This is the second part of a serialized work of fiction. Find the first part here.
II. AUGUST 1929
They’ve been on the road a handful’a weeks now. Been gettin’ along better too, especially after they both got some food in their stomachs. Marion isn’t half bad, after all. Even manages to make Jackrabbit laugh sometimes. He’s got a good way of tellin’ stories.
And he’s loosened up a mite, too. Settled into a bit of a better mood. Stopped waving his piece around so much an’ now it just sits at the bottom of his bag while they drive.
Now that he reckons he trusts Marion, it’s as good a time as any to see if there’s any truth to his talk of wantin’ a life of adventure. They’re still on the road, seems like they’re pretty far off from the next town, but that gives Jackrabbit plenty’a time to get a plan worked out.
“So,” he says, waits for Marion to cast a sidelong glance his way, “How d’you fancy bein’ a lookout for me in the next hit?”
“Ha ha,” Marion clicks his tongue, “Real funny, Rabbit.”
Still hasn’t agreed to the nickname, but by now he’s not sure he can wriggle outta it. Doesn’t really care to fight over it anymore.
“I mean it! Honest to God!”
Truth is, they’re almost outta money and he’s gonna need to do another hit real soon. But he’s a good ways away from his usual haunts and the idea of tryin’ to stick up a place he’s never heard of in his life scares him just a mite.
“You’ve never needed anyone else before,” Marion scoffs, but Jackrabbit figures he’s just playin’ around, seemed real keen on a life of crime just a few weeks back.
“Well, you saw how good it worked out for me last time. Damn near got caught if it weren’t for you bein’ the one I ran into. You’ll be the getaway driver an’ keep an eye out for anythin’ that looks funny.”
“Fine, fine, I guess I’ll be your lookout,” Marion sighs, sure didn’t need much convincin’ at all.
But that sure seems to be how it always works out with this fella, like he just needs someone to tell him it’s alright to do somethin’. Maybe it’s something to do with his parents, doesn’t matter much either way to Jackrabbit.
He pokes Marion in the side, “Next town’s comin’ up in a couple hours. Gonna be ready by then?”
“I’m certain I’ll manage, Rabbit,” Marion clicks his tongue, rolls his eyes, “What are you planning for our great escapade, anyway?”
Truth is, he doesn’t have much of a plan so far. Hasn’t really thought about more’n just askin’ Marion to really be his partner in crime. It’s a strange feeling. Knowin’ he trusts Marion enough to leave his life in his neatly groomed hands.
Smug bastard was right about the two of ’em ending up likin’ each other. It’s surprisin’ how it snuck up on him, barely even noticed it until all his plans started havin’ Marion in them. Went from a loner to a pair as easy as night goes to day.
“I figure we could stick up the bank,” Rabbit shrugs, he figures there’s gonna be a bank anywhere they go, “Shouldn’t have too many people around in the afternoon.”
It’s still real hot, even now that it’s August. Most people’ll be tryin’ to cool off if they aren’t busy somewhere else.
“Ah! So we’re bank robbers now, huh?” Marion laughs.
“If y’don’t like it, you can always head on back to your parents!”
“Hey now–“
“B’sides,” he cuts Marion short, “I’ve been a bank robber. You oughta know that already! And you just hafta keep an eye out for the pigs!”
It’s an easy enough job, he reckons Marion could manage it alright. More’n that, he wants Marion to manage it alright. Makes things a helluva lot easier havin’ someone with him. And, against the odds, he likes Marion. Thinks he’s funny. Smart as a whip.
“And what if they shoot at us?” Marion asks with a nervous little laugh.
“Simple. We shoot back, then.”
“Well, if it’s that easy, I guess I can’t say no, can I?”
And a little smile creeps ‘cross Jackrabbit’s face. Never takes too much to win Marion over, for better or for worse.
***
It’s a quiet couple’a hours before they reach the next town. He mighta dozed off for a mite there, without Marion talkin’ to keep him awake, but he sure as shit isn’t gonna admit it if anyone asks.
