[TBS] Prompt 2.6- It was a great plan! The one little thing that went wrong was...
Fall of 1999. Providence, Rhode Island.
The two teenagers stood on the corner of Thayer Street at the bus stop, kicking rocks down into the abyss of the bus tunnel. The occasional passerby glanced over suspiciously, but most people were too busy hurrying into the nearby Starbucks or further down the street to the Brown buildings to take notice. The sun was setting and the temperatures were dropping even lower.
“I’m wicked bored,” Vinny announced, his breath clouding in the damp, grey Rhode Island air.
“What do you want to do?” Cutch asked, burrowing his fists into the pocket of his tattered hoodie.
“I wanna pick up chicks.” He smirked.
“You always wanna. And they never wanna get with you. What kinda girl would wanna get with a 16-year-old kid without a car. Or a job. Or a-“
“I do have a job.” He interrupted his friend.
“Busing tables part-time your uncle’s place on Federal Hill. Riiiight.”
“Whatever. I’m savin’ up for this wicked sweet car.”
“Your grandma’s ’83 pink Lincoln isn’t a wicked sweet car.”
“Shut up Cutch. You’re just jealous.”
“Of your grandma’s car? Right. I’d rather take the RIPTA the rest of my life.”
Before Vinny had a chance to respond, two girls walked by. If it wasn’t obvious enough that they weren’t locals from their long strides and arrogant smirks, their clothes gave it away. With their leggings, oversized scarves and designer bags, it was easy to tell they were Brown girls.
“Hey ladies.” Vinny licked his lips, calling out. The girls looked at each other and scowled.
“Ew. Go back to Johnston you greasy prick.” The taller of the two grimaced, tossing her long blonde hair behind her back.
“Only if you come with me.” Vinny brushed off his leather jacket, in gaudy attempt to show off.
“Only if you wash your hair and learn to talk.” She snorted. Her friend giggled and they continued walking by.
“Stupid rich bitches…” Vinny scowled, kicking another rock. “What do those punk ass college guys have that I don’t.”
“Money. Cars. Cars that aren’t 15 years old and pink. Jobs that don’t involve scraping tomato sauce off dishes.” Cutch started rattling off.
“Yeah, yeah whatever. My uncle said I can start workin’ for him for real soon. I’ll make money then.”
“Doin’ what Vinny. Moving bodies?” Cutch rolled his eyes.
“Doin’ whatever he wants me to do. I bet I can get you a job, he’s always looking for guys our age.”
“To run drugs? No thanks. I learned from watchin’ my ma, I ain’t going to jail. I’d rather do landscaping the rest of my life.” Cutch kicked another rock, pulling his sweatshirt tighter, in a futile attempt to stay warm.
“You work for him and you and your ma wouldn’t have to sleep on people’s couches.”
“That’s her problem, not mine. I’m living with Mary Beth right now.” He said, referring to his grandmother.
“Well you wouldn’t have to take RIPTA anymore, that’s for sure…” Vinny trailed off, looking down the street toward the alley that ran between the crepe restaurant and the Mini-Mart. “Look at that sweet car.” He pointed at a silver BMW 540i parked in the shadows. Cutch looked over.
“See that’s a wicked sweet car.” The blonde teen nodded in agreement. A devilish smirk appeared on Vinny’s face.
“It is a wicked sweet car. I bet we could take it for a ride.”
“It is-wait what?” Cutch looked startled. “Oh, you are not thinking what you’re thinking.”
“Yeah I am. Look, no one is around, it’s dark and damned cold. We can just lift it, take it for a ride and put it back.”
“A car like that probably has an alarm.”
“My cousin was showing me the other day how to disable them. It’s wicked easy.” Vinny assured his friend slickly.
“I dunno. If I get in trouble with the cops I’ll get kicked off the team. Coach told everyone that at the beginning of the season and he wasn’t fucking around.”
“We won’t get caught. Promise. You gonna puss out on me Cutch?’ Vinny looked over at his friend, who was chewing his lip nervously.
