Free Ride

by M. N. Forgy

  “Jessilynn, we’ve told you about freeing the patients,” Nurse Jackie schools as she walks into the room holding a DVD. Jackie glares at me and I quickly look away. I don’t want to be tied down anymore.

  It’s crazy how fast they beat down your self-confidence here.

  “Oops.” Jessilynn rolls her eyes, plopping into a random seat. She pats the chair next to her, indicating she wants me to sit next to her. Carefully I sit by her, the cold metal reaching through my gown and freezing my ass. I cross my legs and sit beside her as the rest of the patients wander in.

  Nurse Jackie pulls keys from her white jacket unlocking the cage surrounding the TV and DVD player on the wall. She inserts the movie and slams it closed. Locking it, her eyes giving a once over of the group menacingly.

  “Any problems and the movie is off.” She raises a brow before heading into the office behind us, King Kong following her. The door clicks shut and the blinds are pulled down.

  I look to Jessilynn who smiles in knowing. It’s the first time I’ve seen her look happy since I’ve been here.

  ET starts to play on the little screen and it takes me aback.

  “ET?” I question, surprised by the old movie.

  “Yup, it’s one of her favorites, probably because she looks like the creepy fucking alien,” Jessilynn states seriously. Looking closer, Nurse Jackie does kind of look like ET. I snicker.

  Ten minutes into the movie, I grow bored. I glance over my shoulder to the office and find that the blinds are not pulled down all the way. Bending down, I peek under the blinds and see thick hairy legs thrusting in between the milky thick thighs of Nurse Jackie. The desk rocking, and tapping against the stone wall.

  Jessilynn nudges me. “Told ya.”

  I cringe, it’s pretty gross looking. Images in my sedative state will never erase what I just saw.

  Jessilynn stands from her chair and climbs on top of the table before walking across the other three like they’re lily pads.

  “What are you doing?” I ask nervously. I look to the office behind us, but Nurse Jackie and Peg are lost in their own world to see what Jessilynn is doing. Reaching the caged TV, she fingers out a pencil sitting next to it and uses the eraser to press buttons on the side of the TV. The Kardashians suddenly appear on the screen.

  She bows as everyone sits up in their seat, the entire group coming to life. Memphis smiles a crooked grin and claps in excitement. Her burnt blanket hanging off her lap.

  I can’t tell if Jessilynn is really crazy or stupid brave. I like her.

  Jessilynn walks back across the tables and sits next to me, the smell of sweet lemons surrounding me. Her tongue slides back and forth along her bottom lip in a mischievous way, and I shake my head with a smile. However, on the inside I break for her. How long has she been locked up in here? Does she have family? Why is she even here?

  The office door suddenly opens and Nurse Jackie scowls with just fucked me hair. Her uniform buttoned up wrong and her hat is missing. Her eyes whip to the TV and her mouth drops.

  “WHO DID THIS!” She looks to the group. “Who changed the movie?”

  Everyone goes stiff, and Jessilynn rolls her eyes. She’s not scared of Jackie and I find that admirable.

  “Everyone to their room! Sedatives for everyone!”

  “Chill your fucking tits, will ya. I did it. You have shitty taste in movies, Jackie!” Jessilynn admits, kicking her legs up on the table.

  Black beady eyes fall to Jessilynn and goosebumps rise along my skin.

  “Well then everyone has you to thank for their good night sleep then,” Jackie replies in a bitch tone. Even though Jessilynn confessed, we’re all still getting stuck with needles and toxins.

  I stand, not okay with this.

  “You can’t just put us out for a nap whenever you feel like it!” I defend, this can’t be legal. Who is running this place?

  “I can, and you’ll be the first. Keep it up and you’ll go in the hole with Franky!”

  “Franky?” I look to Jessilynn. Is that another patient or something?

  “Lobotomy,” Jessilynn replies, and her eyes show fear for the very first time. My mouth drops, my heart skipping a beat. No, this can’t be okay. This can’t be real!

  Jackie snaps her fingers and Peg marches toward me.

