“Nah, it’s all good, just askin’ that’s all. Shit, my man use to beat on me all the time. I don’t know why for the life of me I put up with his sorry no good ass.”
“You too?”
“Yep, son of a bitch would come home drunk and get pissed at the least thing and then let lose on me. I’ve tried to kick is ass, but it only made him more pissed.”
“The same thing happened to me too.”
“Well, that’s all behind us now. Here’s to a newer and better life.”
“Hell yeah, to a better life!”
* * * *
“Hey Daryl, is that the place over yonder?” asked Jake pointing to the far end of the corner across the street.
“Shit yeah, that’s it! Come on!”
They went over and stood in the long line. They are fifty people back but could see the entrance.
“Damn, this place is packed Jake. It’s gonna take us forever to get in there.”
“Never mind about how long, just as long as we get in.”
Thirty minutes had passed. They are now three people back and can hear the music and the crowd inside.
“Hell, he’s a big son of a bitch.” Said Jake looking at Bubba checking IDs.
“He must be an Alabama boy.”
They looked like the Tin man and the Cowardly lion from the Wizard of Oz as they approached and looked up Bubba.
“IDs please.” He said holding out his hand.
They both fumbled around in their pockets.
“IDs please or get out of my line.” Repeated Bubba.
“Here, you go. You must be from Alabama huh?” asked Jake trying to make small talk.
“Don’t act like you know me and for your information, hell no I an’t from Alabama. Step inside or get out of line, next, IDs please.”
They stepped inside and began scanning the dance floor and bar.
“Do you see her yet?” asked Jake.
“Hell no, there’s too many people in this place. Just keep lookin’”.
* * * *
“Hey Lola, I’m a go freshen up, watch my drink for me.” Said Heather picking up her purse.
“Okay, I’ll be right here. Take your time.”
Heather went to the restroom. Daryl and Jake continued to walk among the thick crowd of people.
“Hey Daryl, let’s get a beer and hang out at the bar, maybe she’ll show up there.”
“Okay. Which one? There’s three of ‘em.”
“I don’t know, the one in the middle one I guess.”
“Okay.”
They made their way to the middle bar and ordered a couple of beers and shots of Jack Daniels.
“Watch my shit, I gotta go take a leak, I’ll be right back.” Said Daryl
“Okay.”
Daryl made his way to the far back section of the bar. Both the male and female bathrooms doors are next to each other separated by only a few feet with posted signs. Just as Daryl is pushing open the bathroom door, Heather came out and walked right passed him. He didn’t recognize her at all and continued in to the restroom.
“Thanks Lola.”
“No problem. My turn, I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.”
Just as Daryl comes out of the restroom he passes by Lola and continues towards the bar. Heather is leaning on the bar tapping her foot to the music and humming along as Daryl walks past her and back to the center bar.
“Hey Jake, they got fancy faucets and shit in the bathroom and even a guy in there that will shine your shoes.”
“You’re shittin’ me?”
“No lie. Hell, they even got mouthwash, cologne, gum; it’s like a palace in there. Go look for yourself.”
“Okay, I’ll be right back.”
As Jake passes Heather he turns his head to stare at her for a split second feeling like he recognizes her but keeps walking to the restroom.
“I’m back, let’s go dance, I like this song.” Said Lola after returning.
“So do I, let’s go.”
As Jake walks back to Daryl he slows down to look back over where he though he might have seen Heather. He scans the bar twice then continues on.
“You were right Daryl. Hell, that bathroom is nearly as big as my mobile trailer. Have you seen Heather yet?”
“Hell no, there’s so many damn people in here.”
“I thought I saw her when I went to the bathroom just now, but whoever it was isn’t there any more. I mean it kinda looked like her, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t.”
“What do you mean kinda look like her? Are you for sure it wasn’t her or not?”
“Positive. Besides, like I said, whoever it was ain’t there no more.”
Chapter 16 – “Jake! I see her!!!”
After a couple more beers, Daryl and Jake headed off to the bathroom together. Lola and Heather left the dance floor and went back to the bar.
“Whew, I feel like I’ve been in a jazzercise class.” Said Heather reaching for her drink.
“Lord have mercy, me to, my legs feel Jello.”
They laughed and continued to drink and talk. Daryl and Jake came out of the bathroom and began scanning the bar again.
“Hell, Daryl, I don’t think she’s here.”
“Me to—“ Daryl stopped suddenly then looked straight ahead at the bar.
“What D?”
“I think that might be her over there.”
“Where?” asked Jake as he looked in the same direction.
“There, next to that black girl.” He said pointing a finger. “See? Right there.”
“Are you sure? That’s not her hair color and she sure as hell don’t wear fancy clothes like that.”
“Well, I’m gonna go find out and if it’s her I’m gonna give her what for! Come on!”
They started walking quickly towards her and Lola pushing threw the crowd. Heather doesn’t see them approaching her.
