Read Online Going Home by Angery American - Free Book Online Page A

handed the revolver to her.
    “Take this then. It’s basically the same thing, just a little bigger.” I held out the spare rounds and dropped them in her hand. She flipped open the cylinder and checked it and then, with a flip of her wrist, snapped it shut. Oh yeah, she’ll be just fine , I thought.
    We all walked out to the truck and helped her get the kids in and made sure she was ready to go. “Now don’t stop for anyone or anything. If someone steps out in the road in front of you, just stomp on the gas. As loud as this thing is, if they’re smart, they’ll get out of the way. If not, then do what you gotta do.” I kind of raised my eyebrows after that last part.
    “After what happened today, ain’t nobody getting in front of me again. Ever.” You could tell she meant every word of it.
    “Just don’t let it burn you up. There’s still good people out there. You just gotta look out for you n’ your’n first,” I said.
    “Mandy, honey, you git to yer mom ’n’ dad’s. Tell yer daddy I said hi. We’ll be here if ya need anything.” James opened the door to the truck for her, and she got in. He shut the door behind her.
    She looked out the window at me. “Ya know, I don’t even know your name.” She was looking me right in the eye.
    “I’m Morgan.” I stuck out my hand. She took it.
    “I’m Mandy,” she replied.
    “I know, I heard your name many times this afternoon,” I said with a smile.
    “Well, Morgan, I can’t thank you enough. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t come by.” Her look turned a little dark.
    “Well, I did, and that’s all that matters. You get going now, and remember, don’t stop.” With that she started the truck and backed out, leaving the three of us there, waving at her.
    Once the truck was headed down the road, Edith looked at me and said, “Supper’ll be ready in about an hour. An I ain’t askin’!” She turned and headed for the house.
    “You better be there, son. She got a willer tree out back. If ya ain’t there, she’ll come after ya with a switch.” He grinned at me as he said it.
    “Mr. James, I couldn’t turn down home cookin’. But I don’t want to put y’all out none,” I replied.
    “Don’t worry, son, we got plenty. Come over an’ get cleaned up fer supper,” he said.
    “If you don’t mind, Mr. James, I’d like to do a couple of things in here first, but I’ll be there in an hour.” I nodded toward the house.
    “Fine by me, son, jus’ don’t be late.” He turned and walked to his house, and I went back inside.
    I flopped down on the sofa and just sat there. So much had happened today, only four days after the … the what—what the hell did happen? In four days, I had killed three men and gone less than fifty miles. I was never gonna get home like this. I started thinking about some assholes breaking into my house, kicking in my front door—then a little smile spread across my lips—and being met with a hail of gunfire! Mel and the girls, the older two anyway, were trained to shoot. They aren’t marksmen, but the shotty and the other XD left out for them were plenty enough for them to take care of themselves. Not to mention where the house was and the neighbors. There were three deputies on our street, and Mike next door just got home a week ago from the Stan. They’d be fine.
    I got up to take a look around. Walking into the bathroom, I saw myself in the mirror. “You look like shit,” the reflection in the mirror told me, and I had to agree. I needed a bath and a shave. Bath was out of the question, but I could manage a whore’s bath and shave if I could find some water. Searching the house, I found the hot water heater in the master bedroom closet. It was a smaller one set up on a stand off the floor. Opening the drain, my hand was filled with warm water; it wasn’t hot, but it was sort of warm.
    I hustled across the road and got my stuff and came back to the house. I took my hygiene kit out