Two old men in a rusty old truck, barreling down a highway singing to Lynard Skinyard. They knew where they were going for once; they’ve traveled this highway before. Cows were everywhere along side the road, their eyes giving off an eerie green glow as the head lights hit their black and white faces. Fickler Johnson spit his tobacco out the window laughing as him and his long time friend Tike Periwinkle drove down the highway, their destination Grover’s Diner only six miles away. Fickler had greasy brown hair, which was always tucked in a dingy cow boy hat, and an eye patch that he wore over his right eye.
His right eye was a glass eye that he only revealed to certain people. Tike never seen the eye and he never wanted too. Tike looked up to Fickler, as a brother and a best friend, even though Fickler was younger, Tike still admired him. Tike Periwinkle was born with a fast metabolism. He was really skinny, bones sticking out resembling a skeleton. Tike wore all black covering his skinny, twisted up, shriveled body. Fickler turned on his signal light and the big “silver steed” turned down exit seven. The truck rattled along with all the bobble heads that were taped down on the dashboard. Finally Grover’s diner was in sight and Fickler’s stomach let out a hearty growl. “You need to tame that there beast that’s a growin’ in your stomach” Tike said getting his wallet out. Fickler let out a hearty laugh and jumped out of the semi.
The diner was old and smelled of musty oil, the lights flickered over the counter and the stools creaked as Fickler and Tike sat down. The walls were painted a fading yellow, the floor’s checkerboard tile all cracked and worn down. Tike slammed the bell a few times until a short, stumpy woman came out through a red swinging door. She had dirty blonde hair wrapped around her head, sweat dripping down her plump face, buttons popping out of her too tight pale pink uniform. She smiled revealing coffee stained teeth and a foul smell came out of her mouth;.
“What’ll it be boys?” she asked coughing into her pit stained, pink dress.
` “Peggy, ya old fart haven’t seen ya in a coon’s age” Fickler said taking a tooth pick and cleaning the bed of his black fingernails.
“Been working here fer years supporting the lazy bastard you call yer brother.” Peggy smiled satisfied with herself. She turned toward the kitchen window and yelled the usual to the old greasy cook. She turned back and smiled at Tike.
“How are ya, you old feller?” she asked Tike wiping down the counter in front of him. She leaned over looking both men in the eyes.
“How’s the business goin?” She asked narrowing her eyes that were plastered with heavy eye shadow.
Tike swallowed his spit in a gulp “ Three wreckers all alone and then we stumbled upon a family of five.”
“Oh Boy! What did ya bring fer me?” she said grinning, looking around.
Fickler pulled out a strand of pearls and a diamond ring. He put it on the counter and Peggy snatched it up, a poker move she practiced often. She leaned over and kissed Fickler on the cheek and Tike on the head.
“You boys make me feel like a princess!” she put the pearls down and narrowed her eyes. “Did she struggle?”
Tike looked at fickler and they both put their heads down. “ She was screaming like a pig going to the slaughter house!” Fickler said slapping his shin and laughing so hard he almost fell out of the stool. The bell rang in the kitchen breaking the awkward silence after Fickler’s fit of laughter.
“There will be no mo’ speakin of this in my diner, My shifts done at six swing around back and I’ll be waiting.” Peggy said as she was setting down their big burgers and greasy fries.
“Uh Pegster,” Tike began “ How about another Brewskie?” He said half smiling. Peggy turned poured them another round of beer and disappeared into the kitchen. The boys gulfed down their dinner and threw a tip on the counter. Fickler stumbled outside with Tike following behind him. They hopped into the semi, and drove around back to find Peggy on the sidewalk smoking a cigarette. Fickler rolled down the window and nodded, Peggy receiving the message, throwing her cigarette on the ground “ I’ll follow…” Fickler drove the truck and rounded back on the highway, driving slowly waiting for Peggy’s old Chrysler Cordoba. The red, rusty thing roared up behind them and the three musketeers were off.
Fickler and Tike were silent most of the ride when all of a sudden Fickler slammed on the brakes and before them lay a flipped over Honda Odyssey. The windshield was shattered, glass shards all over the pavement and in the ditch. The passenger side was submerged in water. The left side of the car was smashed inwards giving the car an appearance of an accordion. Fickler hopped out of the truck with his gun in his hand and Tike followed behind him. Peggy emerged from the distance
“Fickler, what the hell did you do that fer I could of ran into your damn tail-” She stopped in mid distance as she saw the horrific scene before her. She walked towards the smoking car, careful trying to avoid stepping on glass. “ Two cheese burgers and a hot dog.” Peggy said wiping a tear away from her plump cheek.
“What the Hell are you talking about Peggy?” Tike asked, taking a step toward her.
“ That’s what this family ordered 45 minutes before you fellas showed up”
‘ Uhh… how do ya know that exactly’ Tike asked with a look of worry that consumed his fragile face.
“That’s the woman’s pocket book, she laid it on the counter and asked if I could watch it fer her while she helped her husband get the baby out of their car.” She walked towards the remains of the car and opened up the driver side door.
‘You boys might want to handle this!” She said holding the door open for Fickler to see and Tike to peek over his shoulder. A man bleeding out of his mouth grabbed Fickler by the shirt and whispered “ Check on my wife and two k-kids.”
“What’s your name young man?” Fickler asked lifting his head up and shining his flashlight in the back. The man started to nod his head back and forth and Fickler smacked him. “ I asked you a question”
“Corwin Nicholson… I need-” Corwin’s head hit the steering wheel, blaring the car horn.
“ Wake up, Boy!” Fickler said slamming his back against the seat. He seems like he is in good condition. No bad injuries … still breathing. Fickler undid Corwin’s seat belt and pulled him out onto the bank. He called Tike over to the car and pointed to Corwin. “ Take him to the back of the truck and throw him in there, I will inspect the car fer anymore items” Tike nodded his head and grabbed Corwin under his arms and dragged him along the soggy grass. Peggy lifted the metal lid on the back of the truck and helped Tike lift Corwin into the back of the truck. Fickler shined his flashlight through the car over the dead women whose head was half emerged in water, over the empty car seat and stopped on a pair of open eyes gleaming in the light. He slammed the driver side door and opened up the back of the car.
Suit cases fell out and some water, and fickler climbed inside. The car was silent except the water flowing down the ditch, then another sound came. A whimpering noise that of a girl. He climbed into the back seat pinching his thigh in the car seat. “ Damn!” He said rubbing the throbbing skin and he shined his light on the muddy, wet floor. “Bingo” Fickler said to himself reaching for the girl’s arm.
“Don’t touch me Bastard!” she screamed slapping his hand away. Fickler grumbled and took a deep breath.
“ I have come to help you…” He said grabbing her arm and trying to pull her out. She ripped her arm away and bit him on his hand leaving an immediate bruise.
“You filthy scum sucking hoe!” Fickler yelled falling back in the trunk. He took his a gun out from his pocket and raised the gun up into the girls field of vision. “ You’ve got it lucky!” He said than he pulled the trigger not once but three times. “ You’ll thank me later Miss” He tipped his hat to the girl in the puddle face down and stepped out of the car. He walked back to the semi truck and stopped to look at Tike and Peggy who shook their heads in disbelief. He spit his tobacco out “ Damn water snakes , in the car.”
* * *

