Nowhere to Run

The rustling continues to get closer as Tommy struggles to free himself from the vine. The tips of his fingers are bloody from pricking himself with its small, sharp thorns. It's no use, he thinks, looking for something that'll cut through the stems. 

Eyeing a sharp rock, Tommy tries to grab it but soon discovers it's too far away. Sliding closer he tries again only to find the object is still out of reach. Just a little further, he thinks, stretching his body out as far as it can go.The vine digs deep into his wounds when he tries again. Clenching his teeth, he continues to reach for the gravel.The weeds penetrate further into his skin as his fingertips graze its sharp edge. I'm almost there, he thinks. Extending his arm out further, Tommy tries to scoop it up. His palm taps the corner scooting it away. "Damn it."

He starts to try again when he notices a bush quivering in the distance. He glances towards the rock and then the shrubbery again. I have to hurry. Planting the tips of his shoes in the dirt, he lifts himself up with his left arm, his right arm extended out as far as it could go. I hope this works.He propels himself forward with his toes towards the sharp stone. Feeling the cold object hit the palm of his hand, Tommy scoops it up, landing face first in the dirt. 

Wiping the soil from his eyes,Tommy sits up and begins cutting through the vine. The bushes rattle again. 

Terrified, he moves the sharp object faster across his restraint. "Come on, come on, please work, please work," he begs, nervously glancing ahead. The shrubbery shakes in front of him as Tommy continues to move the rock back and forth. The thick vegetation around his leg starts to give way. I'm almost there. The brush rattles again. Come on come on, he nervously thinks, sawing at rapid speed. 

Tommy sees something emerge from the bushes from the corner of his eye. Glancing over he finds a little cottontail hopping across the path. "I was scared of that?" Chuckling, he continues to cut through the vine. 

He's working on the last strand when the dogs yap nearby. The canines are closing in. He moves his arm back and forth as fast as he can. The last of the fibers break. Springing to his feet Tommy dashes away. 

Running to the warehouse, Tommy pounds on the old wooden door. "Please be here, please be here," he begs. Nervously glancing over his shoulder, he pounds again. The door slowly opens. "Mr. Hernandez, oh, thank god you're here," he says, Pushing the boss out of the way, he closes the metal barrier then secures the locks into place.

"What's going on, son?"

"The cops are on my ass and I need to use the tunnel to get away." He explains, racing away. 

"Cops. You didn't bring them here did you?"Hernendez asks.

"I lost them a few miles back. Tommy is punching in the code when they hear a deep voice say. "Police, open up."

"Run, Tommy, run," Hernandez orders, darting towards the back.

***

Jimmy is sleeping on a church pew when he's woken by sirens zooming past. Something that's seldom heard in this small, sleepy down. He darts outside to find a horde of officers gathering around the warehouse. I hope Tommy's not in there, he thinks, watching the scene unfold. Glancing around, Jimmy notices a canine barking frantically at the corner of the lot.

"Go get him, boy," the officer orders, releasing the harness. The canine runs towards the woods, the officer is close behind. The warehouse door flies open, two cops drag a tall, beefy man through the door. Several gangly looking dudes are escorted out shortly after. 

They didn't get Tommy after all. Relieved, he turns to go back inside. A greasy-haired young man steps up beside him. 

The man looks like a walking skeleton covered with a thin layer of skin, his teeth are mere rotten slivers protruding from his swollen gums.

"Hey man, did you hear what's going down?"

"No, what?"

"They've just arrested the town's main drug supplier."

"Really?"

Pointing he says, "Him and all of his crew. Guess we'll have to go to Harrison to get our stuff now."

"You don't need it anyhow."

"Yeah, whatever, man."

"Why do they have the canines?"

"One of his accomplices ran towards the woods. I don't think he'll get too far though, not the way he's bleeding the way he is."

"He's bleeding?"

"Yeah, man, like a sieve."

"What did this accomplice look like?"

"He was around six feet with sandy blond hair."

"It's Tommy," he shrieks.

"You know him, man?"

