Fiction Friday Brain Freeze

I have not posted any fiction since November 19th - Stuck in the Driveway IX. About 95% of the reason lies in the fact that I am not sure where the story is going. The whole story is a bit of an experiment. I had asked my wife to give me a situation that I could use to get a character out of. She gave me: "A car is stuck in the driveway with four cars behind it."

This is how "Stuck in the Driveway" started. From the first line, I have been trying to figure out how Stan Brogran is going get out of his driveway, and what is going to happen to him now that he is out. Here is what he know so far.

Stan Brogan owns a Landscaping business. He has gotten himself  involved with some foreign investors who, unbeknownst to Stan, are poisoning the United States water supply through the chemicals Stan uses in his Landscaping business. The investors are now after Stan because he found out what was going on. Stan, his wife Mary Ann, and daugther Elizabeth are under the protection of Witness Protection. Stan's son Johnny has been captured by Sergeant Owens (aka Mr. Darksuit), a mercanary working for the investors trying to get to Stan. Bev, Stan's cousin who was almost captured by Sergeant Owens but escaped with the help of Eddie has teamed up with Eddie and three his old Marine buddies. They are getting ready to try and find Stan to warn him that a mercenary is after him, a mercenary Eddie and his team know from the Gulf War.

That is about all I have so far. I have some ideas on how to continue, but I do not like any of them. For the most part, I like what I published for you to read so far, and so, I do not what to force anything. That is the other part of the experiment. I do not have an outline, and I have not predetermined how anything is going to end up. As soon as I figure out what is supposed to happen next, I will write about it. Until then it looks like I am the one stuck in the drive way.

Stuck In the Driveway VIII

It is Fiction Friday again. We are going to continue with our story from last week. Tonight we pick back up with Eddie and Bev in the basement of the mill.


Stuck in the Driveway Part VIII


"Where are you going?" Bev asked Eddie in a whisper.

"To see where that gunshot came from."

"Eddie Descenzio, don't be a fool, and don't leave me down here by myself," Bev pleaded.

"Bev, think about it. We do not know where Stan is, right? You were almost kidnapped by some very bad dudes," Eddie said.

"So?"

"So, Bev, think about it. Who else is going to be up there?" Eddie replied. "They may have Stan."

"Eddie..."

Eddie knew Bev was scared. After all of his training, Eddie knew the potential consequences of the actions he was about to take, and he was mildly alarmed. Before this morning, he hadn't used his combat training in years. But, his best friend, his best friend 20 years ago anyway, was probably upstairs, and Eddie was the only one who could save him. "Bev, I am just going to check things out. If it is too dangerous, I will be right back down."

"Promise?" Oh, how he hated when she looked at him with those doe eyes.

"I promise. Just a quick look." With that, he leaned over and gave her a kiss on the check. Why, she asked herself, did she think it would be the last time she ever saw the Eddie she thought she knew alive.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"I'm goin' out to take a leak," Jorge said to The Boss. He walked out of the North entrance to the mill and turned East. zzzziiipp he let down his fly. "Ahh," he said as he relieved himself. snap Jorge turned his head towards the sound. "Let's go see what we have here." He headed down the East side of the Mill.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Eddie popped his head out of the Mill's basement exit. No one was around. He crawled around the South side of the Mill to get to the East side where he knew there was a window. Looking through a window was risky, but better than walking through the front door. When he got around to the East side, Eddie saw where the wall boards had started to pull away from the wall studs. With any luck, he would be able to stay on the ground, out of sight, and get a good look inside.  

He move slowly through the underbrush and cursed himself when stepped on a twig. snap. Just as he was about to move the board to look inside he heard the telltale click of a gun being cocked, and felt an unmistakable cold hard circle being pressed to his head. "What do we have here?" Jorge asked. 

"Crap," Eddie said with a sigh. He couldn't believe that someone had got the jump on him. How could he have hot heard him? His combat skills were rusty indeed.

"Let's take you to The Boss to see what he says about you," Jorge said. "Stand up." Jorge backed up a bit to let Eddie stand, but not too far. He was still too close for Eddie to take him down. Eddie stood. "Now turn around nice and slow." 

"Listen pal, I was just looking for a ring that I dropped here last week," Eddie said as he turned around.

"Nice tr...Eddie? Eddie D?" Jorge asked.

"George Smith?" 

"Well, I go by Jorge now. It's my professional name," Jorge responded.

"What are you doing here George, or Jorge, whatever you name is now?" Eddie asked. 

"Well me, Oscar, he's Otto now, and Jimmy, we call him The Boss, have gone green."Jorge said.

"Green?" Eddie asked. "And, can you get the gun outta my face?"

"Yeah, sorry Eddie. You know, Green, fightin' for the Environment and all," Jorge said. "We figured we done enough environmental damage with all of those oil fires during the Gulf War that we ought to start helping Mother Earth out."

