He pushes the woman off his lap and stands to his full height, towering over Meela’s small frame. Even in her heels, the height difference is astounding. The two begin to argue, and as scary as he is, she still doesn’t back down.
I squirm in my seat as they shout at each other. I’m able to hear bits and pieces now. Meela says something about him being a dog in heat and needing to keep it in his pants. He counters with something about her being a brat and needing to stay in a child’s place.
From the corner of my eye, I see several women herding the children into the hallway with promises of candy and a Disney movie marathon in the movie theater.Good idea.They don’t need to witness this craziness. Meela angrily shoves at his chest. Jigsaw’s companion shoves her in return, and Meela sucker punches her in the face. Well, that escalated rather quickly.
“Oh snap,” Cricket chortles, throwing his head back in laughter.
The woman screeches in outrage and charges at Meela, her fingernails poised to do some serious damage. She swipes at her, but Meela ducks and rears back her fist for another punch. Jigsaw holds Meela back with an arm and grabs the brunette by the throat, snarling something in her face before shoving her away.
Their shouting match resumes, and he says something that makes Meela stagger back a few steps. She slaps him hard across the face, then attempts to slap him again, but he latches onto her wrist. Not one to be bested, she tries to knee him in the balls, but he twists away and shakes her like a rag doll.
I look at Cricket. “We have to do something.”
“Nah.” He shakes his head. “That’s their business.”
Afraid for my friend, I hop off the stool, determined to defuse the situation. “Well, I’m going to put a stop to it.”
“Sit the fuck back down,” Cricket growls at me.
Who the hell does this bastard think he is? “Fuck—”
A loud boom tears through the room, trapping my words inmy throat. The once-secured metal door that led to the bar now lies damaged on the floor.
Everything seems to happen all at once. A group of men pours into the room, releasing a hail of gunfire. Bullets riddle the brunette’s torso, killing her before her body hits the carpet.
Jigsaw bounds across the room with a screaming Meela in tow. He shoves her inside the arcade with a dozen or so cowering kids and jumps into the fray.
“Get down,” Cricket shouts, yanking me to my knees behind the island, a gun already in his hand.
“What’s going on?” I ask, shaking so hard my teeth chatter. “Who are those men?”
“Fucking Lawless Disciples,” he hisses. “Get to the kitchen and hide. I’ll cover you.”
“Have you lost your mind? If I go out there, I’ll get shot to bits.”
“Do what I say, goddamn it!” he yells at me. “I’m not going to let you die.”
“I’m scared,” I say, my voice trembling as tears burn my eyes.
“Just stay behind me.” He pulls a second gun from a holster. “On the count of three, okay?”
I nod.Where’s Sandman?As much as he hates me, I know he’ll protect me.
“One. Two. Three!”
We make a break for it. I stay hidden behind him, praying I don’t get shot.
“Oh, you want some, motherfucker?” Cricket bellows.Pop, pop, pop…“Oh, you too, bitch? Fuck you!”Pop, pop, pop…
It only takes seconds to reach the doorway, but they were the longest seconds of my life.
“Go, Zilphia! And don’t come out until it’s over.”
I race to the kitchen as fast as my legs will carry me, grab the biggest knife I can find, then shut myself inside the pantry. Little good it’ll do against a gun, but my choices are limited.
I didn’t think to grab my phone; everything happened so fast.Has anyone called the police? The better question is:Will anyone call?People usually turn a blind eye where the Gods are concerned. Besides, the gunfire is probably too muffled for anyone outside to notice.
I recall Sandman mentioning that while the clubhouse isn’t fully soundproof, the construction crew went to great lengths to get it as close as possible. If that wasn’t bad enough, the few stores around here are all closed for the holiday.
