Barns, Blood and Rock and Roll

by Joe Zito

  Scotty’s reststop sign was shining brighter as they got closer. He hit the left turn signal. The semi began to slow down.

  A wave a panic washed over Lila. She began to brainstorm trying like hell to think of a reason good enough to tell the rapist not to turn into Scotty’s.

  The Joe’s Diner sign blinked brightly on and off in Lila’s pupils as if it was yelling at her, “Over Here!”

  Nervously she said, “Uh not here, please, over there looks better.” Her stomach filled with a sick nausea that felt like defeat.

  He hacked back, “Why not here?” The semi was swerving to the left.

  “Uh, it’s the name Scotty’s; my dog was named Scotty when I was a girl, he got hit by a car and died, please.”

  He squinted with suspicion but said nothing. Just gave her a your’re fucked in the head lady type of look.

  She felt it was the end of the line. She closed her eyes and tried to accept it but swirling shades of purple blinked under her eyelids as she felt her body weight shift to the right. A big, bold Joes Diner sign shined down on her feet above the death truck. She covered her mouth in shock, exhaling a quiet and thankful cry like sigh.

  “You made it girl, now quick, get on in here!”

  He grabbed Lila’s thin wrist, “No funny business!”

  Clouds of dust plumed above their shoes as they walked through the gravel parking lot. The May night was unseasonably hot and muggy, making Lila feel filthier. A jingle of golden bells rang out as they entered the diner. It was 2:00 A.M.

  The diner was brightly lit but dead as a lonely graveyard. There was a row of wooden booths next to a large picture window and an old 1950’s jukebox in the corner. Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash echoed into the diner. It soon faded out and the sound of crackling vinyl through the jukebox speakers blended with the sizzle of a grill coming from the kitchen. Be my Lover by Alice Cooper graced the diner of the dead.

  Lila and the big man took a seat at a booth next to the large window. It faced route 11 and those haunting pine trees in the background. Lila wondered what was next as she curiously glanced around the diner looking for a cue, anything. Just then the sound of southern hospitality rang across the dining area from behind the counter.

  “What’s up ya’ll, welcome to Joe’s Diner. Ya’ll just relax and I’ll be with you in a minute, ok.” Lila knew it was her. The voice matched perfectly with the person in her mind.

  A rush of air brushed against Lila sitting at the booth as the waitress unexpectedly swung in front of her as if from out of nowhere.

  “How ya’ll doin’. My name is Misty. Can I take your order?” Her red lips smacked at her gum in her mouth. Lila thought she looked like she came right out of 1957 or ‘58 the way she was dressed, wearing a short, pink mini skirt that had a white apron wrapped tight around it. Her heavy southern accent and sassy aura struck Lila off guard. She looked to be eighteen or so with pretty blonde hair tucked up in a bun and short strands lying over her forehead. She smelled nice to. “She’s so cute,” Lila thought.

  “Why thank you Ms. Lila.” The two looked at each other for a quick moment, both almost smiling, but then averted their eyes. As Misty physically talked about the breakfast special to the couple, she simultaneously talked to Lila in her mind.

  “Oh Ms. Lila, you have gotten yourself into one hell of a predicament, that’s one big hoss sittin’ next to you.”- “And that comes with bacon or sausage. So where ya’ll headin to, ya on vacation. I hope my hubby someday takes me places.”

  The fat man replied awkwardly, “Oh now this is my sister, we’s goin to Kentucky.”

  “Sister eh?” Misty said flirtatiously. She winked at the rapist. His tongue wrapped around his lips as he eyed her.

  “What the hell are you doin’ little girl?” Lila thought angrily.

  “It’s ok Ms.Lila, I know what I’m doin.”

  A look of stress and embarrassment was on Lila’s face.

  “I’m going to the restroom, please excuse me.” Lila gave Misty a concerned motherly look when she got up. Misty smiled at her.

  Moments later Lila contemplated running out the back door next to the ladies room, vowing to forget this night ever happened. She looked back and forth between the exit door and Misty flirting with the rapist. The war inside her mind was roaring like a tank crushing both logic and responsibility. Then she was startled.

  “What ya think ya don’ Ms. Lila?” Don’t act like your’re gettin’ ready to bolt out that door! The sassy eighteen year old spoke with the tone of a strict school teacher as she stood in front of Lila by the restrooms.

  “Now I heard what that bastard said earlier bout’ you leavin, so I ain’t gonna talk to you, were gonna stand here and talk real peaceful like in our minds, ok?” The two women began to speak to each other in their minds without speaking one word.