"Jorge, we didn't start those fires. That was the Iraqis when they were retreating," Eddie said.

"True, but had we not intervened in Kuwait, they never would have started the fires," Jorge replied.

"But," Eddie started.

"Listen we can argue this all day, but I am sure The Boss would like to see you."

"The Boss?  Oh right, Jimmy," Eddie said. "And Oscar is with you?"

"Otto, yes," Jorge replied. "He is here too. Let's go." They started to walk towards the North side of the mill and the entrance.

"Hey, Jorge, what was that gun shot about?" Eddie asked. "And you still haven't really answered what you are doing here."

"The gun shot was from Otto," Jorge said. "He was holding his gun to this guy's head and sneezed." Eddie looked at him, and the concern must have been evident on his face. "Don't worry the guy was fine. The gun had blanks in it."Eddie's face went from concerned to confusion. "What, hey, we don't want to hurt no one. We just like to scare people straight."

"What are you talking about?" Eddie asked.

"You know how I told you we was goin' Green?"

"Yeah," Eddie replied.

"Well, there is a lot of people doing a lot of bad things to the Environment," Jorge said as they rounded the corner to the North side of the mill. Eddie thought to himself, after 15 years, his vocabulary is not any better. "Well," Jorge continued, "we just try to scare these guys straight into turning their acts around. You know, to stop hurtin' the environment and stuff." They were almost to the door now. "See, we have an act. Jimmy plays The Boss, and Otto and me, well, we play the muscle." It's not much of an act Eddie thought. That's the way it was in the Marines too. Oscar and George, now Otto and Jorge, always listened to what Jimmy was telling them to do. "Come on in," Jorge said as he opened the door. "Hey Boss! You are never going to believe who I found outside!" 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"As I live and breath, Eddie Descenzio." Jimmy, now known as The Boss, said as he stood from his chair and crossed the room. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Eddie said. "But Jorge, already filled me on most of it. Who's the guy in the chair." Even from behind and in these lighting conditions Eddie recognized him as Stan. 

"Oh him," The Boss replied and gave Jorge a disgusted look. "We are not exactly sure. Otto and Jorge were supposed to grab a guy named Stan Brogan." Eddies heart sank. "But it looks like they grabbed his long lost twin brother instead."

"Stan doesn't have a twin brother," Eddie said and immediately wished he hadn't. Another slip. Too much time alone he thought. I am not used to being around people anymore.

"How's that now?" The Boss asked. 

"Stan was my best friend before I left for the Marines," Eddie started. "Things were different when I back."

"Isn't that the truth," The Boss replied and redirected his attention to the man sitting in the chair. "You hear that Mr. Dauson. My old pal Eddie here says you aren't who you say you are." Stan didn't move. 

"Hey Boss," Jorge said, "I don't think he got his hearing back yet. You know, after Otto's gun went off in his ear?"

"That moron," The Boss replied. "Is he back yet?" Jorge shook his head no.

"What do you want with Stan, Jimmy?" Eddie asked. "Jorge says you are after guys who are killing the environment. Stan is a totally organic landscaper."

"So he says," Jimmy replied. "I guess since he isn't your best friend anymore you guys do not talk much." Stan shook his head agreeing. He didn't add that he hadn't spoken to Stan in a long time. Eddie didn't think now was a good time bring up his hermit lifestyle. "He is working with some 'Investors' who are supplying him with heavy duty fertilizers that will shortly be killing everyone in this town."

"No way Stan would do that. Stan loves this town and loves the environment," Eddie said defending his old friend. "He was Green before it was Chic."

"Did you know that your buddy really had no choice?" The Boss asked, and continued to tell Eddie about Stan's failing business.

"Poor Stan," Eddie said under his breath.

"What?" The Boss asked. Eddie waved him off. "So, you are saying this guy is Stan." Eddie shook his head. "That lying piece of..."

"Hey Boss," Otto shouted as he came in from the West side of the Mill. "Here's the extra pants you wanted. Is that Eddie DeSensitive?" Eddie lifted his head in acknowledgment. Of three, Eddie could stand Otto the least. He was a loud mouth, and as Jimmy had aptly put, a moron.

"Pants?" Eddie asked.

"Your boy wet his pants when Otto's gun went off. I felt bad when he told me he wasn't Stan and had proof. So, I told Otto to grab him some dry pants. An innocent man shouldn't have to sit in his pee. But, now I guess we won't be needing them because he is not so innocent."

"Can you let me talk him?" Eddie asked. Jimmy looked skeptical. "Come on. For an old friend?"

"All right, but don't be a hero Eddie," Jimmy said. "We aren't in the Persian Gulf anymore."

