by Bruno Miller
At ten and twelve years of age, respectively, Bradley and Emma weren’t old by any means, but they were wise enough and perceptive enough to figure things out on their own. The kids knew there were bad people in this world, and they knew that long before this trip. A while back, Ben swore to himself that he would be up front and honest about things with Joel and Allie, and he felt like he owed the same to Bradley and Emma. Trying to hide some ugly truths wouldn’t help them any. In fact, anything less than full disclosure would be doing them a disservice and, in the long run, only delay the inevitable.
Ben checked his watch. He was beginning to wonder if they would get their chance to escape tonight or not. The whoops and hollers had grown less frequent, but the fire continued raging. He could still see the yellow-orange glow over the modified containers these people lived in. He also smelled the smoke, and at one point, he was pretty sure he smelled the venison cooking. For the first time, he’d hoped the coolers had failed and they all fell sick from eating tainted meat. But the truth was that the deer meat was still good, and Ben had no doubts that the small army running this place would consume every last bit of it tonight.
He hated the fact that the meat Jack had given them was going to these moonshiners, but even worse than that was the thought of the vehicles being torn apart and their gear being divided up. These were the types of things Ben tried to put out of his mind as he sat staring at nothing. There was too much time to think. He was ready for action, but when that would happen wasn’t up to him.
Sandy slid over and put her hand on his back. She didn’t say anything, only joined him in watching the trail. He wondered if his frustration was that obvious or if she was just showing support.
“Do you think they’ll come back tonight?” she whispered.
Ben shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“I have to admit, I kind of don’t want them to. I mean, I know we need this to happen, but… I’m scared.” Sandy let out a deep breath.
Ben looked away from the opening to face Sandy. “It’s okay to be scared. And nervous. That’s normal. There’d be something wrong with you if you weren’t. Just try to focus on the end result. Keep picturing us all loaded into the trucks and headed home.” Ben studied her face for a few seconds longer before turning his attention back to the trail.
He was nervous as well, but he didn’t want to share that with any of them. They probably already knew it to some degree anyway. It was the type of feeling you never really got used to but over time learned to harness and use to your advantage. Ben had learned to navigate these fight-or-flight emotions early on in his Army career. The guys who could detach themselves from that inner voice telling them to panic or lose control were the ones who made it home. It was a cold, hard truth Ben didn’t like to think about but had seen play out too many times to ignore. That was just the way it was.
At every base assignment or in every unit, a few faces had that look. Fear and uncertainty had a grip on these doomed few. These unprepared soldiers were destined to lose it all, and at times, it was hard to look them in the eye, mostly because he was sure they weren’t cut out for what lay ahead.
Ben was grateful that neither Sandy nor any of the kids had ever given him the slightest inkling that they weren’t up to the numerous hardships this trip was throwing at them. And so far, they had risen to whatever challenges or obstacles they’d met along the way. They would do the same now, together as a team. As bleak as things looked right now, they would persevere. It was the only acceptable option.
Chapter Five
Ben was beginning to think they wouldn’t see a soul until morning. It was getting late, and the last sounds they heard coming from the center of the camp were over an hour ago. There was some shouting that ended with the distinct sound of breaking glass. Ben pictured one of the gang members throwing an empty bottle into the fire as he sat and listened from the container.
He’d convinced the kids and Sandy to try to get some rest while he took the first watch. Someone had to stay awake and warn them if the guards returned. If they missed their chance because they were all sleeping, they’d miss the opportunity to deal with these guys while they were all liquored up. That was an advantage Ben didn’t want to waste.
Joel had volunteered to take the next shift for his dad at midnight, but Ben wondered if it was worth losing sleep over at this point. He didn’t want Joel sitting up all night for nothing and being exhausted tomorrow.
If they didn’t make it out of this container tonight, the old man and his crew were going to be hard on them tomorrow. That much he knew. And being tired wouldn’t help their situation any. Ben was worried that Joel, without enough rest, wouldn’t be up for the work they assigned them tomorrow. That could lead to a confrontation with one of the moonshiners, something he wanted to avoid at all costs after watching Joel get hit with the rifle butt earlier.
Ben had encountered plenty of bad guys both in and out of the Army. Some were all bark and no bite. He didn’t believe that to be the case with the old man and his flunkies here. Ben truly believed they would shoot anyone who stepped out of line. The thought of one of these animals hurting Sandy or the kids made him sick. But that was why they needed to escape long before morning.
He blew out a long, deep breath and tried to clear his mind of the bad thoughts as he stared out into the night. To rest his mind, he did his best to focus on the distant chirp of a cricket somewhere in the woods. There wasn’t much of a moon, just a sliver he could see through the partially barren treetops. But his eyes were well adjusted to the darkness by now, and in the pale moonlight, he could clearly make out the well-worn path back to the camp.
