A GIRL IS A GUN.

I’M  NOT  GOING  BACK  BEHIND  THAT  WALL.  AND  AT  THE  END  OF  THIS,  THAT’S  WHAT  THEY’LL  WANT. 

the harsh burn of straight vodka upon your tongue, the warmth that follows deep in your chest.  the faint lingering of smoke.  car exhaust.  motor oil.  soft and sweet perfume.  a frame that surrounds an old, worn black and white photograph.  an engine of a car;  a figure hunched over it.  an open tool box, greasy fingerprints atop the faded paint.  a dimly lit narrow street after dark, devoid of any people.  over-sized sunglasses.  cars, a Jaguar MK9. bruised hands resting upon a steering well.  grease smeared upon navy coveralls.  a blade strapped to a lace holster.  a gun concealed within a handbag.  high walls, barb wire.  a city in ruins.  the revving of a car.  the thud of a trunk closing, the slight creak of the hood when opened.  soft clinking  —  tools attending the inner-workings of a car.  gentle humming.  tunes playing from a record player.  rubble cracking and crumbling under foot.  thin fingers.  worn palms, strong hands.  doe-eyes, framed by thick lashes.  blossoms of darkness under eyes.  a sharp glare.  lithe form, taut muscles.  loose strands of hairs caressing a sharp jaw.  a stiff and rigid stance. delicate wrists. bruises atop the sharp curve of knuckles.

what do you think it is? 

it only seems scary because of the mist. 

it is a nice day. i’m afraid i have some very bad news for you. 

the entire house was engulfed in fire. it burned to the ground. 

where will we go? 

just how is he related to us exactly?

that’s an unusual first name. 

what a terrible place! 

i don’t want to live there at all!

wipe your feet outside so no mud gets indoors. 

this room looks like it needs a little work.

 perhaps with a bit of your money we could fix it up a little nicer. 

i hope you will be very happy here. 

have dinner ready by the time they arrive.

stay out of our way. none of us knows how to cook. 

i wish they were here. i hate it here! i hate this house! i hate our room! i hate having to do all these chores, and i hate him!

we have to keep our chin up.

it is very difficult to keep one’s chin up when he keeps shoving it down. 

we haven’t found any books in this house at all. 

i can tell you it concerns a poisonous plant and illegal use of someone’s credit card. 

is there anything you desire? 

this is a wonderful library! 

as long as you keep them in good condition, you are welcome to use any of my books. 

it is a pleasure to see young people interested in books. 

you seem like very intelligent people. 

where is the roast beef? 

i am not someone to be trifled with. 

put her down immediately, you beast! 

perhaps by the time these brats serve us, we will be too drunk to care. 

if i were you i would try not to anger him, or he might wreck that pretty little face of yours.

you know perfectly well we haven’t any money. 

if i know you, you’ll figure out a way to get at that money. 

clearly, we cannot stay here any longer. 

i would rather take my chances on the streets than live in this terrible place. 

who knows what misfortunes would befall us on the streets? 

in the meantime, we have to do something about our predicament. 

we don’t really have a question. we have a complaint. 

we cannot stay with him. 

there’s nothing i can do about it. 

you’ll do nothing to help us. 

aren’t raspberries delicious? 

a pretty girl like you shouldn’t be working backstage. 

i have such an important role for you. 

i would hate to disgrace your good name. 

i would prefer it if you would participate voluntarily. 

he must be up to something. 

killing us would do him no good. 

today i don’t think i’ll choose a book on wolves. 

make sure she doesn’t eat any dirt. 

she wouldn’t help us anyway. 

have you found anything in your book yet? 

he struck me across the face. 

you are to return to the house immediately. 

why are you reading that? 

the only reason he hasn’t torn you limb from limb is that he hasn’t gotten hold of your money. 

what reason will he have to keep you alive after he has your money? 

so if i were you, i’d start acting a little nicer. 

where did you get that book? 

what’s important is that i have found out your plan. 

what is my plan, you little runt? 

a man like myself can acquire any number of beautiful women. 

i’m sure they’ll want to know all about your grand victory over my evil ways. 

she’s not the type to run off. 

