On the Lam (Wistful Beast and Vermiciro)

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Forty-five minutes and Judith would be seeing Trevor again. It was still before three in the afternoon, so he was bound to be home, and likely alone. His wife and kids hadn't left him on a whim after all. He was sure to accept the car in payment too. An inveterate gambler doesn't just turn a new leaf one day, or so Judith was betting. All her eggs in one basket as the saying went. All but one, and it was a rotten one. Judith didn't want to think about hiking her ass through Nebraskan wild.

She watched Callie curl into a tired ball and waited five minutes, to resist temptation longer would invite a spectrum of unwanted thoughts. It was only a taste anyway. Gently, Judith retrieved the bottle of whiskey. Held between her thighs as she drove left-handed, she unscrewed the cap and took a generous mouthful before returning it. A liquid balm for her nerves, a silent prayer to whoever would listen, and Judith focused on the road ahead.

The lane that Trevor lived down, lush with vegetation and clumps of trees between each comely little bungalow, was soon approaching. Judith wasn't worried about getting there. She doubted anyone would notice the SUV. But she still kept her circumspection. They just needed to get on the water that was all. Judith repeated her plan in her head like a mantra, because maybe that would make it reality. Just maybe.
 
Callie drifted into a dream. She found herself back at the quaint farm she had grown up, the sun shining above and the familiar red barn perched ahead of her near the house. The barn door was open, meaning that father was probably milking the cows.

Callie walked forwards, feet automatically moving forwards. Callie had little thought of her drunk self in the real world, since in dreams one didn't remember reality very well. To Callie's mind, this was real. She approached the barn on quiet feet. The straw crackled underfoot and Callie soon spotted her father crouched down milking an old cow as expected.

A smile was brought to Callie's face. "Papa!"she said happily. Her father, an older stocky man with a grey beard, turned to face her. He wore a disappointed expression on his olive skinned face, getting to his feet. "Papa?"she asked, wondering why he didn't seem excited to see her.

Her father grabbed a pitchfork and held it out. "My farm is no place for a murderer."he growled, stepping forwards. Callie's smile contorted into a frown, as she took a wary step back. "Papa, I didn't do it. I'm no killer."she said.

Her father took another step forwards, brandishing that pitchfork of his. "Out!"he yelled, voice filling the barn. Callie stood up, reaching a hand out to her father. Suddenly his pitchfork burst forth, piercing Callie's chest.

Callie woke up with a light gasp, looking around and remembering where she was. Her senses were not as sharp as they had been in her dream, head foggy and eye sight blurred.
 
Gravel crunched underneath as Judith pulled into Trevor's driveway. The lawn and garden had been tempted to mutiny by rain and summer sun, overgrown and choking the path to his front door in weeds. Curtains on both floors were drawn. In the hinge-mouthed gold box beside the front door Judith could see the day's mail poking out. She took it as a sign he wasn't awake. She killed the engine.

Beside her, Callie awoke with a start. Judith had never slept well after drinking and slept even worse waiting to see if trouble had followed her home. Expectation of the police tended to ruin any pastime. She didn't doubt it had some effect on the woman beside her. Judith checked the plastic bags, remembering the plethora of ones she had stashed into hers.

"Good to see you awake." Judith greeted sardonically as she gathered the money. "We've arrived if you haven't noticed. I don't think he's awake. I'll knock on the front, but I bet we'll have to break in and rouse his dead ass." she informed, splitting the stack of bills into two and handing half to Callie. "Pocket that. If he noses around in here I don't want him takin' it."
 
Callie took a moment to gather her wits as they pulled into what she presumed to be Trevor's driveway. Her weary gaze found a home with a disheveled front yard and overall sketchy look considering that all of the blinds in the house were drawn shut. Callie sat up, reaching a hand up to her head and wincing when she found that she had moved too quickly. She knew that drinking had been a poor choice, but she couldn't change the past so she'd have to make her drunk ass at least somewhat attentive during the events to come. Callie opened her eyes again, lazily fixing her hair with one hand as she heard Judith's greeting. Callie managed an incoherent mumble and blinked a few times, making sure her mind was as sharp as she was going to get it.

Callie accepted the cash given to her, pocketing it carefully. She grabbed two of the pocket knives she had stolen and handed them to Judith. "May be useful to keep there too."she offered. They could be useful for quick slashes if assaulted, or if Judith's prediction was correct they could use it to try to pick a lock or cut through a window screen. Callie then opened the car door and exited, resting a hand on the still warm hood of the car while she regained what scrap of coordination she still possessed. It was too bright out and Callie was still exhausted, but she knew she wouldn't rest again until they were far away from here.
 
