Preacher's Daughter - Ethan Jailer (First Draft)

3. Western Nights

"Trouble's always gonna find you, baby
But so will I."

•———•———•———•———•———•

    "What the hell?"
    Logan jumped as Ethel caught her breath, setting her backpack down in front of her.
    "Can I... come with you?" She asked, turning to him with a smile.
    Logan was dumbfounded, questioning why Ethel would do this so suddenly after they just met. After a moment, he sighed.
    "I- I guess," he said, Ethel giggling in excitement. "But I'm taking you back first thing in the morning."
    Ethel smiled as she looked out the window, watching her and Riley's house grow smaller as they drove away. Her finger brushed over the dusty truck interior, turning to turn up the music louder. This was the most exciting thing Ethel had done since she was a kid.
    As she looked out and daydreamed of what could happen next, Logan pulled into a liquor store. He put the car in park and turned to Ethel.
    "I'll be back in a second, can you close your eyes for me?" He asked, causing Ethel to immediately question what he was planning.
    "Why?" She asked, Logan's soft expression now tensing up.
    "Just close your eyes, okay?" He said sternly, his eyes burning into Ethel's.
    "No matter what you hear."
    Ethel's eyes widened as his voice became sharper, and she nodded slowly as he got out of the truck and shut the door behind him. Ethel screwed her eyes shut; waiting, listening.
    She heard his voice scream something, muffled through the walls of the store. There was some shuffling, and some arguing, and then a sudden loud bang. Ethel jumped at the sound, but still kept her eyes closed. She heard something slouch onto the floor, and then the doors of the store opening. The truck door followed suit as Logan hopped in and tossed a bag onto the floor in front of Ethel, frantically putting the truck into drive and speeding away as he caught his breath.
    "Okay, you can open your eyes now," He said breathlessly. Ethel did so, looking down at the bag in front of her. Her curiosity peaked, but she didn't dare touch it.
    "What- what was that?" She asked softly as she turned to him. He kept his eyes on the road; his intimidating eyes reflecting the streetlights.
    "It was payday," He said with a smirk as they drove farther and farther. Ethel could see a drop of red on his sharp jawline.
    "...I don't wanna go back." Ethel blurted out, turning to Logan.
    "W— what?" He asked, his eyebrow raising as his eyes remained on the road.
    "I don't wanna go back." Ethel repeated. "I don't want anything to do with my life over there anymore. We could run away together, please!" She said, the bag of money in front of her only putting more ideas into her head.
    "Ethel, your insane." He said as he turned to her. But the idea didn't seem so offensive as he knew he was going to be caught if he stayed in Shady Grove any longer.
    "...But I guess iv'e got nothing to lose."
    His hand reached over to Ethel's, resting on her lap, as he continued to drive. Ethel giggled and picked up the sack of money, counting every bill carefully.
    After a long evening of driving, the two now-runaways arrived at a motel somewhere hopefully far away from Shady Grove. Ethel was full of excitement, dreaming of moving near the west coast where she always wished she could see. She imagined driving down the edge of the beach with Logan, feeling the salty wind breeze past her with a soft embrace. The warm sunset would shine onto her pale, soft skin; her fingers interlocked with Logan's the entire way.
    "I think i'm in love with you, Logan." She said as she crawled into the rough mattress with him. The only thing illuminating the room was a cheap table lamp next to him, highlighting his sharp features while hiding the rest in shadows. He only grinned as she fell asleep in a ball close to his arm, his free hand reaching over and clicking the light off.

    The next morning, Ethel awoke early and decided to grab breakfast for the two at the motel's main room. By the time she got back, Logan was awake and smiled at her.
    "About time," he said as he grabbed a granola bar from her hands. She giggled as she wrapped around his arm, looking into the mirror and fixing her messy bed hair.
    "You know... I have a motorcycle," Logan suddenly said, catching Ethel's attention. She turned to him, her long, brown hair whisping into her hair. "Wanna go for a ride?" He said.
    Ethel grinned, signaling Logan to unload his old motorcycle from the back of his truck. As they drove off, Ethel felt like a bird soaring through the air as she held onto him. She laughed, thrilled from the speeds they were reaching and the sights they were passing. She finally felt free.
    The two stopped at a bar, drinking in celebration of their new found freedom. A freedom that they would share for the rest of their life; Ethel couldn't remember a time she was this happy.

    "Get the fuck off me!"
    The words came from a taller, lanky man who towered over Logan, Pushing Ethel's lover against a pool table.
    She could barely stand from the alcohol rushing to her brain as she tried to figure out what was going on. Logan was screaming, the taller man bending down closer to his face. She saw Logan push even harder, causing the drinks on the table to spill and crash onto the floor, the glasses shattering instantly. People crowded around them as the two continued yelling obscenities at each other. She gasped in horror as she saw Logan raise a beer bottle over the man's head.
    Before she knew it, Ethel was holding onto Logan for dear life on his motorcycle as the two sped back to the motel. She still felt intoxicated when they suddenly slowed down.
    "We need cash," he simply said as they stopped at a small bank. Ethel sat on the idle motorcycle, trying to regain her thoughts as Logan went inside and began his crime.
    Ethel waited patiently for Logan to finish the job and get them their bundle of cash when something beamed into her eyes. Her eyelids fluttered as she looked up, her heart dropping as the red and blue painted the dim sidewalks.
    She tried to run inside and alert Logan, but the alcohol in her blood caused her to fall to the floor, her knee scraping crimson onto the concrete. An officer yelled something as he got out of his car and rushed towards the bank. She crawled next to the trash can beside the store entrance, peering through the cracks. She looked desperately for Logan as another officer got out of the car and pointed something towards the doors. Screaming filled the air.
    The instantaneous sound of gunshots releasing into the building caused Ethel to jump and duck down. She covered her face with her hands as more shots rang just inches away from her, and she looked up to see Logan's body fall to the ground.

•———•———•———•———•———•