it certainly is strange to find a child missing. 

what have you done with her? 

for someone who reads so much, you are remarkably unintelligent. 

let her go! 

we’ll do anything, anything, just don’t harm her. 

she is perfectly safe, for now. 

i consider her to be a stick behind a stubborn mule. 

you will do as i say, to avoid the punishment, and because you want the reward of surviving this experience. 

you’re such a lovely girl. 

i wouldn’t dispose of you. 

you’re a terrible man. 

you may have read more books than i have, but it didn’t help you gain the upper hand in this situation.

how pleasant that you could join us. 

i was just thinking how much i wanted to see your pretty face. 

what are you going to do with me? 

no monkey business, or i will have to tie you up and let you dangle out of the window. 

you must have been terrified. 

if we had any kerosene, i could make molotov cocktails with these bottles. 

we could break these bottles in half and use them as knives. 

we appreciate all you’ve done for us. 

break a leg! 

this is dreadful nonsense. 

i’m afraid this dreadful nonsense is the law.

i can’t believe how easily i was tricked. 

don’t think you’re so safe. 

you are a liar! 

send him to jail!

he’s an evil man! 

did you really mean what you said? 

i’ll get my hands on your fortune if it’s the last thing i do. 

i’ll kill you and your siblings with my own two hands. 

‘ wanna trade? ’

‘ nothing scares me anymore. ’

‘ i’ll gut you like a fish. ’

‘ we got a code around here. protect each other. ’

‘ aim for the head. ’

‘ i will crack your face in two, do you hear me? now shut up and get back to work. ’

‘ got a death wish? ’ 

‘ i lost someone, too. ’

‘ we need your help. ’

‘ but you’re just a kid. ’

‘ we need supplies. you coming? ’

‘ you took them away from me. my family. people i loved. ’

‘ sometimes, you have to do bad things to survive. ’

‘ i don’t sleep. ’

‘ have mercy! ’

‘ look, it was either him or me.’

‘ they turned. ’

‘ surrender and i might reconsider. ’

‘ get the fuck away from me. ’

‘ are we going to be okay? ’

‘ yeah, i’m a good shot. ’

‘ what do you want? ’

‘ why, that’s a gun pressed to the back of your head. rise and shine, sleeping beauty. ’

‘ you know how to use a gun? ’

‘ i told you to hide. this isn’t a game. people are going to die. ’

‘ we’ll bring them back home, somehow. ’

‘ they’re coming this way. ’

‘ hands up! ’

‘ what was it like? before the world changed? ’

‘ it’s a trap! ’

‘ they’re gone. ’

‘ i can’t walk. ’

‘ easy, easy. it’s only me. ’

‘ we need to keep moving. stay ahead of those things. ’

‘ get some rest. i’ll take the next watch. ’

I’M  NOT  GOING  BACK  BEHIND  THAT  WALL.  AND  AT  THE  END  OF  THIS,  THAT’S  WHAT  THEY’LL  WANT. 

the harsh burn of straight vodka upon your tongue, the warmth that follows deep in your chest.  the faint lingering of smoke.  car exhaust.  motor oil.  soft and sweet perfume.  a frame that surrounds an old, worn black and white photograph.  an engine of a car;  a figure hunched over it.  an open tool box, greasy fingerprints atop the faded paint.  a dimly lit narrow street after dark, devoid of any people.  over-sized sunglasses.  cars, a Jaguar MK9. bruised hands resting upon a steering well.  grease smeared upon navy coveralls.  a blade strapped to a lace holster.  a gun concealed within a handbag.  high walls, barb wire.  a city in ruins.  the revving of a car.  the thud of a trunk closing, the slight creak of the hood when opened.  soft clinking  —  tools attending the inner-workings of a car.  gentle humming.  tunes playing from a record player.  rubble cracking and crumbling under foot.  thin fingers.  worn palms, strong hands.  doe-eyes, framed by thick lashes.  blossoms of darkness under eyes.  a sharp glare.  lithe form, taut muscles.  loose strands of hairs caressing a sharp jaw.  a stiff and rigid stance. delicate wrists. bruises atop the sharp curve of knuckles.