He’s got his piece out, makin’ sure it’s ready to go. Fishes some bullets outta his bag ‘n’ starts to load it, ’til he catches Marion watchin’ him.
Curls his lip into a snarl and keeps workin’. They might be gettin’ along better but he still isn’t keen on anybody gawkin’ at how his hands tremble.
Never been too good at the delicate things, but he gets by alright most’a the time. Used to be a lot worse, too.
His Momma tried to teach him mendin’ an’ the like when he wasn’t so little anymore, but he still couldn’t get outta bed at all. Didn’t work out too well. The needles would slip through his fingers an’ he couldn’t hold the fabric steady. Stabbed himself more’n a few times, gettin’ little specks of blood all over an’ he never got farther than Momma takin’ the torn shirt an’ fixin’ it herself.
But he kinda had to learn how t’do it his own way, given how scraped up he’d get when he was still hoppin’ trains. The scars don’t look so nice, but he can get a cut closed up alright.
“What’re you starin’ at?” He growls, makes Marion startle a mite.
“Nothing, I promise!”
“Good,” Rabbit clicks the magazine back into place, “Let’s keep it that way, huh?”
He tucks his piece into his shoulder holster ‘n’ settles back in his seat.
They’re just outside the town now, a little waterin’ hole in the middle’a nowhere.
Once they get far enough in that they start seein’ general stores an’ restaurants an’ all that, Marion clears his throat and says, real shy-like, “So, let’s hear your grand plan for this.”
“Don’t really plan much,” Jackrabbit shrugs, “You just gotta do it.”
“Of course.”
Rabbit sneers, “Well, if you’ve got such a problem with it, why don’t you tell me how’ta rob a bank?”
“I’ll leave that to you,” Marion laughs, “It just sure does explain an awful lot about you.”
“What’s that ‘sposed to mean?”
“Nothing, nothing,” Marion laughs yet again, grins real wide.
“You’re just gonna park nearby an’ watch to make sure no one’s comin’ for me,” Rabbit frowns, crosses his arms, “I’ll worry ’bout the rest.”
***
There’s nothin’ quite like the sound of your own blood singin’ in your ears. Feels like electricity runnin’ through your veins. He grins real big when the teller starts pilin’ up money on the counter, shovels it into his bag, makin’ sure the fella can clearly see the piece tucked into his shoulder holster.
So far, this fella’s been pretty damn smart. Hasn’t said a word about anything, just did what he’s been told. No doubt, the coppers are on their way, but he’s got Marion on lookout and there’s no one else inside other than him and the teller.
Trusts Marion more’n anyone, he does, when he really thinks about it. Never had anyone to trust before they started workin’ together, not even his family. Which is why he starts scramblin’, grabbin’ whatever he can when Marion pokes his head into the bank, ‘cos it sure as shit doesn’t mean anythin’ good.
“Rabbit, we have to go,” Marion shouts.
“Rabbit,” the teller echoes, “Rabbit…”
Maybe he oughta stop thinkin’ it’s lucky when he gets smart hostages. He draws his pistol nice’n’slow while the teller keeps on thinkin’, halfway prayin’ the man shuts his damn mouth.
“Wait, you’re the one the police are lookin’ for, you’re Jack–“
Rabbit pulls the trigger. The teller’s head snaps back for a second, n’then his body crumples to the floor. Only thing left is a splatter of blood on the wall behind his head.
Jackrabbit never misses when he’s up close’n’personal, but he’s a poor shot from a distance.
“Hurry it up, why don’t you?” Marion shouts again, and Jackrabbit does what he’s told.
Slings the bag over his shoulder and darts over to the front door. And since he likes livin’ life on a razor’s edge, he grabs Marion by the shirt-collars and kisses him hard, screws his eyes shut an’ accidentally clicks their teeth together but it’s nice. Real nice.
He breaks away when he’s breathless, still ridin’ high on the thrill of it all, but Marion just furrows his brows.
