“You’re a brave little bitch,” the guy said, his lip curling, revealing a set of rotten teeth.
“Do I have something to be scared of?” Red asked, holding the door open wider, as if she were inviting him in.
“Yeah, me,” he said, looking like he wanted to take a step inside, but thinking better of it. “And my friends,” he said, with a smug smile.
“Really? Well I have two sisters and a nine with ten shots that says I’m the baddest motherfucker on this block. You want to test that theory?” Red asked, staring the guy down while I fought hard to control my laughter. There was absolutely nothing funny about what was taking place, but just hearing Red talk like she was in some action movie had me nearly dying.
“That’s enough Red, I got it,” Chris said, emerging from the side of the building and shooting Red a glare. He might have been a PROSPECT, but if he was here under his superior’s orders to protect us, then he would do so at all costs. And Red knew that. She gave him an apologetic smile, and closed the door, leaving Chris and the junkie outside, alone.
“Are we just gonna leave him out there?” I asked Maddie and Red’s backs, as they descended down the hall.
“Yep,” they replied in unison. I caught up with them and stood in the doorway of my room, while they piled back onto the bed without a care in the world.
“But were there really people watching?” I asked, straining my ears for the sound of gunshots.
“Nah. Luke called and said a guy was coming by to get directions. He said to let Chris handle it, but I knew Chris was out back walking the perimeter, so I thought we could have a little fun,” Red said, lighting a cigarette.
“Y’all could have told me. Bitches,” I added, turning my back to them to as I grabbed my wallet for the pizza guy.
“Then it wouldn’t have been fun. Don’t worry. Luke will chew my ass when he gets here and you will get all the pay back you want when he does.”
“Will he really chew your ass?” I asked, memories of earlier today reminding me that Red really didn’t want to piss Luke off.
“Probably not, but I was hoping it would make you feel better.” She and Maddie shared a laugh, as I walked down the hall to answer the door to the pizza man. I pulled open the door and found Chris standing there, holding my pizza in one hand, and his key in the other.
“I could have got that.” I said, taking it from him, with a smile. “Is anyone outside?” He looked behind him then back at me, confused.
“No. Just us,” he said, as the pizza man sped off in his small car. I opened my mouth, and began screaming bloody murder.
“Help! Help!” I screamed, beating on the wall and turning my head toward the hallway to see Maddie and Red come barging out so fast that they ran into each other as they hit the wall across from my room. I closed my mouth and smiled, as Maddie flipped the light on and Red scanned the room frantically, her hands waving a gun around looking for the intruder. Chris stood next to me, his gun also drawn, as he scanned the room for my imaginary culprit, too.
“What’s wrong?! What’s wrong?!” Maddie screamed in panic, her eyes searching as she stood behind Red, who still held then gun toward the bar, with shaky hands.
“Gotcha,” I said, with a smile, leading Maddie to nearly faint with relief and Red to go fucking nuts.
“I almost shot you, Dallas! Just fucking then. I almost pulled the trigger! What if one of the guys had been in here! Are you crazy?” she asked, but I knew she wanted to laugh. I pulled the clip from the gun she held from my back pocket and smiled. “Dude! That was good. You are good,” Red said, laughing and pointing her finger at me. Maddie joined in, and I bowed and curtsied in front of them, while they extended their arms singing “hail Dallas.”
“What the fuck is going on!?” Chris exploded from beside me. I jumped at his voice and stood stock still as he stood before us shaking with anger, his arms still extended with his gun in his hands. “You bitches are gonna drive me fuckin’ crazy!” he yelled to the ceiling, placing his gun in his belt and grabbing from the floor the pizza I had dropped in the moment. “I’m taking this,” he said, pointing at each of us, and giving us a look that said if we argued he might shoot us. He stomped through the room and out the side door, slamming it behind him. I looked at Maddie and Red, and the three of us burst out laughing. We had become delirious from cabin fever, and it was the greatest fucking thing ever.