Robbery, Homicide, And Other Such Things

Robbery, Homicide, And Other Such Things

I was walking in the middle school playground one day, when my friend, Ray yelled to me.

“Hey, JT!” He yelled. My name is John Tate.

“Hey, Ray,” I responded, his name was Ray Capone. He was standing with Jake and “Smack” we called him that because, well, he’s a smack addict. I walked over to them.

“Hey Jake, Smack,” I said.

“We were just planning something, that, uh, we wanted you to help us out with,” Ray said.

“Oh, really, what?” I asked.

“Well, tomorrow, we were going to the convenient store. To rob it.” Ray said, quite nonchalantly.

“I’m sorry, you what?” I asked, more in disbelief, than not hearing them.

“We are going to rob a convenient store,” Ray repeated.

“Are you fucking insane? I’m not down with that. Robbery is a fucking crime. C-R-I-M-E, do you understand me?” I said.

“Don’t be such a fucking pussy.” Ray said, at the same time “accidentally” flashing a 9MM at me. Jesus fucking Christ.

“Alright. I’m lookout though, that’s it.” I was terrified of Ray, He was 6’3 and I’m 5’9, plus he’s a junior and I’m a sophomore and he just looks menacing, when he wants to. He’s practically a sociopath. He can always act how he needs to, to get what he wants. Fucking crazed jackass. I imagine he bullied Jake into it too. 5’7 and just a freshman, of course, he was loyal to Ray, for some reason. Smack was a junior too, and would basically do anything for some more drugs, which, I imagine is what Ray offered him, plus, he was naïve.

“Look, just, be at the convenient store tomorrow at 4:30,” Ray said, spat on the ground in front of me, turned around, and left with Jake and Smack. Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, Jesus fucking…I blacked out.

When I awoke, it was 6:00 PM. I was still on the playground, the back of my head hurt, from the fall onto asphalt, I assumed. I got up, brushed the dirt off, and started to walk home. I ignored my mom’s repeated asking of where I had been, got into boxers, and went to bed. Or tried to. I was up for hours, begging to wake up, from whatever surreal nightmare I had fallen into. Before I knew it, it was time for school.

I got up, got dressed, tired and barely able to move. I walked downstairs.

“John, what’s wrong?” My mother asked.

“Piss off,” I said, as I pushed the screen door forward with my left hand. I stumbled my way to the bus stop, and stood there, my legs shaking. Not from spring cold, from pure nervous adrenaline. The bad kind of adrenaline.

The bus finally pulled up, its yellow paint had been chipping off in recent years; it looked tattered and old. The doors screeched open, and I stepped on. I sat on the first completely empty seat I found, in the third row on the left, instead of with my friends. The bus pushed forward, and kept going down the route. I lay my head on the glass. It was slightly painful, but that good pain you get when you rest your head on the windowpane of a bus. Very bumpy. The starting and stopping, lurching and smoke belching went on for about fifteen minutes, until I arrived at school.

I got off the bus, slowly walking away, down the chipped up sidewalk. I entered the school, and went to my locker, 925. I retrieved my math book, my Spanish book and my copy of “The Night In Question” by Tobias Wolff, for English class. I went to the cafeteria; still 30 minutes before school started. I didn't want this day to end. I didn't know why I came to school...why I didn't call the cops...too late now. I'm fucked. I sat down at an empty table, and a minute later, Ray, Smack and Jake all sat down next to me.

“How you doing?” Ray asked.

“Fuck you.” I said, and stood up. I took myself and my backpack to another table, and for some reason Ray didn't follow. I then realized I had sat next to Sandy, the girl I had a crush on. My stomach sunk like the titanic. Across from me, was, thank god, a more friendly face, mi amiga; Andrea.

“Hey, JT,” Andrea said.

“Hey, Andrea, Sandy,” I said.

“Hey John,” Sandy said.

“You look like shit,” Andrea said.

“Oh, thanks. That’s real nice. Eh…I was just up really late,” I responded.

“There’s a surprise, what show was it this time?” she asked.