“Guess you didn’t want me like that,” Rabbit mutters, wipes his mouth on the back of his hand.
And Marion drops his voice all low and sweet, “We can talk about this once we’re out of this backwater town, Jackrabbit. I don’t want us to get caught during our first foray into a partnership of crime and time is very quickly running out.”
Jackrabbit scowls but he plays along alright, doesn’t much want to end up in jail either. So far he’s gotten lucky, since nobody ever expects him to be the one what killed all those people. But he figures luck only goes so far.
Marion’s already got the car runnin’ by the time he catches up, only a few seconds behind. He can hear sirens not too far off, sets his teeth on edge somethin’ awful but Rabbit figures he can trust him to get them outta there alright.
Marion’s the type of person nobody asks too many questions about. Looks like someone you’d never expect to do somethin’ bad, what with his glasses and how he looks timid as a field mouse. And he’s the son of some wealthy folks, too. People never look twice at him.
But for all that, Rabbit trusts him more’n anyone else in the whole wide world.
Jackrabbit hops in the passenger’s seat. Ducks down so nobody can see him at a glance. And Marion drives real slow, real casual, like he doesn’t have a care in the goddamn world. It’s the best way to make sure they don’t draw too much attention, but it’s drivin’ Rabbit crazy. His heart’s liable to pound outta his chest, hidden outta sight.
And the coppers just go racin’ right past ‘em.
Don’t even try and pull ‘em over.
Rabbit grins to himself, curled up tight with the bag full’a money on the floor of the car.
***
Once they’re outside the town limits, he climbs up into the passenger seat an’ mutters, “I shouldn’t’a done that.”
“Hm, well, I’m quite staunchly a pacifist, but he did come close to figuring you out. We can’t have anyone telling the coppers what we look like, of course.”
“Shouldn’t’a kissed you, I mean,” he says, even though he reckons Marion knew what he meant.
Marion gives a small half-smile, “Well, you weren’t particularly good at it, but perhaps with a little practice…”
“Oh, fuck off!”
Still, he’d wager it’s a good sign that Marion’s joking about it all.
Never really had a chance to practice it before he decided right then and there that he was gonna kiss Marion, just heard about it from his sisters, ‘specially Charlotte who got in trouble for neckin’ with a boy from school and told him all about it while she wasn’t allowed out with the rest of the kids. That was when they all still liked him well enough, when he was small enough that it didn’t matter much that he couldn’t do anything more’n sit on the porch or lie in bed.
“You sure have a knack for picking bad times, though, Rabbit,” Marion says, real stern, “You couldn’t wait until we were outside town limits?”
“Jus’ couldn’t help myself, I guess,” he smiles, awful crooked.
Didn’t really think he’d ever get the chance to do it, honest to God. Spent half his childhood thinkin’ he was right on death’s door even on a good day and then, soon as he was strong enough to leave, he did.
And truth is, he’s never really wanted anyone the ways he wants Marion. Wants to curl up beside him with his head leanin’ against his heart, listen to it beat until he falls asleep. Wants to crawl inside his chest and make a home of it, wouldn’t need another place other’n that.
But that’s a real risky way to start thinkin’. People always reckon they know what they’re gettin’ into when it comes to him, but they never can handle it. That’s why he had to leave home.
“Your impulses are bound to get us killed one day,” Marion sighs.
“So long as I’m with you, I don’t think I’ll mind much.”
Marion clicks his tongue, “Jackrabbit, we’re far too young to start talking like that.”
He figures it’s different if you’ve never been right up close’n’personal with it. Not just killing, like he does, but really knowing you’re about to die. Sure, it’s never really taken, but he knows what it’s like. Made his peace with it a long while ago.
“But,” Marion adds, real quick, white as a sheet, “How did you figure me out so quickly?”
“Figure you out?” Rabbit furrows his brows, cocks his head to the side like that might help him think, “I just did it ‘cos I wanted to. Never figured I’d get the chance, ’til now.”
