Lottery 1
Marvin pulled in for gas at the California state line. It was a one pump station surrounded by nothing for miles. He walked in, paid for his gas and some bottled water and asked for the restroom key. He pumped the gas while trying to ignore the noises coming from the trunk.
Jerard watched the man pump gas from behind some junk near the men’s restroom entrance. He drew in a deep breath and pulled back into the shadows as the man drew near.
Marvin put the key into the doorknob of the restroom door when he felt a familiar sensation. The barrel of a gun was pressed against his temple.
“Just give me the keys, that’s all I want.” Jerard said as calmly as he could. “You can keep your wallet and anything else you got.”
Marvin glanced sideways at the car, he could pick up Steven again any time he wanted. Meanwhile, there’s a tracer out on the vehicle. He slid his hand slowly in his pocket and handed the keys to Jerard. “I’m just going to the bathroom,” he said calmly. “Take the car.”
Jerard grabbed the keys and ran to the drivers side of the car.
Marvin hear the door slam and the tires squeal as the car peeled out. “I wonder if the bus stops here.” he asked aloud before entering the restroom.
Jerard turned down a country road and drove as fast as he could.
Steven began to bang on the trunk and kick as much as he could.
The noise in the car began to freak out Jerard, who was sure that it was the speed causing the car to start knocking and making noise. He patted the dashboard, and tried to soothe the car “Just stay with me a little longer, we just have to make it over the border.”
Jerard turned on the radio as loud as it would go, both to drown out the noise and to soothe his nerves. The endless stretch of empty road left his mind to causally drift to the sight of his bloodied girlfriend. He tried to focus, but it was to hard.
Steven quit banging on the trunk in fear it would pop open on a bump and throw him out.
After a while Jerard noticed the car had stopped making noise, the music had calmed him down. He took in a deep breath and turned the music down. He noticed a rest area was ahead, and began to slow down. As he neared the area he noticed it had two covered picnic tables, but no grills. There were large trash bins at the entrance and exit to the area. There was no one for miles in either direction. After taking another deep breath, he pulled in and shut the car off. He closed his eyes for a minute and set his head back on the seat. He started to relax.
Steven began kicking and banging with everything he had in him.
Jerard screamed and jumped out of the car. He held the gun pointed at the back of the car and screamed.
“Call the Police!” Shaniqua yelled at Christine’s mom.
“Mam’!” the voice on the other side of the door called out. “Mam, you called for an ambulance!”
Shaniqua stopped and looked out window. The paramedics waited outside with a stretcher.
“I called them, I called them, I called them…”Christine’s mom said over and over and looked at her daughter on the floor.
Shaniqua opened the door, “She’s here on the floor. Her name is Christine Barrett.” She walked over to the mother and ushered her forward, “This is her mother, I think she’s in some kind of shock.”
“And you are?” The tech with the clipboard asked.
“Shaniqua Paston, I work for KKRY.”
“We’re going to have to take them to county, local doesn’t have space.” the clipboard tech replied. “You can’t accompany them, or inquire about their progress unless your family. Are you family?”
“No.” Shaniqua said softly and shook her head.
“They’ll be taken to county for a seventy three hour mental health evaluation.” the tech clicked the pen closed. “Past that I couldn’t tell you what happens. They either keep them in Psychiatric or release them to go home.”
Christine was loaded on a stretcher and already in the ambulance, as they led her mother to sit inside with her daughter.
“I’m sorry I can’t be more help.” the clipboard tech turned and walked away.
Shaniqua heard a loud clap of thunder and looked up. A dark storm was rolling in. As the ambulance drove off down the road, the wind began to pick up. She just stood there on the porch of Christine’s mother’s house, and the only thing she could think about was ‘There’s no one to lock the front door.’
A flash of lightening lit up the sky and woke her out of her pity party just in time to see that suspicious looking car driving down the road. Quickly she ran inside and shut the door, locking it. She dialed 911, and prayed they would get there in time.