The Geezer and the Girl

         I think this is the longest I’ve ever run in my life…

         I couldn’t stop then, and there’s no way I can now. I just have to keep going and everything will be okay!

         “Sir, would you mind watching where you’re going?” Was this a girl in front of me? She had messy dirty blonde hair and big round brown eyes. She was very short and wearing a coat that was much too big for her. It came down to below her knees. She couldn’t have been older than twelve or so. Shit! I ran right into such a little girl! But she wasn’t knocked over and seemed to be more concerned about me rather than herself. “Sir? Are you high or something?” She furrowed her brow. Right, I almost forgot kids knew about stuff like that nowadays.

         “I- Ah…” I looked down at the pavement. Without realizing it, I’d found myself in the middle of a busy metropolis. My voice wouldn’t work and I couldn’t stop shivering. I’d underestimated how cold it would be here.

         “Well, I’m not going anywhere. And you aren’t either, looking like that.” She grabbed my arm and pulled me towards a small cafe. Was it really okay for me to go with this little girl? I was a grown man! “What’s with all your stubble. I know razors are expensive, but Christ… you smell bad, too.” She covered her nose almost mockingly.

         “Hey!” She could only giggle.

         “Mister, you just look so hollow. Forgive me for trying to get a reaction out of you, but I just wanted to see something. That’s all.” She led me to a booth, where we both sat down.

         “You-”

         “Carley.” She corrected me. “I’m Carley.”

         “Carley..? Alright.” I cleared my throat. “Carley, don’t you know it’s dangerous to talk to strangers? Especially this late at night!”

         “Pfft- yeah, but what’re you gonna do to me? Maybe you’ll touch me, but I’ll scream and someone’ll come running.” She rested her chin on her hand, with her elbow on the table. “Is it so bad that I just wanted to talk to someone?” A more frustrated look appeared on her face.

David Rose still at large for the murder of his young daughter, and attempted murder of his wife. We have no recent pictures of him, but he is thirty-seven, a little taller than six feet, with brown hair and green eyes, as stated by his wife.

         “They been playing that all day even though it happened on the opposite side of the district.” Carley huffed. “I’m sick of this.”

         “Ah, gerrymandering, huh?”

         “Eh? Wuzzat?” She picked up her head a bit.

         “Well, politicians draw district lines around areas where a lot of a certain party live and-”

         “Stop! Stop! My head hurts already!” Carley waved her hands in my face. “So it’s politics? Coulda just told me that.”

         ‘Sorry, habits. I’m a teacher.”

         “So you are.” She looked a little interested. “You aren’t one of those evil ones that give too much homework, are you?” Her eyes narrowed a bit suspiciously.

         “N-no? I teach elementary. I don’t think I can give them too much.”

         “Oh? Then I’ll take your word for it then. You’re safe for now.” She had a smug look on her face that my own daughter might make. “So Mister? What d’you want?” She pointed at the menu in front of me. I hadn’t even taken a peek at it. I picked up the thing and had a look at what I could get.

         “This place is open so late....” I observed quietly.

         “The city is full of people that go to bed at four in the morning. Including myself.” She grinned.

         “Don’t you have school?”

         “Yeah, I just don’t show up until lunchtime.” She shrugged.

         “That’s not good, school is very important.”

         “Not to me.” She shrugged.

         “It’ll catch up to you one day,” I warned, but she just shrugged.

         “C’mon geezer, pick something!” She impatiently whined.

         “Okay, okay…” I looked over the menu. I didn’t particularly like anything on it. “Just black coffee.” I folded the menu back up.

         “Wow, you’re boring.” Carley just giggled.

         “Well that’s kinda what happens when you grow up, I think.”

         “Sometimes I don’t wanna grow up. But if I never grow up, I’ll have to depend on my parents forever. I’ll never have anything that’s really mine. Y’know? Well, you’re an adult, so of course you know.” She laid her head on the table quietly.