“Damn it Jake, it is her. I recognize that scare on her forehead. She dyed her hair. Come on; move faster before she sees us!”
Just as Heather looks up at the mirror behind the bar she catches what looks like Daryl’s favorite Alabama Crimson Tide baseball cap moving through the crowd towards her like a shark fin breaking through the surface before attacking its prey. Terror washes over her face as their eyes lock gazes on each other. Daryl begins to walk faster as he points at her.
“Heather, stay right there got damn it, you hear me!!!” he shouts at her then starts to push his way through the row of people lined up at the bar. “Stay right there, don’t you move!”
Heather let’s out a blood curdling scream.
“Lola, O’ My God, It’s him, Daryl!” she cries out as she points at him then urges Lola to run. “We’ve got to get out of here now!”
“What?” asked Lola confused by what she was saying, “Him, who? Calm down.”
“It’s him, O’ my God he found me Lola, he found me, run!”
“Got damn it Heather, don’t you run away from me, you hear me! Stay right there or I swear…!”
“Bubba! Bubba! Help me! Bubba!!!” she screamed as she started off towards the front door pushing through the crowd then onto the dance floor. Bubba is focused on a fight that broke out in the waiting line and starts to go investigate.
“Heather, stop, stop right now, you hear me?!”
Lola sees Daryl and Jake pushing through the crowd furiously trying to catch up to her.
“Keep running Heather, I’ll get help.” Shouts Lola turning towards bar security.
“Bubba! Bubba, O’ please Bubba help me.”
Daryl and Jake are only a few people behind her.
“Got damn it Heather, stop runnin’ now! Jake, go that way and head her off!”
“Okay!” Jake breaks away from Daryl and began pushing his way to the left of Heather to block her escape.
“Bubba! Bubba! Help me, please help me!” she cried out as she tried to run at full speed through the thick crowd towards the front doo
r looking frantically for Bubba. Bubba stops and turns his head towards the dance floor and hears Heathers calling his name. He shoved three people at once to clear his way.
“Heather, where are you! I’m coming!” said Bubba charging at full force through the crowd.
“Bubba!!! Bubba please help me, he’s gonna kill me, he’s here!”
“Heather, I see you keep running towards me and don’t stop!”
Bubba threw off his shades and began pushing and shoving people out of his way. Their bodies fell back and to the side like uprooted trees in an oncoming tornado. When he sees whose following her he increases his speed.
“O’ hell no mother fucker, not in my house!” he yelled, “You done fucked up!”
“Bubba, please, please, help me!”
Jake came from her left side and grabbed her by the waist and held her as she thrashed and kicked trying to get free of his grip. Daryl soon caught up with them within a couple of steps.
“Now, now, you didn’t think I’d find your little country ass in this fancy city did ya?” said Daryl. His eyes are wide opened and filled with rage as he grabbed a hand full of her hair from behind jerking her head back.
“Now you are comin’ with us and you’re gonna tell me where the hell the money you took from me is or I swear I’ll beat it out of you, you hear me you fucking bitch!”
Just at Daryl started pulling her off the dance floor Bubba reached out throw the crowd that surrounded them and grabbed Daryl by the wrist.
“Let her go now!” he shouted in a voice that sent chills through everyone standing around. His fingers began to coil around his wrist like a boa constrictor strangling its prey. He punched Jake so hard with his other free hand that he fell back end over end through the crowd.
“What the fuck?” cried out Daryl.
Before he could say another word Bubba began squeezing his wrist even tighter.
“I said let go now!” The sound of Daryl’s wrist bones cracking under Bubba’s increasing grip could be heard.
“O’ shit, let go of me. It hurts. Let go, please let go!”
“You let go of her first and then pain will stop.”
“Okay, okay. Shit, just let go.” Daryl crouched down on the floor holding his limp wrist then looked up at Bubba. “I think you broke my wrist.”
“Stay down and I won’t break anything else. You hear me?” he scowled at him.
“Bubba, thank you so much.” whispered Heather.
“Don’t worry, you and Lola go up to your room now, I’ll deal with them and come check up on you later. You’re safe now. Go on, I’ll take care of these two.”
Bubba grabbed Jake up off the floor and dragged them both back behind the bar and out through a side door then down a long hallway. He opened a large door with the number five on it and tossed them both in then locked it. Bubba reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his Blackberry.
“Hello, this is Bubba. I’ve got that packaged you asked for. It’s in store room number five.”
Chapter 17 – Time to collect
The store room is pitch black and quiet. Jake reached into his pocket and pulled a Bic lighter. Both of their faces illuminated.
“Where the hell are we Daryl?”
“Hell if I know. See if you can find a light switch on the wall.”
“Okay.”
Jake crawled along the floor until he could feel the wall then stood up. He followed the feeling of the brick pattern until he felt the edge of the light switch plate.
“I found it.”
“Well turn it on then, shit!”
They both looked around.