"Yeah, DeSensitive, ain't one of them Kuwaiti childs who needs your help." Only he pronounced it Koowatee. Jeeze, Eddie thought, has Jorge or Otto ever picked up a book? 

"Nothing funny Jimmy," Eddie said. "I promise. If he is doing what you say he is, I am done with him to." Eddie walked up to Stan, but as he got closer something was off. It wasn't until he walked around to the front of him that he realized what it was. "This isn't Stan, Jimmy."

"Look DeSensitive quit trying save everybody," Otto said. "He's just another casualty in a battle."

"Stuff it, Otto," Eddie said. "Jimmy, I'm serious. Lift up his shirt sleeve. I guarantee this guy doesn't have this tattoo." Eddie pulled up his own sleeve to reveal a Dragon curled around a sword. 

Jimmy looked from Otto to Jorge with disgust. "Why am I still with you idiots? Give him the pants Otto, and untie him Jorge."

"Who are you?" Eddie asked.

"Michael Dauson," he said as he stood. Michael reached for Eddie's hand, but by-passed it and laid a haymaker across Otto's chin. Otto recoiled and was getting ready to retaliate when The Boss stopped him. "Hold on Otto. He owed that one, after all you did make him pee his pants."

"I didn't know Stan had a twin," Eddie said ignoring Jimmy and Otto. 

"No one did," Michael said. "Stan doesn't even know yet. I just found out last year and have been trying to find him ever since."

"It seems everybody is looking for Stan these days," Eddie said. He turned to Jimmy. "Are you guys working with Sergeant Owens?"

"That mercenary?" Jimmy respond. "No way. He has always been bad news. Why?"

"I just ran into him too at Brogan's Green Thumb," Eddie responded.

"If Sergeant Owens is after your buddy," Jorge said, "he has bigger problems than us. Owens works for foreign regimes and takes care of their messy work here in the States."

"Looks like your friend Stan is in way deeper than we thought," Jimmy said. "

"You got that right," replied Otto.

If Owens is involved," Jimmy continued, "that means his foreign investors are involved in the Chinese government."

"I hate to break up your reunion here guys," Michael said as he buttoned the dry pants he had put on, "but can I go now?"

"NO!" all four said in unison.

"No," Eddie said softer. "If these guys mistook your for Stan," he said pointing to the threesome. "You can bet Sergeant Owens will too. But if he gets you. There won't be blanks in the guns."

"Stan?" a female voice said from the North door as she ran towards them.

"Bev, what are you doing up here?" Eddie said as he intercepted her. 

"You were gone so long. I thought something had happened to you," Bev said. "Why didn't you come tell me that you had found Stan? And who are these other guys?"

"I'm not Stan," Michael said. "I am his twin brother."

"Bull," Bev said. "What kind of crap are you trying to sell me? I have known you my whole life Stanley Brogan."

"It's true," Eddie said as Jorge, Otto, and The Boss all nodded their heads. Eddie told her everything that had happened including the information about the investors.

"No wonder he has been so stressed," Bev said.

"Did you know about any of this?" Eddie asked.

"Of course not. No," Bev said. "He would never having willingly used a fertilizer that would do so much damage. He couldn't have known. We need to find Stan."

"Agreed," Eddie said. "Jimmy, Jorge, and Otto. Will you guys helps us find Stan?"

"Yeah, we aren't done with him yet, DeSensitive" Otto said.

"Yes, we are," Jimmy retorted. "He's a friend of Eddie's, and it sounds like he needs some real help."

"Thanks Jimmy," Eddie said.  "Call me DeSensitive again and I'll give you one across the chin too," Eddie said to Otto." Just one question though," Eddie asked Jimmy.

"Shoot."

"What's with The Boss?" Eddie asked.

"Hey, someone has to be in charge of these two knuckle-heads," Jimmy said, and Otto and Jorge gave him protesting looks. The five of them began to make a plan.

To be continued...

Copyright © 2010 Writing for Fun

Stuck In the Driveway Part VII

It is Fiction Friday again. We are going to continue with our story from last week. 


Stuck in the Driveway Part VII

Stan began to stir. The light in the room flooded his eyes. "Uh, man." His eyes began to burn and water from the light. "It's so bright," Stan said as he rubbed the back of his head with one hand while he wiped away the tears with the other.

"We are sorry to hit you so hard Mr. Brogan; but, we had to make it convincing."

"Convincing?" Stan said turning to the sound of voice. Three men were standing in front of him. Stan addressed the only one he knew. "That was convincing all right. Why did you grab me early. I thought you weren't getting me until after the meeting."

"There was a black sedan at your business, 'Brogan's Green Thumb' sir," Agent Walker said.

"Ok, so why not grab me in the woods? Why did you have to crack me over the head?" Stan asked.

"Your are forgetting the black sedan," said Agent Walker. "We didn't know for sure if they had someone planted in the woods."

