Post by Crash Rodriguez on Aug 15, 2021 17:51:48 GMT -5
A disheveled Louis Pohl flutters his eyes awake. He lies outside, the blades of grass tickling him as he stirs awake. He groans as the discomfort begins to take over his body. Slowly, he lifts himself to his feet, despite a splitting headache. Morning dew begins to absorb into his sock, making him aware of his missing shoe. He pats himself over looking to see if he's missing anything else, before sighing in relief. With everything in order minus a shoe, he begins to look around his surroundings. It doesn't take long to realize he's in his sister's backyard in Key West.
The former attorney hobbles up the patio, but two steps in and he's leaning over the guardrail throwing up. He wipes his mouth clean as he realizes he's just blown chunks on his sister's flower bed. He silently curses to himself.
"Great, something for sis to bitch about."
He opens the back door, slowly, hoping he's a lucky man and that his sister is anywhere but home. As soon as he opens the door his heart drops. The family dinner table seems to be missing, but even more than that is what has taken his place.
"What… the absolute… fuck?"
Before him sits a familiar bright orange Jetski. It's been scratched heavily and dents pepper the body. The man stands dumbfounded, trying to understand where this aquatic vehicle even came from.
Lou is staring up a driveway out the driver side window of a janky looking F150. He taps his palms on the dash, drumming nervously as his eyes dart around. The dome light turns on as the passenger door is pulled open. Lou gasps, startled, but settles when he realizes it is his client.
"Her house was two houses back. Next time you pick me up. Make sure you go where I am."
"Uh, sorry k-"
"Lou. No talking. Just drive."
The Crooked Man's voice is calm, yet stern. Pohl takes a gulp as he nods his head, putting the truck into drive. Crash pulls out his phone and taps a bit, before the GPS kicks on. They travel just a few miles, before the silence eventually gets to Lou. The tension has his stomach twisting in knots. He still has no idea where he's going and the night's drinking has begun to affect his concentration.
"In 200 feet take the next left."
Lou flips his turn signal, and uses the GPS directions' break in silence to try and figure out their destination.
"Hey, uh, kid?"
Lou swallows his saliva as he continues on.
"Where exactly are we going?"
Pohl's eyes shift between the road and his client. The Crooked Man sits still for a second. He mulls over his words carefully.
"You are going to prove your loyalty. Right your wrongs."
"I don't understa-"
"We're going to the jet. We're going to fly out to ---. From there you will drive us to Ed Houston's house."
"Ed? Why? Why are you so fixated on the guy? You really need to focus on Ian Dream. You know, your oppone-"
"Once we get to Houston's house, you're going to break in and steal the jetski you got him 2 years ago."
"Crash, please listen to me, I get it you dont like Ed, but you need to concentra-"
"Lou…"
Crash's very is stern with a tinge of annoyance, finding it beneath him to explain himself. He sits a second before deciding to indulge the blabbermouth.
"Ian Dream… He's beneath me. They all are."
"Ok, then why the Rocketman obsession."
"Focus on the road, Lou"
Lou wipes his face with his sleeve, he sighs, at the very least, perhaps now he’s proven his loyalty to his client. After all, how many ex-lawyers are willing to go and steal a jet ski for a client? Lou looks around the kitchen, he notices a stack of dirty dishes piling within the sink. He clears his throat, trying to cough out the lingering taste of vomit from his backyard awakening. He walks out the kitchen and rounds a corner, he looks at the walls and sees the photos of his sister and her son. He smiles, remembering holding him when he was a baby, back before he grew up into a 28 year old college dropout chasing around virtual animals with his phone. Louis mumbles beneath his breath, upset with his nephew’s inadequacy. He quickly shakes the thoughts from his head, before deciding it’s best to find Crash Rodriguez, and perhaps the sooner the better. His feet patter down the stairs as he heads into the garage, he looks around seeing the exposed insulation before his eye meets the deep freezer. From the lid of the once bright white appliance is a trail of blood, leading to a pool on the ground. His heart stops as his head fills with potential horrors.
“No… Kid… No. Please God, don’t say it’s true.”
Lou approaches the deep freezer, tiptoeing towards it as the seconds feel like hours. Eternity passes before Lou’s hand rests on the lid, he closes his eyes and mutters to himself a prayer, before quickly yanking the lid open.
“HOLY FUCK!”
The former defense attorney shrieks as he feels a hand on his shoulder. He turns around and sees Crash standing behind him, flashing his trademark crooked smile. Lou always felt that the smile must have seemed corny, but seeing it first hand, it rots his stomach with fear. He slowly turns toward the deep freezer, dreading the contents within, only to notice it’s just piles of steaks.
“Oh, thank Christ.”
Crash lifts an eyebrow while tilting his head, obviously puzzled by the entire situation. Lou looks back at the OCW signee.
“I’m sorry, just… Been a rough morning. Hey, what are w-”
“That’s nice, Lou. Listen, I’m gonna go on a run. In the meantime, go out and grab some more booze.”
Crash exits the basement door and into the house. Lou stands in the garage, looking around trying to make sense of what’s going on.
