Instead, a group of butterflies flew out of the barrel.
I woke up.
“We’re here.” Adam said, sucking down his cigarette. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and stretched my arms. I looked out the window and saw the rising sun come out from the ends of the earth. He pulled up to a row of large bushes, maybe ten feet in height. He put the car in park and honked three times.
“Where are we?” I tiredly asked. There were no buildings in sight. It was just us and endless fields.
“You'll see.” He said, staring ahead. He honked again.
All of a sudden, the plants moved to the side, revealing a hidden passageway into the forest. An old man, wearing the same vest and insignia, even similar tattoos, appeared in front of us. He stroked his beard and eyed us for a long time.
Adam stepped out of the SUV and walked up to the old man. They stood a few feet apart, speaking slowly and carefully. They shook hands and embraced, pounding each other's back, while nodding. Adam walked back in a determined manner, lighting another cigarette.
“We’re good to go.” He said.
“To go where? Can you fill me in for once?” I liked being his sidekick and all, but he made me feel like a dumb girl sometimes.
“Look, there's a reason for not telling you everything. If things go wrong, you're in the clear. Got it? I told you earlier, we’re visiting an old friend.” He looked at me and could tell I was angry. He breathed in deep, staring at me. I stayed silent, glaring out into the green forest that surrounded us. I felt the car pull forward and about a mile into the forest was a small clearing with a cottage in the center of it. He parked the car and got out.
“So you two made it.” The man said, still stroking his chin. “Almost surprised. News been covering you two for days now. Come on in.” He gestured toward the house. In the driveway was an old motorcycle, covered in dust and old spider webs.
“Who's motorcycle is that?” I asked him. Adam looked at me as if I had done something wrong. My eyes fell to the dirt and pine needles on the ground.
“I don't believe we met. Name is Bruce Johnston. And that there relic is my old lady Bertha. She may not look like much, but in her prime she was a fucking warrior, man. Adam here knows that more than anyone.” He shook my hand.
“I'm Rose.” I said. He looked me up and down, examining my body.
“Young and gorgeous. Just the way we like ‘em.” He punched at Adam’s arm playfully as we made our way into the living room.
“Yeah well, the heart wants what the heart wants.” Adam said to him.
We sat on the ragged chairs by the door to the backyard, while he went into the kitchen’s refrigerator. “Now, I know it ain't much.” He began, tossing us a beer each. “But this here's my little paradise. Ain't as glamorous as your little desert thing, but I get by. I get by…” He took a swig of beer and slammed it onto the table in the center of the room.
“Property of the federal government.” Adam corrected him. “Or at least I'd have to think.”
“What in the hell are you talking about boy?” He asked him, turning serious.
“We got overrun by a group of SUV’s. Black. Tinted windows. There were bullets everywhere, and I mean everywhere. I'm certain that it's Brianna’s men. They knew exactly where the place was. If it weren’t Brianna, it would have to be Jorge. But he saved our asses back there, pops. I mean it. He pulled some heavy artillery shit back there.”
I shook my head in disbelief. Did I hear him right? Pops ?
“Shit.” Bruce whispered through gritted teeth. “Brianna? You sure?” He took a big swig of his beer and grimaced.
“I know it’s hard to believe, but she ain’t one of us. She’s a fed, dad.”
“Jesus. Christ… That bitch used to come in this god damn house all the time. A fed… I can hardly believe it.” He took another drink, this time downing the whole can. “Motherfucking cock sucker…” He began muttering
I woke up.
“We’re here.” Adam said, sucking down his cigarette. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and stretched my arms. I looked out the window and saw the rising sun come out from the ends of the earth. He pulled up to a row of large bushes, maybe ten feet in height. He put the car in park and honked three times.
“Where are we?” I tiredly asked. There were no buildings in sight. It was just us and endless fields.
“You'll see.” He said, staring ahead. He honked again.
All of a sudden, the plants moved to the side, revealing a hidden passageway into the forest. An old man, wearing the same vest and insignia, even similar tattoos, appeared in front of us. He stroked his beard and eyed us for a long time.
Adam stepped out of the SUV and walked up to the old man. They stood a few feet apart, speaking slowly and carefully. They shook hands and embraced, pounding each other's back, while nodding. Adam walked back in a determined manner, lighting another cigarette.
“We’re good to go.” He said.
“To go where? Can you fill me in for once?” I liked being his sidekick and all, but he made me feel like a dumb girl sometimes.
“Look, there's a reason for not telling you everything. If things go wrong, you're in the clear. Got it? I told you earlier, we’re visiting an old friend.” He looked at me and could tell I was angry. He breathed in deep, staring at me. I stayed silent, glaring out into the green forest that surrounded us. I felt the car pull forward and about a mile into the forest was a small clearing with a cottage in the center of it. He parked the car and got out.
“So you two made it.” The man said, still stroking his chin. “Almost surprised. News been covering you two for days now. Come on in.” He gestured toward the house. In the driveway was an old motorcycle, covered in dust and old spider webs.
“Who's motorcycle is that?” I asked him. Adam looked at me as if I had done something wrong. My eyes fell to the dirt and pine needles on the ground.
“I don't believe we met. Name is Bruce Johnston. And that there relic is my old lady Bertha. She may not look like much, but in her prime she was a fucking warrior, man. Adam here knows that more than anyone.” He shook my hand.
“I'm Rose.” I said. He looked me up and down, examining my body.
“Young and gorgeous. Just the way we like ‘em.” He punched at Adam’s arm playfully as we made our way into the living room.
“Yeah well, the heart wants what the heart wants.” Adam said to him.
We sat on the ragged chairs by the door to the backyard, while he went into the kitchen’s refrigerator. “Now, I know it ain't much.” He began, tossing us a beer each. “But this here's my little paradise. Ain't as glamorous as your little desert thing, but I get by. I get by…” He took a swig of beer and slammed it onto the table in the center of the room.
“Property of the federal government.” Adam corrected him. “Or at least I'd have to think.”
“What in the hell are you talking about boy?” He asked him, turning serious.
“We got overrun by a group of SUV’s. Black. Tinted windows. There were bullets everywhere, and I mean everywhere. I'm certain that it's Brianna’s men. They knew exactly where the place was. If it weren’t Brianna, it would have to be Jorge. But he saved our asses back there, pops. I mean it. He pulled some heavy artillery shit back there.”
I shook my head in disbelief. Did I hear him right? Pops ?
“Shit.” Bruce whispered through gritted teeth. “Brianna? You sure?” He took a big swig of his beer and grimaced.
“I know it’s hard to believe, but she ain’t one of us. She’s a fed, dad.”
“Jesus. Christ… That bitch used to come in this god damn house all the time. A fed… I can hardly believe it.” He took another drink, this time downing the whole can. “Motherfucking cock sucker…” He began muttering
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