Run, Rabbit, Run – I. JULY 1929

I. JULY 1929

He comes belting outta the shop like a man possessed, damn near topples over when he makes a sharp turn down the alleyway next to it. There’s only a little time before someone comes looking for him, ‘cos he’s sure there’s more’n just the clerk working there. 

And he was in a good enough mood, so he hit him with the butt of his pistol, knocked him out cold. Grabbed the goods and ran off after that. Though he really shoulda got some food first, since he’s gonna have to lay low for the next few days until there’s not so much of a commotion going on.

Small towns like these, a robbery’s big news. 

He really needs to get the hell outta Dodge, but that’s a mite too hard. There aren’t any trains nearby and coppers’ll be too hot on his heels for him to hitchhike outta the town. Means he’ll have to settle for finding somewhere to hole up for a little while.

That is, so long as he doesn’t end up in a goddamn jail cell, considering the fact that he just barrelled into a fella coming down the street.

The two of ’em go toppling over and he makes the most of it, pinning the man’s hands above his head while he’s still caught off guard. Pulls his pistol out of his shoulder holster, too, digging it into the soft skin under the man’s chin so as to keep it steady.

‘Cept he’s about the same age as Jackrabbit, so he’s really more of a boy than a man, after all.

“Y-you,” he stammers, “You’re the one… the one that–“

“Think real hard on what you’re ’boutta say, ‘cos I’m not above shootin’ you dead.”

“I–Well, uh, take me with you. Please.“

Jackrabbit’s jaw goes slack for a second or two, then, he shakes his head to get his thoughts back in order and presses the barrel of his pistol just a little harder into the fella’s skin, “Can you drive?”

“Sure thing.”

“Then get us outta here.”

“I don’t have a car. My family does, but they’re an awful ways away, my father just dropped me here while he went on ahead to the next town over and–“

“S’all right,” Jackrabbit pulls his pistol back, tucks it real careful-like into his shoulder holster, “I’ll get us a car, you just got to drive us.”

“Why can’t you drive, then? Since you don’t need me to get a vehicle.”

A flush creeps up over Jackrabbit’s face, crawlin’ right up to his ears. He doesn’t much want to say that he can’t drive on account of how bad he shakes, can’t do much of anything which is how he ended up stickin’ up general stores ‘n’ banks ‘n’ the like instead of doin’ anything worthwhile.

“Never you mind that,” Rabbit jabs his finger against the fella’s chest, “Now keep an eye out while I get a car runnin’ for us.”

The two of ’em must be real lucky, since nobody’s noticed the commotion. He rolls off of the fella and gets to his feet nice’n’slowly, so as not to lose his balance. Figures he oughta help up the guy who’s gonna get him outta here, so he holds out his hand, hopes his getaway driver doesn’t say anything about the way his hand trembles and jerks like someone’s pullin’ his strings.

The fella’s hand is warm when he up and grabs Jackrabbit’s. And he’s smart, doesn’t say anything even when Jackrabbit struggles a mite to pull him to his feet, just straightens out his glasses and smoothes down his shirt.

Then, Rabbit sidles up to one of the cars parked along the street, real easy, like he’s not doin’ anything wrong at all. Pulls out one of his knives, so as to jimmie the door open.

He’s learned a lotta things from watchin’. There wasn’t much else for him to do for a long while there and all of his brothers ‘n’ sisters did an awful lot when he couldn’t do much at all. Sometimes, he’d get to sit out on the porch ‘n’ watch his oldest brother, Davie, help fix up Poppa’s old car, get it runnin’ alright. Wasn’t too hard to figure out from there how to get a car to start without a key.

And soon enough, he gets the engine started, slides over to the passenger seat, so the new fella can drive for them.

“I’m Marion, by the way,” the fella says, settlin’ in behind the wheel.

“Jackrabbit.”

Marion nods, gives a little smile, “Jackrabbit, huh? Where do you want to go, Jackrabbit?”

***

Once they get outta town, far enough that he doesn’t have to duck down so as not to be seen by anyone passin’ by the car, he finally settles a mite. Heart stops flutterin’ in his chest and his breathing evens out. Starts takin’ stock of his new companion.

He’s a clean fella, with his light hair slicked back. Got on nice lookin’ glasses, round wire frames, and a watch on his wrist, the kind Rabbit would usually nick when someone wasn’t watchin’.