Peggy pulled the large heavy metal door open and gave started directing Fickler on where to pull the semi truck at. Tike hopped out and opened the trunk followed by Fickler. The blinding white light flooded in the dark trunk of the semi and in the corner laying down was Corwin Nicholson. Fickler slapped his knees and laughed “ We’re in business now Boys, er I mean Boy.” Peggy rolled her eyes and grabbed a table with creaky wheels. Fickler grabbed Corwin by the leg and drug him out of the truck and laid him on the cold metal table.
Corwin moaned and barely opened his eyes. He was pale and very weak, the several cuts on his legs and a deep lesion on his forehead bled all night and was still bleeding a little bit. Fickler wheeled him over into a corner, staring at Corwin’s forehead. “ Well I’m just going to have to clean you up buddy boy” Fickler filled around on the counter until he came up upon a bottle of vodka. He took a swig and offered Corwin a drink. Corwin spit on Fickler’s shoe and cursed under his breath. “Well that’s just down right mean” Fickler smirked and leaned over Corwin.
“ A toast to you Collin-’
“It’s Corwin… my name is Corwin” He said staring up at Fickler.
“A toast to Cornelius or what’s his face for being such a brave pioneer!” All of a sudden Fickler poured all of the vodka in his glass on Corwin’s forehead. Corwin screamed in pain, tears rolling down his face smearing the blood. Peggy ran into the room and began yelling at Fickler. “What’s that Peggy? I can’t hear ya…”
“Get him to shut the hell up!” Peggy screamed from across the room.
“As you wish!” Fickler said pulling his gun out shooting Corwin in the neck. Silence filled the abandoned Garage, which now was a place of business for Tike and Fickler.
“ You know that is not what I meant” Peggy said tears filling up in her eyes. Tike came in and gave Fickler a hateful look. He threw Fickler and Peggy a saw “ Get to work, we’ve got orders” Peggy picked up the saw mascara running down her face. I’m going straight to hell… burn there for eternity with the boys. Peggy shuttered at that thought. Tike came over with a sharpie and turned Corwin over on his side. He drew a dotted line on Corwin’s lower back, drawing the outline of the kidneys. “Peggy your in charge of the kidneys… Fickler the heart and I will finish off with the head. There are coolers in the freezer and we will make a delivery to the clinic tomorrow.”
The group was silent and all you could hear the rest of the night was the sound of bones crunching, Peggy crying, and blood dripping. It was going to be a long night for the three musketeers.

* * *

The next morning Fickler woke up in a different room. His back was cold and he suddenly became aware that he didn’t have any clothes on. His hands were tied down and so were his legs. He looked around and turned his head only to see Peggy laying on the table eyes wide open, not moving. “Peggy?” he whispered ‘Peggy!” He screamed this time getting agitated. He looked closer at her and realized that her stomach was ripped open, he turned away and began to gag. He began to panic and sweat trying to look for Tike. Yes Tike my front man would definitely help me… he has to right? Fickler began to doubt his faith in Tike even more as he began to think. Just than he saw Tike at the end of the table and Fickler was nothing but pleased. “Tike! Buddy you got to git me out of here do ya understand?” Tike was silent and he just stood there looking at Fickler.
“Tike… Buddy come on” Fickler said lifting his head up staring at Tike. “ Buddy… Pal you there?” Fickler began to sweat even more now as Tike moved forwards.
“Too many” Tike said shaking his head. “ Too many!”
“ Tike, what are you saying?” Fickler said looking up at the ceiling. “Tike… why?” Fickler swallowed hard and nodded his head. He understood why Tike was sharpening his knives. He understood why Tike was giving him vodka, and turning him over. He understood the dotted lines being traced on his lower back.
“ Too many Orders!” Tike said piercing Fickler’s skin on his back.
“ Too many God Damn orders” Fickler repeated a tear running down his face.