Inherent Clarity by Mahle Robin

Author:Mahle, Robin [Mahle, Robin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HARP House Publishing, LLC.
Published: 2015-03-26T04:00:00+00:00

16

It was the feeling of someone’s hand on his shoulder that caught his attention, except that no one else was with him. Carl remained buried at the back of the storage shed in search of the jumper cables. He finally had them in his hands when it happened.

“Riley.” She was warning him to stay where he was, that it was too late and the men were here. “No.” Carl dropped the cables and scrambled to get out of the clutter that lay before him. He climbed over the old lawn chairs and pushed the deteriorating boxes from his path, nearly tripping himself up in the process. Moving fast was rarely required of him these days and he cursed his ineptitude.

Once he stepped outside of the shed, he heard voices. It was CJ and another man. There was no indication of any raised tones, so maybe this would all work out. He had to hold out hope that they were reasonable men. Carl took a few steps, now standing at the front of the trailer, but unable to see to the side where they were talking. He caught just a glimpse of Riley holding her bike in front of her as if for protection. First and foremost, she needed to be removed from this situation and Carl had to figure out the best way to safely accomplish that.

“I’m sorry it worked out like this, man. I had no idea they were coming or that they knew we were there.”

Carl didn’t know who was doing the talking and he prepared to carefully make his presence known so as not to infuse any panic in an already tense situation. Calm and quiet, no sudden movements.

The wind kicked up and the shed door slammed shut in its wake. The aluminum frame rattled hard and sounded like a clap of thunder. The noise startled all of them and Carl had appeared from the front of trailer in that precise moment.

Johnny yanked a gun out from the back of his pants and, without hesitation, he fired. The bullet whizzed by Riley’s head and struck Carl in the shoulder.

“No!” CJ yelled and leapt to the bottom of the stairs, sprinting towards his father.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Doug shouted, ducking instinctively from the gunfire.

“Oh shit, oh shit.” Johnny held the gun out; his hand trembled.

“You son of a bitch.” CJ charged towards him as his father dropped to the ground. He rushed past Riley.

She reached out and tried to stop him. “No. Don’t!” Riley screamed as her bike fell.

The gun fired again and again, hitting CJ in the chest and neck. The door of the trailer swung open and Melissa ran down the steps. Johnny turned the gun on her, but Doug wrestled it from his hand.

“Get in the goddam truck!” Doug ran to the driver’s side and jumped in, starting the engine.

Carl was on the ground, but pushed himself up on his elbow. He looked at Johnny and watched as the man locked eyes with Riley.

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