Jackrabbit props his head up with his hand, elbow leanin’ against the window, “Hows’about we go west?”

“Huh?”

“You asked me where I wanted to go, back at the beginnin’. I think we oughta head out west.”

Marion laughs, “I don’t think it’s nearly as pleasant as you’re imagining out there.”

“But it’s somethin’, isn’t it? Better than here.”

He’s been all over the east coast, hoppin’ trains to get around, but he’s never gone further in. Always seemed a little fearsome to stray too far from his home’n’all. Not that he’s been back since he left, and he figures it’s better that way. Maybe he oughta send some of his spoils home, but it seems better to have a nice, clean break.

“God,” Marion says all of a sudden, “What am I doing?”

“Aidin’ and abettin’ a fugitive, I reckon.” 

“My parents are bound to be worried sick about me! And all of my classes! I finally got into the seminar I’ve needed since my third semester and I’m bound to be kicked from the roster if I don’t show up in August! I didn’t bring anything with me, even!”

“Now, don’t get too worried,” Jackrabbit shrugs, “Doubt they’ll even notice for a while. And I’m flush with cash for now, I can buy ya some clothes.”

He’s got a little bag, filled with all his earthly possessions. Didn’t have much when he left home and he likes travelin’ light; only has a couple more shirts and another pair of trousers, plus a knife or two, some bullets, some matches, other little trinkets he’s picked up along the way.

“It isn’t about the clothes, I can’t do this! I should go home,” Marion slams the palm of his hands against the wheel, starin’ out the windshield like he’s shell shocked.

Jackrabbit curls his lip, reachin’ for his pretty little piece from his shoulder holster with a snarl. Can’t have his getaway driver havin’ second thoughts. Grabs him by his shirt, pullin’ him in real close.

“Hey now,” he growls, digs the barrel of his pistol into the soft skin just above Marion’s shirt-collar, “Only reason I let you live was ‘cos you offered to drive me. Can’t let you run off and turn me in, can I?”

And the fella shrieks, swerves the wheel hard, sendin’ them right off the road and into a grassy patch runnin’ alongside it. Rabbit tumbles right into him, drops his pistol somewhere along the way.

The car screeches to a stop. Marion flings his door open like a man possessed, starts to scramble outta there, but Rabbit catches the hem of his jacket. Tries to drag him back while he tries to wriggle outta his jacket. 

He just barely manages to slip outta the jacket before Rabbit springs outta the car, throws his whole body at Marion to stop him from gettin’ too far. Marion turns around like he reckons he could catch Rabbit, but they both hit the ground hard. Pins him down right quick, straddling his waist, but he sure wasn’t expectin’ this fella to fight back so much. 

Marion swings out, catchin’ Rabbit’s jaw. Hits him so damn hard he sees stars for a couple seconds. And then he spits–tastes bloody from the punch–all over Marion’s face.

“Christ,” Marion shouts, “What the hell is wrong with you?!”

But it works well enough, ‘cos he stops struggling underneath Jackrabbit and starts just tryin’ to clean off his glasses.

“You aren’t gonna turn tail and run back home and tell everyone who I am. You’re stuck with me whether ya like it or not.”

“So I’m your hostage now?” 

Jackrabbit twists his hand in Marion’s hair, gives it a little yank, “Depends on if you make things hard for me, I figure.”

Then, he lets go, shoves himself up off the ground. Gets to his feet without any trouble, stays nice’n’steady. It’s a real good day for him, as far as he’s concerned, nothin’ hurts too bad and he’s not too worse for wear.

And he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, “Now get up’n help me push this car back onto the road.”

***

“Jackrabbit,” Marion says, real quiet, real slow, “You don’t have to hold onto that luger of yours for dear life.”

They’ve been back on the road for a while now and Marion hasn’t tried anything funny so far, but he’s not about to put away his gun anytime soon. Doesn’t have his finger on the trigger or anythin’ so he’s not too sure what’s got Marion all jumpy, but it sure helps encourage him to keep drivin’.

It was his Poppa’s gun, brought it home with him when he came back from the war. Jackrabbit was still real small then, doesn’t remember much about it. But he took the gun with him when he left. It’s just another reason why he shouldn’t try and head home anytime soon. Poppa was awful proud of it, had it put in a little box that cost a pretty penny with his medals.