He was surprised that their festivities had tailed off so quickly, and he was glad to hear it quiet down for the kids’ sake, even though it meant the likelihood of the guards returning was diminished. At one point, the yelling and cursing were pretty loud, and Emma and Bradley were clearly bothered by it. They did their best to hide it, but he could see that the chaos was making them uneasy and more frightened. He was glad they were sleeping again for now.
He checked his watch. I’m not sure this is going to happen. Ben rubbed his eyes; they were starting to burn a little, probably from a lack of sleep or the dehydration that was starting to afflict them all. He squeezed his eyes closed for a few seconds in an effort to rest them, and that was when he heard the sound.
Ben froze. Holding his breath, he waited and listened. There it was again. There was no mistaking the rhythmic crunch of leaves for anything other than approaching footsteps. His eyes popped open, and he zeroed in on the farthest point of the trail he could see. Eventually, he began to make out the shape of a person moving slowly toward the containers. Whoever it was had a noticeable stagger to their walk and was no doubt drunk on moonshine.
Then the figure stopped for a moment, and Ben’s heart sank when he saw their route to escape hanging in the balance. He was glad to see that the figure had only paused to light a cigarette. The glow of the lighter revealed the person as the younger guard, and the familiar sensation of adrenaline washed over Ben when he realized the plan might actually work. This was it; this was the moment they were waiting for.
Backing away from the opening in the container door, Ben made his way around to the others and made sure they were awake and ready for what was about to go down.
“Allie, this is it. The younger guard is coming.” Ben was glad to see that none of them were really sleeping very well for once, and in fact, they were all awake but had just been sitting quietly.
“What should I say to get him over here?” She got up and started moving toward the door to take a look for herself.
“You’ll think of something. I have a feeling it won’t take much.” Ben tried to encourage her as best as he could. It was a lot of pressure on Allie to make this work, and he didn’t like it, but it was their best shot at getting out of here. He also thought it would be best if she came up with something to say on her own; it had to be organic or it
would sound rehearsed. The guard had to believe her. She was a smart girl and he had all the confidence in the world that she could sell this.
“Joel, you know what to do. Just like we talked about. Remember, get that hand off the trigger and get the gun up as soon as you make contact. Don’t wait for his reaction. Just one continual motion.” Ben held his right hand open and close to his body with his thumb anchored to his chest, demonstrating the correct form one more time. Earlier, he’d gone over in detail with Joel how best to carry out his attack. It was a quick lesson on how to deliver a devastating elbow strike in close quarters.
The elbow was the hardest and sharpest part of the human body. With enough momentum and the proper angle, a well-thrown elbow was capable of a knockout and serious injury. A properly executed elbow strike was one of the most surefire ways to take out an enemy in hand-to-hand combat and to end a fight quickly, especially in confined spaces like this container. Done correctly, the move involved using about eighty percent body strength and twenty percent shoulder strength. Ben had also instructed Joel to go for the throat. Even if the blow wasn’t a knockout, the shot to the throat should at least keep the guard from calling out or making any noises the others might hear.
That was a lot of information to go over with a seventeen-year-old kid in the dark. But Joel wasn’t just any seventeen-year-old kid; he’d proven that already, and Ben had faith in him. Joel was more motivated than ever now. Not only was he fighting for his brother and sister, who looked up to him, but this was his chance to stand up for the girl he loved, something he’d wanted to do since the guard first made his intentions for Allie clear. When the time came, that would be the driving force behind the elbow. At least that was what Ben was counting on.
Joel took his position in the front corner of the container, behind the stationary door, and nodded when he was in place. He was nervous; Ben could see it on his face. Hopefully the adrenaline would overpower any hesitations Joel might have about doing this.
“All right, everyone else to the back corner, and stay behind me as much as you can.” The darkness of the container would work to their advantage now. All Allie had to do was sound convincing enough to lure the guard over and then somehow make him think that opening up the container was a good idea.
Ben herded everyone else to the back, where they all assumed positions on the floor as if they were sleeping. Ben took a knee in front of the kids and Sandy. He needed to be ready to sprint the short length of the container as soon as Joel made his move. If he was going to capitalize on the element of surprise, he needed to be at the other end in a matter of seconds to finish the job, if need be. Even if Joel knocked the guy out cold, Ben had no intention of taking any chances by leaving it at that.
The rules of this game were determined the second these moonshiners approached them in the woods and held them all at gunpoint. This was all about survival, as it had been so many times before on this trip. Kill or be killed. These people deserved no mercy, and Ben had no intention of showing any.
Chapter Six
Joel was nervous. He held his hand up to his chest and did his best to mimic his dad’s movements as he went through the mechanics of driving his elbow into someone’s throat. He could feel his thumb shake against his shirt, and he took a deep breath to calm himself.
But it wasn’t just anyone’s throat; it was the guy who had been leering at Allie since they arrived. He was also the guy who dealt the blow to Joel’s gut with the rifle when he stood up to his advances on her. The anxiety began to slowly give way to his desire for revenge.
