Quake

  Only a couple of 'em had to do with me. Yeah. True. And I'll live with it, but I'm not gonna let it ruin me. I'll try not to.

  Sitting up straight on the toilet seat, she'd wiped her face a final time with the towel, then taken a deep breath. And flinched, startled by the sudden pounding on the bathroom door. 'What?' she'd gasped.

  'You gonna take all day?' Earl had demanded.

  Barbara found Pete and Earl waiting in the kitchen. Pete was leaning back against the refrigerator, and was holding a can Pepsi. Lee's forty-five made a big bulge in the right pocket of his pants, and most of its handle stuck out the the pocket. Earl had a beer. The rifle was hanging from a strap behind his right shoulder.

  'Everything come out okay?' Earl asked.

  'Very funny.'

  'Are you all right?' Pete asked her.

  She saw concern in his eyes. 'I'm okay,' she said. It's just, you know, what happened.'

  'The poop hit the fan,' Earl said.

  She turned on him, glaring. 'There are two dead people in the living room, you creep. And you killed one of 'em. You think there's something funny going on?'

  He smirked. 'Give it a break, Banner. I saved your life. The crazy bitch was gonna pop you next.'

  'Thanks to you.'

  'Let's quit arguing,' Pete said. 'We oughta get going, now.' He asked Barbara, 'Do you want a can of something to take with you?'

  'No. Thanks. I'm not taking something that doesn't belong to me.'

  'Lee would've let you have whatever you asked for,' Pete told her.

  'I guess.'

  "Sides which,' Earl said, 'he's dead.'

  'I'm not thirsty. Let's just get out of here.'

  Earl tipped his head far back to finish off the beer, then stepped across the kitchen and smacked his empty can down on the counter next to a stack of brown paper bags. 'We're wearing these,' he said to Barbara, and picked them up.

  He handed one to her, another to Pete, then pulled the last bag over his head. He adjusted it until the side-by-side holes were in front of his eyes.

  'We made these while you were in the john,' Pete explained.

  'Masks?'

  'People might see us leaving.'

  'They had plenty of time to see us when we were down at the pool.'

  'Not me,' Earl said.

  'You think nobody spotted you when you were down there yelling for us?'

  'Who knows? But that was before all the shooting. Everyone in the whole joint must've heard that. But nobody came over. Probably scared to. But you can bet some idiot'll be looking out a window to see who leaves.

  Pete nodded. 'I think it's a good idea. Why take chances. Anyway, we can take them off as soon as we get away from the building.'

  'You and I didn't do anything wrong,' Barbara said. 'We don't need to hide our faces.'

  'Shit on you, Banner!’

  'Cut it out!' Pete snapped.

  'I go down, you go down.' Earl said 'Both of you.'

  Pete put his bag on, and looked at Barbara through its eye holes. 'It'll be better if you just wear it,' he said.

  'Okay. Fine. It's not worth fighting over.' She took her bag and slipped it on. It was only slightly larger than her head, and the sides of it rubbed loudly against the rims of her ears. It had a slight musty odor like damp in the bag, then she found the eye holes. One was lower than the other.

  'Is it okay?' Pete asked. 'We had to guess where to holes in yours.'

  'They're all right.'

  'You can see out?'

  'Sort of. I'll hang on to you.'

  Earl led the way. Pete followed, Barbara behind him with her right hand on his shoulder. She couldn't see much except his back. Which was fine. There was nothing in the kitchen that she needed to see. In the living room, she was very glad to have the bag over her head. Some of the bad odors reached her nose, but she didn't catch so much as a glimpse of the dead bodies.

  She could see them without her eyes - Lee sprawled on the floor, Heather slumped on the sofa- but she watched Pete's back glad that the tiny eye holes allowed her no fresh view of them. She heard the door open. A moment later, Pete moved forward beneath her hand and she followed him onto the balcony. The afternoon was so bright that she had to squint. They walked to the left.

  'So far so good,' Earl said.