"That was probably just the Investors" Stan said.

"No, it wasn't," Agent Walker replied. "It was a Sergeant Owens."

"Who?"

"Seargant Owens, retired Special Forcees. He works as a hired gun now," said Agent Walker. He did nothing to hide his disgust. "The Investors were not coming to meet you. They sent someone to kidnap you."

"Dear, God. Ok, so what happens now?" asked Stan.

"We secure the rest of your family. We have your wife and your daughter," said Agent Walker. "However, we are still looking for your son. He is not where you told us he would be."

"No, he and his friends never came home. That's why I was running to work. His friends' cars had me stuck in the driveway. I had to take his friend B.J.'s car and...," Stan stopped. "Check Bob Snyder's house. His son, B.J. left his car at my house, but that doesn't mean they didn't end up back at his place."

Agent Walker looked at one of the other agents. "Agent Phipps, check it out." Agent Walker returned his attention to Stan. "Sir, is there any chance that your son went to 'Brogan's'?"

"I can barely get him to go there during the week to help me out," Stand said. "There is no chance that he was there. In fact, nobody would have been there. That's why I schedule the meeting with the Investors today."

"Mr. Brogan," asked one of the other agents.  He had also left the room while Agent Walker and Stan had been talking. "Do any of your son's friends have a yellow Pontiac Sunfire?"

"No," Stan said. He was concerned. "That's my cousin Beverly Thomas' car. Why?"

"Her car is at 'Brogan's' right now," the agent replied.

"What's your name agent?" Stan asked. His concern was growing.

"Agent Jones," he replied.

"Agent Jones. I need you to tell me that the Bev is okay."

"Well, Mr. Brogan," Agent Jones began.

"No," Stan cut him off.

"Mr. Brogan," Agent Jones said. "Your cousin was taken by a man."

"Was it this Sergeant Owens?" Stan asked.

"At first it was."

"What do you mean, at first it was?" Stan asked.

"Please Mr. Brogan," Agent Walker interrupted, "let Agent Jones finish."

"Sorry," Stan said. "Please finish."

Agent Jones told Stan about his ransacked business and how their men had seen Sergeant Owens carrying Bev out. "That's when someone wearing fatigues came running out of the woods and took out Sergeant Owens, and ran off with your cousin, Ms. Thomas."

"That's Mrs. Thomas. Bev's married to Tom Thomas, an old friend," Stan said. The agents just looked at him. "What? I didn't name him Thomas Thomas. Blame that one on his folks. Who took her into the woods?"

"From what we can tell it was someone who was camped out in the woods right across from 'Brogan's'," said Agent Jones.

"It was Eddie!" Stan said excitedly. "Eddie Johnson. Yeah, Eddie saved her."

"Who is Eddie Johnson?" asked Agent Walker.

"You should know him," Stan said. "He's retired Special Forces like your buddy Sergeant Owens. Eddie served in the First Gulf War. He has never been the same since he got back. Eddie's being living the life of a vagabond. You say he ran off into the woods with her."

"Yes," replied Agent Jones.

"And it sounds like your guys lost him?" asked Stan. The agents looked at each other. "He took her to the old mill. I guarantee. It's the safest place in around here."

"I am not sure how safe this old mill is," said Agent Walker. "It's pretty easy to find."

"Yeah, maybe the upper level is," Stan said. "But I bet you guys didn't know that there was a basement. You really have to search for the entrance. You will miss it at first glance. That's where they are."

"Are you sure that Eddie would not have hurt Mrs. Thomas?" asked Agent Walker.

"Not a chance," Stan replied. "Eddie is still in love with her."

"Mr. Brogan," began Agent Jones, "how sure are you that no one else knows about the basement entrance?"

"I'd stake my life on it. Why?"

"Our men heard a gunshot sir," said Agent Jones.

"Then, someone else is in the mill," Stan said. "No way Eddie shot Bev." Tears began to form in his eyes. "No way." Stan's voice started to crack. "You guys need to go in there and check it out." It was getting hard for Stan to talk. "Have you guys found my son?" The gravity of the situation and of the events he had put in motion we becoming unbearable. Why, he thought to himself, did I have to get involved with those Foreign Investors.

"We'll find him, Mr. Brogan," Agent Walker said.

"My wife and daughter are safe?"

"Yes, Mr. Brogan. Like you, they are now in Witness Protection," said Agent Walker. "We'll have your son soon too."

To be continued...


Copyright © 2010 Writing for Fun

Stuck in the Driveway Part VI

It is Fiction Friday again. We are going to continue with our story from two weeks ago. 

Enjoy!

Stuck in the Driveway Part V

Eddie sat back and looked at the tattoo on his forearm and was taken back to a different time and a different place. He and Stan had gotten matching tattoos the day after graduating high school. It was their way of honoring each other and proving to themselves, at least, that they were men. Even though they wouldn't reach true manhood until later that year.

