Fools Gold

"Why?" She stares at me with her gypsy brown eyes.

Why? Such a complicated question.

I watched them from a distance. I was not thinking anything in particular, but I could feel my face heat up. I pulled my mask off. My heart started pounding and my mind started racing. Can I do this? No, don't think like that. You've got to..... But why? Don't you have enough? Never.

I replaced my mask and drove out of the ally and started to follow their car. The summer night air was thick and heavy. I rolled up my window and turned the air conditioner up. The cold knob felt soothing against my sweaty fingertips.

Left, right, straight, stop, go. Breath in, Breath out.

They halted in front of a house. A nice house, blue trim, white paint, porch swing, a blue door. I parked on the corner of the street, Fools Gold Drive, weird name. I heard a car door close.

There he was, walking down the sidewalk toward me. I drummed my fingertips against the leather steering wheel. Don't show weakness, be brave, this is what you have to do, hide-

"You have what I need?" He whispered leaning against my car.

"It depends, do you have what I want?" I said softly.

He handed me an small box. I calmly opened the top and fingered the antique jewelry inside.

"Now, what I was supposed to give you?" I said, mocking him.

"The money." He hissed at me, turning to look me in the eye.

"Oh, yes, that." I pulled a pistol out of the middle of my consol, "I decided that I could use that for more profitable purposes." The cold metal froze my clammy hands. Don't shake, don't back down.

He pulled out his own gun, "We robbed the shop for you, man, you owe us."

"I never own anybody anything." I growled. I stepped out of the car. He backed off.

"You accepted this job, you are going to finish it."

"What are you talking about?"

I heard the noise of faint sirens. "This case won't be closed until the police catch the thieves. That would be you."

He lunged at me, but I was ready. I knocked his gun out of his hand and kneed him in the stomach. "You should be more prepared next time." I said through my teeth.

Then I looked up. She stood there in knee high black boots, jean shorts, and a black leather jacket. Frozen right outside of the car door, she just stared at me.

"James?" She mouthed the only name She knew me by.

Don't feel, don't react, hide, run.

"Sorry, darling, gotta run!" I shouted. I aimed my gun and shot a hole in the back tires of their car.

I jumped into my car and sped off into the night.

"Because I had to." I say, giving the simplest answer.

"And I thought I loved you." She whispers, her face inexpressive, "But you were just fools gold."

The police man replaces the cuffs on her fair wrists and leads her back to her cell, leaving me more stone cold than ever.