This was something that had to be done. Whether it led to their escape or not was almost beside the point. Joel wanted revenge, and he wanted satisfaction. This piece of trash would have to be dealt with at some point in time. This guard had made his intentions toward Allie clear, and it was only a matter of time before he acted on them.
Even thinking about it sickened Joel, but more than that, it fueled the fire burning in his chest right now. The rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins was making him sweat as he waited silently in his position. The sound of his heart beating seemed loud enough to give him away, and he blew out another slow, steady breath.
Allie reached over and took his hand before moving close enough to see his face in the darkness. Without any warning and without saying a word, she leaned in and kissed him on the lips. The kiss surprised Joel, and his first thought was how on earth she still smelled so good. It was also in that moment that he realized failure was not an option tonight.
She squeezed his hand hard before pulling away and smiling at him. Then, just as quickly as she had approached, she stepped back and crouched down by the door so the opening was at eye level. Joel stood motionless and stared at her for a second, wondering if that had really just happened or if he was dreaming.
“Hey. Hey, you,” Allie called out at just above a whisper through the slot in the door. At the sound of her voice, Joel snapped back to reality, and everything his dad told him about how to throw a good elbow came rushing into his head.
“Who’s that?” the guard answered. Joel could hear the guard walking toward the container as the crunch of dried leaves grew louder.
“Can I have a cigarette?” Allie asked, her voice a little louder this time but somehow softer. Hearing her talk to the guard this way made Joel a little sick. He knew it was all an act, but it made him uncomfortable nonetheless. He glanced toward the back of the container to see if he could spot his dad, but it was pitch black. He could barely see Allie, let alone the back of their musty prison cell.
Through the opening, the guard flashed a light on Allie’s face, and for a brief second, Joel caught a glimpse of his father crouched down near the back of the container as if he was at the starting line of a race, waiting for the pistol to sound. Then the light was gone, and all was dark again. Knowing his dad was ready to sprint into action gave Joel a boost of confidence. Not that he ever thought otherwise, but seeing him, even for just a second, was reassuring.
“Why should I give you one? You’re with them,” the guard huffed.
“You don’t know that for sure, do you?” Allie didn’t waste any time with her comeback. “Come on, just let me have one. They’re all sleeping.”
“I don’t know,” he said. She was getting somewhere with him. It was better than him flat-out saying no or going to get the other guard. This might actually happen. Then again, getting him to hand her a cigarette through the slot in the door and opening the container were two different things.
“Well, unless you’ll get in trouble, never mind. I just thought maybe you were in charge around here and could do what you wanted,” she taunted.
“I can do what I want. I just don’t trust you.” As the volume of his voice increased, so did the frequency of the slurred words. He’d had his share of the moonshine tonight. He was so loud that Joel was afraid the other guard would hear him and come to investigate. He couldn’t take out two guys with guns on his own. His dad was ready but not close enough for that scenario to go very well for any of them.
“How do I know you’re not gonna try to start a fire or somethin’?” he stammered.
“Now why would I do that? Why would I want to hurt myself? I just want a smoke.”
“I dunno.” The guard’s moonshine-induced mental state wasn’t up for the debate, and Joel could tell he was starting to give in.
“You could let me out of here and keep an eye on me while I smoke if you want. I won’t try anything. Promise.” And there it was. Allie’s attempt at convincing him to open the door couldn’t have been any blunter, but in the guard’s inebriated state, it might just work.
Joel could hear a loud sigh as the guard debated his predicament, then silence. He wasn’t falling for it. They were going to be stuck in here all night. Joel was disappointed and a little relieved all at the same time. Disappointed that they were going to spend the night cooped up in here and that he wouldn’t get his chance to right a wrong against him
and Allie, and relieved in a small way for the same reasons. However, he was amped up now and as ready as he was ever going to be to face off against an armed man in hand-to-hand combat.
Suddenly, Joel’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of keys jingling, followed by the rattle of the chain wrapped around the door lever. It was happening. His breath grew short and rapid, and his mouth was so dry he had trouble swallowing. But that was hardly important now as he carefully brought his hand up to his chest, planting his thumb against his body but being sure to leave his hand open. His dad had said that something about keeping the hand open prevented the muscles in the forearm from constricting, therefore exposing the sharpest part of the bone. It was time to see if this was going to work.
“Back up,” the guard whispered. Allie stood up all the way and took a few steps back, making sure to keep her eyes on the guard.
From the core, the core, pivot, pivot. The words ran through his mind as he pictured himself ramming his elbow into another person’s neck. What would it feel like? Would he feel something snap or break? What if he didn’t deliver the blow with enough force and failed to take the guy out? But there was no more time to think, only enough time to try and swallow one more time. As the door started to open, Joel came to the realization that he was seconds away from the action.
Either the guard was stupid or just drunk enough to carelessly put one foot into the container without looking around first. He was carrying the same AR-15 that he had belted Joel with this morning. He relaxed his stance and lowered the rifle, holding it loosely at his side while he struggled to pull the flashlight from his pants pocket.