Stan's girlfriend, Mary Ann, was about give birth to their first child, and Eddie was getting ready to leave for Boot Camp. By the end of the summer Stan would be a father learning how to change diapers and warm milk, and Eddie would be a Marine and shortly after, unbeknownst to Eddie, a Persian Gulf War Veteran.

Bev started to stir and tore Eddie from his reverie. He looked over at her and was taken back to the same period in time. There was a time when he and Bev were a couple. Bev thought Stan and Eddie were silly getting matching tattoos. "Macho Boys" is what she called them mostly out of jealousy. Eddie and Stan spent a great deal of time together in the weeks leading up to Eddie's departure for Boot Camp, time she felt he should have been spending with her. Eddie supposed that deep down they knew that their lives would never be the same - even if they swore fatherhood nor the military would change who they were at their core. Eddie and Stan had been friends since they were little boys, and they wanted to hang on to how things had been their entire lives as long as they could. Bev couldn't understand it at the time, and she began to pull away from Eddie.

"I remember when you idiots got those tattoos - Dragons curled around a sword," Bev said. Somehow she had awoken without Eddie knowing. I must be slipping, he thought. "That was the same night I asked you not join the Marines. I wanted you to run off to Canada with me. We were going to go live in Montreal - the Paris of North America."

"I remember Bev," Eddie sighed. "I remember."

"Eddie, where am I? And what I am doing here with you?"

"You don't remember the thug in the dark suit who cracked you over the head?" Eddie asked.

"No."

"You don't remember me carrying you through the woods? You regained consciousness for a brief moment."

"No."

"Yet, you wake up in a strange basement sitting next to me and you aren't the least bit concern. How is that?"

"It's because I know that I am always safe when I am with Eddie," Bev said as she turned away from him. "So what is going on?"

Eddie retold the story of how the dark sedan pull into 'Brogan's', how he saw Mr. Darksuit carrying her out of the office, and the lucky hit that knocked out Mr. Darksuit's driver. But he didn't tell her that he recognized Mr. Darksuit. Now wasn't the time for that. He was still always trying to protect her.

"Why would they be after you Bev? Did that husband of yours finally gamble away all of the money? Is the buffoon in some kind of trouble again?"

Bev looked at him. "Eddie, I am not going to fight with you about Tom.  He takes care of me the best he can. Better than you did when you left that summer." Bev wished she hadn't said it as soon as it left her lips. She saw him wince. Really, it wasn't fair to keep bringing it up. Eddie had gone off to serve his country. He didn't know when he signed up the first George Bush was going to send him off to war in Kuwait. "Eddie, I'm sorry..."

"You are right. I did leave. What about Mr. Darksuit back there?"

"I don't know why anyone would be after me. It's possible Tom got himself into trouble.  Maybe you're right, and his gambling has finally caught up with him. But, why would they be after me?"

"If they take him out, they aren't going to get their money. But, if they have you, it may give Tom the motivation he needs to pay them back. God knows he needs to be motivated."

"He tries his best, Eddie."

"Yeah," Eddie responded dryly.

"We need to get a hold of Stan," Bev said changing the subject. "That place was totally trashed on the inside."

"We do," Eddie agreed. "But, we ought to wait a bit. We are not going anywhere near 'Brogan's' for a while. Those guys won't be able to find us down here."

"I'll just call him on my cell phone," Bev said as she looked around for her purse. "Where's my purse Eddie?"

"You must have dropped in the office. You didn't have it when I grabbed you. I certainly don't have one of those damned things."

"Yeah, I know. Good old Eddie the Wanderer."

"Be glad I live in the woods across from 'Brogan's.' Otherwise, you would be Mr. Darksuit's trunk right now head for destinations unknown."

"Why do you keep calling him that?" Bev asked.

"Because he was wearing a Darksuit. What else should I call him?"

Bev just looked at him in the dim light of the basement and laughed. "You always were a master of the obvious." Eddie joined in the laughter. "We need to get a hold of Stan," Bev said again.

"Soon. Let's just stay here for a while."

"Where is here anyways?"

"You remember the old mill?" Eddie asked.

"Sure, I do. We spent a lot of time there," Bev smiled remembering a time long ago.

"You mean here," Eddie said.

"Did you bring me here to try and get fresh Eddie? Really?"

"No, I brought you hear because townies know how to get into this basement. Remember? The only entrance is in the side of the hill, and the hill is covered by wild bushes. You cannot get down here from the inside of the mill-." As Eddie was finishing, they heard a gun shot from upstairs followed by a thud. Somehow Bev stifled her shout.

"What was that?" Bev asked, but she already knew the answer. She had grown up around guns. As the only child of a hunter, she learned how to shoot before she learned to ride a bike.

