma’s phone rang several times during the trip. Her hands gripped the steering wheel tight. Every few minutes, she’d check her rearview mirror, squinting as she looked in the direction of the call. She hung up after each conversation ended, muttering something under her breath.
I tried asking what was wrong, but she cut off any response with a glare. Finally, we reached the freeway entrance. Traffic was light. The sky above the cars was dark, filled with gray clouds. Rain was imminent. As Grandma sped along the highway, raindrops began falling on the windshield.
They quickly grew heavier. Within seconds, they were pelting against the glass. We slowed to forty miles an hour. Then thirty. I watched the wipers work their best, trying to keep the windshield clear, but no matter how hard they worked, the drops kept pouring in. Soon, Grandma couldn’t see more than ten feet ahead. We came to a stop.
I glanced over my shoulder, seeing the police car following closely behind me. Just like yesterday. With nothing else to do, I turned back to watch the road. For the first time since leaving home, I saw the city from the outside instead of the inside.
Rain poured from the heavens, washing over the pavement and splattering onto the windows. Ahead of us, two lanes became one. An eighteen-wheeler truck barreled toward us. On either side of the road, cars inched forward, moving slowly because of the stalled vehicles.
The headlights reflected off the puddles forming on the concrete, turning them into miniature lakes. The driver of the truck had to swerve to miss hitting us head-on. It skidded sideways, throwing mud all over the hood and windshield. It was so close that I could hear its engine roaring.
Then, just as suddenly, it was gone.
For a moment, Grandma and I stared straight ahead. Neither of us spoke or moved. Even the radio played quietly in the background. All of a sudden, the silence seemed louder than the noise of the wind whistling between the buildings.
At last, I realized it wasn’t raining anymore.
My eyes flicked up to the rearview mirror, only now noticing the flashing blue and red lights of the police car. My heart raced. I wondered if he’d come after me. How long would it take Grandma to notice? Would she run right into him?
When I turned around, I found myself staring at a familiar face. A man I’d seen many times throughout the years. He’d always been friendly to me, smiling whenever our paths crossed. Now, though, he stood motionless beside the cruiser, holding a black handgun. His eyes met mine. He nodded once. Then he stepped into the street, walking toward Grandma.
He pulled out another gun, this one larger than the other, and pointed it at her.
“Stop!” Grandma screamed, reaching for the door handle.
The stranger fired twice, striking Grandma in both legs. Blood gushed out. She dropped the keys and slid to the floorboard, clutching her knees.
A third gunshot tore through the air. The stranger aimed again. This time, he shot her directly in the forehead.
***
We passed by the old house without slowing down. The front yard was covered in weeds. The gate was open, allowing the dogs to wander freely about. One barked, then another. But there was no sign of anyone coming out to greet us. Not even the cats. I guess they were all hiding somewhere, scared by the gunshots.
As we drove farther away, the trees started changing color, losing their green hues. The grasses took on a yellowish tint. In the distance, mountains rose high, silhouetted by the setting sun. Mountains that would eventually turn purple, glowing orange and pink until night fell upon the world.
All day, I’d tried to imagine what life must have been like when my grandparents lived here. What happened to make them leave. What kind of people were they, really? Did they ever feel lonely? Did they ever wish they could go back? If they did, where would they want to return to?
But now, as I sat watching the sunset, I knew the answer. To a place where the memories still remained, waiting patiently for a chance to be relieved. Where the past and present mingled together seamlessly. Where every memory was safe and warm, like being wrapped up in a blanket made from the most beautiful fabric you’ve ever laid your eyes upon.
It didn’t matter if those days had existed thousands of years ago. Or if they never would exist again. No matter what the future held, nothing would change the way I felt right now. There was no need to think further ahead. Because here and now, everything was perfect.
In fact, I couldn’t remember ever feeling more comfortable.
Grandpa’s hands tightened around the wheel. “You know,” he said softly, glancing over his shoulder to check behind us before turning onto Highway 22, “the highway is pretty empty these days.”
“What are you saying?” I asked. “That maybe there aren’t any ghosts left?”
He chuckled. “No. That’s not what I meant. We’re going to stop by an antique store and see if they’ll let us stay overnight.”
I glanced at Grandma, who looked like she might faint at any moment. When she saw me looking at her, she smiled. And it warmed something inside of me that I hadn’t known was cold.
After all, sometimes things happen for a reason. Sometimes fate can play a hand. For instance, I’d learned the hard way that someone else could be responsible for taking care of you … and you don’t have to worry about anything, because they love you with all their heart. They’ll protect you, even when you don’t realize they’re trying to do so.
And sometimes, when you least expect it, you find yourself in paradise.
The End