“I wouldn’t have gone home. Not really. I don’t even want to go back, but I should,” Marion adds, “I shouldn’t want to run off like this.” 

And then, it’s quiet for another long while. Doesn’t mind it much, ‘cos he’s not really in the mood to gab. Still hasn’t made up his mind on what he’s gonna do, mostly since he wants to like Marion, wants to keep him around. Might be helpful for doin’ the things Rabbit can’t manage, and it’s awful lonely without anyone else.

“So,” Marion says, like he can’t stand the quiet, sounds real nervous, too, “How old are you, anyway?”

“Nineteen, or thereabouts.”

And Marion snorts, seems to forget all about how scared he was, “Jesus, from the way you were carrying on I had you pegged as some runaway kid.”

Rabbit snarls, “Hey now, you better watch your sorry mouth.”

“I’m not the one who decided to run our car off the road for some impromptu roughhousing!”

“Yeah? Well, I’m the one with a gun.”

Marion laughs again, “Can you even use that damn thing, anyway? You’ve got quite the tremor there, Jackrabbit, I doubt you’re a worthwhile shot.”

“Don’t have’ta aim when I can get’ya point blank,” he spits, so damn wound up he’s seein’ red.

Seems like the fella notices, too, ‘cos he backs down. Grips the wheel so tight his knuckles strain white, sweat beadin’ on his forehead. Which buys them a few more minutes of peace’n’quiet.

“Did the name come first?” Marion asks, softer now, like he means it, “Or the tremor?”

“Been shakin’ like this since I was just little,” Rabbit whispers.

Has his good days and his bad, but the shakes never seem to go away. Might have ’em forever but he figures they’re a part of him now. Already knows how to live with them, since he’s had ’em over a decade.

“Well, it sure is a fitting name,” Marion smiles, makes Rabbit smile a mite too, “Real poetic. I mean it, hand to God.”

“You sure you’re not tryin’ to sweet talk me into lettin’ my guard down?” Rabbit raises one eyebrow, watchin’ him carefully.

“Trust me, dear Rabbit, you’d know if I was sweet talking you.”

“Didn’t say you could call me Rabbit,” he warns.

Marion clicks his tongue, “But you never said I couldn’t, either.”

Jackrabbit crosses his arms, sulkin’ down in his seat ‘cos he doesn’t wanna own up to the fact that Marion’s right. At least they’re not fightin’ anymore, he reckons.

“Though, I guess I could call you Jack.”

“Nuh-uh, that’s not my name,” he snaps, “You call me Jackrabbit or nothin’ at all.”

“What about J.R? Because last I heard, Jackrabbit’s a wanted man and one of these days, we’re bound to be around other people,” Marion cocks his head to the side, some kinda sly crooked smile splittin’ his face.

“Haven’t decided on that yet.”

But, he decides he oughta be at least a little reasonable, so he holsters his gun again. Hunkers down in the passenger’s seat, starin’ out the window at all the fields racing by, just a blur of green. He rolled the window down some a while back and the wind runs its fingers through his hair, feels nice.

As much as this fella’s been troublesome so far, everything about this feels real nice. The car, the golden sunshine, the open road, just havin’ somebody to talk to, who doesn’t say anything about how his words slur a mite. 

Even his sisters ‘n his brothers didn’t do that much half the time. They liked him well enough when he was small, but everythin’ changed once he got older. They all started workin’ or helpin’ around the house and he never changed much at all.

“You know what, Jackrabbit? I think we’re bound to be good friends,” Marion’s voice drags him out of his thoughts, reminds him that he’s still gotta deal with his new accomplice, an unpredictable one, too.

He laughs, throws his head back so as to let the sun shine on his face, “You figure so, huh? Last I checked, I haven’t done a damn thing to make you think we’d be friends.”

“You brought me with you. That’s more than enough.”

He reckons Marion must be runnin’ from somethin’ awful big if that’s reason enough to overlook everything else Rabbit’s done so far. Guess they both have their secrets.

***

Once it’s real dark, not just dusk, Marion pulls off the side of the road and stops the car. They’re an awful long way from New Jersey and an even longer way from his home back in Tennessee. But that’s good, he figures. Means it’ll be harder for anyone to find the two of ’em, word can’t have gotten far about the robbery.