“Fine. But the second we see cops, I’m bailing, whether you’re with me or not.”
“Deal.” He smirked, sprinting across the street to the alley. Cutch shook his head and then followed him. Vinny was already at the door of the silver car. His face was difficult to see in the dark alley, but it was clear he was grinning. “Dumbasses didn’t lock the car.” The Italian teenager opened the driver’s side door and sat down.
“This is the life man. Hop in.” He said, leaning over and flipping up the lock on passenger side. Cutch opened the door and got in. The black leather was soft and the aroma of new car was still thick. Cutch inhaled deeply.
“This is pretty sweet. And warm.”
“Someday I’ll have like six cars like this. Then those stupid bitches won’t ignore me.” Vinny nodded adamantly, pulling a screwdriver out of his pocket.
“Doesn’t matter how many cars you got, you’ll still be a dumbass.” Vinny shot a glare at his friend, who grinned.
“Fuck you.” He spat, prying a plastic panel off from underneath the steering wheel and pulling down a handful of electrical cords.
“You even know what you’re doing Vinny?” Cutch asked wearily, looking over his shoulder at a car passing by. Vinny pulled at some cords.
“Yeah I do. You have no fai-“ Just then the alarm went off in the car. “Fuck, wrong wire.”
“Shit…” Cutch groaned. The car on Thayer flipped on its lights and sirens. It was a Providence Police cruiser. “Run.”
Both boys reached for the doors and jumped out. Cutch took the lead, sprinting down the alley. The cold air burnt his lungs as he darted around a dumpster and took a sharp left through an even smaller alley, trying not to slide on the loose gravel that was scattered across the pavement. Jumping over a few piles of boxes and trash bags, he heard the shouts of the cops and Vinny’s strides growing fainter. Taking another sharp right, he ran out into a maze of cars parked behind one of the big houses rented out to students. Collapsing behind an SUV, he caught his breath, clouding the air in front of him. He’d lost them. Hopefully.
He really had to stop listening to Vinny.
Officer Taylor McCutcheon
Original Character
Law & Order
1,092 Words
The two teenagers stood on the corner of Thayer Street at the bus stop, kicking rocks down into the abyss of the bus tunnel. The occasional passerby glanced over suspiciously, but most people were too busy hurrying into the nearby Starbucks or further down the street to the Brown buildings to take notice. The sun was setting and the temperatures were dropping even lower.
“I’m wicked bored,” Vinny announced, his breath clouding in the damp, grey Rhode Island air.
“What do you want to do?” Cutch asked, burrowing his fists into the pocket of his tattered hoodie.
“I wanna pick up chicks.” He smirked.
“You always wanna. And they never wanna get with you. What kinda girl would wanna get with a 16-year-old kid without a car. Or a job. Or a-“
“I do have a job.” He interrupted his friend.
“Busing tables part-time your uncle’s place on Federal Hill. Riiiight.”
“Whatever. I’m savin’ up for this wicked sweet car.”
“Your grandma’s ’83 pink Lincoln isn’t a wicked sweet car.”
“Shut up Cutch. You’re just jealous.”
“Of your grandma’s car? Right. I’d rather take the RIPTA the rest of my life.”
Before Vinny had a chance to respond, two girls walked by. If it wasn’t obvious enough that they weren’t locals from their long strides and arrogant smirks, their clothes gave it away. With their leggings, oversized scarves and designer bags, it was easy to tell they were Brown girls.
“Hey ladies.” Vinny licked his lips, calling out. The girls looked at each other and scowled.
“Ew. Go back to Johnston you greasy prick.” The taller of the two grimaced, tossing her long blonde hair behind her back.
“Only if you come with me.” Vinny brushed off his leather jacket, in gaudy attempt to show off.
“Only if you wash your hair and learn to talk.” She snorted. Her friend giggled and they continued walking by.
“Stupid rich bitches…” Vinny scowled, kicking another rock. “What do those punk ass college guys have that I don’t.”
