Guns are not the Only Weapons
By Nicco Rothe
Bye Julie, came a dark, disfigured voice from the shadows beside me. I don’t know why but, even though he was my coworker since I got out of the institution 6 months ago, his voice always sent shivers down my spine. It was a raspy voice, a sort of husky whisper. He never spoke louder than a whisper.
The lights turned off in my office block, cloaking it in shadows broken only by the computer monitors.
Bye Rob, I quietly said back to him staring down at my fee. Walking out of the office building, I kept my head hung low, until I knew I was away from Rob. Finally looking up I headed over to my car, a 1988 Pontiac.
Pulling out of the parking lot I drove immediately onto the street. Looking at my watch I yawned. It was. Looking at the road sign I allowed my mind to wander as I drove down the main street, the traffic lights flashing on my windshield. Green, green, green, red.
Damn, swearing to myself. I stopped. I really wanted to get home and I couldn’t keep my eyelids from drooping just a little. All of a sudden, a man appeared on the street corner and began to cross. He had on a kangaroo sweatshirt with the hood pulled low over his face, leaving his eyes in total blackness and making deep shadows around his nose. He walked out onto the road and stopped in front of my car. I could feel him staring at me from the cold darkness of his hood. The shadowed lines around his mouth showed him deep in thought. All of a sudden the lines disappeared and he smiled. I wasn’t a smile of welcome or thanks, but a sick, twisted smile that I had only seen on one person before, but couldn’t remember where. The man ran towards my car. Starting to worry I moved to lock the passenger side door but I wasn’t quick enough and he jumped into my car.
Drive! he yelled at me pulling a gun from the pouch in his sweatshirt. I stepped hard on the gas and drove through the light, which had once again turned red.
Wh…where do you want to go? I asked him shakily, trying hard to keep the fear out of my voice but failing. He smiled another grim smile.
You’ll see. Just follow my directions, he hissed at me.
The man pulled back his hood exposing lightly tanned skin and deep brown hair. The man was probably about 35, but lines of worry had made him look at least 10 years older. The thing that scared me the most were his eyes. They were black and deep, just like two holes bored into his skull. Inside there was no flicker of life. No flicker of a conscience. No flicker of a soul.
Turn here, he smirked.
I turned the corner and shifted my body slightly to try to get another look at the man. He noticed and pistol-whipped me across the face. The car swerved violently almost crashing into a tree. Finally, after what seemed like forever I regained control. I felt the warm trickle of blood slowly drop from my nose to my lips.
You better behave. He told me, his eyes shining with inner laughter. You won’t like what I do to people who don’t. He was obviously enjoying every little bit of the pain I was suffering. What’s he going to do to me? I thought bitterly. Is he going to kill me? Or rape me? Is there anything that’s worse? I wouldn’t be able to stand it, I just couldn’t I can’t die I just can’t. There has to be something I can do, anything. I’m too scared I⿿m just too scared! The road straightened and I continued on, when I saw a transport truck pull out onto the road from one of the many winding side roads. Hey, look at that, a truck. I continued to think to myself, it sure is…I wonder what would happened if I accidentally drove right into it’s path. That would get rid of this guy! that would get rid of him for good! I shook my head, trying to clear it of the thought. I felt my sanity slowly breaking, tearing down the seam, being held together only by one last strand of common sense, just what had happened before. The memory of what happened before the institute, before I had become what I had become in my mind ran through my head. I remember vividly a man beating me, falling unconscious then waking up in the hospital, being told I may die, and my mind had broken. I can’t go on…not like this, not like this! The doctor had told me I was alright, I had no more problems. Why would he lie? Why? I found myself starting to cry but I shook the tears out of my eyes. Or a bus! Yes, a bus that will take this guy! I let out a scream of laughter, and then remembering what I was laughing at, I quickly shut my mouth.
Shut up! The man beside me yelled again, if you do that again, you’ll wish I had shot you! Although his words had sounded convincing at first, some of the sureness had left his voice, making it sound frail.
Yes, a bus! My sanity was gone, crumbled under the constant fear of being shot, or worse. Yes, a bus! I found myself shouting out load but not caring. A bus will solve all my problems! I roared out in laughter that was high pitched.
What are you talking about? The man yelled at me, Tell me!
Or a train! A train is even bigger! I yelled out and howled in laughter. I looked into the eyes of my captor and I could now see the beginning of fear and doubt creep into him now he will know now he will know the fear one has when, whether you are to live or die, is in the head of another human!
A train! A train! A train! A train! I howled out, shrieking in laughter. The man’s gun had began to waver and shake. He was worried. Now I was able to enjoy his misery.
Stop the car, he yelled out but it turned into a shaking croak. In the background I heard the gentle whistle of an oncoming train.
A train, I barely whispered, but I could see in his eyes he was beginning to understand.
Stop, was all he was able to get out. The whistle sound became lauder and lauder. I found the train tracks and stopped on there, sill laughing shrilly. The man raised the gun and there was a bang. It was not of the gun going off however; it was of the train hitting the car. Now, as I wheel myself around today I realize, guns are not the only weapons.
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