  He fists me by the casted arm and I whimper in pain.

  “Ow, let go!” I try and tug away from him, but my arm can’t take any more abuse.

  “Get off her!” Jessilynn jumps on him, pounding on his back with a solid fist. She’s so small compared to him it makes me scared for her. I can’t let her get hurt defending me.

  I scream, pulling my feet off the ground to make it harder for him to control me. I kick, slap, and even try to bite him. The rest of the group screams, cries, and some even clap that we’re standing up to the staff. The chaos rings in my ears and pumps adrenaline through my limbs.

  “I want to talk to who is in charge!” I demand. “You can’t treat us like animals!”

  Just when I think Jessilynn and I are gaining control, a jab in my leg warns me I’m about to fall into dreamland, and that whoever is in charge, I’m not. I fall to the floor in a paralyzed state, my head thrashing against the grimy ground.

  Jessilynn slams to the ground next to me. Her fall so great, her eyebrow begins to bleed into her eye.

  “See you on the other side, Forgotten Girl,” she slurs as she was sedated just like me. We stare at each other for a lost moment before we both escape the horror of our prison.

  Benji

  Me, Viper, and Bud riding in my El Camino we drive to June’s house. We’ve been to the shelters, the hotels in the area, and even the emergency rooms. I can’t find any trace of where Harley is.

  The last person that saw her, was June. So, I’m going to find that bitch if I have to chase her across the state. June escaped though, and I know Grudge let her go. She knows what happened to Viper and Harley and I will strangle the fucking truth from her if I have to. I need to find Harley, and every day I don’t… it’s a punch in the gut that I let the one girl I love… get away.

  “What makes you think this bitch is dumb enough to run back home?” Viper asks, his feet hanging out my car’s window.

  “I don’t know that she’s there for sure, but if she’s not then we’ll figure something else out.”

  Heading back to June’s house it looks empty. As if she moved in the last few days. Probably couldn’t stand to see the sight of blood on her perfect floor. Images of her husband and a shoe sticking out of his skull too much for her.

  “Fuck,” I mumble under my breath.

  “Let’s try the school,” Viper suggests. Inhaling a breath, and out of options, I head to the campus.

  Pulling up to the main office I park and we all get out. College kids stare at us, parting like the Red Sea to let us walk through without skipping a step.

  Going inside the main office there’s a punk behind the front desk wearing a beanie. He looks stoned out of his mind and is flirting with a young girl in glasses.

  Viper gets in line and I give him a look.

  “What?” He looks at me with a confused grin.

  “We don’t wait in fucking line,” I tell him softly. We’re fucking big ass bikers. We don’t do the right thing, what the fuck?

  He rolls his eyes and pushes past the geeky girl.

  “Is June here?” he asks, slamming his fists on the counter. Much better.

  “Whoa, you’re big!” The boy chuckles, looking Viper up and down. Leaning over the counter, I knock his stapler off the ledge. His eyes tear from Viper to me. “That’s not really cool, man.” His dopey tone draws out.

  Bud steps around the corner and rips the phone from the wall, and this makes Dopey jump to attention.

  “Uh, today is her last day, she was in her office last I heard!” He steps back, his body flush with the dirty glass behind him.

  “Where is her office?” I ask.

  He grabs a piece of p
aper off the corner of his desk and tosses it at me. I grab it before it flutters to the floor. It’s a map of the campus, and it has June’s office marked with a little star.

  “Thanks.” Viper gives him a curt nod. I swear he’s the most polite outlaw I know.

  Following the guide, we walk across the grass to a tall building. Going inside, it’s dark and quiet. The only sound is our breathing and boots on the clean floor. Winding down a hallway, we find her in her office placing books into a brown cardboard box.

  “Leaving so soon?” My tone grave. She whirls around in a gasp of surprise. She looks a fucking mess, much like the way I left her. Her hair is frizzy, her shirt untucked from her pencil skirt, and she has no makeup on.

  She grabs a letter opener and points it at me in defense.