“Money. Cars. Cars that aren’t 15 years old and pink. Jobs that don’t involve scraping tomato sauce off dishes.” Cutch started rattling off.
“Yeah, yeah whatever. My uncle said I can start workin’ for him for real soon. I’ll make money then.”
“Doin’ what Vinny. Moving bodies?” Cutch rolled his eyes.
“Doin’ whatever he wants me to do. I bet I can get you a job, he’s always looking for guys our age.”
“To run drugs? No thanks. I learned from watchin’ my ma, I ain’t going to jail. I’d rather do landscaping the rest of my life.” Cutch kicked another rock, pulling his sweatshirt tighter, in a futile attempt to stay warm.
“You work for him and you and your ma wouldn’t have to sleep on people’s couches.”
“That’s her problem, not mine. I’m living with Mary Beth right now.” He said, referring to his grandmother.
“Well you wouldn’t have to take RIPTA anymore, that’s for sure…” Vinny trailed off, looking down the street toward the alley that ran between the crepe restaurant and the Mini-Mart. “Look at that sweet car.” He pointed at a silver BMW 540i parked in the shadows. Cutch looked over.
“See that’s a wicked sweet car.” The blonde teen nodded in agreement. A devilish smirk appeared on Vinny’s face.
“It is a wicked sweet car. I bet we could take it for a ride.”
“It is-wait what?” Cutch looked startled. “Oh, you are not thinking what you’re thinking.”
“Yeah I am. Look, no one is around, it’s dark and damned cold. We can just lift it, take it for a ride and put it back.”
“A car like that probably has an alarm.”
“My cousin was showing me the other day how to disable them. It’s wicked easy.” Vinny assured his friend slickly.
“I dunno. If I get in trouble with the cops I’ll get kicked off the team. Coach told everyone that at the beginning of the season and he wasn’t fucking around.”
“We won’t get caught. Promise. You gonna puss out on me Cutch?’ Vinny looked over at his friend, who was chewing his lip nervously.
“Fine. But the second we see cops, I’m bailing, whether you’re with me or not.”
“Deal.” He smirked, sprinting across the street to the alley. Cutch shook his head and then followed him. Vinny was already at the door of the silver car. His face was difficult to see in the dark alley, but it was clear he was grinning. “Dumbasses didn’t lock the car.” The Italian teenager opened the driver’s side door and sat down.
“This is the life man. Hop in.” He said, leaning over and flipping up the lock on passenger side. Cutch opened the door and got in. The black leather was soft and the aroma of new car was still thick. Cutch inhaled deeply.
“This is pretty sweet. And warm.”
“Someday I’ll have like six cars like this. Then those stupid bitches won’t ignore me.” Vinny nodded adamantly, pulling a screwdriver out of his pocket.
“Doesn’t matter how many cars you got, you’ll still be a dumbass.” Vinny shot a glare at his friend, who grinned.
“Fuck you.” He spat, prying a plastic panel off from underneath the steering wheel and pulling down a handful of electrical cords.
“You even know what you’re doing Vinny?” Cutch asked wearily, looking over his shoulder at a car passing by. Vinny pulled at some cords.
“Yeah I do. You have no fai-“ Just then the alarm went off in the car. “Fuck, wrong wire.”
“Shit…” Cutch groaned. The car on Thayer flipped on its lights and sirens. It was a Providence Police cruiser. “Run.”
Both boys reached for the doors and jumped out. Cutch took the lead, sprinting down the alley. The cold air burnt his lungs as he darted around a dumpster and took a sharp left through an even smaller alley, trying not to slide on the loose gravel that was scattered across the pavement. Jumping over a few piles of boxes and trash bags, he heard the shouts of the cops and Vinny’s strides growing fainter. Taking another sharp right, he ran out into a maze of cars parked behind one of the big houses rented out to students. Collapsing behind an SUV, he caught his breath, clouding the air in front of him. He’d lost them. Hopefully.
He really had to stop listening to Vinny.
Officer Taylor McCutcheon
Original Character
Law & Order
1,092 Words