A Constant Reminder by Lolah Lace Read Free Book Online

face. He hoped it wouldn’t come to that. He had no desire to be a hero. He was laid off from his job and had to take this one to feed his family. He hated this place and clearly he had a good reason.
    “How much?” Tony asked Adam.
    “Twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, seventy and about eleven singles.”
    “That ain’t shit! Hell, where’s the safe?” Tony yelled to the trembling cashier. “Hey punk where’s the safe?” He asked again.
    “The safe, it’s in the back.” The cashier pointed at the break room door just as the store manager slowly moved away from the door and out of sight.
    “In that room back there?” Adam asked although the answer was obvious. Adam pointed to the door that the store manager was hiding behind.
    “Yeah but I don’t have the combination. I’m just a clerk. They don’t tell me nothing around here.”
    Tony chuckled. “Do you think we’re stupid? I know you got the combination, the key, whatever.”
    “Maybe he really doesn’t know it.” Adam said his thoughts aloud. This wasn’t their normal routine. This time it seemed to be taking longer than normal. What happened to in and out?
    “No way bro, he’s fucking lying. I know he’s lying.”
    “Dude, I’m not lying.” The cashier assured them.
    “You shut up! Let’s go look at it.” Tony demanded. “Hurry up!”
    Tony palmed the cashier’s neck in his hand and led him backwards toward the break room door. He held on to the cashier to insure he wouldn’t run off. He thought he was being cautious.
    Adam was on the opposite side of the counter. He followed them and glanced out the window a few times. He had to make sure the police or other customers weren’t coming into the store. At this time of night, the streets were mostly quiet and devoid of people.
    Before they could make it to the break room, suddenly the door swung open. The store manager was standing only a few feet away from them. He was directly in front of the cashier, Tony and Adam.
    The manager was holding a handgun. The older man’s trembling hands were straight out in front of him. The barrel was pointed at Tony and the cashier.
    “Put your gun down!” The manager yelled with a shaky bravado.
    “If you shoot me, you shoot him!” Tony barked.
    Tony had sluggish reflexes but he wasn’t able to keep hold of the cashier’s neck. Tony held the cashier in a tight headlock instead. He placed the nozzle of the gun to the bewildered young man’s temple. Things were happening at a high rate of speed all around Tony. He felt like he was moving in slow motion. He felt like his perception was off.
    “Listen kid, you put the gun down!” The manager powerfully protested.
    “No, you put your fucking gun down!” Tony shouted, startling Adam out of his utter shock. This had never happened to them. This was new. They never rehearsed this part of the play.
    Adam began to gradually back away from the commotion. He had the urge to bolt. The manager nervously pointed the gun at Adam then back at Tony.
    “I called the police! You better let him go and get out of here!”
    “No old man you better put your goddamn gun down before I blow his brains all over the goddamn doughnuts!”
    “T, dude, let’s get outta here!” Adam’s fear was apparent and palpable. Things had never gotten so out of hand. It was time to flee the scene.
    “So he can shoot us in the back when we’re making our getaway! No way!” Tony’s distrust was evident. “You better put the goddamn gun down!” Tony screamed at the manager like his screams held mystical powers. Tony pressed his handgun firmly into the side of the teary-eyed cashier’s head.
    The manager took one step forward. He was brave in the face of the stress and chaos. He had been robbed before. One of the reasons he hated that job so much. But he was tired of these thieves running amuck in the streets. He was tired of these low-life punks doing whatever they wanted no matter the cost.
    Tony quickly removed the gun