Run for Your Life

The sun sparkles brightly from the cloudless blue skies. Birds sing happily all around them. Granny sits motionless in her seat, unsure of what she should do. She glances in the rearview mirror to find a cruiser coming up behind them. A second is idling in front of her. Heavy traffic is blocking her on the left. Her eyes fill with tears when a horrid thought comes to mind. This is the end of my killing spree.

She suddenly recalls some of the dunks they took down. We did get a few off the streets, but there are so many more.

Granny suddenly recalls a prison scene on TV. The horrid conditions weren't fit for an animal to live in, let alone a human being. She then recalls the commentary saying the population has well exceeded the limit and that this congested environment has caused an increase in violence, riots, and prison breaks. He went on to say thousands of prisoners die every day. Maybe they'll put me somewhere safe because of my age. She then recalls seeing older prisoners in with the general population. Her stomach tightens into a knot. That'll be the end of me for sure.

Hopping on the seat, Jackie looks around. "What's going on?"

Granny glances over. With tears streaming down her face, she says, "We're caught."

Jackie first sees a squad car parallel to theirs. She then sees a second cruiser blocking them in. Panic-stricken, Jackie reaches for the door. Shoving the metal barrier open, she swings her legs around. "I don't know about you, but I'm not going down without a fight."

Grabbing her arm, Granny screams, "They will gun you down."

She looks around to find a couple of beat cops coming up behind. She sees two more coming from the opposite way. She glances at her partner, nods, and says, "I doubt if I would make it to the door."

Wrapping her arm around her aching stomach, Granny rests her head against the wheel. I don't know how much more of this I can take.

"Are you alright?" Jackie questions, watching Granny's face turn a ghostly white.

Granny feels bile rise in her throat as she breaks into a cold sweat. "I'm about to get sick."

Jackie's eyes light up as she points toward the cruiser in front of them. "He's moving on."

Granny looks up to find the car driving off. The one behind them pulls around and then parks in the empty slot. "It must be a change in shifts." she laughs.

"I've never been so scared in my life."

"Me either, Granny says, watching the first cruiser fade out of sight. She looks over to find the beat cops chatting it up with the one that just pulled in. She looks back to see the traffic slowing down. "Get down on the floorboard."

"Again?"

"You don't want them to see you, do you?"

"Good point." Closing her door, Jackie scrunches to the floor.

Seeing a delivery truck about to pass, Granny pulls out behind it and then slides to the far left lane. "That's the way, buddy, shield me from those nasty old cops." She smiles, keeping her speed even with the trucks.

"Is it over?" Jackie nervously asks, shifting around.

"We're almost there."

"Please hurry." Jackie repositions herself trying to relieve the cramps in her legs. "Oh, damn it."

Granny sees Jackie wiggling around on the floorboard. "What's wrong?"

"I've got to pee."

Granny squirms in her seat. "Now that you mentioned it. Ok, you can get up now."

Jackie sees that her building is surrounded by cops when she climbs up. "What are we going to do?" she asks, turning around.

"We need to find a bathroom and then get out of dodge."

***

Granny starts to pull onto the highway when she sees checkpoints up ahead. Terrified, she slams on her brakes. Tires squeal behind them. Jackie lunges face-first into the dash.

"What the hell, Granny?" Jackie asks, rubbing the knot on her head.

Granny points ahead. "The cops have roadblocks on the highway."

Jackie turns to find traffic accumulating behind them. Many are honking their horn. "Well, you can't stop here."

Granny points to the barricade up ahead. "I can't go to the highway either."

"Pull to the shoulder of the road."

Granny does as she's told. A few angry drivers say harsh words while others give her the bird when they pass. "I...I don't know what to do?" she exclaims, frighteningly watching the officers move from car to car.

"I know a back road that'll take us to Missouri."

"Are you sure it's safe?"

Jackie points ahead. "It's a lot safer than that."

"So, how do I get there from here?"

"Take the road to your left.."

"That?" Granny asks, pointing to a dirt path.

"Trust me."

"Alright. Granny cautiously pulls onto the beaten trail. "Now what?"

Turn left on Oak Street and follow it around." Jackie glances over to find the speedometer pegging fifty. "You might want to slow down because the road will get rugged soon."

The tires squeal as they fishtail around a corner. "You didn't warn me about these hairpin curves," Granny yells, pulling the wheel to the right.

"You want me to take over?"

Granny death grips the steering wheel. "I've got it now."

Jackie grabs hold of the dash as they slide around another curve. "Are you sure?"

"I've been driving longer than you've been born, Granny snaps."

"Geez, you don't have to get so testy with me."

"I'm tired of people implying that I'm too old to drive."

"That's not what I'm saying. I thought it'd be easier for me since I know these roads and you don't.

Granny considers the offer and says, "I'll let you drive on one condition."

"What's that?"

"You'll promise not to run her hard."

Jackie taps the dash. "I'll treat her like she's my own."

That's no comfort, Granny thinks, remembering the shape of her partner's car. She glances at the road as bile rises to her throat. I don't know how much more I can take of this. "If I say enough is enough, you'll switch back?"

"I promise."

Pulling to the shoulder, Jackie hops out. Granny slides across. Once they've settled, Jackie glances over and says, "Hang on."

"Jackie," Granny warns.

Jackie chuckles. "I'm just kidding. But you should have seen the look on your face." Laughing, she pulls away.

They only make it a few feet when they see a vehicle flying down the center of the road. Jerking the car to the right, Jackie slams on her brakes. Their Lincon skids to a stop. Its right front tire is hanging over the edge of a cliff. Turning toward Granny, Jackie asks, "Are you alright?"

"I think so."

Jackie points to her partner's head. "You're bleeding."

Granny raises her hand to her forehead, wincing from the pain when she touches the spot. She discovers blood on her fingers when she brings them back down. Taking a Kleenex from her purse, Granny presses it against her wound. "I'll be fine. Let's go."

Jackie starts to pull away when she sees a brawny man beside her. She screams.

The intruder reaches in the window and grabs hold of her neck. Tightening his fingers around her skin, he shoves Jackie against her seat.

Jackie tries to pull his hand away. He squeezes harder, causing her to gag.

"Let go of her you... You monster," Granny demands, reaching for her cane.

"What are you going to do about it, old woman?" He sneers, tightening his grip on Jackie's neck.

"I'll show you, old," Granny lifts her cane off the floor and aims.

"I don't think so," another man says, grabbing hold of the cane.