THE STRAGGLERS PROTECT

by Misha Anderson

  I can’t run, the cars have their windows closed, and if I get out from where I’m hidden I would be caught in the middle of the crossed fire. Adam turns to his left side and in a certain shot he hits the head of the guy fowling us in the second truck. Adam leaps in a weird way over the two other guys and they start a deadly fight.

  One of them tries to surprise Adam with a knife and he goes for his left shoulder, sinking the sharp blade right under his collarbone. He lets out a howl of pain.

  I drag myself from where I’m hidden, jumping clumsily on the guy’s back to stop him from hurting Adam even more. Adam gets up, pulling me with one arm around my waist, throwing me away and gives me an order with a strangely rough voice distorted by anger.

  “Run and don’t come back here, go!”

  I’m paralyzed in the middle of the road, seeing him fight like an enraged beast with two men, but I’m in despair when Adam yells again:

  “Go away, now!”

  I run as fast as I can, staggering through the road, lost and trembling.

  Before I get to the dark trail, I see Adam defending himself from and attack with a kick, disarming one of the bandits. Both trucks cover my view, but in this moment, a deafening sound invades the night and when I look ahead, I see the body of one of them being thrown over the hood of Adam’s car, in a torn apart mass of exposed flesh and blood, that made me scream.

  I’m walking in circles and I don’t know how long has it been since I escaped the shooting.

  And to top my disgrace, I stepped on a trunk full of thorns and my left foot is bleeding, the heel throbbing. I don’t know how much I have distanced myself from the road, the muscles of my body burn and I’m alone... Certainly Adam... I don’t have the courage to say it out loud what I think.

  He went in the saddest way, exactly the way I feared the most and it’s all my fault. It was selfish of me to get involved with him.

  So young and full of life, and because of me, because of my disastrous choice, he’s dead.

  I cry in silence in the middle of the clearing, dirty, famish and miserable.

  I cower on the muddy and cold ground, I think it’s better to wait till morning to try to get out of the woods. An aching howl echoes in the middle of the dark night, I look in front of me and a huge wild Alaskan wolf is looking at me.

  I try to scream, but I have no voice, the scream looses itself on my throat and in my terror.

  It’s a huge animal, approximately seven feet long, its eyes are hot malt color, its fur is dark brown, shinny, it hipnotizes me, I can’t stop looking.

  The animal watches me, blood is trickling down from his huge teeth, the wolf is panting and it seems tired, but still is a beast and like a beast, its instincts guide it: growling, grunting, howling and if I’m not lucky, I’ll be its prey too.

  There’s no other end for me besides being devoured, I’m going to die too! In the end, Igor is going to win... I don’t know where my head was when I thought I was going to escape with life.

  I draw my body back even more, in a ball of fear and desolation, while the wolf comes near me, I try to drag myself on the ground, but the wolf jumps over me. Its hot and imposing body only inches from mine, I close may eyes waiting the moment it will tear my throat apart.

  I feel a sudden humidity on my face and when I slowly open my eyes, I face this scary animal licking my cheek. Its hot, big and pleasantly coarse tongue swipes my chin and goes down my neck, what kind of twisted mind gets aroused by being licked by a killer animal, about to devour one whole?

  It may be the adrenaline, the fear of death, but without me being able to control myself, my hands had a will of their own, they stretch out on its torso felling the soft and thick fur slide through my fingers.

  Maybe it was as scared as I was, maybe God had had mercy and I found companion in a beast instead of men.

  I’m not afraid anymore... Just a strange rapport, an unbreakable connection with this terrifying animal. As if both of us communing from the same fear, the same pain.

  He slides through my body and with his wet and hot nostrils, he smells my breath, my abdomen and my sex.

  I shiver with fear with what is about to happen.

  The feelings I’m feeling are so strange, inappropriate, bizarre, but so genuine. I pant and when I notice, it wraps itself around my body, warming me, with his head resting on my thigh, as if this was its right place.

