So that song is back. "Nothing's Gonna Hurt You Baby" by Cigarettes After Sex
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"Feel it coming,
It's knocking at the door.
You know it's no good running
It's not against the law.
The point of no return
And now you know the score.
And now you're learning
What's knockin' at your back door."
Knocking At Your Backdoor by Deep Purple
/
Over the next few months, Mac prepared to leave and Lucy went off the shot, they had both agreed that their lives were going to change. It was not up for public knowledge, but they were getting ready to go east, to somewhere with a beach. Years ago, when Mac had visited her in California Lucy had taken him to the beach for the first time.
At first, he didn't want to go, but she insisted and took him to a surf shop to get some board shorts and a t-shirt. As much as he didn't like that look, it made him fit in there, with her, and they were just like any other couple on the beach that day. They even surfed a little and walked along the boardwalk. It was a whole different world than what he was used to, he felt out of place but fascinated.
As the sun went down they sat together in the sand, with their feet in the water, smelling the salt air and found a peace neither of them had ever thought possible. They would head to a beach town, maybe New Jersey or Rhode Island, and get lost among the tourists there.
Mac started saving money and laying off the crank and Lucy was having it transferred into an online account that they could access from anywhere. They weren't sure yet where they were going to land but the money would be available right away. At night they laid out in the hammock and planned their escape.
Lucy stopped taking birth control; the dream Mac had affected him, it had changed his mind about a family. It had convinced him that they had to leave. It had shown him what a straight life with her could be like and he wanted it desperately.
/
Carolina knew because Lucy insisted on saying goodbye to the only friend she had and Mac was OK with that, Lucy trusted her and so he did too. Over the years Carolina had proved to be a good friend to Lucy, and she had needed that, they would contact her when they finally landed where they were going. The friendship was far from over, Carolina could even come visit them, wherever they went and see a real beach with an ocean. They were definitely going to a beach town, like in his dream.
Carolina knew not to talk to anyone about it, but Lucy hadn't specifically said not to talk to Rosie and Walter.
Two days before they were set to leave Carolina had stopped by the bar to see Lucy, but she wasn't there yet for her shift. Carolina was upset that they were leaving, Lucy was the only one of their group who had ever been a true friend to her and now they were leaving, she sat down at the bar and ordered a shot and a beer.
"Why so sad little one?" Walter asked as he placed her drinks in front of her.
"Nothing. Just I'm gonna miss her."
"Miss who?"
"Uh, Lucy?"
"She's on at four, you'll see her then if you stick around," Rosie said from behind Walter as she washed glasses getting ready for the night time rush.
"Didn't she give you notice Walter," Carolina asked and now she knew she had fucked up. They were leaving in two days and Lucy hadn't told Walter. There must have been some reason why, and now she had fucked up.
"Oh, oh yeah sure," Walter said quickly, he caught it, he was one smart motherfucker and he knew there was something up, "It won't be the same without her and Mac here."
He placed his hand over Carolina's and offered her comfort, she would miss Lucy so much when she was gone, Walter knew that.
/
Five minutes later in his office, Walter made the call he knew he was going to have to make sooner or later. He comforted Carolina, but there was work to be done now, horrible work, somehow he always knew it would come to this. He had always known, but that didn't make any easier. This hurt his heart, and Walter sighed as he picked up the phone.
This was a call he dreaded with all of his dark soul and it hurt him some, but not enough to not do it. He picked up the phone and dialed because his investment had to be protected at all costs; she wasn't his blood, she was Mac's blood, but not his.
"Get over here we gotta talk." He said into the phone and then hung up; this was a bad fucking day.
/
"Whispered something in your ear,
It was a perverted thing to say.
But I said it anyway,
Made you smile and look away.
Nothing's gonna hurt you baby,
As long as you're with me, you'll be just fine.
Nothing's gonna hurt you baby,
Nothing's gonna take you from my side."
The morning was shit, she was late getting her term paper in and almost forgot to stop at the drugstore after faxing the paper to her professor. They had been busy packing up their meager belongings all weekend when they weren't working and she had almost forgotten to write the paper. She had stayed up most of the night finishing it and she was dog tired, as Mac would say.
There was still so much to do before tomorrow and she was on edge. They both had to continue life as usual up until they disappeared, tomorrow. That was the plan, they were just going to disappear and never be seen again in Utah.
Now the fucking car was broke down on the side of the road and Mac was nowhere to be found, as usual. She knew he was out on a tow job but she was the one who needed the fucking tow. Wasn't that always the way, she had so much to do and no time for this shit.
Lucy got out of the car and kicked the tire twice then dialed Mac and got no answer again, so she left him a message to come pick her up.
She tossed the bag with the pregnancy test in it on the seat next to her and got out to walk back to town. A few cars passed her and she ignored them, but then one slowed down.
"Hey Luce, you broke down?" It was Martin, fuck she hated him and Marco was with him too.
"Yeah," She answered, not looking up, Martin gave her the creeps on a good day and today he just made her skin crawl, "Macs on his way." Something told her to lie about that, but instead of going on their way they drove slow alongside her.
"When we dance in my living room,
To that silly '90s R&B.
When we have a drink or three,
Always ends in a hazy shower scene.
Nothing's gonna hurt you baby,
As long as you're with me, you'll be just fine.
Nothing's gonna hurt you baby,
Nothing's gonna take you from my side."
"He's towing John Key's old piece of shit Jaguar, I just saw him," Then he stopped the car. "I'll give you a ride." And the way he said it made her walk faster.
"No thanks," She called over her shoulder and when she heard the car stop and the doors open she started to run. Lucy silently thanked god she had worn her boots and denim shorts that she could run fast in. But she wasn't fast enough, they had reached her in no time.
"When we're laughing in the microphone and singing,
With our sunglasses on, to our favorite songs.
Nothing's gonna hurt you baby,
Nothing's gonna take you from my side."
She struggled to get to her knife in the boots Mac loved and she always wore but they tackled her too fast. Martin straddled her as she slapped at his face and brought his hands to her chest; he'd wanted to touch those tits for years, then he punched her twice in the face. She was knocked out cold and they quickly hoisted her up like a sack of potatoes and got her back to the car before anyone, specifically Mac, came along.
/
"Man, I don't like this..." Stanley murmured as he looked at Lucy, still knocked out in the trunk of the car. They were at the cave and about to take her inside, but Stan was dragging his feet and Martin was in a hurry. This was not what Stan signed up for, he liked Lucy and he knew she was good for Mac. This was way out of his comfort zone and he knew that he couldn't actually kill someone he knew.
This was an order he could not stand behind, but he knew he had to. You did not say no to Walter, not if you wanted to live. Walter was in charge of this operation and everything about it, if he said jump, you asked how high. But Martin was going to have to do the dirty work this time.
"She's just gonna disappear," Marco said, "Easy peasy."
"He ain't stupid, he'll look for her forever; come on is Walter nuts?" Stanley answered, "And he'll kill all of us."
"Don't matter, ain't afraid of him," Martin said as he touched her face, "Walter didn't say how to do it and I wanna keep her a few hours first."
/
An hour later Mac stood at her car for about two minutes before he figured out what happened. Before he got back in the truck his eyes settled on the bag on the seat, he saw inside the bag that she had bought a pregnancy test. Lucy had not mentioned that when they had said goodbye that morning. After the last time, he couldn't blame her for not telling him until she was sure. But this time they both wanted it, it was all different now.
He went home first, just to check, and hope; but she wasn't there. He grabbed some extra bullets for the gun, then drove past the bar, which was quiet as the grave, there was only one other place to look.
/