“It’s this new show called ‘I Just Couldn’t Sleep’,” I responded. Sandy chuckled. Andrea just sighed.

“Did you do the homework last night?” Sandy asked.

“No, but, I’ve read the book probably ten times.” I said.

“You serious?” Andrea asked.

“It’s my favorite book,” I said.

“Well, can you help me fill this out? I just didn’t get to it,” she said. I didn’t imagine she was lying, considering she was something of a…”goody goody.”

“Yeah, protagonist and antagonist…really the same person. It’s a father fighting himself about whether to save a train from derailing, killing his son in the process, or save his son, killing everyone on the train. Really depressing story.” I said. I continued to help her fill out the sheet, it pertained to all the literary elements and techniques, that were used.

“Alright, well, we have to meet up with someone, so we’ll talk to you later, thanks for the help,” Sandy said.

“Sure thing,” I responded. I waved as they left. Then of course, Ray came over.

“Ugh, go the fuck away,” I groaned, head in hands.

“I’m your friend, why you so grouchy,” Ray said.

“You’re not my friend, never will be. You’re a sociopathic cocksucker.” I said. Then I felt his arms around my throat.

“You should be careful who you mouth off to, don’t forget about the convenient store,” he said, squeezing my neck extremely hard before letting go, and walking away. I had trouble breathing for a few seconds, until my lungs recovered. The bell rang soon after and I headed to English.

“Hey Polanski,” I said referring to our teacher, Mr. Polanski.

“Hey Tate, you do the homework?” he asked.

“No, but I’ve read the book ten times previously, so I can answer any question you may have on the story. I loved that story.” I responded.

“What happened?” he asked.

“Fell asleep,” I said.

“But of course…” he said, and I sat down, as other people starting gushing through the doorway. Polanski headed to the front of the room.

“Who here did the assignment?” he asked. Almost the whole class raised their hands.

“The majority…isn’t that a nice change,” he said. Of course, he was joking, we were the good class.

“Wouldn’t it be a nicer change if your bad classes had the majority of their work done?” Sean, a kid in my class, asked.

“Ain’t that the goddamn truth.” He said.

“Here’s a question, if you could say one thing to sum up the story what would it be?” Polanski asked.

“The problem is choice, to quote ‘The One,’” I said.

“Yeah, leave it to you to quote lame ass movies,” Polanski joked.

“Nevertheless, the boy is right,” Polanski continued.

“Wasn’t that from some lame ass movie?” I asked.

“Probably, but no quoting was intended.” He said. I drifted off, soon after. Thinking of after school. I hope the cops come…and shoot me. Why’d I even…why am I doing this? Doesn’t matter, I’ll end up in hell, and deserve it.

“You going to leave?” Polanski interrupted. The class had been over for two minutes.

“Yeah, sorry,” I said.

“You alright?” Polanski asked. Tell him. Tell him you fucking cunt.

“Yeah, I’m good, see you tomorrow,” I said. Asshole. I left the room, and the building and stepped outside.

“Want a cig?” Someone asked. Ray, goddamnit.

“Yeah, why not…” I said. It was my first. I took the cigarette, put it into my mouth, and held it to the lighter. It caught, and I pulled back, and Ray shut the top. I sucked in deep, and then removed the cigarette from my dry, lifeless lips. I coughed repeatedly, and hard.

“Whoa, slow down, don’t want to hurt yourself.” Ray said.

“You don’t give a fuck about my health, and nor does that nine you threatened me with.” I said.

“That’s not true, I care…up until about six PM,” he said.

“I hope the cops shoot you in the fucking face, Ray,” I said. He grabbed me and choked me again, and held the cigarette in my mouth. He took his out of his mouth and pressed it to my neck, where no one would see. I made a loud noise, between my teeth. He hit my head against the wall, and walked away. I felt the burn; it was still really hot. I was shaking, like someone with Parkinson disease. I took the cigarette from my lips, and took a slow breath. It slipped from my fingers, and into the gravel.

“Shit! Goddamnit!” I yelled. I kicked the cig into the gravel. I punched the wall really hard.

