Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Jaime Johnesee


This next round for the Music Be The Food flash fiction event is inspired by a band that is very near and dear to my heart. You might know them from their incredible catalog of music, or you may know them from my novel, The Dark Seduction; the band is Die So Fluid and the song, “Bittersweet”, is off their upcoming album, “One Bullet From Paradise”.

Listen to this powerful song and read the first piece of fiction by Jaime Johnesee.

Wrong Place, Wrong Time

I was frustrated with the way the McLaren account was working out and was looking out of my office window, hoping for inspiration, when I noticed an SUV chase a sedan into the parking structure down the street from my office.

I figured it was some police thing. Then the cars appeared on the roof and the sedan stopped. The driver sat behind the wheel arguing with himself. I pulled out my iPad and began recording what I thought would end with cops all over arresting some dude, or maybe a drug deal. Either way meant serious TubeYou views for me.

As I recorded, the driver of the SUV drove straight up to sedan man’s bumper, parked, stepped out, raised his gun, and shot him. I gasped, my iPad slipped, caught the sun and reflected it right into the killer’s eyes. He looked around and I ducked, hoping he hadn’t seen me.

Momma didn’t raise no fool; it seemed like a good time for me to go home for the day. Since it was three, I decided to stop by my receptionist and tell her I was going home for lunch. It wasn’t unusual for me to eat later in the afternoon and I’d just blogged about starting a new diet yesterday.

My plan was to go home and blog about the diet, grab a bite to eat, act natural, and wait to see what the evening brought; hopefully not my death.

Natalie’s voice made me smile regardless of my fear.

“Hey, Lena!”

“Hi. I’m going to hop out for a bit. I need to head home and grab some lunch.”

“Oh, that’s right! I forgot you just started the coffee, cayenne, and honey cleanse! I have the coffee and honey but we’re cayenne-less, sweetie.”

“It’s okay, Nat, I’ll take care of it at home. I always wind up drinking a glass of milk to ice the heat, anyway. Besides, I came in at five this morning.” I forced myself to smile and look normal just as I’d forced myself not to look back out of the window at the body.

“Hey, we’ll see you later, right?”

“Later?” My mind scrambled to find some meeting or pitch I’d forgotten about in my terror.

“Dean’s retirement party? It’s at Shenanigans on Fourth at eight? Did you do go through too many sales reports today, or what?” Nat chuckled.

“Isn’t that everyday?” I felt a joke was necessary. I just hope I faked the funny well enough.

“You know it! Okay, go enjoy your spicy sticky mess of a lunch, girl. Add some tequila and it won’t be as bad.”

“After dealing with McLaren today, I might just do that. See ya.” I smiled, waved, and left, attempting not to puke on my way out.

As I crossed the lobby I imagined SUV man busting in the door and shooting me. I looked all over the building waiting to see someone with a gun looking at me.

They couldn’t possible know.

I steeled myself and walked out of the building, iPad in briefcase, and video uploaded to my Cloud.

I stepped out into the sunshine puzzled by trying to figure out what the winking silver thing coming at me was. Before long, it hit me.

Read more from Jaime at jaimejohnesee.com.