Spam Haiku Story

Close Turnoff Run

Step on the gas,
quick! He's getting way too
close! Turnoff! Run!

I struggled to keep the 350 v8 under control as I took a hard right and left the pavement. I knew this gravel road like the back of my hand, and if there was any chance I was going to pull this off, this was it.

I floored it, barrelling down the hill past Junior's place, my rear fender barely kissing the big ol' oak tree out front as I power slid through the corner. I took a quick peek in the rear-view, sure enough he'd dropped back, the Escalade just couldn't corner like an old '83 Camaro.

But Eduardo wasn't giving up. I could see his left arm reaching out of the side window, trying to point the 9mm in my general direction as he popped off a couple rounds.

I took a quick left into the dirt drive past the side of the old Walker place. I slammed on the brakes, jumped out, and hit the ground running. I was twenty yards into the woods before Eddie pulled up.

I hurried to get to the other side of the swamp, careful to go around the family of copperheads that taken up residence on the main trail.

"Hey Cabron! I know you're een there!" Eduardo called out.

I didn't answer. I hated him and his greasy Cuban boss for what they'd done to my brother. Sure, it was his own fault getting hooked on the shit. but they knew it was killing him, they coulda stopped selling to him. If he went into withdrawal I mighta been able to talk him into detox before his heart gave out.

"Hey pinche white boy! You theenk Juan Carlos ees gonna let you and Marissa run away with hees money! I've keeled men for less!"

I met Marissa at Miss Kitty's place a while back. She tended bar there a couple nights a week, but she didn't dance. She was divorced. Her only child, a teenage son, had OD'd on meth three years ago. We hit it off pretty well, and when we weren't sharing drinks or other activities, we talked about how we'd like to get the hell away from this town.

Marissa also cleaned houses part time, and one of her clients was Juan Carlos. She knew what he did for a living, and she found out where he kept his money. It was only a matter of time before Marissa and I hatched a plan...

"Cabron! Don't make mee come after you! Come out now and geeve back the money! All will be forgeeven!"

I knew damn well If I walked out of the woods I'd get a slug in my chest so I stayed put. "Fuck you Eddie! And your puta madre too!"

Enraged, Eduardo charged into the woods, right down the main path and straight into the snake nest. "AIIYEEE!" he screamed as one bit him in the calf.

He stumbled and hit the ground, the pistol falling from his hand and into the water.

I didn't stick around to see what happened next. "Good luck, Eddie!" I called out. giving the snakes a wide berth as I ran back to my car.

Marissa was waitng for me, with the money. I popped the trunk, threw in the suitcase, and we took off down the road. Southbound on the Georgia Highway Marissa said "Do you think Carlos ees gonna catch us?"

"Not a chance Missy. I got another car stashed for us in Clayton. And we'll be halfway to Savanna before he even notices Eddie is missing...