99 to Nowhere

by DOMINO

  I continued screaming as I felt his hot tongue run down the back of my neck. I tried to turn over so I could kick him off me, but his weight over powered me. I could only scream and bang my fists into the comforter. His hand pushed down on the back of my head, pressing my face into the mattress to muffle my screams.

  "You like that, don't you?" He snarled roughly in my ear, his hot breath heating up the side of my face as he struggled to get my pants all the way off.

  I felt his hands pulling at my panties and I continued screaming at the top of my lungs. His hands were hot as I felt him squeezing roughly on my rear and thighs.

  "I'm gonna kill you! I swear on my life I'm gonna kill you!" I screamed and realized he got more pleasure from me fighting him.

  I was trying to catch my breath and fight him at the same time when I felt his finger enter me roughly and he moaned in my ear. I screamed until my throat was raw and then felt him rip off my panties.

  "I'm gonna kill you!" I continued to scream. I was trying to breathe and push him off my back, all at once.

  "You like this, don't you? I'm gonna fuck the screams out of you" He grunted.

  I heard his zipper echo loudly in my ears and I squeezed my eyes tight, praying for god to help me as I tried to breathe. I was sobbing in between my tears when I suddenly I felt the weight of his body release mine and the room became chaotic.

  "I'm gonna kill you!" I turned over to see Rio on top of him, pounding him in the face.

  Blood splattered on the walls as he continued to beat him unmercifully and Evan helped me to my feet. I pulled up my jeans recklessly.

  "Let’s kill this sick bastard!" Cory yelled and kicked Mr. Johnson in the face.

  I searched on the floor for the butcher knife as I tried to wipe the tears from my eyes.

  "You piece of shit!" I screamed after I found it and dove toward him.

  I could feel the blade slicing his skin open. I stabbed him in the shoulder, just missing his heart. I pulled it out to stab him again, but stopped when Rio grabbed my wrist and took it from me. Cory kicked him again in the face and stomach, repeatedly, until he stopped moving.

  Mr. Johnson slumped over, his body twitching as blood seeped from his chest. I was praying he bled to death as I tried to catch my breath and wipe his blood off my sweater.

  "That's enough—" Rio ordered, and pulled Cory away.

  Cory’s face was contorted with rage before he spit on Mr. Johnson's chest.

  "I hate that piece of shit" Cory growled and spit on him again. "He tried to rape the last girl that stayed her too, sick bastard"

  I was still trying to catch my breath when Rio pulled me to him, my heart was beating erratically.

  "You alright?" He shook me to get my attention and look him in the eyes. "Maxx, look at me, are you alright?"

  "Yeah—" I answered.

  My tears continued flowing down my cheeks. Evan took the butcher knife from Rio and ran into the bathroom. I could hear the water running in the sink and I knew he was trying to wash it clean.

  "You two get out of here—" Evan advised after he came out. "Eva will be back within the hour. I snuck out when I noticed he disappeared. I knew he was coming for you Maxx"

  "He's was just waiting to get you alone—" Cory added and kicked Mr. Johnson once more in the stomach. "I hate that bastard"

  I turned my attention to Rio. "How did you find me?" My mind was still racing.

  "Cory found me; Evan called and told us you were alone. We stopped and picked him up on the way" He answered and looked down at Mr. Johnson"

  "I know you said two months Maxx, but I can't. Sorry to break a promise" Evan sighed, took the butcher knife out of the towel, and tossed it on Mr. Johnson's stomach. "Cory and I are gonna drive to Kentucky, find my mom, and start fresh there. I typed up a long email last night, sending it to the local newspaper and his job, telling them of his raping ways. That includes the other two girls that stayed here. I told them of all the embezzling he's done at the bank. They'll think it was someone he was doing dirty business with and let the rest of town think what they will, but we all gotta get the hell outta here"

  I nodded and snatched up my backpack. "Get me out of here Rio" I said as I wiped my eyes.

  "Gonna take you two to the truck and then we're out" Cory motioned for us to follow him.

  We ran outside and around the corner. They told me that they stole a car so they wouldn't suspect him if they saw his mustang. We sat silently in the stolen ford and waited for Evan; he came running back with his own backpack and jumped into the front seat.

  "Get the hell out of here Cory" He said breathlessly before Cory sped out of the neighborhood.

  We drove into town, ditched the stolen car, and sprinted the next four blocks to Cory's hidden mustang in an empty alley. They drove us down to 5th street where Cory parked and Evan let Rio and me out of the car.

  "I got this old truck, it should get us out of here" Rio said holding my backpack.

  "Evan—" I shook my head in disbelief at everything that happened, I was still in shock. "I didn't want you involved in this"

  "I'm gonna be fine, we're all gonna be fine" He replied. He kissed my forehead and hugged me tight before he touched his fist to Rio's. "Just get out of here and don't ever come back. Remember my email?"