  He’s wounded, I feel its blood on my thighs, even though its hurt, its lively posture don’t leave a doubt: the ears up, the growls that he makes to the other sounds of the night, this wolf is protecting me in a disconnected way, its keeping me safe.

  I close my eyes to enjoy this unique moment, surprisingly I’m alive and even though I know nothing like this makes sense, suddenly my heart fills with a warming feeling... Is it hope?

  Mother Nature tonight taught me in a weird way that miracles can happen... From a wild wolf to watch me sleep, to maybe even God, Adam might have survived this ambush.

  CHAPTER 9

  MISSING A PIECE (DJAVAN)

  Love is a big bow

  A step towards a trap

  A wolf running in circle

  To feed the pack

  Its arrival is compared

  To the escape of an island

  As fattening as it kills

  Like a daughter’s woe

  A daughter’s

  Love is like a beam of light

  Galloping in a dare

  Slit opens, covers vales

  Turns waters from a river

  Who tries to follow its trail

  Will get lost on the way

  In the purity of a lime

  Or the solitude of a thorn

  Love and agony

  Shut fire in the space

  Fighting for hours at a time

  The heat takes over the tiredness

  And the heart of the one who loves

  Remains missing a piece

  Like the waning moon

  Like the mine in your arms

  ADAM VAUGH

  The sharp pain I’m feeling on my shoulder make me howl in pain. My body is still confused, as if something in me was still kind of out of place, I open my eyes very slowly and the sun light is on my face.

  My entire body shivers with the breeze that blows on my skin and I realize that I’m naked, naked and in an open space. I breath agitated and lost, with an anger that is hard to contain, the wolf in me is quiet and I’m still adapting to my skin, the man Adam.

  I get up tasty and scared, I look ahead and Sam is laying down in the middle of the woods, my shoulder is throbbing and I see a deep wound, but nothing that scavenger Kayden can’t fix.

  I approach her and I crouch down, waking Sam slowly. She opens her eyes wide and suddenly, drags herself and recoils near a tree, speaking in a low voice:

  “Adam? Can’t be. I saw that body hitting the car and that was also the stabbing, Adam? Is it you?”

  I get even closer, crouch down and caress her face.

  “I know, it was a good shooting, wasn’t it? But now everything is alright, come here, Sam, are you okay?”

  Sam throws herself in my arms and gives me a tight hug, kisses my face, my mouth, she laughs and cries, so much that I’m touched, I never felt so especial to someone as today.

  “Adam, thank God, it’s a miracle, I prayed so much to God not to take you from me, not to lose you, I’m so happy. And the wolf? Did it tried to hurt you?”

  I’m quiet and a series of unconnected memories come back in an avalanche, I remember the ambush, the fucking cross fire with the men and then Sam scent invading my nostrils, my sex throbbing and a visceral need taking over me.

  An irresistible desire to protect her, to watch her sleep.

  I respond automatically, trying to cover my discomfort:

  “No, I haven’t seen an animal.”

  “Damy, it was so insane, he growled, grunted and then wrapped himself around me, it didn’t bit me, by God, I was never mor
e afraid in my life and at the same time, an insane feeling of being taken care of, that everything would end well, where are you clothes?”

  It takes me sometime to realize and when I look down, I’m completely naked and half erect, still on the adrenaline buzz. She pretends she hadn’t see me altered and makes a face when she moves her foot.

  I examine her feet asking:

  “What happened to your foot?”

  “I think I’ve stepped on a thorn, it’s hurting like hell.”

  “If we get to my truck, we may be lucky enough for me to call one of my brothers.”

  Sam gets up, but she can’t put her left foot on the floor.

  I get her by the arm and put her around my shoulder, supporting her and she can move very slow like this through the trail of the road. My biggest difficulty isn’t to find the trail, after all I’m tired of hunting and walking this path, the problem is that it gets harder and harder to walk with Sam and her wounded foot. I notice we are close to the road and she’s exhausted, but Sam surprises me, showing how strong she is and she doesn’t run from the fight. She didn’t gave up because of the pain and when we finally got to the road, I run towards the truck trying to hide my nudity with my hands.