"Yeah, he's my bro, well, he's like my bro. We're really tight."

"Gotcha."

Picturing Tommy being gunned down in the woods, Jimmy says, "I've got to help him, but I'm not sure how."

"I don't know what to tell you, man."

Jimmy glances towards the officers, and then the woods again. I could meet him on the other side and take him across state lines. He starts towards his car then remembers leaving it at Tommy's place. "Do you have a car?"

"All I got is this trike."

Eyeing it Jimmy says, "Give me the keys." 

"Yeah, I don't know about that. I mean my dad bought it for me and if it gets torn up..."

"Take me to him then." Seeing him hesitate, Jimmy continues. "You don't want my friend mutilated by that mutt, do you?"

"No, but..."

"Take me to him then." Jimmy orders, jumping on the bike.

***

Linda's been having this feeling that something bad is about to happen all day long. No matter what she says or does this gut-wrenching feeling just wouldn't go away. The anxiety is so bad that it's making her ill.

Maybe I should call Jimmy, find out if he's heard fromTommy. She starts to dial his number when she hears the announcer's voice boom across the TV.

"This just came in: the police have captured two known criminals and are on a manhunt for the third." A picture flashes across the screen.

"It's Daddy, it's Daddy," Chris chants.

Linda glances at the TV. "Oh my God, it is," Running across the room, she turns it up.

"This man is thought to be armed and dangerous. If you see him, do not try to approach. You should seek safety immediately, and then call your local PD."

"Armed and dangerous? Tommy doesn't have a gun. Not one that I know of anyhow. I have to call Jimmy, find out if he knows what's going on." The phone goes straight to voicemail. "Damn it, Jimmy." She slams her phone on the table. 

"Language Aunt Linda," Chris corrects, pointing toward the potty mouth jar.

"Right, sorry." Taking a quarter from her pocket, she puts it into the pot. Something she's been doing quite frequently these past few days.

Evelyn darts out of the kitchen to find her friend pacing back and forth. "What's wrong, Linda?"

"The police are after Tommy."

"Do you know where he might be?"

"I think so." She glances out the window, and adds, "But I'll lead the cops straight to him if I go." They'd been parked out back since this all began.

"Take my car then." She tosses Linda her keys. Placing her head on Linda's head she says, "Now they'll think you're me."

"What about the boys?"

"I'll stay here until you get back."

"Thanks, Evelyn, you're the greatest." Linda grabs her purse and heads towards the door. She'd just made it to the hallway when her phone vibrated in her hand. "Tommy?" she answers.

"Sorry, Linda, it's just me returning your call."

"What's going on? Have you heard from him? Is he alright? Please,Jimmy, please, you have to tell me what's going on."

"Slow down."

Taking a deep breath, she tries again. "Have you talked to him?"

"Not since this morning, but someone saw him running towards the woods. "I'm trying to find him before the police do."

"The woods, near the park?"

"Yeah, why do you know where he might go?"

"I think..." Remembering the phones are tapped she stops.

"What, Linda, what?"

"Sorry, I didn't want little ears to hear. Go on Tommy, go play with your sister Jenny in the cave. I'll call you right back, once I get Tommy and Jenny settled in the cave, alright?"

"OK, but.." The call disconnects.

I hope he understands, she thinks as she heads towards Evelyn's car.

Jimmy continues to search the woods when something Linda said makes him pause. "Wait a minute; Tommy doesn't have a little girl, does he? No, he has four boys. They don't have a boy named Tommy either. I don't think they do. I know they talked about it, but I thought they decided against it. Let's see, there's Chris, Adam, Gabe, and oh, what's the oldest one's name? Timmy, that's it. So why did she say what she did? Was she trying to tell me something? Jen and Tommy in the cave? What's that supposed to mean? What did she mean when she said little ears? Ears, was she talking about the phone being bugged? Yeah, that's what she meant, but what about Tommy playing with his sister in the cave? Tommy and Jenny in the cave, he repeats. I know what she means now," he says as he dashes through the woods.