The pair of pocket knives Judith held were small. Two little Ridge Runners, one blue and one yellow, with about a two inch folding blade on each. Judith doubted they could resist much torque, but they were sharp. That was what mattered in the end. She dropped one into the abyss of cloth that was her pant's pocket and snapped the bead chain of the other around her bra strap, certain at least the one wouldn't get lost.

Exiting the car, she took a look at her partner. "Relaxed?" Judith asked jokingly. "We'll be in South Dakota soon enough. We can break into a cabin or motel and catch some shut-eye then. " Not waiting for a reply, she crossed the lawn and took the front steps in a stride. Before even knocking, Judith checked the mail. All were addressed to Trevor, a good sign. At least they weren't at the wrong place. Judith tried the knob. It caught fast and prevented her entrance. She curse in hope that he was awake.

Judith knocked softer than she'd have liked, three low raps on the door. She couldn't hear any movement inside. She tried again, the blows falling in quick succession. There still wasn't a reply. She waited, gave the bastard her precious time. Every second ticking by felt like a minute, each adding up exponentially faster than the last. Palms sweating, toes tapping rhythmically with impatience, Judith's nerves couldn't take the wait. Fuck etiquette. It'd never been her strong suit any way.

Retracing her path back to Callie, stirring mosquitoes and punkies as she went, Judith gestured the other woman to follow. "We're going around back. There's sure to be a window open or an air-conditioner."
 
Callie heard Judith speak, head reeling. She hardly understood what the woman had said. "Huh? I guess so.."she replied softer than she had anticipated. She held onto the car with one and hand as she half stumbled, half walked after Judith. Callie felt as if she were treading water or something, body heavier than it should be. Why did she have to drink that damned alcohol?

Callie stayed by the car and just watched Judith approach and knock on the door, waiting for some sort of a response. There was none, indicating that the man wasn't home or was preoccupied like Judith had predicted. Callie closed her eyes to block out what light she could, opening them again when she heard Judith's foot steps drawing near.

"Around back? O..okay."Callie replied. Instead of stuttering, now she was beginning to slur some of her words. Callie followed after Judith, pausing a few times to regain her balance. Callie tried to ignore her growing urge to vomit here into the overgrown lawn, finding this place and time to be inconvenient.
 
In retrospect, insisting Callie drink around half a pint of whiskey may have been a poor idea, but only maybe. Judith wasn't willing to admit that seven to eight shots was a lot. After a bad day, it sounded like an ideal waste of time, that time being hours and not forty-five minutes. Consideration for a weaker tolerance added into the equation, and gradually Judith was coming to the conclusion that her partner may very well be shit-faced. Judith had a sinking feeling it presaged carrying the redhead to the boathouse.

Intoxication aside, not only were there two first floor windows open on the backside of the house, but also a backdoor. The problem being that the door was locked just as tight as the front. To its right was one of the windows looking over a sink into the kitchen. It was the closest to the door, and seemed an obvious choice. Much to Judith's chagrin, however, she couldn't pull herself up to it. Low enough to look into, but too high to slice the screen and clamber in.

"Fuck." she spat under her breath. She didn't know how well she could rely on Callie, but there wasn't much choice. The other window was just as high. "Hey!" Judith addressed her partner. "Give me a lift would you. Unless you think you can get in."
 
Callie followed after Judith like a lost puppy, steps uncoordinated as she walked on weakened legs. Callie had the vague sense that she should be focused and ready to act, but she had little energy or motivation. Also, there was a cloud high above that had a phallic shape. She proceeded to laugh up at it for a moment, still gigglung by the time she reached Judith at the back of the house.

Callie reached the window Judith was looking through, nearly smacking her head on the house. She looked over to Juith and tried her hardest to pay attention to what the woman was requesting. "A lift? Maybe, I 'on't know."she replied, unsure of whether or not she could handle lifting the other woman in this state.
 
With an aggravated sigh, Judith tried once again to enter the window without assistance. Knife clicked open, she jumped and managed to cut a vertical slit from the near center down. It appeared large enough for her to enter. If not, she could tear it farther and crawl in. Getting up to was still a predicament though. Reaching the base of the window wasn't hard, pulling herself up by it was. Her arms just weren't strong enough. She couldn't bend them to get enough leverage, instead remaining uselessly rigid and straight. Her feet kicked and cycled against the house siding for purchase. They slipped. And even on the rare chance they caught, Judith only found it more difficult to pull herself upward.

She dropped down, running a hand through her hair, exasperated. "All right." she addressed Callie. "You don't have to get me on your shoulders or anything. Just pretend you're like a footstool or a stump or..." she crouched down in demonstration, before sighing. "Somethin'." Even a leg up would do. Judith figured she only needed about a foot more height to get a decent hold.
 