  “Don’t come any closer!”

  Rubbing my chin, I laugh at her weak attempt to defend herself. Step by step, I get closer, and she does nothing. She doesn’t have it in her to do anything.

  “Where did they take my girl?” My eyes feast upon her, silently telling her not to fuck with me or that cheap piece of shit weapon she has will be in her throat.

  Her eyes flick to Viper and Bud behind me.

  “What happened to me?” Viper points to his head. I’m sure his confidence took a hit being knocked out like that.

  “If I tell you—”

  “I promise to leave you alone and never bother you again,” I answer the ultimatum she’s about to suggest, a smile wolfishly pulling at my lips.

  “Ha, and I should just believe you?” Her face scrunches with distaste.

  I press my palm to my chest.

  “Scouts honor,” Sarcasm dripping from my voice.

  “You don’t have a choice,” Viper clips, slamming the door behind him. Her eyes widen, and the lump in her throat bobs as she swallows.

  “I uh, the big guy.” She holds her hand above her head to indicate his height.

  “Grudge?” I prompt.

  “Sure, he hit you with a tool or something.” She looks to Viper.

  “You sure?” I tilt my head to the side, and she silently nods. I look to Viper, and he turns, his shoulders rising and falling with anger. His hands rest on the bookcase, his fingers curl around the shelf.

  He needs a second.

  “And the girl?” I look back to June.

  “You mean that crazy bitch?”

  I grab her by the throat, my rings shining from the sunlight coming through the blinds.

  “Easy now, that’s my girl you’re talking about,” I inform gravely. Her sudden cocky attitude fades as fear swims in her eyes.

  “I don’t know.” She begins to cry, and it does nothing for me. Her tears are a waste of emotion, as I’m this close to strangling her.

  “Try,” I seethe.

  “Some guys in white coats drugged her, put her in this, um, this straight jacket of sorts.” She begins to tremble in my hold, and it makes me want to hurt her more. She’s so vulnerable, I can’t help but want to choke her.

  “Grudge had her put away,” Bud says softly, nearly a whisper behind me. I look over my shoulder at him, his hat pulled down and arms crossed. The fucking mute talks.

  Viper loses it and throws the entire bookcase to the ground. Little polite outlaw turned fucking Hulk.

  I loosen my grip on June and slip a piece of her hair behind her ear.

  “See, that wasn’t so hard,” I rasp softly.

  She nods, tears streaming down her face.

  “You know not to speak a word of me, my boys, or Harley to anyone?” I tilt my head to the side, her pathetic sobbing even worse from this angle.

  “I won’t say anything. I’m going to live with my dad and help him on his tour. I swear!”

  “I’m not worried, because if I hear otherwise… there’s more of us,” I nod my head toward Viper and Bud.

  “Okay, yes,” she cries. Her cheeks red and swollen from the tears.

  “Your daddy, better never come near my club again, he fucked his connection with us. Understand?”

  “Yes. I promise, you will never see us again,” she blubbers.

  “Let’s go, boys,” I rasp, and leave June to run to Daddy.

  Climbing back into my car, Viper holds his phone up showing me a map.

  “There are two state hospitals for the mentally ill in the state, and my money is on this one.” He points to red tag on the far side of Arizona.

  “Why?” I furrow my brows.

  “It’s funded by the state, which Governor Timothy has donated generous amounts to.” His left brow raises in telling.

  “Motherfucker.” I grip the wheel tight, my foot heavy on the accelerator. Grudge really did have Harley locked away. He turned his back on his own flesh and blood. Harley being locked away protects him from everything she knows about him, and I think Harley knows more than she even knows.

  “So, what’s the plan?” Viper asks, running his hand through his blondish hair.

  “We get my girl.” I flick my gaze to him. “End of.”

  25

  Benji

  Pulling up to the front of the haunted-looking hospital, I walk around the back and pop the trunk. I grab a rifle, machete, and .45 as Viper helps himself to a load of weapons himself. We’re quiet, not speaking a word as we reflect on what’s about to happen. More than likely, someone will try and play the hero, someone will cry, but there’s always that one person that gives us what we want. We need to find that person to get to Harley. Sooner rather than later.