And then, Marion throws his head back and howls with laughter, wind dancin’, through his hair, “So that really was your first kiss?”
Jackrabbit can feel his cheeks flush, burnin’ all the way up to his damn ears. So, he looks out the window, real stubborn-like. Figures they’d be back at square one if he started threatenin’ Marion again, but there’s nothin’ more he wants to do than to stop the fella from snickerin’ under his breath.
“It’s alright,” Marion reaches over an’ rakes a hand through Rabbit’s hair, “No one is ever all that good their first time around. And I have to say, I never would’ve thought you’d have a soft side.”
Rabbit slides down in his seat a mite, hiding behind the collar of his jacket. None of his sisters ever told him anythin’ about this bein’ so embarrassin’. All they ever talked about was how nice it was an’ how they couldn’t wait to go all the way.
Charlotte and Tessie always ended up gettin’ caught with a stablehand or one’a the neighbor’s sons an’ when they were in trouble with Momma and Poppa there was nothin’ much to do other than chores an’ gossip with him. But nothin’ they told him woulda prepared him for this.
“You’re far from the worst gent I’ve kissed,” Marion croons, “Roguish gunsel that you are.”
Jackrabbit reckons Marion’s tryin’ to pry a word or two outta him, but he’s not gonna give in. Doesn’t know what he’d say anyways. Thinkin’ about how he feels when it comes to Marion makes his stomach twist itself up in knots.
“You’re bounds more handsome than most of them, as well. Eddie Whitmire was nowhere near pretty enough to get expelled from boarding school over and yet those were the choices I made,” Marion sighs, “C’est la vie, I suppose. I’m one for poor decisions. I’d like to think I grew wiser in my old age, but given where I’ve ended up, I can’t say I have.”
“I ‘spose you’re alright, yourself,” Rabbit bites back, but hand to God, Marion’s the first person to ever look at him an’ just see him.
Marion laughs, shoots him a glance with one brow raised, “Just alright, eh?”
“Don’t push yer luck,” he snaps.
An’ Marion sobers up a mite, gets all serious ‘n’ severe, “You’re an odd fellow, Rabbit. I’d have thought someone like you would’ve had quite a few conquests under your belt, galavanting around with all sorts of undesirable ladies. …And gents, it would appear. I almost wouldn’t believe I was your first.”
“Never been one for company.”
Marion purses his lips for a second, goes in for the kill, “And what did you mean when you said you thought you’d never get the chance?”
“Wasn’t supposed to live all that long,” Jackrabbit says, real soft, “Guess I got lucky.”
“You sure did, track record like yours and no stints in jail to show for it!”
“Helps that you’re the only one who knows what I look like. Never let anyone else go if they figured out who I was.”
Marion laughs, quiet, under his breath, “Then I guess that makes me lucky too.”
Maybe he oughta be a mite more honest with Marion, but the thought makes him seize up worse’n a field mouse. Feels too big an’ frightenin’ to tell him why he’s so damn lucky just to be in the land of the livin’.
“If you say so.”
“Well,” Marion clears his throat, watchin’ to make sure Jackrabbit’s paying attention, and takes one hand off the wheel to rub at the back’a his neck, “I suppose you know what I’m running from now, so it’s only fair you tell me what you’re running from.”
“‘M not runnin’ from anythin’,” he growls.
If there’s one thing he can’t stand about his new partner, it’s how damn nosy he is. Never knows when to draw the line.
“Did you skip out because of your temperamental inclinations?”
“Wasn’t my in, uh, in-cluh-nations, or nothin’ else, stupid damn know it all li’l brat,” Jackrabbit snaps, can’t help himself.
He’s tried to play nice. Worked well for the most part, too. But Marion just won’t stop pokin’ ‘n’ proddin’ ‘n’ thinkin’ he knows more than anybody else. ‘Specially when he starts usin’ those fancy goddamn words.
