Three of Wands [Reversed]

The City—DUSK

Spike is driving wildly down a City street in a neighborhood filled with kids on bike, skates and skateboards. I am slammed back and forth across the cab with his erratic jerks of the wheel.

Spike glowers. “I want to go hang out at a bar.”

“I want to hit a liquor store first, so I have an option when you decide to go out for harder drugs.” I plead. “Anyway, kids are playing everywhere so slow up!”

Spike continues barreling through the neighborhood.

“Watch! You barely missed those bikes!”

Another small child runs right out in front of the truck and disappears.

“Jeezus!” Spike mutters and quickly pulls down a side street. Did we hit that kid? Shit.

“What are you doing, Spike? You can’t leave the scene of the crime. Maybe it’s not your fault. I bet you must have some crack cocaine here in the truck or else you’d do the decent thing and stop to see if the kid was all right.”

Spike slows. “We got to think.”

But I look around and point. Behind the truck two cop cars can be seen crossing the intersection where Spike pulled away.

“They are awful fast in responding.” I say.

“No worries. The idea is that a guilty party would run and not sit on a side street.”

The cops pass by. Spike continues. “Anyway, the only witnesses are young kids. There is beer distributor on this street, so let’s coolly go about our business.”

Spike parks outside the WINES AND LIQUORS. And when I jump out of the cab, he tears off into the night.

I guess I have to walk home. I hope I don’t have to pass the crime scene. I don’t want to see or be seen at the gruesome accident up there.