  Lila crossed her arms and leaned back against the wall with a desperate look on her face as she gazed carelessly at autographed pictures of Dolly Parton, Hank Williams and other country superstars on the wall in front of her.

  “If you walk out that door you are dead and you know it Ms.Lila. He will find you. I’m here to help you and besides my granny said I would be tested someday. I guess this is it. I know you remember when you were tested Ms. Lila. You stayed with that little Smith boy when he was caught down in that well. You was about my age, you remember? Lila wiped tears from her face trying her best to look like she didn’t know what Misty was talking about. But she did.

  “Yes, I do remember.”

  You stayed right there with him in his mind talkin to him, telling him he would be ok, singing songs to him so he wouldn’t get scared right until he was safe in his mama’s arms. Ya see Ms. Lila we have this gift. We can run from it or we can learn from it and use it in ways that can help others. I’m here to help you, because I felt everything you felt when you was raped, every ounce of humiliation and pain you had to go through, I felt it to Ms. Lila. Tears flowed down Mistys cheeks. “I’m here to help you.

  They gave each other reassuring smiles and wiped their tears away.

  “How you gonna help me?”

  “I don’t know, I’m still workin on that. Listen, you better get back to your table before he starts sniffin ya here. Just follow my cue, you’ll know what to do.

  They started walking back to the booth. “Hey Ms.Lila, here’s a quarter. Go to the jukebox instead and I’ll distract him. Go on now. And play something good.” She gave her a quick smile.

  Lila turned around and leaned on the jukebox after inserting the coin in the slot. The diamond studs along the back of her jean jacket hit the glass window on the jukebox. She crossed her arms and looked across the diner at Misty standing there at the booth flirting with the fat man. The needle dropped and scraped across the spinning vinyl. The Rumble by Link Wray crackled like fire.

  She watched with intensity from afar as Misty teased and flirted with the rapist. The two got up and Misty led him to the back in the kitchen. Lila cautiously and slowly followed behind them. She felt like she was moving in slow motion. Her body and mind were tired and exhausted. Misty gave her a look of confidence just before they entered the kitchen.

  “It’s on the counter, next to the sack of potatoes.” Misty told her.

  Lila didn’t have the slightest idea what the young girl meant. “Sack of potatoes?” she thought. Her face was a mask of stress and confusion but she still followed along. The devilish blues anthem rang loudly in her ears. She glanced around the diner with fear and realized they were the only ones in there. Moving like the wind, she crept towards the kitchen entrance.

  Slowly pushing the double doors open she craned her neck to the left. In her view was the backside of the rapist, Misty’s arms around his bulky shoulders. He groped her waist with his puffy oil stained hands. His black bearded mouth snaked along her neck.

  Then In Lila’s mind, she heard Misty softly say, “Do it”

  She turned her eyes away at the sight of the fat man manhandlin
g Misty. And then she saw it. Her eyes were focused on the large cleaver next to the potato sac on the counter. She felt her heart speed up and felt a rush of adrenaline.

  “Do it.”

  Lila’s ears rang with devil soaked blues and anxiety.

  “Grab it Ms. Lila. I can’t keep this up much longer.”

  She gave Misty a look of extreme uncertainty, rubbing her forehead in a stressful manner.

  “Do it Ms. Lila, hurry,” Misty’s sweet voice echoed.

  Gathering up her courage Lila made her move and reached for the cleaver but then quickly stepped back with a horrible look of indecisiveness on her face.

  “I can’t do this. I can’t kill another person.” Lila felt her mind unraveling. Her thoughts spun out of control.