Eddie just looked at her knowing that she knew the answer to her question. "Looks like somebody knows about the upstairs entrance to the mill."

To be continued...


Copyright © 2010 Writing for Fun

Stuck in the Driveway Part V

It is Fiction Friday again. We are going to continue with our story from last week. 

Enjoy!

Stuck in the Driveway Part V

The man hears the footsteps as they get closer.

“Hey,” the walking man yells, “the Princess and the pea is awake.”

“Princess and the pea,” the man on the floor croaks his voice dry from sleeping.

“Yeah, you've been out for a while now. And you know, you were sleeping”

“Ok, but the “Princess and the Pea” is a story a princess who takes refuge in a castle on a stormy night. It is not stormy, nor is raining, nor do I imagine, I am in a castle,” his voices begins to get stronger the more he talks.

“You know what buddy?” walking man says, “You better keep quiet.”

“I'm just saying you would have been better to be cliched and call me Sleeping Beauty. At least that would have been accurate.”

“Enough!”

The man hears a second man walk in. “I see our guest has awakened.”

“Guest? What is it with you guys and using words wrong?" the man ask "Guest implies that I want to be here. You guys probably use your and you're or to, two, and too wrong.”

“What are you talking about?” the second walking man asks.

“Otto, this guy has been rambling since he woke up. Go get the boss, he wanted to know as soon as he woke up.”

“All right Jorge. I'll get him. You better watch it Sport!”

“Sport? What, are you my coach?”

“Shut up!” Jorge and Otto yell.

Otto returns with The Boss. “Pick him up and put him in that chair.”

“Wouldn't be easier if you untied me and took off my blindfold? Then I could walk.”

“Quiet,” The Boss says. Jorge and Otto and put the man in the chair. “Mr. Brogan...," The Boss continues.

“Mr. Brorgan. Who's Mr. Brogan?” the man now seated in the chair asks.

“Fine, let me guess," The Boss says. "You are going to tell us that Mr. Brogan was your dad. Otto tells me you are quite the comedian. Fine then, we will go by first names, Stanley.”

“You're right, Mr. Brogan was my dad. But, that's not where I was going. I'm not Stanley either.” The man in the chair suddenly feels a hard circular object being pushed into the back of his head.

“Enough of your talking. Now is the time for you to listen.”

“But,”

“ENOUGH! If you speak one more time other than direct responses to my questions, Otto is going to going to silence you. I suggest you cooperate.”

The man in the chair finds it very hard not to make a comment. My goodness, what is going on? I am being held by two guys named Jorge and Otto, who don't have European accents, and being grilled by some guy they call THE BOSS.  It's like Skip McClure's Comedy Hour. I am waiting for Allen Funt to jump and say “SMILE, You're on Candid Camera.”

“Do you understand, Mr. Brogan?” The Boss asks.

“Yes.”

“Good. Mr. Brogan, you have been under surveillance for month's We know that you are scheduled to meet your investors today, or the people you think are your investors. And this is what we want to talk to you about.”

“Ok,” the man in the chair responds.

“That's much better. No more of your rants. We are running short on time, and I am running short on patience.”

“I'll answer what I can.” His usual self-confidence was starting to dissipate. The more The Boss talked, the more nervous he got. The gun didn't help, and he begins to think, If Otto there sneezes and causes his body to convulse, I am dead meat. Brings a whole new meaning to the term snot rocket. Joking to himself helped ease his nerves.

“We know that your lawn care business is being funded by international Investors," the boss says. "We also know that you were rejected for a good many government contracts handed out as a result of the government bail out. You couldn't earn enough points in the bids because you weren’t Minority or Woman Owned Business. That is what made you take money from your foreign investors. Did you know that the fertilizer feeds more than the grass?”

“Ah, no,” the man in the chair responds.

“That fertilizer leeches into soil and gets into the water supply.”

“Sounds like normal fertilizer to me.”

“It does, doesn't it. But, it is stronger than anything else available in the U.S. It is a special blend,” says The Boss.

“Ok, enlighten me.”

“Mr. Brogan, your fertilizer is killing your town. And other foreign investors are 'helping' other small landscape businesses all over the country. The fertilizer all of these companies are using is poisoning this nation!”

“Listen...”

“NO! You listen to me, Mr. Brogan. The investors chose to back companies they knew couldn't turn down there help or they would risk closing up shop. I believe your investors are Chinese. There are also investors from Afghanistan, Iran, and other countries. Do you see the pattern?”

“Hey, this is a great story and all. But, I am not Stanley,” he felt the gun being pressed harder against his head. “Let me finish. I understand the confusion. I do look an awful lot like Stanley. I'm Stanley's twin brother Michael.”