  I look at the truck and notice that it hasn’t been that wrecked, about three bullet marks on the car body, the bodies of the sons of bitches spread throughout the road and not a sign of people to ask for help. I get close to the tore apart bodies of the two guys and and I examine their pockets, I find wallets and some money, I take three wallets I find and look for my cellphone in the car. I swear at it, it’s uncharged. But in the glove compartment Sam’s phone still has some juice in it, I call Connor and no one answers, then, I call Hunter and he answers it on the second ring.

  “Hunter, who’s speaking?”

  “Hunt, it’s me, I need your help.”

  “What’s up, old man? Your voice is weird, you’re scaring me, fuck!”

  “Sam and I were ambushed, we’re at the merge near lake Oswego, going towards Oregon, bring me some clothes, I’ll explain later.”

  In less then 20 minutes, I see Kayden’s truck approaching, Hunter leaps out of it with him and comes in our direction.

  “Damy, holy shit, what’s this carnage in here, man?”

  Kayden looks around sacred and examines my arm, I ask:

  “Can you sew it, Kay?”

  Kayden looks the knife stab and frowns, scratching his goatee nervously.

  “No, Damy, it’s too deep of a cut, we’ll take you to the hospital.

  Hunter comes back from the truck and brings me a pair of jeans and a long sleeve flannel shirt, but he forgot to bring some shoes.

  “Don’t worry, Hunt, I’m not going to a wedding, it’s good enough to get to the hospital, thanks, man.”

  Hunt approaches Sam she and gives him a weak smile, answering the greeting with a heavy voice.

  “Hi, Hunter, too bad we are meeting again in these circumstances.”

  “No problem, princess, do you need anything?”

  “Only dressing to my foot, I stepped on a thorn.”

  Hunter talks to Kay:

  “Support Damy to the car and be careful with his shoulder, I’ll take Sam to the car open the door for me.”

  He took her in his arms without effort and stared me in the eyes.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll be careful with your girl, Damy.”

  I nod and follow slowly with Kay, I enter the car and Hunter puts Sam by my side, the then goes in high speed to Portland Central Hospital.

  I was attended by Doctor Leah Shan, a very strict Asian surgeon who made me stay in observation for a few hours in the hospital.

  I was lucky to find out that she was Connor’s friend that’s why she allowed my brothers to stay with me in the bedroom, the thing is these guys don’t know the meaning of silence in the hospital.

  Connie got there in a hurry to see me, with part of his uniform missing, really nervous and if it’s possible stuttering more than ever.

  “Da... Damy, fu... fuck, old m... man, how d... did you g... get in th... this, m... my bro... brother.”

  “Take it easy, Connie, you’re sweating, brother, I’m fine, when we get home I’ll explain.”

  He hugged me so tight, squeezing exactly the sewed shoulder, making me moan in pain with the stitches.

  Kayden took Connie from over me, complaining with him.

  “What the fuck, Porky Pig! Geez, you’re too strong, can’t you see you’re hurting Damy’s shoulder?”

  “For... forgive me, Da... Damy.”

  Hunter conked Kay, making him yell in pain.

  “Stop calling Connie Porky Pig, he just chokes once in a while, respect your older brother, Kay.”

  “Connie just chokes? Only if it’s all day, you are kidding me, right, Hunt?”

  They go silent, Sam enters my room, with crutches, looking embarrassed, I made a sign to her to come closer.

  “Come here, little bunny. How’s your foot?”

  “Well, they removed the thorn, but it’s wounded a little, I’ll have to be with crutches for two days.”

  She sat on the edge of the bed and Kayden asked:

  “How did they riddle your car with bullets like that, Damy?”

  Sam is uncomfortable and I answer without many details, trying to make Kay understand and switch the subject soon:

  “It was an ambush, but Cumming is going to investigate what happened.”

  “Really weird, you have been a sheriff for so many years, you never suffered an attack like this, why did they do that? I saw the shots in the car, you two were close to death, it was a miracle.”