Why are they at his sister’s house? How much alcohol has the two consumed? Where the fuck is his sister?
Lou heads up the stairs, as he reaches the living room he notices the tv has been cracked and a hole in the wall.
“Jesus… How am I gonna explain this to her?”
He shakes his head as he heads up the stairs towards his sister’s bedroom/ As he passes the bathroom he notices the door has been left open ever so slightly. He pushes it open and notices his sister sleeping in bed. The side next to her is messy, signaling to him somebody was sleeping there. Lou's first thoughts go to her son, but remembers he's got his own room. Plus the kid is 28, a bit old to be laying with mama. Lou quickly leaves the room and runs out the front door. He looks down both sides of the street trying to find his client. He starts muttering to himself as he descends from the front porch.
"You son of a bitch. Everything I do for you, and you go out and FUCK my god damn sister? She's old enough to be his mother. When I see that son a bitch, I'm telling him I'm done. Thinks I'm a fucking idiot. I'm through. Last fucking straw, I tell you what."
Lou spits onto the dirt before turning and heading back inside. He rushes up the stairs and back to his sister's room. He looks around and sees that she's no longer in bed. He hears the toaster ding from the kitchen and he darts downstairs ready to confront his sister. He turns the corner and steps into the kitchen.
"What the absolute fuck were you thin-"
Lou stops dead in his tracks as he notices that the woman isn't his sister at all.
"Hey Lou. Where'd Crash go off to?"
"I'm sorry. Were you asleep in the bed upstairs?"
“The one in the master bedroom? Yeah? Crash said it was his room. Is it not?”
“No! This is my fucking sister’s house. Jesus fuck, the kid goes out and brings loose women into the house and just leaves to go on a run, leaving me to clean up the mess.”
“What the fuck did you just call me?”
“I’m sorr- No, fuck you, get out of this fucking house.”
The woman mutters to herself as she retrieves a purse from the coffee table in the living room, and heads out the front door. She flips him the bird as she calls out to him.
“Go fuck yourself, you scumbag.”
The door slams as Lou stands alone in the living room. As he looks around, the destruction to the house is much worse than anticipated. He sits on the couch and puts his hands over his face. A few hours pass, and the front door opens. Lou winces as he anticipates his sister's complaints.
“Lou.”
Pohl looks up and sees the Crooked Man staring at him with a hint of concern.
“Kid. What the fuck have we done to my sister’s house. It’s a fucking travesty. The whole place is in ruins. She’s gonna have my head. She’s going to kill me, and she’ll definitely try to kill you. Jesus fuck man. This is bad, I can’t fix this. I seriously cannot fi-”
“Lou.”
“There are stains on the ceiling. How are we going to reach those?”
“Lou…”
“And the fucking jet ski in the kitchen. Like fuck how did we even get that bitch in here. I'm a panicking kid, this is a terrible, no good situation. Like this is going to open up the fucking flood gates. I don’t know what to d-”
“LOU! Shut the fuck up for 5 seconds. This isn’t your sister’s house. I bought it 2 days ago.”
Lou stands in disbelief, his jaw hanging. Relief washes over him, like a wave on the beach. He looks at the Crooked Man and smiles faintly as his shoulders relax.
“Now. Did you get the drink?”
Lou is overtaken with fear, he heads towards the front door in a rush.
“I was just about to go get them. Sorry it's taken me so long.”
With that the door closes, as Crash shakes his head in annoyance.
The former attorney hobbles up the patio, but two steps in and he's leaning over the guardrail throwing up. He wipes his mouth clean as he realizes he's just blown chunks on his sister's flower bed. He silently curses to himself.
"Great, something for sis to bitch about."
He opens the back door, slowly, hoping he's a lucky man and that his sister is anywhere but home. As soon as he opens the door his heart drops. The family dinner table seems to be missing, but even more than that is what has taken his place.
"What… the absolute… fuck?"
Before him sits a familiar bright orange Jetski. It's been scratched heavily and dents pepper the body. The man stands dumbfounded, trying to understand where this aquatic vehicle even came from.
Two Nights Ago
"Her house was two houses back. Next time you pick me up. Make sure you go where I am."
"Uh, sorry k-"
"Lou. No talking. Just drive."
The Crooked Man's voice is calm, yet stern. Pohl takes a gulp as he nods his head, putting the truck into drive. Crash pulls out his phone and taps a bit, before the GPS kicks on. They travel just a few miles, before the silence eventually gets to Lou. The tension has his stomach twisting in knots. He still has no idea where he's going and the night's drinking has begun to affect his concentration.
"In 200 feet take the next left."
Lou flips his turn signal, and uses the GPS directions' break in silence to try and figure out their destination.
"Hey, uh, kid?"
Lou swallows his saliva as he continues on.
"Where exactly are we going?"
Pohl's eyes shift between the road and his client. The Crooked Man sits still for a second. He mulls over his words carefully.
"You are going to prove your loyalty. Right your wrongs."
"I don't understa-"
"We're going to the jet. We're going to fly out to ---. From there you will drive us to Ed Houston's house."
"Ed? Why? Why are you so fixated on the guy? You really need to focus on Ian Dream. You know, your oppone-"
"Once we get to Houston's house, you're going to break in and steal the jetski you got him 2 years ago."
"Crash, please listen to me, I get it you dont like Ed, but you need to concentra-"
"Lou…"
Crash's very is stern with a tinge of annoyance, finding it beneath him to explain himself. He sits a second before deciding to indulge the blabbermouth.
"Ian Dream… He's beneath me. They all are."
"Ok, then why the Rocketman obsession."
"Focus on the road, Lou"
Today
“No… Kid… No. Please God, don’t say it’s true.”
Lou approaches the deep freezer, tiptoeing towards it as the seconds feel like hours. Eternity passes before Lou’s hand rests on the lid, he closes his eyes and mutters to himself a prayer, before quickly yanking the lid open.
“HOLY FUCK!”
The former defense attorney shrieks as he feels a hand on his shoulder. He turns around and sees Crash standing behind him, flashing his trademark crooked smile. Lou always felt that the smile must have seemed corny, but seeing it first hand, it rots his stomach with fear. He slowly turns toward the deep freezer, dreading the contents within, only to notice it’s just piles of steaks.
“Oh, thank Christ.”
Crash lifts an eyebrow while tilting his head, obviously puzzled by the entire situation. Lou looks back at the OCW signee.
“I’m sorry, just… Been a rough morning. Hey, what are w-”
“That’s nice, Lou. Listen, I’m gonna go on a run. In the meantime, go out and grab some more booze.”
Crash exits the basement door and into the house. Lou stands in the garage, looking around trying to make sense of what’s going on.
Why are they at his sister’s house? How much alcohol has the two consumed? Where the fuck is his sister?
Lou heads up the stairs, as he reaches the living room he notices the tv has been cracked and a hole in the wall.
“Jesus… How am I gonna explain this to her?”
He shakes his head as he heads up the stairs towards his sister’s bedroom/ As he passes the bathroom he notices the door has been left open ever so slightly. He pushes it open and notices his sister sleeping in bed. The side next to her is messy, signaling to him somebody was sleeping there. Lou's first thoughts go to her son, but remembers he's got his own room. Plus the kid is 28, a bit old to be laying with mama. Lou quickly leaves the room and runs out the front door. He looks down both sides of the street trying to find his client. He starts muttering to himself as he descends from the front porch.
"You son of a bitch. Everything I do for you, and you go out and FUCK my god damn sister? She's old enough to be his mother. When I see that son a bitch, I'm telling him I'm done. Thinks I'm a fucking idiot. I'm through. Last fucking straw, I tell you what."
Lou spits onto the dirt before turning and heading back inside. He rushes up the stairs and back to his sister's room. He looks around and sees that she's no longer in bed. He hears the toaster ding from the kitchen and he darts downstairs ready to confront his sister. He turns the corner and steps into the kitchen.
"What the absolute fuck were you thin-"
Lou stops dead in his tracks as he notices that the woman isn't his sister at all.
"Hey Lou. Where'd Crash go off to?"
"I'm sorry. Were you asleep in the bed upstairs?"
“The one in the master bedroom? Yeah? Crash said it was his room. Is it not?”
“No! This is my fucking sister’s house. Jesus fuck, the kid goes out and brings loose women into the house and just leaves to go on a run, leaving me to clean up the mess.”
“What the fuck did you just call me?”
“I’m sorr- No, fuck you, get out of this fucking house.”
The woman mutters to herself as she retrieves a purse from the coffee table in the living room, and heads out the front door. She flips him the bird as she calls out to him.
“Go fuck yourself, you scumbag.”
The door slams as Lou stands alone in the living room. As he looks around, the destruction to the house is much worse than anticipated. He sits on the couch and puts his hands over his face. A few hours pass, and the front door opens. Lou winces as he anticipates his sister's complaints.
“Lou.”
Pohl looks up and sees the Crooked Man staring at him with a hint of concern.
“Kid. What the fuck have we done to my sister’s house. It’s a fucking travesty. The whole place is in ruins. She’s gonna have my head. She’s going to kill me, and she’ll definitely try to kill you. Jesus fuck man. This is bad, I can’t fix this. I seriously cannot fi-”
“Lou.”
“There are stains on the ceiling. How are we going to reach those?”
“Lou…”
“And the fucking jet ski in the kitchen. Like fuck how did we even get that bitch in here. I'm a panicking kid, this is a terrible, no good situation. Like this is going to open up the fucking flood gates. I don’t know what to d-”
“LOU! Shut the fuck up for 5 seconds. This isn’t your sister’s house. I bought it 2 days ago.”
Lou stands in disbelief, his jaw hanging. Relief washes over him, like a wave on the beach. He looks at the Crooked Man and smiles faintly as his shoulders relax.
“Now. Did you get the drink?”
Lou is overtaken with fear, he heads towards the front door in a rush.
“I was just about to go get them. Sorry it's taken me so long.”
With that the door closes, as Crash shakes his head in annoyance.