Mess Us Up – Jaxson Kidman Page 0,22

by the shirt.

His mouth is bleeding.

He looks ready to cry.

“Can’t help yourself, huh?” I ask.

“Mac…”

“No,” I say. “Taz, finish it.”

“Wait!” Stimmy yells. “You need to know where Peg Leg Mikey is.”

Taz holds his fist back.

He doesn’t hit Stimmy.

I look at Les.

“What did you do?” Les asks Stimmy.

“Brown offered to help,” Stimmy says.

I look down at Brown.

He’s trying to move.

I swing my foot and kick him as hard as I can in his stomach.

He cries out in pain.

I reach down and grab his hair and lift his head.

“You ever come back here again and I will drown you in the fucking ocean. Got it?”

Brown stares at me.

I look over to one of the bikers. “Got wheels, bro?”

“Yeah,” the guy says.

“Next high is one me,” I say. “Take this piece of shit two miles down the coast and dump him off.” I look at Brown again. “I swear on my life what I said…”

I let him go and set my sights on Stimmy.

I take one step and Stimmy’s legs give out.

Taz lets him fall to the ground.

Now we’re standing over Stimmy.

“Mac…”

“Just say it,” Taz says.

“Under the pier,” Stimmy says. “Okay? Under the fucking pier…”

I start to run.

Les and Taz follow me.

I’m not worried about Stimmy hanging back at the skatepark. He knows better than to linger when he gets caught.

“That guy won’t give up, bro,” Taz says.

“I know,” I say.

“He took it too far this time,” Les says.

“One problem at a time here,” I say.

We run to the pier and there’s Peg Leg Mikey.

Sitting in the sand, his right hand tied to the pier.

He looks at me and shakes his head.

He’s bleeding from his nose and mouth.

“What the fuck happened?” Les asks.

“They jumped me,” Peg Leg Mikey says. “I saw Stimmy and went after him. I can’t run, you know? My legs…”

“Don’t worry about it,” I say. I crouch down. “You can untie yourself, bro.”

“I don’t want to,” he says. “I fucked up. I let this happen.”

“No you didn’t,” I say. “He set you up.”

“You need some protection,” Taz says.

Peg Leg Mikey looks at Taz. “What do I do? Shoot Stimmy?”

“Hell yeah,” Les says. “Do us the favor.”

Peg Leg Mikey hangs his head.

I grab the rope and untie him from the pier.

I stand up and help him to his feet.

“Look at me, bro,” I say. “Shit happens. Got it? Shit fucking happens. But you never stop fighting. You want control of this place? You want to help us? Expect this shit. Now… are you going to finish this?”

Peg Leg Mikey nods.

I look at Taz and motion for the skatepark.

He starts to run.

Me, Les, and Peg Leg Mikey walk slowly to the skatepark.

“I didn’t even see the guy,” Peg Leg Mikey says. “He literally jumped on my back. And I went down. Then they attacked…”

“Look, bro,” I say and point.

Taz has Stimmy by the shirt.

“Fucking asshole,” Peg Leg Mikey says.

“He’s all yours now,” Les says.

I stop walking and so does Les.

When Peg Leg Mikey gets close enough, Taz lets Stimmy go.

Now Peg Leg Mikey can make his presence known.

I just hope he doesn’t kill Stimmy because I would miss Peg Leg Mikey.

But that’s not my problem.

I light a cigarette and my phone starts to ring.

“Now what?” I ask.

It’s Declan.

“What the fuck do you want?” I ask.

He tells me what he wants…

I drop my lit cigarette to the sand and start to run.

8

JOLIE

“I think I know you.”

I throw an elbow and hit the man in his stomach.

“Hey!” the woman yells from behind the counter. “What are you doing?”

“You’re the girl that’s missing!” the man yells at me.

Now I have everyone looking at me.

“I saw your picture,” the man says. “You’re kidnapped. Is the person who took you right outside? Are you okay?”

“I’m not kidnapped,” I say. “I’m not anyone. Leave me alone. You’re a stranger.”

“No, it’s okay, sweetheart,” the man says. “You don’t have to be afraid. You’re safe here.” He looks at the woman behind the counter. “Anne, you need to call the police right now. This girl was kidnapped.”

“I’m fine,” I say to the woman. “I’m just leaving.”

“You didn’t take your sandwich,” she says.

“I’ll pay for it,” the man says. “Just stay here and eat. Don’t be afraid, sweetheart. You’re safe here.”

The man moves toward me.

I’m creeped out.

He’s just trying to be nice. I get it. But he knows nothing.

He’s right. Yet he’s wrong.

I turn and bolt for the door.

“No! Wait!”

The man starts running after me.

I’m faster than him, but he’s coming after me.

He’s the one who looks like a kidnapper.

I just