“I grow weary of your denials and your talking. You have been under surveillance for months. You were at the Brogan's this morning. You are Stanley Brogan, and I will not sit here and have you make me into a fool. Stanley Brogan does not have any brothers.”

“But he does. Stanley doesn't even know about me. Our mom and dad were still in high school when they had us. She had to give one of us for adoption. Stanley was the one she kept. I just found out about Stanley last year.”

“Let me get this straight – Michael, you said your name was?” Michael nodded. “You expect me to believe this cockamamie story about a long, lost twin brother who has come home at last. Spare me the prodigal son story. I am done with you. Otto!”

“Wait! Stanley has a tattoo on his right fore arm,” the man spat out quickly. “I don't have one. Look at my Driver's License in my wallet. Have Hans and Franz check.”

“Um, boss,” Otto starts, “his Driver's License says he is Michael Dauson from South Bend, Indiana.”

“No tattoo either boss,” Jorge says.

“Give me that!” The Boss yells. “Jorge and Otto, you grabbed the wrong guy!"

“I don't mean to be critical, but the story of the Prodigal Son isn't about a long, lost twin brother...” before Michael could finish correcting The Boss, Otto sneezes and the gun goes off.

To be continued...Stuck in the Driveway Part VI

Copyright © 2010 Writing for Fun

Stuck in the Driveway Part IV

It is Fiction Friday again. We are going to continue with our story from last week. 

Enjoy!

Stuck in the Driveway Part IV

At the same time that Bev met Mr. Darksuit, a man, somewhere in the same town, begins to awaken.

“ahh...oohh...whaa...where am?”

It felt as though an entire cotton field was growing in his mouth.

“i can't see.” The man tries to rub his eyes and realizes that his hands are bound behind his back. He tries to stretch his legs and feels a shooting pain in his wrists. “what the?” Someone has tied his feet together at the ankles and connected the two bindings with a strand of rope.

“what is going on?”

He can hear the muffled, indistinguishable voices of two men. A sliver of light appears in one of the walls, but the man doesn't see it. He only hears footsteps as they approach him.

An hour earlier

Stan is driving B.J.'s pale blue Plymouth Horizon. The smell has gotten so bad that he is now driving with his head out of the window. “I thought you were supposed to get used to smells the longer you were around them,” he said to himself. Stan's hair was matted to his face from the rain. The rain was more tolerable than the stench emanating from the Horizon. At least with his head hanging out of the window, he didn't feel the urge to retch. “Ugh, he is so much like his dad, it isn't even funny.”

Stan was beginning to believe he might actually make it in time to meet the investors. That was when the car started to lurch and bounce. “no, No, NO!” The engine dies. He gets out of the car and raises the hood. It is nothing more than a obligatory hood raise. The kind of thing that motorists who breakdown feel that they should do – hoping that it is something easily fixed. He grabs the battery cables to see if they are loose, They are secure. He touches a couple of other wires, comes close to burning his hand on the radiator cap; but, deep in his heart he knows that there is nothing that he can do to fix it anyhow. B.J. was just like his old man in many ways, and he has Bob's inability to fix anything mechanical. As a result, there was no way that he was going to have tools in the car. Stan got back in to the car and tried the ignition. “Come on, Blue Beauty. Don't fail me now.” The car just whined back him – wah na na na, wha na na na. She wanted to start; but couldn't. Stan looked down and realized why. Blue Beauty was out of gas. “Great! This day just keeps getting better and better.”

“You have two choices Stan,” he says to himself. “You can go down Pleasantville Avenue out to Route 73 and walk the three and half miles to the business, or you can go three blocks east and then cut through the Sherwood Forest and be at Brogan's in a half hour.” The path through Sherwood Forest was one he knew well. Until a few months ago, he was an avid runner, and Stan would often run to work. Things had changed since his last run, and he hadn't been jogging since early April. “Well, Stan my boy, you have been wanting to get back to jogging. Now is as good a time as any. Especially,” he said defaltedly, “if you want to save the business.” He grabbed his backpack, Stan never could bring himself to carry a brief case, and started to jog.

Stan was two blocks into his journey when his feet started to ache. “Ack, these wing-tips were not meant for running,” he moaned. He stopped to take his shoes and socks off, and as Stan was putting his shoes and socks into his backpack, he heard a gravely voice.

“What are you doing boy?” Jasper McCletus shouted. Jasper called anyone younger than him boy, and that accounted for just about everyone in town except for his own brother. The two of them were miserable pair.

“Just going for a jog Mr. McCletus.”

“In your bare feet?”

“It's a long story Mr. McCletus and I am already running late for an appointment,” and Stan started running again.
“Is that supposed to be some kind of pun?” But, Stan didn't answer, he just kept running. “I don't know what's wrong with people. No one knows how to show someone common courtesy anymore,” Japser grumbled.

