Goodbye America, I Loved You (2)

(An American Tragedy)
a fictional series - short form
#2 of 15 (or so) offered between now and election day November 4th, 2008
The Beginning

“I’ll go when I’m done here,” Jenny said with no hesitation, then asked “Who is we, Billy?” “You know, there are guys all over the place, that’s all,” Billy said. But Jenny could tell he was being less than forthright with her. She said nothing and let his comment linger in the air--the way one needs to so as not to erase the clanking sound of a spoken lie. She just looked at him, waiting for a better answer. Billy made one motion of his hand and three more young men walked out of the woods and joined him. “You know who those guys in the jeep are?” Billy said to Jenny. She answered, “Of course, the Army.” “Not the Army you think, Jen, they’re the New Guard—the President's private plug-uglies,” Billy schooled her, “Most of them are ex-cons the ‘Liberation Nation’ recruited in prison, they were handed uniforms after the 'great inmate-release' of ought-twelve. They’re looking for us.” He stopped, noticing that she wasn’t listening to him, then tried to get her attention, “Jenny?” Moving her eyes back to Billy from the larger of the young men gathered, she said, “I’m sorry, Billy,” then she returned her gaze to the big guy, “You’re Brave Dave Mitchell, huh?” The tall, well-favored Dave removed his cap and nodded yes. “I used to watch you play football when I was a freshman and you were a senior,” Jenny said. Billy jumped in, saying, “Yeah, yeah, all-state quarterback. That was a lifetime ago, now they want his head on a platter.” Jenny found the reality of the moment again, “What do you mean they’re after you?” she asked. "We got in some trouble up north, it’s not important, but you have to get out of here,” he said with urgency. “I told you, I’ll go as soon as I can,” she said with a calm, strong voice. “Look, there’s other reasons you shouldn’t be here,” Billy said--an air of authority rang true in his voice. “Like what?” she responded.

With that, two more disheveled men with long hair, ripped clothes, and bad hygiene stepped out into the clearing from the brush. “Oh, great!” Billy said as he saw the situation getting out-of-control, “Like them!” he answered Jenny. One of the two pushed the smaller one, hard, knocking him off balance while yelling out between his yellow teeth, “I told you!” then he turned to the group, “I can smell a woman a mile away!” Jenny turned to Billy, saying, "Are they with you, too?" Billy shook his head no. The smaller one gained his footing and nudged his partner, acknowledging Billy, “Hey, that's?” The yellow one finished the sentence for his friend, saying, “Willy McNichols. You’re in a heap-o-shit, brother. I heard you stole some serious shiat.” Billy took a few steps toward him, “It’s Nichols, William Nichols,” then Dave reached out a strong hand and stopped Billy from moving any closer, saying to him, “We don’t need this, Wil.” “Yeah, Wil, you don’t need this,” said the smaller of the two—his partner added, “You gonna share your little feline, right, Willy? Rules of the hills.” “Why don't you guys just move on, not today, boys!” Billy said, believing his adamant tone would end the debate. But the two scruffians pulled their handguns, holding the group at bay, "That's not very hospitable of you, Willy." the leader of the two said as he motioned for Jenny to join him, "Come along now, little lady.” Dave moved to the front of the pack, “Not on your life,” he said, his resolve left the challange with no uncertain terms, as both stooges aimed their weapons up at his head. Then Jenny stepped forward and put a hand on Dave’s arm as she moved in front of him, “It’s okay Dave, thank you,” she said.

Looking the two miscreants in the eye, Jenny said, “Who’s first?” The two smiled, showing their years of decay, and the smaller of them volunteered, but his partner simply backhanded him in the chops, knocking him to the ground and on his ass. Standing in front of Jenny, the leader of the two proceeded to unzip his pants and said, “Well, alright!” as she moved closer to him and whispered in his ear, “How ’bout a little privacy?” then pointed her nose at the secluded brush. The grunge-monster offered a wry smile, “If they make a move, shoot ‘em. We’ll probably get a reward,” he said to his seated partner. Then he grabbed Jenny’s hand and pulled her into the woods, out of sight. They weren’t gone but for a few seconds before a loud thud and branches snapping came from the brush. Dave and Billy took a quick step toward the noise, but the gun-wielding dimwit adjusted his aim on them, stopping them in their tracks. Shaking like a leaf, he called into the woods, to his partner, “Skippy, you okay? SKIPPY?!” The woods were quiet.