You Better Run

287 words

The gun pointed at the end of Jackson Barrett’s nose didn’t mean anything to him. He gave dead eyes to his assailant.

He worked with these cretins all day every day as a criminal defense lawyer. It was hard to watch.

He waited for the guy to gather enough wits to ask him for his wallet, maybe the keys to his car. But doubted he knew how to drive.

“Give me your wallet,” the mugger finally demanded.

He immediately complied.

“So are you gonna shoot me now or turn and run?”

“One’s life in prison, maybe the needle. The other I can get you out of jail today. No bail.”

Jackson figured the guy needed all the help he could get with his next plan of action.

The mugger looked confused.

“What business is that of yours?”

“Well it is my nose. And you do have my wallet with all my ID.”

“Ahhh… Yeah…. Then you got no more need for money or ID because I’m gonna shoot your face off.”

“Did you remember to put bullets in that gun?”

Mugger turned the gun around and hit the barrel into the palm of his hand, checking for rattling bullets. His face paled.

Jackson waited patiently for him to finish.

“Hey man, ‘You aren’t scared, are you?’ How come?”

“You aren’t a very scary guy.”

“Says who!” Mugger snarled and slammed the possibly unloaded gun into the lawyer’s chest, right over his heart if he had one.

In one swift movement the gun changed from Mugger’s hand to Barrett’s hand.

Shocked, Mugger started backing away holding out a palm as a target.

“Toss the wallet on the ground. Then run. I don’t have time to defend you.”