And Then Acid Fell

(Second Story - Second Chapter)

Enervated, Goran couldn't comprehend the alarming sound of the orchestra of sirens that jolted him to consciousness. He wiped the drool that dripped down his chin and examined what was going on. His vision was blurred while his eyes took some time to adjust to the surroundings.

    No more traffic! His jaw dropped, and his eyes widened. Hurriedly, he turned his key and stepped on the gas pedal. The row of cars he belonged to seemed to have caused a bottleneck on the expressway; 5 lanes and every last car had slumbering drivers. The other side already had a relatively decent flow of traffic compared to the one he was in. Navigating through a maze of parked cars, he inadvertently dented a bunch in tightly cramped positions.

    He made his way to the nearest rest stop a couple of kilometers away from the tollbooth, as did many others who were caught up in the overnight traffic jam. The rain had already passed and the sun was already shining high above a cloudless sky. Goran squinted his moist eyes, trying to hold in the relief he was feeling.

    He hastily stepped out of the car and heaved up his arms above his head, every bone in his body cracking in unison. Soaking up some sunlight, he noted that it was unusually cold, and the air was noticeably humid.

    The long line in the bathroom forced him to detour to a snack kiosk, for a late or early breakfast. He made his way to the convenience store to stock up for his long trip. Goran dialed Norah as soon as he got a signal; he didn't know what to say or how to say that he was leaving for awhile, and that 'awhile' meant 'forever.' “Hello?” A pause in the ringing led him to believe that she had picked up, but the phone kept on ringing.

    As he was paying, he spotted 4 hulking men, all clad in suede tracksuits, roll up from the glass behind the cashier counter. He was rattled; he sprinted to the back of the furthest aisle to hide.

    He had been involved with horrible people and he was so sure that he recognized at least two of the men he just saw as their associates. Soon after, one of the men went inside the same convenience store, seemingly casing the place. Out of breath and options, he grabbed a plunger and proceeded to crawl toward an exit, as the tracksuit-clad goon questioned the clerk.

    As he neared the exit, the sound of gunshots resonated from the outside. Goran tried to maintain what little composure he had left. Sweating profusely, he scurried outside – plunger in hand – scraping his bare elbows on the jagged, broken tiles that lined the floor. Upon exiting, he opted to walk casually, maintaining the plunger out of view. He whistled whatever tune came to his mind, as he tried to blend in with the panicking crowd poorly. It didn't matter; the surrounding area was too chaotic for anyone to notice his ineptness at blending in. He looked like a plumber who just finished a job, and didn't know what the hell was going on.

    He picked up his pace the nearer he approached his car. Looks like my luck is finally turning, and just when I needed it the most! As Goran was scrambling around for his keys, a hand the size of his head grabbed him from behind and smashed his face on the window of his car.

    “You look exactly like the guy we're looking for,” exclaimed the dark skinned man, motioning to his companions that he has stumbled upon their quarry. The men ganged up on him, kicking him then nailing his back to the side of his car.

    Goran swung the plunger around aimlessly, but one of the assailants snatched it then broke it in half. They brandished brass knuckles and makeshift clubs to torment him with, hitting in accord.

    “Please! Please stop!” Goran pleaded, battered and bruised. “I'll pay all of you!”

    “You don't have the scratch the boss needs,” one of the men retorted, as they continuously pounded him. “You don't even have anything at all!”