✓ | FLOW ( eddie munson )

thirty-three. 20 rounds of buckshot

veda henderson

          I have to strain to hold in my giggle at the sight of Eddie with his face covered by a cheap Halloween mask. He pokes his head around the corner of the trailer, looking out for any signs of people. I stand next to him, my chin brushing his shoulder as I too peer out. 

    Unsurprisingly, the trailer park is mostly dead probably due to the murder that happened here not too long ago. Eddie turns to the group huddled behind us, motioning for them to move forward in silence.

    We all stay crouched and huddled together, running towards the random family home on wheels. We weave through the other trailers, coming out at the back of the caravan. The family that owns the caravan sits just on the other side, unaware of the group about to steal from them.

    Eddie gestures for us to be silent as he feels the side of the metal vehicle for a way inside before landing on a small window towards the end. Without hesitating, he grips the window and slides it open, throwing himself inside the van. He sits, pulling the mask off of his head and turning to the window with his palms open. I nod, tossing his bag to him which he catches gracefully. 

    I then grip the edges of the window, yanking myself up until my body slips through the opening and hits the built-in couch beneath the window. Steve is next to follow me into the caravan as Eddie rushes over to the driving section of the vehicle. 

    "Dusty," I whisper, grabbing his hand to help pull him through the caravan. He nods his thanks, dropping down and moving behind a wooden cabinet. As everyone else piles in, I quietly walk over to where Eddie sits in the driver's seat.

    He shoves a pair of pliers between his teeth, his hands grabbing onto the wires of the car and pulling them towards him. I feel a presence over my shoulder, turning to see Steve peering over me to watch Eddie work his magic. 

    Eddie pulls the pliers from his teeth, reaching down to clip the correct wires needed for hot-wiring. Steve looks at me, concern in his eyes before turning to Eddie, "How did you learn to do this?"

    "Well, when the other Dads were teaching their kids how to fish or play ball, my old man was teaching me how to hot-wire," Eddie explained briefly, continuing to work on the wires in front of him, "Now, I swore to myself I wouldn't wind up like he did but now, I'm wanted for murder, and soon, grand theft auto. So, uh, I'm really living up to that Munson name,"

    "Well, Wayne is a Munson too and he seems great," I shrug, noticing the way his hands fumbled for a second as if he's surprised by my words. He very quickly recovers, looking over his shoulder at me briefly before continuing. 

    "Jesus, anyone would think there was less drug trading going on with you two and more friendly bonding," Robin jokes, sending a cheeky smile my way as I turn to look at her, "Although, Eddie, I'm not sure I love the idea of you driving,"

    "I have to agree, I'm not convinced you actually own a driver's license," I shudder, remembering how erratic and rough Eddie drives that van of his. Man, I'm starting to miss that van. It's definitely been impounded by now.

    "Oh, I'm just starting this sucker. Harringtons got her. Don't ya, big boy?" Eddie smiles, leaning towards Steve in emphasis.

    Eddie sparks two wires together, the dashboard in front of him lighting up as the van begins to rumble to life. Almost instantly, the voices of the family outside start up, their tones loud and angry.

    I almost snap my neck as two of them appear at the window on the passenger side, banging on the windows and yelling about the locked doors.

    "No time to argue, Steve-o," I laugh, pushing Steve in front of me as Eddie laughs louder than I've heard in a while. He giddily jumps up from his seat, allowing Steve to take over.