  Jogging up the cracked steps of the hospital, the dead bushes on each side sways from the dry wind. Bud tries the door, but it’s locked. I look at him with a puzzled look.

  “Do you have a gun?”

  He doesn’t answer me.

  “Should we press the buzzer?” Viper asks, pointing to the speaker on the left wall.

  Lifting my .45, I fire a bullet into the lock, and tug the door open.

  “Or not,” Viper mutters, following me inside.

  The tiled floor is an off-white color, the smell of piss and shit strong. You can hear screaming echoing down the hall, and the lights flickering from above give this place the perfect haunted feel.

  “This is fucking scary right off the bat,” Viper whispers.

  “Just stay close,” I tell him. I look around, following the hall until we reach a cage gate.

  I shoot the lock and the door opens. Two men with robes wonder around, oblivious to us marching in here with guns. They look like zombies. They’re so fucked up on medicine they don’t even know where they are.

  “Jesus Christ!” Viper rasps, he steps up to the bald one, his balls hanging out of his boxers. Viper snaps his fingers in front of the guys face, but he doesn’t even blink. It’s as if he’s gone; autopilot.

  I look to the next gate down the hall, my insides coiling with adrenaline. I’m scared to see what state Harley is in.

  “Let’s find Harley.” I shake my head.

  Viper reaches the next gate and shoots it open. Patients on the other side scream, and a huge man wearing a white shirt and black jeans steps in front of us.

  He tries to grab at me, and I raise my gun to his head. His beady eyes squint, and I can tell we’re going to have a hero on our hands.

  “Step aside,” I warn. He laughs and lunges at me again. I fire a bullet right into his skull and he drops to my feet.

  An older woman steps out of a secured office, a white cap on her head. She’s a nurse and looks evil as shit.

  “Where’s Harley?” I ask, scratching the back of my neck with my warm bloody barrel.

  “SECURITY!” She slams a red button on the wall and lights begin to flash on the ceiling.

  “Now why’d you do that?” I look at her irritated.

  “Fuck, we need to hurry, man,” Viper seems alarmed.

  “Start checking rooms,” I order, and Bud opens the closest door to him.

  I open a door and find a half-burnt chick rocking back and forth on her bed.
I close the door, not wanting to disturb her.

  Heading to the next door, the nurse runs toward Bud with a syringe in her hand.

  I slip the rifle off my shoulder, and fire bullets into her stomach. Her body flies into a brick wall from the force. Blood spraying the floor and tables.

  Bud looks at the body, his hat pulled so low I can’t see if he’s grateful I just saved his ass or not.

  “I—I know Harley.”

  I turn, a small nurse shaking in her white sneakers.

  “Where is she?” I narrow my eyes and point the rifle at her.

  “This way.” She points down the long hallway.

  “Thank you.” My eyes earnest, I tell her how appreciative I am with my tone.

  Harley

  Commotion stirs me from the depths of a blurry darkness. My head throbs, my thigh bruised and stiff from all the shots. My stomach coils into a tight knot making me nauseous. I try to move my head to the side so if I puke I won’t drown in it. Though, I don’t even remember the last time I ate.

  “Where is she?”

  I blink rapidly. I know that voice. Is it a dream or reality though? Using my elbows, I try and push myself up, but I’m restrained to the bed.

  Stomping echoes through the hallway right outside my room, and I stress my eyes to look down as far as I can.

  A small shaking nurse stops in my doorway, she administers our daily medication. Her makeup is smeared as she cries from a gun barrel pressed to her temple. I run my eyes up the weapon to familiar tattooed arms before finally meeting angry hostile blue eyes.

  “Benji?” I croak. He steps to my bedside, looming over me. The smell of leather and weed bringing me back to everything I was questioning was real. “You’re not a dream,” I weep. I try and move my arm needing to touch him, I want to feel him and see that he is real.

  He chuckles.