  Samantha got up and she was heading towards the door and she said to Kayden:

  “You’re right, Kayden, it really was a miracle, but we can’t always count on divine miracles, Adam needs to protect himself. That won’t happen anymore, I won’t let him or any of you be exposed to risks that way again.”

  And avoiding my eyes, Sam got out without saying good bye to me, leaving me deeply annoyed with my youngest brother’s big mouth.

  Isn’t it enough how guilty she’s feeling for what happened and Kay has to come with his inconvenient questions, to throw more wood in the fire.

  I was released from the hospital to go home, I messaged Sam and she didn’t answered back. I spend the rest of the day trying to talk to her and clearly being avoided. I decide to go to her house and she doesn’t answer, that’s making me worried, damn stubborned woman.

  I look for her at Mathews and her boss tell me she got the day off, I get even more nervous thinking that something might have happened to her, then I decide to go back to her house and insist on her to open the door.

  I knock on the door and she doesn’t answer, I keep doing it till she answers me:

  “Adam, go away, it’s better, you saw what happened, please, we’ll talk later.

  “Sam, open the door, I won’t leave here till you open this damn door.”

  She opens after what it seemed like an eternity and through an opening she asks me to leave.

  “Please, Adam, go back to your house.”

  I force entry with my unhurt shoulder and get in the house, she’s shaken, wearing sweat pants and shirt and barefoot, still, she’s seductive to the bone. Sam distance herself to the kitchen and starts to talk nervously:

  “Adam, please, listen to me, they will keep on chasing me, it’s dangerous for you to remain by my side, I don’t want that, it’s better with we remain as friends, you and your brothers will be in danger if you stay around me.”

  Is this really what I’m understanding? She’s being a coward up to the point of taking advantage of this incident to run from our relationship, ah! No, not so easy, little bunny.

  “Sam, it was an incident, I’m sheriff, shit! It’s not the first time I displeasure someone, I know very well how to take care of me, you’re in danger if you remain alone in this house, of course they’ll come after you, please, come to my house, at lea
st for a while, till we are able to put these guys behind bars.”

  Sam is set on pushing me away from her life, she shakes her head, yelling at me in a way I wasn’t expecting:

  “You can’t see that I put everyone that comes near me in danger? If you don’t think about yourself, at least think about your brothers, Igor is dangerous. His gang has nothing to lose, it’s enough Adam, I don’t want to put your life at risk ever again, and if the next time we can’t count on a miracle? Get out of my house, I thank you for everything you have done for me, but I can’t anymore. Yesterday I almost lost you, I never want to feel that pain again.”

  “I won’t accept that, Sam, can’t you see...”

  “You are the one who’s not seeing it, even though I want you, I want to be with you, I couldn’t be in peace if something like this happened to you and your brothers, I’ll look for help from FBI then, please, I’m asking you, give me some time, get out of my house. It will be best for all of us.”

  I’m not going to insist today, but she won’t kick me out of her life this way, if it were because of lack of love, but out of fear, no! I know how to take care of myself more than she can ever imagine, I won’t allow her to take the risk of being in this house.

  “Okay, Sam, I’ll leave today, but I’ll be back, understand? I won’t accept you to be here alone, it’s suicide and I won’t accept you going through all of this alone, arms crossed, I’ll be back tomorrow.”

  I’m without encouragement to go to work, I went to Sam’s house this afternoon but she wasn’t there, I went to Mathews and Dorothy, her boss, confided in me that Sam had slept over at a friend’s house, but unfortunately she’s not authorized to give me the address of Sam’s hideout. I’m back home and I have some Duffs to drown my sorrow, I’m in deep shit, annoyed and worried with my little bunny, if some asshole put his paws on her, I don’t know what I’m capable of doing.

  Hunter waits for me on the porch, with a lemonade glass, he signs me to sit down and I know that nothing will keep me away from his inquire.

  This son of a gun should be a cop instead of a fighter. He doesn’t give up while he can’t get the answers he want. Less than five seconds and he shoots the first question, this time he broke his record: