Read Nowhere Fast (A Mercy Watts Short) for Free Online Page B

cigarette, and tried to walk away. I grabbed her arm a little harder than I should have.
    “Ow! What the hell!”
    “It’s time to go home, Charley.”
    “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m going to scream.”
    “Go ahead. The cops can take care of you and I’ll go home.”
    “You’ll go to jail.”
    “That’s a good one. Who are you waiting for? Your dealer or your pimp?”
    “I don’t have a pimp. Get off me!”
    “That’s right. Terry took care of him.”
    “Don’t be stupid. Terry couldn’t do anything to Jamie.”
    “I’ve seen the website,” I said, gripping her arm tighter.
    “What website? Let go!”
    “Lolitagirl.com.”
    “So what? Who cares?”
    “Your parents, the cops, maybe even me. Shall I go on?”
    “I’m going to do what I want. I’m going to have what I want. It’s a free country, you know.”
    “No, it isn’t. You are not free to have crimes perpetrated on you.”
    “Nobody’s doing nothing to me that I don’t want them to do.”
    “When you’re thirteen you’re not free to choose.”
    She stopped struggling and got in my face. “I do choose. I say what happens.”
    The look on her small face stopped me cold.
    “Terry didn’t kill Jamie, did he?” I asked.
    “No duh. Now you’re catching on.”
    “The cops think Jamie was killed so someone could take over the business.”
    “At least they got something right.”
    “So you’re what, some kind of entrepreneur?”
    Her eyes narrowed. “What’s that?”
    “Someone with big ideas and a plan.”
    “Yeah, that’s me. I’ve got a plan and some loser wannabe Marilyn Monroe isn’t going to stop me.”  
    Charley kicked me in the shin and yanked back hard. I managed to hang onto her sleeve while cursing and hopping around on one foot. She twisted and kicked me in the other shin. Aaron’s arm shot out and grabbed her by the hair.  
    “Nobody kicks Mercy,” he said while dodging her sharp little feet.
    Uncle Morty came around the corner and laughed at me, rubbing my shins. Rodney ran up and tried to do a Vulcan death grip on Charley’s shoulder. It didn’t work. She slugged Rodney in the stomach and Steve gave the death grip a try. In a second he was doubled over, gasping for breath.
    “This is ridiculous,” I said, trying to grab her wrist.
    Morty cracked his knuckles and said, “Let me show you how it’s done.”
    He got behind Charley.
    “Not the stupid Vulcan thing. Just grab her.”
    Morty grabbed her shoulder and she squealed, dropping to her knees.
    “Let go. Let go,” said Charley.
    “Not a chance.”  
    Aaron let go of her hair and started examining his fingernails. I leaned against the wall of the 7-Eleven, marveling that no one in the apartment buildings behind the store had come out to save Charley. Judging by appearances, we were a bunch of adults going after a kid. I couldn’t believe no one cared enough to help her.
    Rodney cocked his head. “There’s the cops. I’ll get them.” He ran around the building.
    “I’ll just run away again,” said Charley, still on her knees, but looking more defiant every second.
    “Look, I’m a nurse,” I said. “It took me a week to find you. If you go again, you’ll have my dad on your ass and he’s a lot less friendly.”
    “You’re a bitch.”
    “So you can imagine what he’s like.”
    “I’ll still go.”
    “You’re wearing me out.”
    “What do you care anyway?”
    “My great aunt is Sister Miriam.”
    “Oh.” She slumped and Morty’s grip loosened. The instant he relaxed, she pushed me and ran around the building. I caught her at the edge behind Morty’s car. We wrestled against the bumper. The gang followed us, watching as Charley slapped me silly.
    “Help me, you idiots!”
    I started dragging her toward the back door of Morty’s car.
    “You’re doing okay,” said Morty, picking at something between his teeth.
    “You’re worthless!”
    I got my hand on the door handle and a woman started yelling