Marion just laughs, hands still restin’ nice ‘n’ easy on the wheel, doesn’t seem so scared of Rabbit these days. Might be a good thing, might not. He’s not too sure yet.
“What’s so funny?” He mutters.
“Of course you didn’t leave because of your wanton desires. You’re so pent up I figure you probably didn’t even realize what you were until recently.”
Jackrabbit crosses his arms, wishin’ he never took Marion up on his offer to tag along, “An’ what am I, accordin’ to you?”
“A homosexual.”
Marion holds a hand up to keep him quiet before he can even open his mouth, “And there isn’t any room for debating it, considering how you kissed me back there. But it does raise the question of why else you might feel the need to run from your family if not for your… strange nature. So, dear Rabbit, what was it that made you leave?”
He’s backed into a corner. Feels trapped, feels like he’s liable to lash out any minute now. But maybe he oughta try and bargain here. Get somethin’ soft and tender he can use against Marion if it comes down t’that.
“Let’s trade,” Jackrabbit says, “Secret for a secret.”
“And I suppose you want me to go first, eh?”
Rabbit nods sharply.
“Alright,” Marion sighs, knuckles white with effort, clutchin’ the wheel like it was the only thing keepin’ him alive, “I took the first chance I could to run because I could see the trajectory my life was heading towards–a degree, some cushy tenured teaching job, a perfect little wife all but hand picked by my parents, two kids, of course, all living together in an ungodly expensive house with more rooms than anyone would truly need–and decided I’d rather be dead than end up like that.”
Jackrabbit isn’t much, but he’s a man of his word.
So, he mumbles, “Just was easier if I left. Knew they wouldn’t miss me much, either.”
“Oh come on, you can’t have known that!”
Rabbit grits his teeth, digs his nails into the meat of his palms, “Sure I can! They was all sick an’ tired of me by then! Spent so long hopin’ and prayin’ that I’d live an’ then when I did they up an’ changed their damn minds!”
Marion gets all quiet, but it’s too late. Already went too far an’ now Rabbit’s seein’ red, damn near bitin’ clean through his tongue just to stop himself from doin’ somethin’ he’ll regret.
“I’m sorry I asked,” Marion whispers, barely more’n a breath.
“Yer not,” Jackrabbit spits, blood from his tongue coverin’ his teeth, “Now why don’tya pull over the goddamned car?”
Marion’s face goes white as a sheet, all the color drained outta it.
So he is still scared of Rabbit, just a mite.
Doesn’t argue back, or make some sly comment, just pulls off the road.
The car comes to a stop in some scraggly grass runnin’ along a field. They’re awful far away from anythin’ else, but that’s good. Real good.
Rabbit swings the door open’n storms outta the car. Slams the door behind him, too, and he reckons it makes Marion jump outta his skin. Of course, he didn’t look back to check, ‘cos that’d be too hard to do right about now.
Nah, he just spits out a clot of blood, mixes with the dirt in between the crab-grass an’ the clover, half scorched in the sun.
Can’t even keep his hands steady when they’re just restin’ at his side, so he folds them up against his chest, like he’s lyin’ in the grave. Makes him realize he left his gun behind, but he sure as shit ain’t goin’ back for it. Just needs to get away from it all.
An’ there’s nothin’ here other than the road, the car, and that wide open field. Someone probably owned it once, but the fence looks like it collapsed a couple years back an’ there’s nothin’ there to keep the grass from growin’ all wild’n’unkempt.
So he stomps out into the field, half draggin’ his damned bad leg along with him. Hasn’t acted up like this in an awful long time since he’s not hoppin’ trains or walkin’ everywhere anymore, but these things creep up on him when he’s least expectin’ them.
Still, he keeps goin’. Always has been real stubborn.
When he gets far enough away that the car isn’t much more’n a speck on the horizon, he curls his stiff, shaky fingers in his hair, damp with sweat, and screams. Really gives it his all, makes his chest ache and his lungs burn like wildfire.