There’s an awful lotta lightnin’ bugs out, too. Crowdin’ around the car like they got stars just for the two of ’em.

Jackrabbit grabs his bag and climbs over the front seats to settle down in the back. It’s been an awful long day and he’s more wore out than usual. And he trusts Marion not to pull anything while he sleeps, since Marion looks half asleep himself and he doubts the fella could shoot a gun if he’s bein’ honest. 

Maybe he’s right, anyway. About how they’re gonna be friends.

Rabbit lies down and curls up on his side, closes his eyes and listens to the sound of cicadas and crickets and frogs singin’ them to sleep. He can hear Marion take off his glasses and fold ’em up, settin’ em on the dashboard.

“Why’d you wanna come with me anyway?” He whispers, figures it’s easier to talk about these things in the darkness.

He can hear Marion shufflin’ around in the front seat, and then he says, real quiet, “There’s not a soul on Earth who knows who I am. All I do is play a part, dancing on strings like a puppet. I want to live a life untethered. I want to be adventurous.“

And Jackrabbit can’t keep himself from laughin’ at that. Figures this rich boy has no idea what he’s gettin’ himself into.

“You know I’ve done a whole lotta bad things, right?” Jackrabbit thumps on the back of the seat, “Even killed a few people.”

“Good. That’s what I want. I don’t want to live that life up until I die.”

Seems like Marion might be the crazy one outta the two of ’em. But sure, he’ll let Marion tag along, play cops’n’robbers for a while, might as well get some free rides outta it.

He wraps himself around his bag, still doesn’t trust Marion enough to not just help himself to it, since it’s what he’d do. And it just feels safer to have it near. Closes his eyes not too long after that and just listens to Marion, already fast asleep and snorin’ like you wouldn’t believe.

***

When he wakes up, he’s alone in the car. And he’s damn near ready to track Marion down and put a bullet between his eyes, but then he realizes that the fella’s only a few steps away. He’s stretchin’ out, just a shadow of a man against the sunrise. Maybe he can trust Marion, after all.

Rabbit sits up slowly. Never been much of a morning person. Combs his fingers through his hair, tryin’ to tame his curls down a mite. Rubs the sleep outta his eyes after that.

It’s damned muggy and his head hurts, but he figures once they get back on the road, it’s only a matter of time before they find a town. He can get some food for the two of ’em, maybe get Marion some clothes. 

They’ll need an awful lot of money to make it all the way out west, but between the two of ’em, he reckons they’ll be able to manage it. He’s willing to bet that Marion’s a half decent lookout on top of bein’ a getaway driver. What other reason would he have those fancy glasses of his for?

Rabbit tosses his bag into the front seat and climbs over, still barely awake, all blurry eyed’n’stiff all over. Then, he sticks his head out the window and whistles to get Marion’s attention. The fella whips around real quick, eyes as wide as a deer’s without his glasses.

“C’mon, we oughta get goin’. We’ll hit another town soon enough and I figure we’re both gettin’ real hungry,” Jackrabbit calls out.

“Well aren’t you impatient?” Marion laughs as he straightens out his collar, shirt isn’t even tucked in anymore, “Itching already to stick up another jewelry store, are you?”

“Nah,” Rabbit crosses his arms on the edge of the car window, rests his head on ’em, “You don’t hit a town you’re gonna hang around in for any while. That’s real careless. Like I said, I’m hungry. And you need clothes.”

And the kicker is, Marion almost looks sad that they aren’t gonna hit a place together right away. But he’ll get his chance soon enough.

“Why do I get the feeling that I’m nothing more than an over-glorified chauffeur?” Marion huffs.

Rabbit’s real clever, clever enough to make a wild guess that Marion’s calling himself their driver. Which is true, dependin’ on how you look at it, but it’s still real irritating. 

So, he swings the door open, climbs outta the car ‘cos he figures he might as well give Marion a piece of his damn mind. ‘Cept it isn’t one of his good mornings. His head feels like it’s stuffed with cotton and his hands keep dancin’ at his sides until he shoves them in his pockets to keep ’em busy.

“You’re the one that asked to come along,” he drawls, “So mind yourself an’ don’t complain.”