Callie idly watched Judith as the woman tried her best to pull herself into the window, efforts seeming to be going awry. Callie laughed quietly, finding the failed attempt to be amusing for some reason. Callie leaned her back up against the house, humming quietly to herself until she heard a voice snap her out of it.

Looking down she spotted Judith on the ground, seeming to be frustrated as she asked Callie to do something. Callie was too embarrassed to ask what the hell Judith wanted from her, so she just decided to mimick the woman to see if that was the correct response. She crouched down and placed her arms under herself, knees resting on the ground so that she formed a foot stool of sorts. Callie hicupped and giggled at an ant that crawled towards her lowered face.
 
"Close enough." Judith was regretting her previous decision to alleviate Callie's nerves. It worked a bit too well, and though it was favorable for the car ride, for breaking and entering it was not as auspicious. Part of her even worried the woman might just stay on the ground after Judith managed to get inside. If she got inside.

Looking down at the ball of Callie, Judith awkwardly took a tentative step up. She didn't feel even a modicum of stability atop her partner. She worried at any moment the woman beneath her was somehow going to fold like a house of cards, or worse, roll over. Careful to avoid Callie's spine, Judith positioned herself just below the slit in the screen and pulled herself up. She managed to slip a hand through the screen and felt for a grip on the sink to pull herself further in. The window sill pressed unforgiving into her stomach. Lungs struggling to expand, Judith held her breath. Knocking over a cup, plastic vessel clattering and reverberating as it hit the floor, she held tight to the sink's edge. It was when she was about to drag herself farther in that she noticed movement.

Standing across the kitchen in a wrinkled shirt and athletic pants was Trevor, arms crossed and a brow raised in irritable disbelief. "What the fuck are you doing?"

Judith's grip failed and she slipped from the window like rain sluicing from a car's hood. She crumpled to an ungainly pile of bones and bruises beside Callie, absently holding her chin which had snapped against the windowsill in her descent. She hardly heard Trevor open his back door to ask if they were drunk.
 
Callie kept focusing on that little ant by her face, even going as far as to say hello to it. She named it "Jerry." Seemingly mesmerized by the tiny jet black insect, Callie hardly seemed to notice that Judith had stepped up onto her back. Callie reached out a finger and poked the antenna of the bug that had the misfortune of crossing the path of the heavily intoxicated woman. A gentle pat turned into much more and Callie unintentionally squashed the poor creature, its slimy guts spilling out onto the ground. "Well shit, Jerry. Way t' be a dumb ass..."she mumbled at the insect's twitching corpse.

Suddenly Judith toppled onto the ground, feet leaving Callie's back. Callie sat up when she heard a thump, blowing her hair out of her face and finding Judith had somehow fallen. Callie released a bark of laughter in response, face lit up. Like the phallic shaped cloud, the pain of others was also categorized under "shit that shouldn't be funny, but is when under the influence." Callie did manage to hear Trevor's question, turning her head to see the man standing in the back doorway. If Callie had been sober, she would have been anxious and probably would have hid behind Judith, but she wasn't. Callie offered a loose wave of her hand and decided it was only proper to answer the strange man's question. "A little. I thin'."she answered, voice almost casual.
 
Judith could only manage a sneer as she heard Callie laugh. She rubbed at her sore jaw, feeling it grow warm, blood flushing to the injured tissue only to flow out into the interstitial spaces. Within an hour the spot would be colored sallow and plum-purple in ecchymosis. Judith didn't worry over it. Her pride stung more.

Using her inebriated accomplice as a crutch, Judith pulled herself to her feet, one pant leg unfurling as she did. She looked awful. Trevor's assumption that she was drunk wasn't without grounds. Judith was dressed like a child pilfering their parent's wardrobe. A developing bruise, a grass stain from where she'd fallen, disheveled hair, and an actually drunk woman in tow, Judith felt she must have looked the part.

"We need your boat." she stated simply.

"When did you get out of prison?"

"This morning." Judith replied, quick and pithy. "She and I escaped. I've assaulted three people. There's a stolen car in your driveway. And we. Need. Your. Boat." she didn't have the time or patience to elucidate further. She wanted to be on Ponca Creek. She wanted, needed, to get the fuck out of Nebraska. Trevor standing catatonic and nonplussed wasn't helping. Judith grit her teeth. "Just turn on the news. I'm going to borrow some clothes."

She offered Callie a hand up as she heard her contact slip back inside, incredulous inarticulation echoing in his wake. "Feel free to raid his fridge." Judith said. "Eating usually helps alcohol settle in my stomach a little better."
 