“Ow, fucking A!” I yelled, again. Someone came outside. It was Sandy.

“Hey, you alright?” she asked.

“Yeah…stubbed my toe,” I said.

“You sure?” She asked.

“Yup…no. No, I’m not alright. In fact, I’ll probably never see you again,” I said.

“John, it’s just a toe…” She said.

“Not that, I, I can’t tell you,” I said. I started to cry. She moved closer and grabbed my hand.

“I’m going to be dead by 5 PM…I just want you to know…god, telling you is scarier than death...” I said. I turned to her and kissed her.

“Well, that was pretty clear,” she said. I smiled faintly.

“I love you,” I said. She didn’t answer.

“You don’t have to love me back,” I said.

“No I do…I mean, I don’t know, this is way too fast,” she said.

“Well, considering I’m going to die,” I said.

“What? What the hell are you talking about? Why are you gonna die?” she asked.

“I can’t tell you…I just can’t. All I know is, you’ll never see me again,” I said.

“You’re crazy. Look I have to go,” she said, and just walked away.

“Fuck,” I muttered. I fell onto the wall, and slid down it. I was tired as hell. I fell asleep.

I woke with a start, when I was kicked in the side.

“Fuck!” I yelled.

“Get up, it’s time,” someone said.

“But…I don’t wanna go to school,” I groaned.

“I’m not your mother!” The person yelled, and kicked me again. It was Ray. I got up, slowly, holding my side.

“You stupid fuck! You trying to break your robbery lookout’s ribs?! You stupid shit!” I yelled.

“Quiet!” Ray said, loudly, and hit me in the face with his pistol butt.

“Ow!” I yelled.

“Now come on, pussy,” he said. He walked away, in the general direction of the store. I followed, meekly, head down. I was shivering, on this warm spring day, as I hobbled in silence. It wasn’t cold, but the wind was like ice on my face. The sun’s rays were directly on me, as if they were spotlights, and I was the joke of the world. I kept myself looking submissive, silent and unnoticed. I didn’t want to be noticed. The world might’ve been spinning, my stomach sure felt like it, every step I took, every time my foot in the ground, my level of nausea would suddenly shoot up, to it’s limit, and then drop when my other foot lifted. Finally we reached our destination, at which point my nausea level reached its limit, and hovered there.

“Here, here, and here,” Ray said, passing us all pistols.

“Why do we all need pistols?” I asked.

“In case he has a gun, I don’t want to be the only armed one. That way, one of you can react, and shoot him,” he said. I hope he blows your brains all over the fucking Dorito bags, I thought to myself. At that moment, I saw Sandy and Andrea inside, browsing. Oh fuck, come on. Why today, why’d it have to be today, I thought. I couldn’t do anything of course, all that’d happen is I’d get pistol whipped again. We entered, and I stayed by the door, Ray walked to the middle of the room, followed by Jake and Smack.

“Everybody kiss the floor, this is a stickup!” Ray yelled, waving his gun in the air, he fired a round. Sandy, and Andrea screamed.

“Get the fuck down and kiss the fucking floor!” Ray yelled again. They dropped down to the ground.

“Alright, give me the cash!” Ray yelled at the man at the register, an old Asian man, and a young Asian girl standing next to him. Ray turned to me quickly.

“Anyone out there?” he asked loudly.

“Nope, no one,” I said, glancing outside. Oh, how I wished there was a cop out there. The man gave him the cash.

“Fifty bucks? That’s all you’ve got?!” Ray screamed.

“No, more in the back,” The man said.

“Well go and fucking get it, I don’t have all goddamn day!” Ray yelled. The man and girl headed to the back.

“No, sweetheart, you stay with me,” he said, indicating the girl. She stopped. I could see the Andrea’s face, terrified through the empty spaces in the shelves.

“Hurry up!” Ray said. Another minute passed, it felt like an hour of course.

“That’s it!” Ray yelled. He moved his gun to the head of the girl.

“NO!” I yelled, and a loud bang rang out.

Ray’s arm bled, from where my bullet pierced it. Jake, terrified dropped to the ground, covering his ears, and screamed, along with everyone else in the room.

