Concerning A Murder

Chapter Seven: Life in the Fast Lane and Death on the Sidelines

Not a word had been spoken between the two since the car had sped onto the old highway just outside of the town. Mort sat silently, eyes trained to the road, as Alex curled up in the passenger's seat, a look of absolute dread filling his eyes.

I don't belong here. I should have left sooner. Oh God, save me.

Alex's eyes filled quickly with silent tears. Frightened, and slightly uncomfortable, he shifted in his seat, avoiding making any noise whatsoever.

Is he gonna kill me? Turn me over to the cops? Was that man really a figment? How did he know all that? All that I've done?

Sighing quietly, Alex settled back in his seat, his knees to his chest. He glanced across the vehicle at the author in the driver's seat. A small lump began to form in the boy's throat. He swallowed and closed his eyes, reaching out and rolling his window down.

"What? Hot?" Mort's voice broke the boy's concentration. The tears that he'd been working so hard to keep from falling, fell in defiance now.

"No," The boy managed to choke out. "Just needed… some air. Th-that's all."

Mort nodded, turning his eyes back to the road.

"S-s-so… Where are w-we headed?" Alex turned his eyes to Mort.

"I told you. We're taking a little joy ride." Mort's eyes never left the road this time, as he spoke each word with careful concentration.

"O-o-okay. That's-That's fine. I'm gonna… sit back and s-sleep a l-little. I'm tired." Alex watched Mort nod and leaned his head back against the headrest, watching the other man drive.

Minutes passed and Alex felt the pull of sleep. He closed his eyes and wiped gently at his face, pushing away the tears. Serenity filled his mind as the hum of the engine cradled him to rest. Serenity that, unfortunately, didn't last in his dreams.

Alex's heart pounded. He stood before his mother, heaped in a crying mass on the floor in front of him. She wept, tears of blood, at her lover's death. The man that had ruined their family lay not too far away, his body bent and broken, blood cooling as it pooled around him.

"Why?" Her words floated lifelessly to the boy's ears.

"Because," Alex's voice was small, distant, spoken as if by some outer being. "You left him behind. You never even said goodbye, and you want to know why this is happening to you? You're naïve, too naïve Mother."

The woman screamed as the gunshot rang. Then, silence filled the room. Alex dropped slowly to his knees. He stared, blankly, at the husk that had once been his mother. He lifted her head and kissed her cold forehead.

"Forgive me, Mother. I've forgiven you." He set her head back down on the cold, unforgiving floor. He wiped his hands on her shirt, wiping away every last drop of blood.

Standing, Alex dragged his mother and her lover to a hole he'd dug in the backyard of their shared love nest. He threw the bodies into the hole, letting them land in any undignified position. Without blinking, he began to fill the hole, letting the mud and plants cover their faces inch by inch.

Once the deed was finished, Alex stepped back inside and disposed of the gun, much in the same fashion. He returned to the kitchen and filled a bucket with scalding water. He dipped a sponge into the water, burning every inch of his skin that touched the water. Turning back to the room, he began to clean the blood, sponging it up with the scalding water, burning his hands, and not even thinking as his hands began to blister.

By morning, the task was finished, he remembered that much. The blood was gone, the bodies long since forgotten. He sat gingerly on the porch, watching the sun rise. By mid-morning, he was dressed in his most comfortable jeans and sneakers, on the road away from his home, searching for a place to stay away from there.

Alex opened his eyes as a sharp bump startled him awake. He glanced over at Mort, whose eyes were still glued to the road.

"Where are we?" Alex sat up, stretching his arms and legs, before returning to his fetal position in the passenger seat.

Mort sighed, taking a quick glance at Alex. "Just on the outskirts of Maine, almost out of the state."

"Why?" Alex straightened up now, reaching out toward the car's radio, tuning it to some easy rock.

"Because… I just kept driving, and this is where we are now."

"Oh, kay… So, we gonna just keep driving forever?"

"No, sir." Mort chuckled lightly. "I think it's almost time we took ourselves a nice little break at a hotel or something'." Alex stared at Mort a moment, trying to place something. Mort sounded… different, but he couldn't place what exactly was up. He sighed and looked out his window.

"Let's go eat." Alex pointed at a Denny's by the roadside, next to a Travelodge. Mort nodded and pulled the car off the road, into the Denny's parking lot.

The two left the car in silence, both watching their feet. Mort slipped into the Denny's first, holding the door for Alex. The smell of pancakes and burgers met the two travelers the instant the door opened. They stepped in and found a seat at the counter, looking over menus, without the real need or want to eat anything.