  "Evansfree@yahoo" I whispered.

  He winked before he jumped back into the front seat. Cory honked his horn before they sped away and I turned to Rio and felt his arms enfold me.

  I looked him in the eye and exhaled. "Let's go"

  THIRTY SIX

  He helped me into an old brown pickup truck and we sat in silence, both of us, too scared to speak, scared someone would hear our voice and find us before he started the truck and drove us away.

  He pulled over to the side of the road when we were miles out of Millington. He got out of the truck, walked over to my side, and opened the door. I was confused, but jumped onto the side of the road and looked up at him, so many questions flew through my mind, but they were all stifled when he pulled me to him, squeezing me tightly. He whispered he was sorry, over and over, as I cried into his chest.

  "I'm sorry Maxx" He choked and I knew he was crying with me.

  He held me tight until he wiped away his own tears and let me go to look down at me. The moonlight played in his green eyes, making them glow brightly.

  "I searched for you; I had no idea where they took you—" He shook his head. “I wasn't leaving Millington without you—"

  "It's alright, I searched for you too. I left Mr. Horne a letter and—"

  He kissed me softly and hugged me once more. "Tell me about it once we get out of here. I just had to hold you, I missed you"

  "I missed you so much" I whispered, after he started the truck and we got back on the road.

  It was still dark outside and I rested my head on his shoulder, my arm wrapped around his free one, I wanted to make sure he was still there when I fell asleep. I kissed him and closed my eyes; he was my protector and my lover. He was my world, and now, he was also my salvation.

  THIRTY SEVEN

  I don't know how long I slept, but when I woke up I knew we were far from Millington. Rio was pulling into an old motel and the loud popping rocks beneath the old trucks tires, shattered the quiet world around us.

  "How long have we been driving?" I asked after he pulled up to the rental office. "How long was I sleep?"

  "Not long, about three hours or so" He cracked his neck and then rested his forehead on the steering wheel. "I'm tired, we gotta rest some"

  I agreed before he got out of the truck and went to rent us a room. I still felt I could sleep for days; I was exhausted, mentally and physically. I looked around me and still felt that Mr. Johnson would wake up and find me. I locked the doors and waited impatiently for Rio to return.

  "Got it" He slapped the hood of the truck before he jumped in.

  "Good" I tried to smile.

  I knew he needed to rest just as much as I did and
I couldn't wait to take a shower, I could still smell Mr. Johnson's hot breath on me and I wanted to scrub my body and my mind clean. I wanted to forget.

  We walked in the old motel room and I stared around after he locked the door. He dropped our backpacks on the floor at his feet and motioned for me to come to him. I did so without hesitation and exhaled when I felt his arms holding me tightly. I closed my eyes once more and felt him pick me up and lay me on the bed. I looked up at his tired eyes and held my hand to his cheek.

  "I love you Rio" I whispered.

  "Love you more" He closed his eyes when I ran my hands softly through his hair. He got on the bed next to me and pulled me close. We were asleep before we knew it.

  THIRTY EIGHT

  "Rio?" I sat up in the bed when I realized he wasn't beside me. "Rio?"

  I threw the covers off me and rubbed my eyes before I went into the bathroom to find him not there. I realized I was still dressed and began to think of where he would go. I glanced to the floor, realized his backpack was still there, and assumed he went to grab us something to eat, so I took a long shower and changed clothes.

  After another thirty minutes of waiting on the edge of the bed and looking at the local news, I began to worry. I began to think of all the places he could have gone and decided to go out looking for him. I snatched my coat out of the closet and threw it on, knowing he had the only key I had to be sure I would be all right if I couldn't get back in. I pulled my hat and mittens on and opened the door, only to scream and stumbled backward, he was standing before me, positioned to put the key in the door.

  "Where the hell have you been?" I slammed the door after he walked in.

  "I had to walk down a few blocks to use a phone" He huffed and started to take off his coat.

  "To call who?" I asked curiously.

  "Mr. Horne" He answered and rubbed his flushed cheeks vigorously, trying to warm them up. "I wanted to know the results of my test"

  My anger that he left without my knowledge, suddenly left me completely. "What did he say?"

  He frowned and threw his hat to the floor. "Not in yet, he said maybe tomorrow"

  "Oh" I realized I was holding my breath and exhaled. "Doesn't matter, I'm positive you passed" I took off my coat and sat down opposite of him at the table.

  "I'm positive too, but I need that paperwork" He leaned back in his chair and looked at me. "I'm gonna have to get an address to have it mailed to or I'm gonna have to sneak back into Millington to get it"

  I sat up. "You can't go back there Rio, we can't go back—" I began.

