Chapter 2: Playing Hero
He had no idea how long he had been knocked out. But when Ephram woke, his head was reeling and his ears were still ringing. He looked around and realized he was alone.
'Where did everyone go?' He thought as he touched the side of his head where it stung. He felt something sticky and looked at his hand. A big smear of blood magically appeared on his palm.
He tried to stand up but his knees buckled under him and fell back down. He was successful upon the third try. He knew he had to get help. He headed for the enter/exit doors, but both doors were locked. He found his way back to the cash register in search for a phone. He found one under the counter and dialed the number for the Everwood Police Station.
He was relaying to the police officer what had happened when he thought he heard a noise in the distant. He whispered into the receiver that someone was coming and had to hang up. The officer advised him to stay on the line but he didn't listen. He just told them to send help immediately and hung up.
Ephram ducked behind the big toilet paper display and followed the muffled sounds. He wobbled to the manager's office area where the safe was kept. Ephram didn't know what he would do, but his father was in there and he had to know if he was alright.
The door that led into the office was ajar. Ephram crawled in and hid behind a big fern plant. The voices were becoming more audible as he approached the inner office. He peered thru the glass window and saw Stan stuffing bills into another burlap bag. Everyone was backed up against the wall. He glanced around the room for his father and saw that he was fine.
Ephram saw the silent partner waving his .45 Glock automatic in the air and scaring the wits out of the women hostages. Andy tried to intervene. The silent partner pointed the pistol at Andy. And that was when Ephram lost his balance leaning on a chair and fell over with a thump. The silent partner pounced out of the inner office and grabbed Ephram by the back of his coat.
"Well, we found ourselves a rat." Silent man teased as he held Ephram in one arm and the Glock in the other.
"No, leave him alone!" Andy panicked. "Take what you want. Just let him be."
"Is that your daddy? Baby boy? Huh? How would you like to swallow some bullets for lunch?" The silent partner grunted as he pressed the mouth of the pistol against Ephram's cheek. Ephram got so scared he nearly wet in his pants. He turned pale green with fear and his whole body shook. By now, it was apparent that the silent partner got his kicks out of threatening people. He was the dangerous one. The one to be afraid of. Not Stan.
"Will you quit playing around?" Stan said to his silent partner coolly as he swung the loot over his shoulder.
They ordered everyone out of the office and back into the checkout area. The silent partner was still holding Ephram in a tight grip. The throbbing pain in Ephram's head pounded against his temples and he could hardly walk straight. Each time his step staggered, the silent partner would pick him up by the back of the coat and drag him along as Andy watched worriedly.
As soon as they entered the checkout area, they heard police sirens approaching in the distant. Just about everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"You! You little rat called the cops?" The silent partner shook Ephram hard. Ephram closed his eyes. He was dizzy from the shaking. "Alright you low-lives, this kid is our ticket outta here so anybody moves a muscle and you'll get a bullet hole in your head. Got that?" The silent partner was not so silent anymore. He waved the Glock slowly in a sweeping motion around the room not sure who to point it to.
"Why don't you let him go and take me instead? Look at him, he can't even stand." Andy suggested impatiently.
"Shut up, old man." The silent partner said pointing the Glock at Andy and held Ephram in a tight bearhug.
Ephram had to do something. He tried to remember what he'd learned in that self-defense class he once enrolled in from his days in New York. But that part of his life was so far away, the memory wasn't as vivid as it used to be. He never felt a need for that class until now. His arms were pinned down.
Then remembered the 'mule kick'. Ephram brought his knee and foot up as far as he could and slammed his heel backwards hitting his assailant hard in the knee. The silent partner yelped in pain as Ephram struggled free of his grasp. He was running to his father when the bullets started flying. Ephram knocked Andy over in the process of running so fast and they both toppled over onto the floor. Shrieks filled the air as everyone scattered for cover.
* end of chapter 2 *
He had no idea how long he had been knocked out. But when Ephram woke, his head was reeling and his ears were still ringing. He looked around and realized he was alone.
'Where did everyone go?' He thought as he touched the side of his head where it stung. He felt something sticky and looked at his hand. A big smear of blood magically appeared on his palm.
He tried to stand up but his knees buckled under him and fell back down. He was successful upon the third try. He knew he had to get help. He headed for the enter/exit doors, but both doors were locked. He found his way back to the cash register in search for a phone. He found one under the counter and dialed the number for the Everwood Police Station.
He was relaying to the police officer what had happened when he thought he heard a noise in the distant. He whispered into the receiver that someone was coming and had to hang up. The officer advised him to stay on the line but he didn't listen. He just told them to send help immediately and hung up.
Ephram ducked behind the big toilet paper display and followed the muffled sounds. He wobbled to the manager's office area where the safe was kept. Ephram didn't know what he would do, but his father was in there and he had to know if he was alright.
The door that led into the office was ajar. Ephram crawled in and hid behind a big fern plant. The voices were becoming more audible as he approached the inner office. He peered thru the glass window and saw Stan stuffing bills into another burlap bag. Everyone was backed up against the wall. He glanced around the room for his father and saw that he was fine.
Ephram saw the silent partner waving his .45 Glock automatic in the air and scaring the wits out of the women hostages. Andy tried to intervene. The silent partner pointed the pistol at Andy. And that was when Ephram lost his balance leaning on a chair and fell over with a thump. The silent partner pounced out of the inner office and grabbed Ephram by the back of his coat.
"Well, we found ourselves a rat." Silent man teased as he held Ephram in one arm and the Glock in the other.
"No, leave him alone!" Andy panicked. "Take what you want. Just let him be."
"Is that your daddy? Baby boy? Huh? How would you like to swallow some bullets for lunch?" The silent partner grunted as he pressed the mouth of the pistol against Ephram's cheek. Ephram got so scared he nearly wet in his pants. He turned pale green with fear and his whole body shook. By now, it was apparent that the silent partner got his kicks out of threatening people. He was the dangerous one. The one to be afraid of. Not Stan.
"Will you quit playing around?" Stan said to his silent partner coolly as he swung the loot over his shoulder.
They ordered everyone out of the office and back into the checkout area. The silent partner was still holding Ephram in a tight grip. The throbbing pain in Ephram's head pounded against his temples and he could hardly walk straight. Each time his step staggered, the silent partner would pick him up by the back of the coat and drag him along as Andy watched worriedly.
As soon as they entered the checkout area, they heard police sirens approaching in the distant. Just about everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"You! You little rat called the cops?" The silent partner shook Ephram hard. Ephram closed his eyes. He was dizzy from the shaking. "Alright you low-lives, this kid is our ticket outta here so anybody moves a muscle and you'll get a bullet hole in your head. Got that?" The silent partner was not so silent anymore. He waved the Glock slowly in a sweeping motion around the room not sure who to point it to.
"Why don't you let him go and take me instead? Look at him, he can't even stand." Andy suggested impatiently.
"Shut up, old man." The silent partner said pointing the Glock at Andy and held Ephram in a tight bearhug.
Ephram had to do something. He tried to remember what he'd learned in that self-defense class he once enrolled in from his days in New York. But that part of his life was so far away, the memory wasn't as vivid as it used to be. He never felt a need for that class until now. His arms were pinned down.
Then remembered the 'mule kick'. Ephram brought his knee and foot up as far as he could and slammed his heel backwards hitting his assailant hard in the knee. The silent partner yelped in pain as Ephram struggled free of his grasp. He was running to his father when the bullets started flying. Ephram knocked Andy over in the process of running so fast and they both toppled over onto the floor. Shrieks filled the air as everyone scattered for cover.
* end of chapter 2 *