wabi_sabi1090, sebear, littlexkiller. thank you so so much for your reviews, so appreciate it.:)
Paradise found and lost
Ethel gripped the steering wheel tight, glaring over at her handsome son with grave disappointment as he held a world full of trouble wrapped up in a tight body and fiery red hair.
They had been driving for almost forty minutes, he didn't let go of her, never once loosened his grip, or let his heavy lids fall over those heavenly black eyes to dare fall asleep.
It was as if he needed her there with him to exist in this world, she was the breath in his lungs, the current that would direct him down every path from now on, and Ethel knew it.
Peering into the rear view mirror she could see Paul and Eve fast asleep, they had done good, just like always, she knew she could depend on them to save her boy.
Whispering softly, afraid to wake his beloved, Jimmy leaned towards him mother.
"Ma' where are we going?"
He'd been too traumatized to speak up till then, he kept picturing Eve with that blade, slicing across Charles' throat.
The amount of blood that poured down his body seemed endless, like an ocean wave, it was a sight he would soon not forget.
As horrifying as that entire scene was, nothing compared to how terrified he was at coming so close to never seeing his Alice again.
Kissing her softly on her temple he drifted his clawed hand, threading it through her hair, soothing her, lulling her into a better place, a dreamworld where it was just the two of them.
Staring down at the highway, that was nearly deserted at this time of night, with the exception of a random tractor trailer, Ethel let out a long sigh.
"Well Jimmy Darling, we're almost there, we need to lay low for a while, and Ms. Elsa thought this was the ideal place."
Unable to hide his distrust in Elsa, especially knowing her knack for swift justice when it came to disobeying her rules, he couldn't imagine what would happened to them now.
His voice wavered a bit, afraid of the unknown, as he continued to question his mother.
"Again I ask you, exactly where are we going?"
Flicking the signal light on as a small green sign came into sight, Ethel pointed up.
"There, we're headed to Paradise, ain't that ironic?"
Jimmy mouthed the word, knowing very little about the town except that it was small, it was no tourist attraction, just a tiny hick area known for sugar and horse farms.
Then it dawned on him.
"Ma' we can't just show up at her parent's farm."
Flustered, worried for her, he lowered his voice to a harsh whisper.
"They sold her to that bastard we killed back there, they don't care about her, and they certainly won't be accepting of a bunch of carnie folks showing up with their married daughter."
Ethel shook her head, she was growing tired of her son's antics, she was too old to be in the position he had put her in.
"Look, we did some digging, turns out the little girlie's momma and poppa were involved in some insurance fraud, that banker suit tried to cover it up, but… well he's deader than a doornail now, so looks like we got somethin' on them. They'll have no choice but to take us in, it's either that or we expose them, and they go to jail, and ain't nobody wanna end up there."
Shaking his head Jimmy stared out the window as the old truck drove over steep hills, down into vast valley's, it was green and lush, with fields of purple and yellow wildflowers as far as the eye could see, it was beautiful, just as she described.
"No, Alice told me that they let their insurance policy lapse, that's why they did that to her."
Nodding snarkily, Ethel became irritated. "Well yes Jimmy, that's the point. Charles' forged new papers so they could collect and keep the farm, but Elsa got her hands on the originals. With money bags gone we've got them hand over fist."
Turning onto a dirt narrow road, Ethel took out a hand drawn map, with pictures leading the way, since there was no street signs, or neighbors for that matter.
"How do you know all this, I don't understand, and how did Elsa get a hold of the original papers?"
Edging her worrisome eyes down, then up, noting a large Oak tree dead center on a fork in the road. she breathed a sigh of relief.
"We're almost there, look Jimmy we didn't survive this long by being trustin' fools, I knew this girl was trouble, and so did Elsa. She has connections, and one of these connections knew all about that scheming banker."
"But - "
Angry now Ethel barked at him under her breath, "But nothin' I'm tired Jimmy, and frankly I don't feel like going over every darn detail with you. This is bad, do you get that? Real bad. We've done murdered two people tonight, folks that will be missed. Who knows who saw us, or what's going to happen now, all's I know is that we saved your lily white ass, so why don't you just shut it, do as I say, and don't ask me anymore questions"
Lowering his head, Jimmy knew his mother and Eve had killed for him, and in doing so had saved Alice, cowering within himself he nodded slowly accepting his mother's demands.
Soon the road curved up a winding hill revealing a large old farm house and a new huge red barn close by with stables and almost a dozen horses.
All he could think about was Alice, how she would handle this, if she would be happy to be back at her farm, or mortified to face her folks, the people that sold her out to a tyrant.
Jumping out of the truck, Ethel walked around to the back deciding not to wake Eve and Paul.
Reaching inside the seat for her purse she glared up at Jimmy, "I would do somethin' with that bloody hammer, I don't think it's a good idea to leave a murder weapon on the floorboard of our truck.
Nodding again he watched as his mom marched up to the front door as if she owned the place, stunned as it quickly opened, clearly they were expecting them.
Carefully laying Alice on the seat of the truck, he wrapped the hammer in an old rag found in the glove box, shoving it between a large rock against the side of the house, until he could figure out a better place to hide it.
