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Ethel Rohan, author of ‘Out of Dublin’ on Curt Rude's writing. "Overall, great writing style. Reminds me of Rushdie: internal, emotionally complicated, and dualistic. Delivered with a sensitivity and awareness that is underrated. In one word his work is Awesome!" Check out my new site . . . www.curt-rude.com
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After so much
hollering and the gun shot ringing in his ears silence reined. The entire
evening was too much. Guns had once been fun, but now they were scary. He knew
one thing for sure: Once a trigger is pulled, there is no going back. Not like
on a computer game. Real life didn’t come with a reset button.
He fixed his gaze
on the mountains.
As the squad
slowed for a red light, both of its occupants were lost in their own thoughts
and not talking. McShuster’s mom waited until noon before her first barley pop.
She liked to point out her house was clean as if it meant she could drink all
she wanted. Then she’d remind him there was always tomato soup in the cupboard
before she disappeared out the door. She always said food would mess up a good
drunk and then laugh. A boyfriend who ended up in the house was usually
introduced to him if he wasn’t sleeping, so before long McShuster made sure he
appeared sound asleep. He didn’t want to risk it. He had gotten elbowed in the
face once when things heated up and it scared him. If his mother was an angel,
she was a drunken one for sure. His mom liked to say heaven was nothin’ but a
bar serving free drinks all the time.
“I’m sorry.” Tears
flowed but McShuster couldn’t wipe them away so he had to tolerate them. “It’s
a good deal that you love Megan. She a nice girl in that there school. You
treated me good … even if you’re a cop.”
McShuster pressed
the side of his face against the window and just wanted to fly away like a prairie
falcon. Fast and sure. He had watched them plenty on the Front Range. He’d soar
above the mess he was in.
McShuster
carefully exhaled and leaned forward. “Sometimes folks have enough bad days they
turn into bad lives. I hate being alone, even around people. I need’da friend,
you know, who can laugh at my messed-up jokes, not at me. I want to look at my
mom and see somebody else. Officer Tracy, you hearing me? I want to go places where
dyin’ don’t offer no relief. The worst of it is I always feel like I just can’t
figure it out. How to make the good things happen. My money, in the bank, is my
escape.” He shrugged his shoulders. “That’s why I gotta work. I’ll do what I
have’ta do for you, officer. I tried though. Please. Can ya know that? I really
did—try.”
“Okay … I don’t
know now. Are you suicidal? Is that what you mean now?”
“First time you
didn’t use your ten-four cop lingo.” He smiled despite the pain or because of
it. “You could’ve liked me in another time. Who knows? I’m glad Megan didn’t go
and get hurt none. She could’ve. You wanna know sumtin? Seed got me to
understanding algebra. Seed going to teach. You know that?” The light changed but
Officer Tracy forgot to go on the green. She was frozen in place behind the
wheel. Then the phone rang.
“Yes, this is
Officer Tracy … Hang on, I’m going to put you on speaker phone. Yes, go ahead.”
She started for the station once the light turned green again.
“Tracy, listen up.
That Godamn kid we nabbed ain’t our shooter.”
“Ahh … okay. I
don’t—” Officer Tracy froze.
“Tracy. Our
shooter is in the E.R. Noah whatever. They got into it and the gun went off.
That’s when we nabbed the kid you’re with. He stopped everything from going
down.”
“He didn’t shoot?—”
“We got the
surveillance tape. Um, your boy jumped the bad guy. He grabbed the gun and it
went off and they both went down. Your kid made it back to his feet till we
planted him.” There was a long pause. “He grabbed Noah Williams. They got into
it over the TEC-9. That firepower in a crowded gym is not good. You hearing
me?”
More discussions between the individual thought to be the suspect when the story takes a swift turn with the phone call. This story was up for an award but lost out because one of the judges didn't feel that police officers make mistakes during the course of an unfolding investigation. Look, they do, I was a cop for years and can attest to that fact.
the killings continue in the good old United States. Will provide another installment of People Shooter soon enough.
A lawyer shoots and kills his ex-daughter-in law and her attorney. Click Please If you get to thinking that our lawmakers can stop the carnage . . . Think Again. Read my People Shooter Installments on this site. Just scroll and go as they say. Why is my writing on this subject Germane? I studied at the FBI Behavior Unit. I bring 29 years of experience in law enforcement and I have won tons of awards for writing. Hate to blow my own horn but I was the most decorated cop in Austin. That being said, read away and leave a comment so I don't have to brag myself up again!
At least 7 shot, all under age 17, in mass shooting near Indianapolis mall
Here we go again. Guess it's high time we start reading People Shooter. I'll post the next installment shortly. Does this headline kinda resonate with you folks who have read all 8 Installments so far? Young person with a gun in a Mall. Were the victims armed? Probably not. Cops didn't make an arrest yet, but you have to figure it's coming. Questions . . . How is this mindset enabled? Where did the gun come from? Did the Second Amendment contribute to this shooting? Why does the U.S. produce more of these shootings than any other place on the planet?
This was sent to me. It's intended to be funny, but doesn't it resonate the truth? No matter what political affiliation we all have, we can still laugh together . . . right? In the U.S. we are all Americans first. Then we have political parties. No need to disrespect each other. Correct?
I am receiving many comments and, as such, have begin answering them in the order they arrive. They are posted at curt-rude.com It felt like these are very heartfelt questions. I am committed to the Truth as some of you can already attest to. The novels and short stories I have written address issues such as bullying, PTSD, and police abusing the oath of office. My most recent effort, 'People Shooter' is posted as installments on this site if you're interested.
What else needs to be said? . . . Oh I know, have a Happy Easter and remember the less fortunate.
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