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| Forgettable: Part 3
by sonyaw at 8/29/2009 10:44:12 PM
A few miles down the road, the motorcycle came to a sputtering stop.
“What’s the matter?” Remi asked.
“Out of gas,” Nick replied flatly.
“What do you mean, out of gas? Didn’t you just fill it up?”
“Yeah. Somehow, the gas tank got punctured and it leaked out. Must have happened back at the truck stop.”
“And you didn’t notice it before we left? That’s very observant.”
“I was too busy saving your butt as I recall. I could have left you there to go for a ride on Big Red. Besides, you didn’t notice either.”
“Whatever. So what now?” Remi asked sulkily. She hated being outdone in the sarcasm department.
“We walk. We’re only a few miles from the truck stop.”
“Miles? Plural? As in more than one? No way. I can’t even walk one mile.”
“Well, the only other option is for you to wait here while I go for help. I won’t be more than a few hours, I’m sure.”
“Walking’s good,” Remi replied quickly.
As she spoke, a car pulled to a stop a few feet away from them. Two guys appearing to be in their twenties got out of the vehicle. They were well-dressed so Remi decided they were safe.
“You two need a ride somewhere?” The driver asked.
“Sure. They would be…” Remi began.
“No. We’re fine,” Nick interrupted. He turned to Remi but she had already started walking toward the car.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Nick. There is no sense in walking when we could get a ride with these two nice gentlemen,” Remi said, eyeing the guys flirtingly.
This could be her opportunity for a new ride. She had hoped to stick with Nick as she had always had a crush on her but he had proved disappointing. As soon as she reached the car, the passenger door opened. Before she knew what was happening, Remi was surrounded by two strong arms and there was a knife to her throat. The driver pulled out a gun and aimed it at Nick.
“Don’t worry, man. We just want the girl anyway. You can do all the walking you want,” the driver said to Nick.
Remi saw the look in Nick’s eyes and knew he was not just going to walk away. He would try to save her and get shot for his trouble. She felt her knees start to buckle causing the guy holding to lose his balance, dropping the knife. She elbowed him in the groin. The driver had come around the car to see what was happening. Acting on instinct, she went for the gun. There was a struggle and the gun went off. She felt his body go limp. She turned to see Nick struggling with the other guy. She waited for chance and fired. Then everything went black.
Remi awoke to find herself in Nick’s arms with the gun still clinched tightly in her hands.
“It’s okay, Remi. You did what you had to. We’re safe now.”
“What happened?” she asked, groggily.
“You saved both our lives. That’s what. And then you fainted like a little girl.” He said it as a joke but she knew that was how he still saw her. “Let’s go. We’ll go back to the truck stop and call the police. Then I’ll make sure you go home safely.”
“Home? I don’t want to go home,” she protested.
“Oh, come on,” he coaxed. “Hasn’t this shown you anything? The world is a dangerous place. There is no reason for you to face it on your own when you have a family that loves.
Remi shook her head weakly. He just didn’t understand. He never would. She had to show him. She was not a little girl. She could make it on her own. She looked down at the gun still in her hands. There was no other way. Slowly she raised the gun and fired one last time.
Ending #1
The few miles back to the truck stop were not so bad after all. Remi was barely winded when she reached the parking lot and saw Big Red still sitting in the same spot as promised. She felt for the gun stuffed into her pants. She could protect herself if need be. She walked purposefully to the truck and rapped on the window.
“Still looking for company?” she asked when the truck driver opened the door.
“Well, sure, darling. But what happened to your boyfriend?” he asked.
“Turns out he wasn’t a real man after all,” she replied, getting into the truck.
Ending #2
Remi stood there staring at the empty backpack. It’s now or never, she thought. The was a light tap on the door and then her niece Alexis opened it and walked in.
“Aunt Wemi, does your head feel better?”
“Yeah, sweetie, it feels better.” Dirty trick. Sending her niece in to get her. Her mom and sister knew she could never say no to Alexis.
Alexis spied Remi’s schoolbooks scattered on the floor.
“Uh oh. You dwopped it. I get it.” Alexis began picking up the books and, with Remi’s help, they put them back in the backpack. “Are you comin to the Cwistmas party? I got you a pwesent.”
“Of course I’m coming, sweetie. Tell Nana I’ll be right out.”
“Yay. Ok, but you better huwwy. Nana says dinner’s almost weady.” The little girl ran happily out of the room.
Remi picked up the Pringles-can-turned-piggy-bank and looked at the approximately ten dollars inside. Two hundred dollars from saving lunch money? Yeah, right! Oh well, there’s always next year. She walked resignedly out of her room to join her family.
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