Marion clutches his chest like he’s been shot, sighs real loud, “Aren’t you so very demanding?”

“Just remember who’s got a gun outta the two of us.”

“You know, you really don’t scare me, Rabbit,” Marion laughs, “I think we’re very similar after all.”

Jackrabbit scowls, “I doubt I got much in common with a rich brat like you.”

But maybe he oughta be a bit nicer to the fella, otherwise he might wise up and figure out he could just leave Rabbit high and dry on his lonesome, doesn’t get much outta this partnership at all since he’s got a family to head back to, one with money.

“You’d be surprised,” Marion gives him a sly little smile and starts walkin’ towards the driver’s side of the car.

He frowns, trying to figure out what the hell that might mean, but he scurries along, gets back in the passenger seat right quick. Last thing he wants is to get stranded out here, but honest to God, he’s startin’ to figure that Marion really wouldn’t do that to him.

“I ought to telephone my parents,” Marion says as he pulls back onto the road, like he wants Rabbit to go ahead and convince him to do it, “So they know I’m a-okay.”

“And tell ’em what?” Jackrabbit scoffs, “That you ran off with a wanted man?”

“Not just any wanted man. You’ve got quite the reputation, my dear Rabbit. I’m surprised you weren’t aware of your notoriety.”

It’s not that he didn’t know about his reputation. More like he’s done his damnedest to make sure nobody figures out too much about him. The Jackrabbit everyone’s lookin’ for is just a couple bits’n’pieces of himself, stitched together into a nice story.

It’s safer that way, otherwise anyone would know who he was soon as they saw him shakin’. Wouldn’t be able to get anythin’ done like that.

“You’re quite the local legend,” Marion rattles on, “I bet they’ll make a picture about you one of these days. Though I doubt anyone they’d get to play you would be half as handsome as the real deal.”

He’s never been to the pictures before. Couldn’t when he was little, hasn’t had the time since he left. But the idea makes him blush, so he looks away, outta the window, doesn’t want Marion to notice.

And it’s more’n a little strange that Marion knows so much about him and he knows so little about Marion.

“Thought you didn’t know who I was,” Jackrabbit says, finally, wants to corner Marion, figure out what he’s playin’ at.

“Not at first, but there’s only so many Jackrabbits that also happen to be bandits. And I’m a very keen observer, I’ve heard much about you before I knew you.”

He’d be lyin’ if he said that didn’t make his pride swell up a mite. But it doesn’t do much to ease him up any.

“Now, since you know so much about me, maybe you oughta tell me somethin’ about you,” he mutters.

Marion gets real quiet for a beat or two, and bites back, “Well, I only know what the papers say about you. Which isn’t much at all, you should know.”

“Sure makes it sound like you’re dodgin’ the question, Marion, like you don’t wanna tell me anythin’.”

“And I could say the same of you, couldn’t I?”

Rabbit frowns, “There’s nothin’ more you need t’know about me.”

“Of course there is! Where are you from? Don’t you have a family?” 

The way he says it makes it sound like it’s a helluva lot more important than it is. Figures it all leads back to Marion bein’ real back’n’forth about comin’ along, about tellin’ his parents he left.

“Down south,” Rabbit says, “And yeah. I got a family.”

“Well, don’t they miss you?” 

Jackrabbit furrows his brows, worries his lip with his teeth, “I reckon not. Made a lotta trouble for them.”

And Marion gives a sad little laugh, almost sounds like a sob, “Well, that’s one thing we’ve got in common. They wanted me to go to Princeton, but I’d much rather live a little first. They say they love the person they want me to be so often that I sometimes think they hate me.“

Sure, he’s not some rich boy. But he kinda knows what that feels like. Never said anything to him, but he could tell he wasn’t what they wanted outta one’a the kids.

“Then don’t go back,” Rabbit shrugs, “Worked out fine for me.”

“I can’t quite say this is what I’d consider fine,” Marion laughs, really this time, not some strangled noise at the back of his throat, “But I like you. You’re a regular spit-fire.”

It’s right then and there that Jackrabbit decides the odds are real good that Marion’s gonna stick with him. Won’t get all yellow bellied and crawl back home and turn him in. At this rate, they might just make it out west if they work together.

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