Callie was pretty content sitting on the ground, looking up at Trevor and Judith in a childlike manner. She at least wasn't jittery anymore, though Callie probably would have been better off with her paranoia and sharpened senses. Too later for those attributes now since her body was now already processing a copious amount of strong alcohol. Callie could sense that there was tension and confusion around her, but she felt neither of those emotions. She did understand that Judith was really set on getting that boat and that the strange man appeared to be a bit taken aback by their sudden and disheveled appearance.

Callie accepted Judith's helping hand, staggering to her feet awkwardly. She was hesitant to release Judith's hand considering she watched as the ground threaten to suck her back down. She did manage to keep her balance for now, releasing Judith's hand and holding her own hands out to keep her body steady. Callie heard Judith's comment about food, but her head was so foggy that it sounded as if she were listening while under water. Callie just nodded and smiled lightly. She stumbled over towards the door and entered, looking around. Normally, she'd never dare to enter this strange man's house, but her mind was working like it usually did so here she was standing awkwardly in Trevor's house as she began to develop a head ache.
 
Watching Callie teeter, sway like the ground was undulating underfoot, Judith resisted trying to stabilize her, letting the redhead find her own center of balance. If leaning forwards or back felt right, it didn't matter. As long as Callie was standing Judith figured they were on the road to freedom, and doing swell.

"Whatever you do, don't close you eyes." Judith warned her before slipping through the kitchen and into Trevor's bedroom. Closing her eyes would only intensify the spinning, rolling-waves sensation of drinking and Judith didn't think she could drag Callie down the path to the boat house. Trevor's bedroom was a fucking mess. For a forty-something-year-old man, he had no sense of organization or spatial hygiene. There were clothes everywhere and Judith couldn't tell what was dirty and what was relatively clean.

She cursed, opening a dresser drawer. "Christ." Everything was in wrinkled balls or crushed into the back of the drawer. How the man lived without his wife, Judith assumed he spent a lot of time with Jim Beam. Too enervated from the day's previous endeavors, Judith settled on a black v-neck and a pair of jeans that fit her better than the slacks, but not great. She hoped Trevor had the sense to burn the clothes she had shed and left on the floor.

Returning to the kitchen before confronting Trevor again, Judith tried adjusting her clothes. "Look at this." she told Callie, grabbing at the crotch of her new attire. "Nuts don't need this much space. It's like a fucking kangaroo pouch." Judith complained, though it allowed her to hide the gun much easier than any women's jeans would. She sighed, unable to find a comfortable means of wearing Trevor's clothes. "C'mon. He's got the news on in the living room. You wanna hear what the media thinks?"
 
Callie spent her passing moments standing a few feet away from the door, seeming dazed. She quickly forgot Judith's warning entirely and proceeded to close her eyes for a while, feeling terrible. Opening her eyes didn't help her and a sudden assault of dizziness sent her falling. Luckily, she managed to catch herself on her hands and knees, head reeling. She groaned and sat back on her legs, rubbing her temples with fumbling hands. She didn't care much for the mess, being one that was particularity organized, but she wasn't in the proper condition to offer any comment on the absolute mess. Eventually Callie managed to get back up again, looking around when she forgot where Judith had run off to.

Before Callie could say Judith's name to summon the woman, she made an appearance. Callie noted the change of outfit and thought it was only a slight improvement. The pants still looked ridiculous and didn't fit Judith well at all considering the excessive amount of sagging. A small giggle escaped Callie's throat at Judith's comment that likened the empty crotch region to the pouch of a kangaroo. Callie was mostly amused by the sudden image in her mind of Judith hopping around like a kangaroo.

"Sure. 'ounds fun."Callie decided aloud, following Judith into the living room with a wobbling gait. She nearly tripped and fell into Judith, but she caught the wall and steadied herself. Quite determined for a drunk person, she continued to set off towards the living room as if nothing had happened.
 
It was almost equally comical as it was worrying for Judith to watch Callie. The woman was barely ambulatory, moving like the world was askew. Judith figured it still beat the stutter and reluctance of earlier. Though she figured she'd regret even thinking that if trouble found them before the woman sobered. Drunk wasn't any way to address a life threatening situation.

"They're looping it." Trevor commented absently from the couch. As he did, the broadcast switched reports to their earlier escape. Every banner and subtitle was in a red box, an alert scrolling across the bottom of the screen. In the center were four portraits, three mugshots, and one of Callie either found online or offered by her family. The anchor listed off a timeline of events, the murder of the officers, the felons fanning out and the resulting crimes to ensure freedom. The SUV and its plates were shone as well as a sedan that one of the other men had stolen. They recapitulated everyone's rap sheets and concluded with a warning. Everyone needed to lock their doors. If anything was seen, it needed to be reported.