Stan had run the last block and was standing at the mouth of the trail. “Maybe going barefoot wasn't such a bright idea.” He resigned himself to continuing on when saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned just in time to see the three figures running at him. They were on top of him before he could react, the world went dark, and Stan's day got a little worse.

To be continued...

Copyright © 2010 Writing for Fun

Stuck In the Driveway Part III

It is "Fiction Friday" here at Writing for Fun. Tonight we continue our story from last week. Enjoy this week's installment.


Stuck in the Driveway Part III

Eddie had hunkered to the back of his shelter as soon as it had started to drizzle. When he sat in his current position, anybody passing by saw only the trees. That is of course, unless they knew to look for him. His shelter sat back from the road about twenty feet. One long side of the brown tarp was connected to two saplings, and the other long side was tied to stakes in the ground. The front of the tarp was about three feet off of the ground and the back was about six inches off the ground. The shelter wasn't much, but it keep him dry.

Most of the people in town knew that Eddie lived in the woods; but few really cared. The most trouble he got was from the new people that moved to town. They didn't like the idea of homeless person living free in the woods. The newbies would complain to the police, and if the police couldn't get the complainant to understand that Eddie was harmless, the police would go talk to Eddie. The police all knew Eddie, most of them had grown up with him, but their salaries came from the tax payers, and they hated to tell him he had to move, but they were duty bound to do so. Eddie never wanted to cause trouble, and he would take down his shelter and move it farther away from town.

When he first moved back to town, Eddie was sleeping in the park. Since then, he had been evicted, so to speak, several times. After the Hendersons, who had moved in from Boston had complained, Eddie had taken up living three miles outside of town and right across the road from Brogan's Green Thumb. It was because he had hunkered back that he was able to watch as the black sedan pulled into the parking lot about 45 minutes ago. Eddie then watch while the black sedan pulled out as Bev's yellow Sunfire pulled in.

That was always the highlight of his day, watching as Bev pulled into work and got out of her car. He didn't care that she had gained 30lbs since high school. To Eddie, Bev would always be the first girl he kissed, and the first girl with whom he had done a great many things. That was a long time ago though; before he had left town.

Now, he was back, and they were both different people. Bev knew that Eddie watched as she would get out of her car. Most people would think that his watching was creepy. Not Bev, she knew what had happened to Eddie and felt partially responsible. Often, she would give him a little wave; but not today. Today she was preoccupied. Eddie was preoccupied too, only his preoccupation was with the brunette exiting the Sunfire. She coughed as she put out her cigarette. Eddie hated that Bev smoked, he knew that one day it would kill her.

Eddie watched as the black sedan pulled back into Brogan's. This was the same sedan that had just left, and Eddie knew something wasn't right. He tried to call out to warn her; but his voice, from lack of use, only croaked. He watched with a growing alarm as a man in a dark suit slowly got out of the black sedan and entered right behind Bev. It was odd, thought Eddie, that he had not heard Mr. Darksuit's footsteps as he had crossed the gravel parking lot. Even from his vantage point, Eddie had clearly heard Bev as she put out her cigarette and walked to the front door. Something obviously wasn’t right.

Faster than anyone in town had seen Eddie move since he made the game saving tackle against Southwest High in what seemed like a lifetime ago, he was in Brogan's parking lot. Eddie moved with the same quiet stealthiness as Mr. Darksuit. He hid behind the car out of the driver's view. Mr. Darksuit came out of Brogan's carrying Bev's limp body in his arms, and headed for the trunk. Eddie caught him by surprise and knocked him out cold before Mr. Darksuit had a chance to get around the back of the sedan. Somehow, Eddie was able to grab onto Bev before she was crushed under Mr. Darksuit's massive frame.

As Eddie was repositioning Bev in his arms, the driver got out of the black sedan with his gun drawn. With training that he thought was long forgotten, Eddie kicked the gun out of the driver's hand with his right foot. No sooner had his right touched the ground than his left foot tagged the driver in the jaw. The driver slipped on the gravel hitting his head on the side view mirror and fell silently to the ground.

Eddie repositioned Bev one more time. As he did so, he looked down and nearly dropped Bev. Mr. Darksuit, Eddie realized, was someone he hadn't seen since before he came back to town, and he was someone Eddie could have lived his whole life without seeing again. Eddie recovered from his temporary paralysis and ran into the woods carrying Bev with even more determination. As they were running, Bev started to regain consciousness.

“Eddie? Is that you?”

“Relax Bevy, I've got you. I don't know how or what They are doing here. But, you are safe now.”

“nnn....” Bev eyes closed again, and Eddie continued to run deep into the woods. There was only one place he could take her where she would be safe. Eddie only hoped he could get there before Mr. Darksuit regained consciousness and started to track him.

To be continued...Stuck in the Driveway Part IV


Copyright © 2010 Writing for Fun