“Goddamnit John, you fucking sonofabitch!” Ray yelled. I looked out from the shelf rack I was behind, and fired a few rounds, then ducked back, when Ray returned fire. I fired off my last two rounds. Then Ray emptied his clip into a few bags of chips. I rushed at him, and jumped on him.

“I HATE YOU!” I yelled. I punched him in the mouth. He punched my throat, and I fell back, off him, choking. I rolled over, away from where Ray was about to body slam me. I got up and walked a few feet, before he grabbed me and punched me in the nose, causing it to bleed. He swung again, and I caught his arm, pushing down on the bullet wound.

“Fuck you!” he yelled, punching me with the other hand. I staggered back, then regained balance, and pushed him down; I got on top of him, and hit him, then pressed my thumbs to his Adam’s apple. His arms flailed, and one of his fingers, poked me in the eye.

“Damn it,” I said, as he punched me. I threw my fist repeatedly into his face, unrelenting, his face black and blue. He punched me and I fell back. He got on top of me, and let his fists fly into me like machine guns. My hands flailed and finally grabbed something. I shoved it into his mouth and held it there, and he started choking, we rolled so that I was on top, and I held my hands over his mouth keeping the package inside his mouth. I held it there, he was struggling until he finally went limp. I got off him. I was in shock, it was really terrifying watching someone struggle for air. I had killed him…with a king size pack of Reeses Cups. I got up, and got my gun, and put my other ammunition cartridge into it. I heard a scream and a gunshot.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Jake yelled. I ran to him, Andrea and Sandy were next Jake, faces black and blue, as was his. Then I noticed Andrea had a bullet hole through her chest. The blood was harder to see on a navy blue sweater. Smack stood over them with a gun pointed to Jake.

“No witnesses,” was all Smack said. My anger rose like an overflowing pot.

“Smack, don’t do this, we don’t need to kill anyone else.” I said. My anger was hinted in my voice, but it was still pleading.

“C’mon Kyle, put the gun down.” I continued. He didn’t respond, but his gun did, it’s answer spat out, and landed in Jake’s stomach, and he and Sandy screamed. I raised my gun, and he turned to me. We both fired, his bullet hit just under my chest, mine into his neck. I fell to my knees, and he to his. I struggled to move my gun up, and put another round into his head. I didn’t want to watch him suffer as I did Ray. I used my hands to move past him, to get to Jake who was breathing erratically, his eyes wide. I put my hand on the side of his head.

“I’m…really…sorry,” I said, my eyes were tearing.

“Yeah, well, it doesn’t matter does it, neither of us will make it, will we?” He said.

“Pretty doubtful, to be honest,” I said, still tearing, though he went limp halfway through my sentence. I brushed his hair away from his forehead, and kissed it, then left my head on his.

“I’m sorry, I’m so goddamn sorry.” I said, crying. I rolled onto my back, Sandy was looking down at me, teary-eyed.

“She’s dead,” Sandy said.

“Yeah, I know.” I said.

“I’ve managed to kill all my friends in about ten minutes, what a fucking accomplishment,” I said through gritted teeth, my anger directed at myself. I looked at Andrea in agony, and grabbed her hand.

“So, this is what you meant when you said you were going to die,” Sandy said.

“Yeah, this is what I meant. I’m sorry you got caught in the crossfire…so to speak. Sorry I didn’t warn you,” I said.

“I’ll live,” she said.

“I hope I’m so lucky. But the blood in my mouth, and oozing from my stomach is giving me doubts.” I said.

“Goodbye, for now. I’ll see you in another 80 or 90 years.” I said. Sandy leaned down and pressed her lips against mine. In the background I heard sirens, coming closer. Sandy let go, and I saw the sirens on the ceiling and walls.

“Sorry about the blood on your lips,” I said. I exhaled, and some blood shot from my mouth, some landed on Sandy’s cheek, the rest on my face. It was impossible to tell how many tears were coming out, her eyes were sinks; constant fluid. At least I won’t have to live with such a horrific memory in my head, I thought to myself, and black washed over my vision.