"What can I get you gentlemen?" A tall, blonde waitress in her early forties stood before the two, smiling slyly, waiting for their orders.

"Um, how about a Meatlover's Skillet and a coffee for me?" Alex returned the woman's smile as he ordered.

She winked at him and took his menu. "Growin' kid like you? You oughta order two o' those, hun."

Alex chuckled and looked to Mort. Mort sighed and passed the menu to the waitress. "I'll have the same, Miss."

"Two Meatlover's and coffee comin' up, boys." She sauntered off, hollering to the cook to fill the order.

Alex leaned back, holding onto the counter and letting his head fall back as far as it would go. He turned, still leaning back, and looked at Mort, his vision almost completely upside-down now.

"You okay, Mort?" He sat up again. "You've been silent and creepy since that Shooter guy showed up at your house. Who was he anyway?"

"No one of consequence. He's an old figment of mine, is all." Mort closed his eyes and breathed deep, stretching his limbs.

"Do you mean that? Figment? If that's true, why could I see him?"

Mort's eyes snapped open and he stared at the boy. "I don't know." The author fell silent. The waitress brought their coffee and the two didn't speak another word to each other until they'd reached the Travelodge an hour and a half later.

"Two for the night," Mort was paying for rooms at the counter while Alex wandered aimlessly about the lobby.

We didn't even pack gear. He just up and grabbed me and we were off. I would have brought pajamas or something. Maybe he kept our overnight bags in the trunk from the last time we wandered off for awhile.

This, of course, wasn't the first time the two men had gone on a little excursion to the outskirts of the state in the past month. They had gone last time all the way to Delaware on a fluke. They had packed bags for a week and had needed everything about two times. Alex didn't remember ever bringing in his bag and he hoped that maybe it was still there.

Mort walked past Alex, back out to the car. He returned minutes later with their two overnight bags.

"Yeah, I didn't unpack." Mort said, catching the look on Alex's face. "We're sharing a room. It's got two beds and it's cheaper."

Alex nodded, laughing slightly.

Isn't that a hell of a coincidence? Somehow we were thinking the same thing. Are we that much alike? I've always loved writing. I could do it. I could live in a backwoods cottage alone to write stories…

Alex shook his head and followed Mort to the room. Within twenty minutes, the lights were out and both of them lay in their respective beds, dreaming.

Alex sat beside his father as he died. His father's hands were covered in blood. He'd been coughing it up like a geyser. He hadn't stopped for several minutes. Now he lay dying, his hands clutched weakly in his son's hands.

Alex wept, holding his father long after the bullet had ripped through the man's chest and stopped the breath from entering. Long after the heart had stopped. Long after the skin had gone cold, the son remained holding the father.

A long suffering scream erupted from the boy as he turned on the man that had shot his father those weeks before. He screamed and lunged at the man, clawing, tearing, crying. He didn't stop until he knew the man wouldn't ever be able to see again. He didn't stop until he knew that the man's heart would never beat again. He didn't stop until he knew the man was dead.

"Hey, kid." Mort stood over Alex as the boy opened his eyes and woke slowly. "Up and at 'em. We've got some road to cover if we're goin' to enjoy somethin' on this road trip. C'mon. Continental breakfast downstairs. Hello muffins."

Alex laughed and stood, catching himself as he almost fell back. "My leg's numb… Hold on."

"Get a shower, get dressed. C'mon." Mort was packing his bag neatly, already dressed in jeans and a loose sweater shirt.

"Alright, alright. What time is it?"

"Seven." Mort turned and threw a random outfit at the boy. Alex examined it: his favorite dark blue jeans and a blue striped shirt, short-sleeved and comfortable. He smiled.

"You know me too well. I wanted to wear this."

"I know." Mort laughed at him. "You always do."

Alex nodded and went to the shower. He returned several minutes later and shoved his pajamas into his bag, zipping it up and heading downstairs, where Mort had already gone, according to the note on the table.

"Didn't want to wait for me, eh?" Alex joined Mort at a tall table and smiled down at his muffin of choice.

"I was hungry… and these muffins were calling." Mort dug into his poppy seed muffin, most likely the second one of the morning.

"Mmm-hmm. I'll drink to that." Alex lifted his orange juice in a toast. Mort returned the toast, lifting his coffee glass.

"To us, eh?" Mort chuckled at the other.

"No," Alex replied. "To freedom from our pasts."

"Here, here." Mort smiled and took a sip of his coffee. Alex followed suite and the two ate their muffins in silence, filling up for the second leg of their journey.

To be continued…
Hehe, they're living in the fast lane and Alex can't stop dreaming about death. Get it now?