American Assassins

Chapter 36: Ronnie

She stands there for minute before taking a step forward.  Then dropping her doll, rushing over to me, taking the can in her scrawny hands and devouring the can like she’s a little animal, afraid it will be taken away from her. 

I stand back up and watch her.  She then looks up once at me.  I grin once and she gives me the slightest smile she can muster, then runs back to her doll.  I take one last look at the girl before walking back to the group.  They all stare at me, like I just murdered someone.  “What, it’s just one can.”  I say.

“We know, it’s just really nice what you did.”  Saige declares looking back at the little girl.  “Her parents are probably dead.  She has nowhere to live.”  Saige then turns her eyes towards me.  “She’s an Outcast.”

Kimberley looks down with a sullen face.  That’s probably what we all looked like at one point in our lives.  I open my mouth to say something then sigh, depressed.  Even if we could take her along, she would never make it.  No matter what we could do for her, she would die in a short period of time.  Her life is dwindling away as we know it. 

Kimberley looks at her again before turning around and walking towards the entrance of the bar with Blake beside her. We follow them into the weary place. 

It is dark and smells of alcohol and stale bear.  Men are all cheering and yelling around a wrestling ring.  Kimberley though ignores them and walks over to a bar in the far wall.

                Men were sitting at tables watching the other drunk people scream for a fight being held in the ring. A man picks another man up and pounds him to the ground.  I flinch watching in horror as the man viciously punches the man on the ground.  The smaller man squirms under him trying to figure out what to do.

                I flinch at each blow and soon have to turn my head.                  

                A woman soon sees us and she comes over.  “What are you kids doing in a bar like this?”

                “Looking for directions.”  Kimberley says.

                The woman looks at one of us then goes down the line, scrutinizing each of us from top to bottom.  As she does that, I look at her. Her hair is shaved on one side while the other side has it pin straight only going down to her jaw bone.  It is black then changes to red half way down.  She wears a black tank top showing off her muscles and tattoos on her arms.  A scar runs down her cheek and down her neck.  Her eyes are a brown, chestnut. She seems in her early twenties.  

She grins at us like we’re easy prey to kill.  “You kids aren’t from around here, are you?”

“What makes you say that?”  Saige snaps.

“Well, let’s see.  Youngun’s like you never walk into a bar like this, you’re not wearing beat up clothes, and your all are together.”  She grins picking up a glass and cleans the inside.  “Where you kids from huh?”

“Northern Michigan, traveled a long way to get here.”  Blake answers. 

“Where you travelin’?”  She asks curious leaning over the bar table.  A loud pound rings throughout the bar.  We all turn to see the bigger man standing up showing off his muscles in victory.  The other man, that was fighting him, is sprawled out on the floor not moving.

“What the hell?”  I say freaked out. “Is he…dead?” I ask slowly.  Pointing to the man.

“Probably.”  The woman says putting the glass away not even caring.  “Yeah, this bar isn’t a kid friendly joint punks.  You guys better get going.”