  "Nobody said anything about you going back, Maxx" He answered. "I can go back—"

  "Like hell" I slammed my fist on the table. “If Mr. Johnson didn't die, and I hope to hell he did, he can identify you and me, all of us—" I shook my head defiantly. "If he does, you'll end up in jail Rio. You're not a minor, you’re eighteen now"

  He scoffed and shook his head. "I've managed pretty well so far and I'll be alright, no worries"

  He picked up my hand, it was still clenched in a tight fist on the table, and intertwined his fingers in mine.

  "I need that paperwork so I can get started with the life I want for us, and Mr. Johnson isn't gonna stop me from getting it" He squeezed my hand and gave me a quick wink. "No worries Maxx"

  I nodded in agreement, but knew deep down inside I had more worries than he would ever know.

  THIRTY NINE

  Rio and I decided to stay a few more days in the motel so we would be close enough to get back to Millington, yet far enough not to be caught. The thought of getting caught wouldn't escape my mind and I knew I would end up killing myself if they put me back in the juvenile detention center.

  "Why so glum, cheer up. This isn't the end of the world, Maxx" He stated told me after he took his ear buds out of his ear.

  He had been listening to his IPOD next to me while I stared at the TV in a daze. I had no idea what the news anchor was talking about, but I still continued to stare at it.

  "Give me one reason why I shouldn't be?" I frowned and leaned my head against the headboard of the bed. I had been growing restless the past few days. I wanted his results so we could get started with the life we both wanted. Let's go call, I have a feeling"

  "Do you?" He sat up on the edge of the bed and twirled his IPOD cord between his fingers. "Let's go then, get dressed"

  I rolled off the bed and caught my coat midair when he tossed it to me.

  "I have a good feeling, Rio" I said it, but it didn't sound very chipper. I still worried, if he passed, he may end up living his dreams without me.

  "I need you to sound more positive than" He released a slight chuckle and held open the door for me.

  The air was still bitter cold, but we managed to make the walk to the phone booth up the street.

  "I can't believe they still make these things" He muttered and rammed a few quarters into the machine. "We really gotta get cellphones"

  I nodded in agreement before he began to talk. I listened to a few, yups, and okay's, impatiently, searching his face for any sign of good news. I found my hand on his shoulder, staring up at him with wide anxious eyes.

  "Well, that's that" He said after he hung up the phone.

  "What did they say?" I asked and shoved my mittens into my coat pockets.

  "What do you think they said?" He asked expressionless.

  He didn't look happy, his green eyes didn't twinkle, and I felt my shoulders slump with defeat.

  "They still don't have the results yet" I directed my attention to the passing cars that sped by us, splashing dirty snow and ice into the air that had accumulated on the road. "I'm tired of this waiting game. I want to get out of here, I still feel we are too close to Millington—"

  He stared down at his shoes and furrowed his brow before he pulled my hands out of my pockets. I displayed a slight smile when he kissed both of my cold mittens.

  "Let's go" He grinned. "We gotta pack what little we do have—"

  I panicked and quickly pulled him back. “They found us?"

  "No beautiful" His green eyes twinkled deviously. "We gotta get to Georgia to start our new lives"

  I snatched my hands from his and shoved him hard in the chest. I tried to push him into the snow.

  "You liar!" I tried not to laugh, but managed to scream with excitement instead when he swooped me up quickly and spun me around. "I hate you!" I began to laugh happily.

  "I know you do, but I also know you love me more" He pecked my lips quickly before he put me back down. "Let's get the hell outta here—"

  I held his hand tightly as I ran alongside him back to the motel, excitement in my eyes and hope in my heart.

  FORTY

  It took a few hours before we reached the outskirts of Millington and Rio pulled over on the side of the road and stopped the truck.

  "Okay, I'm gonna walk from here" He said as he pulled down his knit cap on his long locks.

  "No, what are you talking about?" I gripped his arm. "That's at least two hours or more, you'll freeze"

  "No I won't" He sighed. "You can't go back to Millington Maxx. The cops are still looking for you I’m sure—"

  "I'll duck down in the seat, nobody will know" I countered.

  "No" He shoved his hands in his gloves and zipped up his coat.

  "Rio, listen to me" I put my hands on his cheeks so he could look me in the eye. "I'm going with you, I'll just be careful"

  "We can't risk it" He removed my hands from his cheeks defiantly,

  "How about this, how about we drive close enough, but far enough. Down the street from 5th, not far from the place we left Evan and Cory" I displayed the saddest face I could muster. "I don't want you that far from me, Rio"

  "I don't feel good about it, Maxx, I don't—" He shook his head in disagreement.

  "Please" I persisted. "It will be the last time we are even near that horrible town. I wanna see you piss in the snow there—" I tried to make him laugh and remember he said he wo
uld urinate on the courthouse because he felt the laws were so screwed up there. "Remember?"

  He continued to shake his head no, but when he gave a defeating sigh, I knew I won. He started the truck back up we continued on our way. I could feel my heartbeat increase when we passed the sign to welcome us to the family town of Millington and I rubbed my neck with irritation.