Lifting Alice tenderly into his arms, he brought her close, adjusting the blanket around her, making sure she was covered and warm.
Standing outside the house, with Alice still asleep, nestled close to his chest, he watched as three shadows sat around the table, he didn't know what his mom was telling them, and at the moment he was too tired to speculate.
He just need to get her somewhere safe.
Jimmy knew it would be too much for her to wake in that house, in her room.
With stories of her father's drunken visits to her room fresh in his head, he didn't want to risk traumatizing her anymore than she already was, there was also the small detail of what he would do to that man if they wound up in room alone together.
Carrying her to the large new barn, he slid open one door gazing up in wonder at the expansive loft and all the shiny expensive farming equipment lined up ready to go.
His stomach turned knowing that this was all in an exchange for the innocence of their beautiful daughter.
Exhausted he trudged through bails of hay, passing by a dozen or so majestic horses that we're neighing, lifting their heads, greeting him as he passed them by.
Very carefully he climbed a ladder to the loft finding a small area in one of the corners that was bare of supplies.
Laying her down lovingly, Jimmy draped the green and blue plaid blanket over her before laying next to her, pulling her onto his warm chest, so he could still wrap his arms around her, always keeping her close.
It was only then that he let himself drift off to sleep, unable to fight it any longer.
aJa
Feeling as if he'd been out for days, Jimmy stirred as a rooster crowed loudly outside the barn.
Rubbing his sleepy eyes he inhaled sharply as an image of Alice came into view.
She was standing in a large wide opening that looked out over the fields that spread out for miles.
Her strawberry blonde hair had been twisted into two long braids that fell over her shoulders down to the swell of her breasts.
She was bare except for the plaid blanket that was loosely held with one hand around her body.
Bright orange rays of sun splintered over the hills making it appear that she was glowing, like a fairy in a book he once read when he was a child.
Her wild spirit was emitting a charge of energy that was youthful, and mysterious like a comet streaking across the night sky.
This was clearly where she lived and breathed, where her heart soared, where exotic strange sounds and smells surrounded her in familiar ways that he could see in the alluring color jade reflection of her gaze that excited and invited her in to stay.
She leaned dreamily against the frame of the window lost in another world, clearly happy, staring at the horses that were galloping within white fences, as if nothing had happened.
Jimmy turned to his side, just watching her, admiring her beauty, the way the sunlight danced off her golden shoulders, her long eyelashes fluttering along freckled rosey cheeks, and the slight curve of sheer pink lips that were trapped in what appeared to be a carefree reflection.
As if feeling his eyes on her, she peaked over her bare shoulder like a coy nymph, beaming with happiness, and a flicker of flirtatious tease in the way she angled herself exposing her bare thigh as if it were by accident.
He half expected to see the flutter of wings along her back like some mythical creature, such innocence, and purity of heart didn't belong in the cruelty of such a world as this, he thought to himself.
Seeing her here, in the place of her dreams, the place she loved the most, it was apparent to him just how out of her element she had been in that cookie cutter, cul de sac house, with those ridiculous proper housewives.
Alice was born to be free, running through fields of sunflowers, riding like the wind upon mustangs that carried her far away.
Still, he was worried, so much had happened, it didn't seem right, the way she was acting.
"Alice… are you alright? Do you know where you are?"
Fearing she was in shock, he sat up quickly to reach his hand out to her.
Giggling seductively, without a clue to just how maddeningly enticing she was, she ran over to him causing him to roll onto his back as she pounced playfully onto him.
Holding her finger to her plump pink lips, she shh'd him.
Jimmy couldn't help but react, growing hard as she straddled his hips, her warm center was burning into the thin material of his boxers leaving him without a fighting chance at fending her off.
Saying no to her was the equivalent of turning his back on Venus herself.
Laying over him with her bare feet sliding along his thighs, the tips of her auburn braids drifting over his smooth chest as her mouth brushed against his lips encouraging him to kiss her with every pass.
"Alice, god, you take my breath away. I've never seen anything more beautiful... but we need to talk… about what happened."
Shaking her head slightly, she faintly laughed causing him to sink inside, the tips of her sun kissed braids grazed his bare chest, it was clear she was determined to stop him from talking, or thinking for that matter.
"Jimmy, can you hear the music of the cicadas? They're singing for us, and the wind rushing through the leaves of the trees? This place is magic, and now you're here with me. It's like a dream. I need you, I need to feel you inside, please Jimmy… make love to me."
His heart clenched, she was in denial, or worse her mind had shut the horrific events completely out altogether.
A deep delicious shiver rushed through him as she swayed her body forward, persuading him to give in, to love her.
It would be so easy to follow her lead, so wonderful to pretend that they were just kids in love, free, and not murderous fugitives hiding from the law.
His mind went back and forth, unsure if forcing her to remember would do her harm.
Moaning softly as she kissed him, lacing her fingers through his hair, he couldn't help but grab her hips bracing her down onto his raging need.
It was then that they heard the sounds that shattered their Eden, their Paradise found.
Two shotgun blasts echoed ripping through the beauty that surrounded them awakening them to the harsh truth and the new nightmare that clearly awaited them.
TBC , reviews are greatly appreciated :)