Screws his eyes up tight to try an’ stop those angry tears from falling. Balls his hands into fists an’ pulls on his hair, tryin’ to get himself to focus on the sting of it instead’a everythin’ else.
Rabbit can’t hardly breathe, pantin’ like a dog now that he’s stopped screaming.
His heart’s racin’ too, and he feels faint, fingertips pricked with pins ‘n’ needles.
More’n anything else, he hates that Marion got under his skin so easy. Didn’t even realize what he did, either. Can’t possibly realize what he does to Rabbit at all.
That’s the worst of it. He coulda gone his whole life just downright peachy keen an’ everything woulda been perfect, but he had to run into Marion fuckin’ Vallier and get everythin’ turned topsy-turvy.
The weather must be changin’ what with how the wind kicks up and tugs at his clothes. Probably only has a few weeks more before it starts to cool off. But thinkin’ about that just gets him more worked up, a big ol’ lump in his throat that he can’t seem to swallow.
He twists his fingers even tighter in his hair, pressin’ hard against his skull like that’ll keep him from fallin’ apart.
Then, Jackrabbit screams again. Howls an’ hollers an’ curses up at the sky.
Just needs to get it all outta him, so he doesn’t do somethin’ worth regrettin’.
And it doesn’t seem like he’s been there that long, but when he finally opens his eyes again, it looks like the sun’s just startin’ to sink down behind the hills.
“Rabbit.”
He blinks a couple’a times, tryin’ to get the world to focus again.
“Rabbit!”
Jackrabbit whips his head around, lips curled back in a snarl, “What?!”
Marion’s standin’ there, lookin’ awful outta place in the field, wringin’ his hands with his little glasses low on his nose an’ his slicked back hair mussed up like he’s been worryin’ with it.
“Christ, Jackrabbit, I’ve been calling for you for the past ten minutes,” he sounds more annoyed than anythin’ else, “You’ve had more than enough time to settle down, even accounting for how hot-headed and stubborn you are. You’re lucky there doesn’t seem to be another soul for miles! What if someone had heard you shrieking like the damned?”
Doesn’t say anything to that, just crosses his arms and scowls, mostly so he can hide how his hands rattle’n’dance at his sides. Sure, Marion’s noticed from the start, but he doesn’t want anyone to see him tremblin’ right about now.
Marion shakes his head and sighs, “Now, why don’t you be reasonable for once and come back with me before it gets dark?”
Part of him wants to put up a fight, wants to dig his heels in an’ spend the whole night out here just so he can show Marion what’s what. But mostly, he feels stiff ‘n’achy all over, downright miserable, like hell warmed over.
But Jackrabbit starts headin’ back towards the car, face all twisted up in a grimace.
Marion tags along, keepin’ pace with him real easy on account of his bad leg.
“I understand that I overstepped my bounds,” Marion says, “But you’re really being childish, Rabbit.”
“Fuck off,” he mutters back, through gritted teeth.
“Are you alright? I wouldn’t have thought you had a chance to get hurt earlier today.”
“S’always like this.”
“Like your tremor?” Marion asks, plain an’ simple.
“Yeah.”
Sweat beads up on Rabbit’s forehead, hands clenched into fists. He wishes it was easy, wishes he wasn’t backed into a corner, stuck talkin’ with Marion about all’a this.
“What happened to you?” Marion damn near sounds pained.
“I was real sick as a baby,” Rabbit whispers, ‘cos deep, deep down in his heart, he’s tired of fightin’ tonight, “Everyone thought I was gonna die.”
“You’re a pain,” Marion smiles, just a mite sly, “But I’m glad you didn’t.”
His words rest real heavy in the night air.
“And I guess that makes us even,” Marion laughs, breakin’ the silence like a stone tossed into a pond, “A secret for a secret, like you said.”
Somehow, Jackrabbit thinks they’ve both got more secrets to spare. Gonna be like pullin’ teeth to get ‘em all out in the light of day.
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Carry On, Kid! 