Everyone Leaves

A clap of thunder exploded across the bank and a patch of ceiling fell to the tiled floor below. “This is a holdup,” the bandit yelled from behind a bandana wrapped around his face. “Get on the floor.” The guard at the door hesitated. A second bandit bashed him in the face with the butt of his shotgun and the guard fell to the floor in a bloody mess. A third bandit was rushing to the registers and dumped the drawers into his sacks.

“Where’s the manager?” the first bandit demanded. Only whimpering answered his question. The bandit unloaded another slug into the ceiling and demanded again, this time adding that he would start shooting people if the manager didn’t appear. After a few more seconds a waif of a man with thinning hair and an even thinner mustache rose his hand and stammered that he was the manager.

The lead bandit grabbed the manager by his collar and dragged him to the bank vault. “Open it,” the bandit demanded.

“I… I can’t…” the manager said and quickly added, “the daily deposits are still at my desk—“ A gunshot exploded over his shoulder. The bandit cocked his gun and adjusted his aim. The manager set to work on the lock, with a click the door swung open.

“We’re in boys!” the bandit yelled. The third bandit abandoned the registers and dashed for the vault. Once there he filled his bags with railroad payroll money. After a few more seconds the second bandit hollered that it was time to go. The first bandit nodded and the three exited the bank.