         “Most kids don’t think like that, I’m a little impressed.”

         “Well, obviously I don’t think like most kids.” She picked up her head a bit, just leaving her chin on the table.

         “Hey, Carley, you still haven't picked." I pointed to the kid's menu still laying on the table in front of her.

         "I feel bad askin'" She turned her face away from me.

         "Asking what?"

         "Askin' you to pay, stupid geezer!" She huffed

         "Funny how you've gone from 'Mister' to 'stupid geezer.'" I chuckled weakly. "I'll pay for you Carley. It's fine. Order something you like."

         "Something I like, huh?" She tried to downplay it with a casual tone, but the look of excitement and happiness was all over her face. Once again, comparable to my own daughter.



         When we'd finished eating, Carley and I sat in the cafe for a while longer, just sitting in each other's company. It was a long while waiting for her to finish her soda before she finally said something. "My daddy used to be a teacher. He taught elementary kids."

         "Did he teach you?" I was only trying to carry on the conversation, but she made some sort of disgusted look.

         "I said he was a teacher. Mommy made him stop. Mommy wasn't nice to my daddy, so I said I wanted to leave with him. I haven't cared a lick about school since then." She turned her nose up into the air just like a spoiled child would. "Mamma don't care either." There was a faint sound of sirens in the distance that sent a shiver down my spine.

         "I'm going to use the bathroom." Carley gave me a perplexed look but nodded.

         "Go. I'll be good on my own." She went ahead and ordered another soda for herself when the waiter walked by and I went to the tiny, dingy bathroom in the back of the store. It was a gross little thing. There was some sort of wet spot under the sink and the bathroom stalls all reeked. It was a good thing I wasn't planning on using those. I simply stood in front of the mirror, examining my face. I really did look awful, just like Carley told me.

         Staring back at me was a disheveled, messy, dirty, and tired David Rose. And it was only a matter of time before I was caught. There was no way I could run forever. Maybe I should go turn myself in? They might be lenient if I did. I turned the rusted faucet on the sink. It creaked loudly as water trickled out, but it was just enough for me to splash on my face. I did my best to fix my appearance in the dim mirror. Right, time to get back out there.

         As I exited the bathroom, I noticed there were more pairs of eyes on me than before. Well, it was only natural. The bathroom door was pretty loud. At least, that's what I thought the reason was. Until I looked up at the television screen. Plastered onto the screen was the most recent picture of me. My daughter's first day of first grade. A happier time, where she and I found it easier to smile. My wife took that picture. The color drained from my face as soon as I saw it.

         "David! Let's go!" Carley was holding the door open for me. It's not like I could really refuse the offer. I dashed out the door and followed Carley. I had no clue where she was taking me as she led me back through an alley and up a fire escape, which led up to the roof, where the two of us sat to catch our breath. "What.... What's going on, David?" She finally asked.

         "It wasn't me, honest!"

         "Then who did kill that girl? And why are you running from the police?" She stood up so she towered over me.

         "It was my wife. She killed Mary Rose." I looked her in the eyes as I said this. That seemed to convince her and the hostile tone disappeared.

         "Mary Rose. That was her name?" She sighed heavily. "Why would your wife kill Mary then?"

         "I have no idea... She just snapped." I stared down at my feet now. "She was prone to... outbursts from time to time, but-"

         "Fine. I don't care anymore." Carley sat back down next to me. "So that's why you were running, and that's why you look so gross." I didn't say anything more, and neither did she as we both watched the sky change from dark blue to orange.

         As sirens grew louder in the distance, my hands started shaking. "Hey. Y'know, the police are looking for me, too. I ran from my mamma. She's looking for me, even though having me around doesn't really change anything for her." She finally spoke, I stayed quiet, waiting to see what she had to say next. "So let's go back together, okay? We can't fight fate anyways. They'll find us eventually." She smiled up at me. I just took a deep breath and stared out at the rising sun.