“It’s just an empty room, why did that guy put us in an empty room?”
“I don’t know. Shush, be quiet, I think I hear somebody comin’”
They both could hear the sound of two footsteps coming down the hall towards the door.
“Hello? Is anybody out there? We’re in here, lets us out!”
The footsteps stopped in font of the door.
“Hey, let us out! We won’t cause any more trouble.”
The door knob turned slowly after the sound of a key being inserted stopped. They shielded their eyes from the bright florescent light as it poured in on them.
“Times up, where’s Mister Bowman’s money?” asked Nate.
“Nate, Billy, how’d ya’ll find us?” asked Jake
“Never mind that, where’s the money?”
“Well, we ain’t got it yet, but we did find Heather.”
“Heather is your business; we’re here for the money.”
“We’re gonna get it, I promise. Just give us a couple more days.”
“That’s not for us to decide. Let’s go, you can ask Mister Bowman yourself.”
Nate and Billy put zip cuffs on their wrist and led them out the back of the building and shoved them in the back of black Suburban and drove off into the night. An hour later they pulled up to an old wooden shack in the middle of a swampy moss. The sound of frogs and crickets filled the air around them. The ground is muddy and soggy.
“Is Mister Bowman out here?” asked Daryl.
“He’s coming later, now get out.”
They stepped out onto the soft wet soggy ground. Their boots sank nearly a half an inch as they stood up. They could barely walk straight as they strained to put one foot in front of the other. The finally made it to the front of the shack. There were no lights on and it appears that nobody was inside as Jake peered through the front window.
“Keep movin’, head towards the back.”
“You’re not gonna kill us are you?” asked Jake nervously walking slowly behind Daryl.
“Shut up and keep movin’” said Nate pushing him from behind. “
They could see an old uneven planked peer with a swamp buggy tied to one of the crooked post.
“That’s far enough. Now get in that swamp buggy and keep quiet.”
Nate and Billy sat behind them on a bench seat. A large propeller behind them began to slowly turn as Nate pressed the ignition button. After a few seconds a steady flow of howling wind pushed the swamp buggy away from the small pier. Only a large bright spotlight shined along the murky water path they were taking. Spray from the front of the bobbing buggy washed over Daryl and Jake as they leaned back from the thrust of the forward momentum.
The swamp buggy soon slowed to a crawl towards a small mound peering above the water line. It was just enough for two people to stand on. Nate stopped the engine after beaching the front of the buggy up to the edge of the mound.
“Okay, get out, turn around and stick out your hands.” Said Billy holding a razor sharp knife in his left hand. He cut away the zip straps then sat back down.
“Now, in about an hour, the sun is gonna rise. Until then I wouldn’t make any sudden moves if I were you.” Said Nate pointing a finger at them.
Daryl and Jake could see several pairs of white glowing eyes opening and closing wherever Billy shined the spot light on the swamp surface.
“Them’s gators, now they’ll leave you alone as long as you don’t move from this spot because they done been fed. Now come sunrise, that’s a different story. So I suggest as soon as you see the sunrise over yonder, you boys better get movin’ to that tree line over there and I mean fast. If ya’ll make it, then your debt is cleared. Remember, as soon as you see the sunrise, start movin’.”
Chapter 18 – Forget About Me
“Heather, there’s a call for you on line three honey.”
“Okay, I’ll be right there.” Said Heather wiping her wet hands on a bar towel. She picks up the receiver and presses the blinking light next to line one.
“Hello, this is Heather?”
“Hello Heather, I just wanted to call and let you know that little problem you had, it’s been taken care of. You won’t have to look over your shoulders any more.”
“Thank you; thank you so much for everything you done for me.”
“Don’t think anything of it. N
ow I can tolerate a lot things darlin’, but beatin’ on a woman ain’t one of them. I just won’t stand for it. Now you go on and have yourself a good life down there, you here?”
“I will, and thank you again for everything you done for me.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Bye.”
“Goodbye darlin’.”
“How’s she doin’ Mister Bowman?” asked the waitress standing at the table with a large tray of food.
“Just fine, she’s doin’ just fine now.”
“Good, good.” She unfolded a stand for the tray and started handing out the plates of food. “Here you go Mister Bowman, deep fried Cajon spice gator with a side of red beans and rice and two shots of shine for each of ya.”
“Thank you darlin’, this sure looks mighty good, don’t it boys? Hey Boyd, pass me the Tabasco sauce would ya please?”
“I got it Mister Boyd, here you go Mister Bowman.”
“Why thank you Bubba. Now let’s all dig in!”
Bowman, Boyd, Nate, Billy, and Bubba all ate and drank the night away, celebrating freeing another girl brutality. For you see, in a span of seven days they had come up with a plan to rescue a girl that had lost hope of ever escaping.
They are part of a secret society sworn to give safe passage to anyone in need. They are The Guardians of The Court of Four Sisters.
The End
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