  Hey there pretty lady can I buy you a drink why you sure can big guy you sure look really sexy out there on the dance floor oh yeah I can do more than dance big fella I bet you can name your poison and lets get this party started what the hell are you doing old gal your way too old for this kind of stuff sure you look really pretty for forty three but these girls in this place are half your age what would your daughter think the daughter you haven’t spoken to in three years because she got tired of seeing you fall down down down baby on the floor like the drunk you are make it a double for the pretty lady dont cry now little boy help is on the way dance dance dance the night away tell me something big guy why you got your eyes set on me when theres nothing but young skin all around this place but youre the prettiest of them all mama I think youre drunk all ready that’s what I think but I aint drunk enough keep them coming mr bartender nice place ya got here with all these pretty girls why am I here hush little baby don’t you cry I can hear you mama crying in my head make it stop whiskey fire throat burn dark red lights loud music smoke another smoke that makes almost a whole pack in two hours you wanna go out back with me big boy oh hell yes I do but first I gotta take a piss don’t you dare go anywhere ya here i ain’t goin knowhere haven’t been my whole life been stuck in a rut hearing these voices all my life and then the girl with the long blonde hair came up and sat next to me pretty pretty girl and I said tell me something pretty girl do you like working here no not really she said she just wanted some extra cash tonight is my last night my baby girl is at home right now waitin on me shes two years old nice talking to you lady she walks away and all I hear is screaming screaming and more screaming and I drink drink drink some more to drown out that screaming and then I hear hey mama you ready to play yes I am lets go warm black night outside hands touching feeling groping having second thoughts too drunk to fuck thats a lame excuse you just got yourself in a predicament now thats all and you want out no way out push the fat man away he gets angry he wants your sex you just want to sleep this nightmare off cant getaway shes so pretty do like working here honey scream your head off face punch bloody nose I can hear them now honey dont cry theyll be here soon vagina kick fat hands rip off sexy tight blue jeans goin in for the kill professional trucker cross country rapist hello america addicted to truck stop whores and burnouts cant get enough sara help me are you there its mom can you hear me fat fuck inserts himself into the aging drunk and failing mother who cant find peace drags her to his truck in the dark of night held captive passed out then awakens to the smell of old leather and the sound of heavy diesel engine blazing down route eleven going straight to hell im gonna help you out of this the girl said eyes adjust to the darkness outside horror vision of devil black horses riding along the semi of death coming to take me away blood dripping from their mouths sara please help me dont go to scottys joes is your safe haven lila do it she says do it its next to the potato sack here comes your mama now shes runnin towards the well to get you sweetheart do it shes almost there

  “DO IT! Ms.Lila!” Real voice.

  “Huh?” The ogerish brute turned around and saw Lila coming at him with the cleaver. He saw the blade of steel coming up fast, its cold and shiny metal smiling at him. Lila swung the cleaver with the vigor of a seasoned batter, aiming at the fat fucks neck.

  Whack!

  Blood splattered on the counter and over the potato sac. It dripped to the floor. He stretched his arms out with his hands clawing at her. He gurgled out a bloody and inaudible, “You bitch, you bitch!” A small spray of blood exited from his mouth, landing on her face. He fell to one knee gasping as he held the cleaver with both hands. He tried to dislodge it but he was doomed. He ruptured a vein from trying to remove it. He fell to the floor and laid infant style, shaking with blood splattering on his face. Then he was dead.

  The bloody, hairy mound of his dead body was a sickening sight to Lila. And the thought of what she had just done made her even sicker. She threw up. Her vomit made a plopping sound on the floor. It stunk of cigarettes, fried food and whiskey.

  “You did it Ms. Lila, you did it,” Misty whispered softly.

  Lila sunk to the floor sobbing. She covered her face. Misty began crying as well and kneeled down to her. “Ms. Lila, please don’t cry. Listen, take my hands and look into my eyes.” Misty gently wrapped her hands around Lila’s.

  She lost her breath when she looked into Misty’s green pupils and the unspeakable truth was revealed. Faces of young girls and women, the would be victims of the rapist rushed into Lila’s view, each one bursting into dust as flames erupted in the background. She could see mothers and fathers dressed in black, sobbing over gravestones, mourning the loss of their daughters.

  The sad images ceased.

  “You still have doubts about what you did?” Misty said looking into Lila’s eyes.

  “There were so many of them.” Lila cried and held her mouth in disbelief.

  “You saved them Ms. Lila, every one of them. That bastard will never be able to hurt another soul ever again.”

  “I wanna thank you for saving me,” Lila said to Misty.

  Misty gave her a loving hug. It warmed Lila’s heart.

  “Anytime lady,” Misty smiled at her.

  “Now let’s get you cleaned up.” She helped Lila up and they went back to the booth.

  “I’m just gonna sit here for a while,” Lila said.

  “You go right ahead Ms. Lila. I’ll take care of that fat ass in there, don’t you worry. You want some coffee?”

  “Sure honey, that sounds great.”

  Lila sat alone, resting and collecting her thoughts on the evening’s events. She felt a warm blanket of hope descend over her when she realized that everything would be ok now. And then,

  “Hi Mama, it’s me, your daughter Sara. I could feel you calling me. Is everything ok? I haven’t talked to you in a while. Will you talk with me?”

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Joe Zito lives and writes in south central Indiana. Go to facebook.com/straightjacketliterature for more info.