Made From Roses

The Devil

Tommy stood at the top of the road with four men flanked behind them as they waited. And waited. Tommy looked down at his pocket watch and saw that there was five minutes left. In five minutes he would see her again.

Trying to keep his cool he lit up a cigarette and surveyed the road, silently begging for Billy Fullerton to hurry up so he could see Annabelle and know that she was safe.

"Sir" he heard behind him but he had already seen the car barrelling it's way towards them. Taking off his peaked cap he wanted them to know that it was him stood there.

Throwing the cigarette across the road he double checked that his gun was still in his breast pocket and that the safety was off.

Fifteen feet away the car skidded to a halt and he could just make our Annabelle in the back with Billy, her hair letting him know that she was still alive.

Still with him.

The car door creaked open and he heard her voice as Billy pulled her out. Annabelle was trying to get him to let her go but he wasn't budging.

Tommy felt his throat close as he saw her blindfolded with a deep blue blindfold, the Billy Boys colour and her hands tied in front of her. Annabelle wouldn't even know that he was close by, that he had come for her.

"Now now hurry up!" Billy hissed as she shoved her forward, a gun placed strategically at her hip "Lover boy is here as promised"

Tommy quickly scanned Annabelle, saw that there was dried blood at the top of her hair, her skirt was torn, her wrist bruised and swollen alongside a bruise across her left cheek.  No serious injuries.

The blindfold was still hiding too much and he wished he could go over and grab her.

"Have you got it?" Billy asked, drawing his attention away from Annabelle.

"I do" he shouted back.

Annabelle gasped at the sound of his voice and subconsciously tried to step forward but was roughly pulled back. A move that infuriated Tommy so much that he took a step forward.

"It's okay Annabelle" Tommy snapped with fervour as he wished every painful death upon Billy's smug head.

"Pass it over and she can walk to you"

Tommy turned to the guy at his left and nodded. The document was passed to one of Billy's men who verified it before placing it in the car.

"Well it's been a pleasure Tommy. Next time don't make me wait so long" and he shoved Annabelle forward who squeaked, desperately trying to stay upright with her blindfold and hands tied.

"Follow my voice Annabelle" Tommy started as she stumbled his way "That's it, come on" he continued as he kept one eye on Billy.

Annabelle took another step and he met her the rest of the way, pulling the blindfold off and throwing it down onto the road. Tommy wasted no time as he bundled her into him and took her to the car, his heart nearly giving up at the sight of her.

"Tommy" she cried as she pushed her head into his chest, her tied hands desperately seeking him in the back of the car.

"It's okay" he mumbled as he placed a kiss on her head. Truthfully it wasn't. Distraught at how injured she was he was desperately trying to keep his calm, to let the man at the end of the road go.

——

John watched as the wheels on the car where still rolling even when the roof was now on the floor. As the three men tried to crawl their way out they where set upon.