Judith caught Trevor staring her down. "You parked a stolen vehicle, that everyone is looking for, in my driveway." he lambasted.

"Just keep it in the garage and scrap it." Judith's voice was tired. Somehow, seeing the report had drained her. It almost felt impossible to escape the reach of the law.

Trevor curse below his breathe, obviously frustrated. "You know I could call the police."

"You could get maybe two thousand out of that car Trev."

He seemed conflicted, but eventually looked to Judith in a knowing, defeated way. "You know I can't turn you down, don't you?"

Judith reticence was reply enough. Trevor rubbed his hands over his face, his stubble making a scratching sound. "Get to the boat house. I've gotta get dressed first and swap the cars around. I'll be with you shortly."

"Thanks." Judith gestured for Callie to follow. The boat house was at the end of a dirt path, through the woods behind Trevor's house. "Make sure you watch you step." Judith cautioned her partner as she slipped out the back door.
 
Callie stood next to Judith, eyes now fixated on the television screen. She saw four images displayed, three being mug shots and one of a smiling woman with cherry red hair. Oh shit, that woman was her. Callie also spotted Judith among the mug shots, suddenly coming to the realization that now their escape would be more difficult considering people knew what they looked like. Callie mentally cursed her decision to dye her hair a few years ago since it was pretty impossible to try to pass as someone else or go completely unnoticed.

Callie found it to be almost surreal that others had labeled her as a killer and now she was too be hunted and feared. Callie felt a pang of sadness even with her intoxicated state when she came to the realization that her parents would probably see this broadcast and be disappointed. They may even grieve to know that their daughter had shamed them by supposedly murdering someone in cold blood. It made Callie feel even more nauseated than she already was. She placed a palm on the wall for support as the pictures of their getaway car were displayed. "Shit..."she mumbled in response.

Then Callie watched as the rap sheets of the felons were shown with her own looking rather bare save for the murder charge. Callie took to looking at her feet now, the light and moving images on the TV making her head ache more intense. Trevor and Judith's banter didn't help much with the discomfort either. All Callie picked up on was that they were to make their way to wherever the boat was. Seemed simple, but not on drunken legs. Callie moved forth anyways, making out the door with minimal problems.
 
The path to the boathouse was was rockier than Judith recalled. It had been two years since she went fishing with Trevor and one of his friends, but she felt the time couldn't account for all the stones protruding from the dirt like pills in a blister pack. They bit into the soft soles of her shoes. Judith missed her old boots, and knowing she'd never get them back was disheartening. She doubted the Salvation Army thrift stores would carry anything similar in her size. They were certain to have at least one pair of jeans for her though.

Built within the last five years, and still unpainted, the boathouse was unremarkable at best. The grey water lapping at its sides wasn't as vitalizing to see as Judith had hope. Maybe it was the knowledge that they would be seeing it for hours to come that kept her spirits in check. There was still so much distance left to travel before they could rest; the gravity of it weighed heavy on Judith. She hoped it wasn't doing the same to Callie.

Judith looked back to see how well her partner was taking the path, and hoped maybe Trevor would be close behind her.
 
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Callie stumbled clumsily after Judith, trying her best to keep pace with the other woman. She was trying to be mindful of the loose rocks underfoot that were probably wearing down the bottom of her converse shoes. Converse high tops weren't known to be particularly durable shoes, but Callie stilled preferred them over most footwear. The lack of traction on the bottoms wasn't helping her now though. She thought she was doing pretty well, placing one foot in front of another to the best of her capability.

Suddenly she lost her balance and totally ate it, landing face first in the rocks. Her palms scrabbled at the small rocks, trying to gain purchase. She lifted her head, feeling an acute stinging on her face. Now a red scrape mark adorned her right cheek, bleeding lightly. Her head was almost throbbing now from being shaken up so much. She managed to push herself up , knees digging into the ground. "Ow, ow, ow..."she mumbled bitterly as she shook rocks from where they had been stuck to her skin. Callie got to her feet but after her next step, she fell again. Luckily, she caught herself to break the fall before her palms gave way and she hit her head again. Callie lay there for a moment. "Well fucking shit. Fuck!"Callie proceeded to yell before getting up again.

This time she waited a moment before following after Judith. She reached Judith's side before falling yet again. "Damn it!"she added before her knees collided with the ground. She didn't hit her face this time though, but she was obviously pretty disabled for the time being.
 
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