"J" is for Jello Shooter

The mischievous man at Terrible Minds (and that site is truly full of some mind-numbing, tho thought provoking material) offers a Friday Flash Fiction prompt for the week. This time it is to choose a cocktail name for the title and apply it to the story as you will in 500 words or less. I'm using it for my J day.

Jello Shooter

I’m outta breath but I’m not giving up that easy.

“We’ve got the place surrounded! Come on out.”

I peek through the blinds. I didn’t do anything. Why can’t they leave me alone? It was just a few cigarette cartons. I can’t help it that the clerk tried to shoot me and I ducked. He’s the moron for shooting himself. That bullet ricocheted off the shelves and right back at him. As soon as I saw him look at me and grab his bleeding shoulder I ran outta there.

Now I’m at my granny’s little house. It was the closest place I could think of. She’s taking a nap upstairs in her room. I can’t believe she’s sleeping through all this.

“I didn’t shoot him!” I yell. I go to the kitchen to figure out what to do.

I don’t have any weapons. I know Granny used to keep Grandy’s rifle, but I think she hocked it.

I rummage through the drawers. A knife? No, what am I gonna do with a knife?

I’m starving too. I look in the fridge. Ehw! What stinks! Gran needs to throw out some of this. I’m about to shut the door when I see something and get an idea.

***

“He’s been in there long enough. Let’s go in,” Pierce says.

“Right.” Bransen echoes her command into his radio to the guys in the back of the house.

“I’m hit!” one of the officers shouts.

“Man down!” another one yells.

“Take cover!” Pierce shouts. “Go see to those men.”

Bransen nods and sneaks from his car to the injured officer. He radios Pierce. “Captain, you’re not going to believe this.”

“Is it bad?”

“Yeah. It’s red jello.”

***

I can’t believe it worked! I’m getting away! It was so easy. I just ran out the front door while they were scrambling around. Now I’m through the neighbor’s bushes, around the corner and down the street.

I look back. I don’t think they see me.

WHAM!

***

“Are we going to bring him in?”

“Nah. He’s suffered enough. The clerk woke up and told us what happened. The kid didn’t even take anything.”

“He’s gonna have a helluva goose egg from that light pole.”

“I wonder if he’ll remember anything. He was a good shot with that jello.”