  The air inside Barbara's bag grew warmer and began to smell vaguely of smoke. The paper felt hot where it touched her ears and face. Her blouse seemed hot enough to burst into flames. Don't be ridiculous, she told herself. The sun can't set clothes on fire. The bag'll go first, she thought. And pictured it suddenly combusting, saw herself stumbling from the balcony with her head ablaze. Can't happen, can it? If it does, I'll jump in the pool, I might wanta do that anyway, she thought.

  'We're coming to the stairs,' Earl said.

  'Is anybody watching us?' Barbara asked. 'Don't think so,' Earl said.

  'It'll be okay,' Pete said, 'as long as they don't try to stop us.'

  'Here we go,' said Earl. 'Watch your steps, boys and girls.'

  Afraid of stumbling and knocking Pete down the stairs she let go of his shoulder and found the railing. The steel scorched her hand. She released it fast, then put hand along the top of the railing as she descended, not touching it but ready to grab hold if she should start to fall. Turning her head, she could see the pool below.

  'I'm going in,' she said, speaking softly. 'How about it'

  'In the pool?' Pete asked.

  'Yeah. Feel like I'm gonna go up in flames if don't.'

  'I don't know,' Pete said. 'I've got this gun.’

  'A little water won't hurt it.'

  'Nobody's going in no pool,' Earl said.

  'Right,' Barbara said. 'Whatever you say.' As she stepped off the bottom stair, she took the bag off her head. Without it, the hot afternoon air was cool against her face. Earl, a few strides beyond Pete, walking toward the rear gate of the courtyard. On her way to the pool, Barbara pressed the bag to her belly to flatten it so it wouldn't blow away. Then she folded it in half and dropped it. At the edge of the pool, she tugged off her shoes. She let them fall. They clumped against the concrete.

  'Banner!' Earl yelled.

  She dived. The water was wonderfully, shockingly cold - icy sliding over her body as she glided through. She didn't want to have clothes on. They slowed her down, dragged her, bound her, came between her skin and the water. Some other time, maybe.

  Sneak back here some night, she thought. Me and Pete, slipping into the water naked, long after midnight…I wouldn't dare. Oh, yeah? Maybe I would, maybe I wouldn't. Opening her eyes, she saw the blue tile wall just ahead. She surfaced, snatched a quick breath, flipped, rammed her feet against the wall, shoved off, and submerged. Earl's gotta be royally pissed, she thought. Tough toenails. He shouldn't be so bossy. Why'd I do it? I had to, that's why. The hell with him. Yeah, right, we're trying to get away from a double-killing, and I decide it's a nice time for a dip. What's wrong with me? I was cooking, that's all. And he has no right to control my life. And what're we talking about, anyway - two minutes? Big deal. Angling upward, she swept her arms back and did one more scissor-kick. Her head broke the surface. She reached up and slapped her hands on the concrete edge of the pool.

  'Now!' Earl's voice, loud and rough. 'Right now, bitch!' Barbara thrust herself up.

  Earl had the rifle to his shoulder, had it aimed. But not at Barbara. Braced up on stiff arms, she snapped her head sideways and saw a woman standing in the open doorway of a ground level apartment. One of Lee's tenants? A gaudy redhead, probably fifty years old, built like Marilyn Monroe, wearing a shiny black kimono that was sashed shut and only reached halfway down her thighs.

  'Where's Lee?' the woman demanded. 'That's all I want to know. What did you do to him?'

  'Nothing! Get back inside and shut your door.'

  'We'll see about that!' She strutted toward Earl, apparently fearless. 'What'd you do to him? heard shots.'

  What took you so long? Barbara wondered. H
ad to wait and see who came out? And we look like people you wanta mess with? The woman's bare feet made slapping sounds on the concrete. She swaggered and bounced so much that her sash loosened. The front of her kimono was flung apart by her leaping breasts, but she didn't seem to care. Is she totally nuts? Barbara wondered. What does she want to do, take Earl's gun away? Slap his face? Throw him down and make a citizen's arrest? She's gonna get killed! 'Go back!' Earl shouted.

  'Not on your life, buster!'

  'Don't shoot her!' Barbara yelled.

  'Earl!' Pete yelled.

  The rifle still at his shoulder, Earl used his firing hand to snatch the paper bag off his head. He let the bag go. As it slowly fell, he returned his hand to the rifle.'I'm warning you, lady!'

  'Don't!' Barbara shouted. Out of the pool and on her knees, she scurried toward Earl, waving an arm at him, yelling, 'Don't shoot! Damn it, don't! Don't do it!'Earl looked ready.

  The woman kept on coming, almost to the corner of the pool, no more than thirty feet from the muzzle of Earl's rifle, marching, swaggering, the black kimono open completely now, hanging from her shoulders, fluttering behind her like a cape.Caped crusader. My what big boobs you have - look at 'em go! Is everybody nuts today? Barbara hurled herself, shoulder first, against the woman's hip. Even as the collision jolted her, she glimpsed Pete thrusting the forty-five against Earl's temple. She heard Pete say, 'You shoot, I shoot.'

  The woman went down sideways, letting out a whimper as she fell. Barbara landed on her.

  The woman went, 'Umph!'

  'Watch out with that thing!' Earl yelled. 'I'll blow your head off-’

  'Hey! Hey! Take it easy.'

  Instead of lying still, the woman rolled onto her back. Barbara had no time to climb off or struggle. The body flopped, and her face went down in a pad of soft air. With a gasp, she lifted her head. The woman was pushing at the concrete and starting to sit up.

  'Stay down!' Barbara gasped.

  The woman thrashed her legs. Her knee pounded Barbara under the armpit.

  'Nail her, Banner!'

  She glimpsed Earl and Pete standing side by side, their eyes fixed on the action. Pete's mask was gone. Both the weapons were lowered. Thank God, she thought.

  'Offa me!' the woman gasped, and kneed her again.

  'Nail her! What're you waiting for?'

  'You can take her,' Pete added.

  She didn't know whether to feel proud or betrayed. And she suddenly knew that she wouldn't let this woman get the better of her. The knee caught her in the breast. This time, it hurt. Damn it, all did was try to save you. She drove her forehead down. The woman's belly was at Barbara's brow and her face sank in, and she heard a blow of air come out of the woman. Pushing at the hot concrete, she lifted her head. The woman's eyes were bulging, her mouth wide. She was fighting to suck in a breath. As Barbara watched, her arms folded at the elbows. She sank down slowly, then lay flat, gaping at the sky and wheezing.

  'Give her another one!' Earl urged her.

  Barbara shook her head. She climbed off the woman and stepped clear. She was breathless, dripping. Bending as she clutched her knees. She knew that her blouse hung but she didn't much care. They've got her to stare at, she thought. The woman was sprawled there, arms and legs flung out, with everything showing. And the guys were both gazing at her. Maybe this is what she was after, Barbara thought. Who knows? Why the hell did she come out like that? Could've at least gotten dressed.

  Earl approached the woman. Barbara stood up straight and said, 'Leave her alone.'

  'She ain't a natural redhead, is she?'

  'Do you always have to be such a pig?'

  Grinning at Barbara, Earl let out a couple of snorts. Then he cradled his rifle, stepped between the woman's legs, squatted down and ducked his head for a closer look.

  'Cut it out,' Pete said.

  'Looks like somebody already did.'

  'Bastard,' Barbara muttered. Wiping her face with the front of her shirt, she stepped around the woman's head and hurried toward Pete. 'Let's get out of here.' He nodded. 'Come on, Earl.'

  'We ain't finished yet.'

  Barbara whirled around. 'We're finished! Come on!'

  'She saw our faces. And she knows your name, Banner.'

  'So what do you want to do, shoot her?'

  'We don't want her telling tales, do we?'

  'You idiot. Do you think she's the only one? Lee said there're tenants in four apartments. Four. This gal only accounts for one. What do you wanta do, go through the whole building and shoot everyone?'

  'It's a thought,' Earl said.

  Reaching down by Pete's side, she took hold of the forty-five. He made no attempt to keep hold of it. She pulled it from his hand, raised it, and aimed it at Earl's head. He looked disgusted with her.

  'Gimme a break, Banner.'

  'Set the rifle down and stand up.'

  'Yeah, sure.’

  'Do it!'

  'Like you're gonna put a bullet in me. I'm sure.'

  'I've had enough. Put the rifle down and stand up.’

  'Fuck you.'

  She fired. The pistol boomed, leaped in her hand. She'd aimed for a near miss. From Earl's reaction, he must've felt the slug's wind in his hair. He flinched so hard that the rifle hopped out of the crooks of his elbows. He bobbled it for a second or two. It started to fall, stock first. With his left hand, he caught the sling. He sprang up and turned toward Barbara, the rifle dangling by the strap.

  'Fine,' she said.

  'You stupid fucking bitch!'

  'Don't try anything with the rifle, or the next round goes in your chest.'

  'Fuck you.'

  'Yeah, right. Pete, go up and take the rifle from him.'

  'Just try it,' Earl said.

  'Just do it,' Barbara said, trying to soften the tone of her voice for him. 'If Earl goes for you, I'll put him down.' Pete started walking toward Earl. The woman lay on her back, head turned, and stared at Barbara. She was breathing hard, but looked as if she'd recovered from the blow that had knocked her air out. She also looked terrified.

  'It's all right, lady,' Barbara told her. 'Nobody's gonna hurt you.'

  The woman didn't seem reassured. She has every reason to be scared, Barbara realized. I'm the one who flattened her and pounded her. I just fired in her direction. And here am, all set to empty my pistol at the jerk standing between her knees.

  As Pete walked closer, the woman started to shove at the concrete with her elbows and heels, started to squirm and scoot her way out of the line of fire. Her breasts were lurching around as if they had minds of their own. Barbara hoped Pete wasn't watching them - or trying to get a good look between her legs. She almost warned him to keep his eyes on Earl. Then she realized that she was the one who had better pay attention to Earl and stop worrying about the woman or what Pete might be looking at. She concentrated on Earl's left arm, on the hand gripping the leather strap, on the rifle swaying by his side.

  She held the pistol the way her father had taught her to hold his revolver: right arm bent slightly, left hand supporting her right like a platform, legs apart, knees bent. The weapon shook quite a lot because she was trembling badly, but for the most part she was able to keep the sights on the center of Earl's chest. Pete approached him from the fight. Good. He would be able to take the rifle without getting in the way of a clear shot. Almost within reach of Earl's weapon, he stopped and looked over his shoulder at Barbara. Waiting for the go-ahead? The woman was clear, but making no attempt to get up. She lay flat on her back, gasping for air, gazing at Barbara.

  'Earl!' Barbara snapped. Earl flinched.

  'Pretend you're a statue.'

  The corners of his mouth twitched. He didn't say anything.

  'Get it, Pete.'

  Pete hurried forward and grabbed the barrel and pulled. Earl let go of the strap. The rifle swung like a pendulum, and Pete trotted backward with it.

  'Earl,' Barbara said, 'put both hands on top of your head and intertwine your
fingers.'

  'You're really asking for it, Banner.'

  'Do it now.'

  He did it.

  'Lady, we're leaving here now and we're taking him with us. You can go back into your apartment. Everything'll be fine. Only next time, don't stick your nose in. You came close to getting yourself killed.'

  The woman didn't try to get up.

  'Should we tell her about Lee?' Pete asked.

  Barbara nodded. 'Lee's dead, lady.' The woman showed no reaction to the news, just lay there gasping for air and gazing at Barbara. 'I'm sorry about that. He seemed a nice guy. We didn't kill him, though. Heather shot him.'

  'Heather?' The woman narrowed her eyes. 'The girl who threw the cat in the water?'

  She watched everything, 'Yeah, her. She went nuts and shot Lee. Then we had to shoot her in self-defense. They're both up there in his apartment.'

  'She shouldn't have done that to a cat,' the woman said.

  Barbara frowned. 'Shouldn't have done that to Lee.'

  'He was no great shakes, anyhow.'

  'What's the matter with you, lady?'

  'Nothing. None of your business. Why don't you just away and leave me alone?'

  'The National Guard's supposed to show up tomorrow,' Pete told her. 'You oughta stay inside and not get mixed up in anything till then.'