by Annie Berdel
“If you have the key, I’ll give it a crank and see what happens,” Michael said.
“OH! Hang on a second,” Megan said as she fumbled for the keys she had tucked in a pocket. She just couldn’t remember which pocket. Without thinking, Megan handed the baby to Chloe so she could find them easier.
A state of shock crept across Chloe’s face. She had never held a baby in her entire life. This was entirely too awkward. She was frozen. She may have even stopped breathing for all she knew.
“Come here, baby” Megan said as she reached to take Robbie back. No one but Chloe noticed how uncomfortable she was holding Robbie.
They all walked into the camper and looked around.
“Wow! This is really nice!” Chloe said as she walked around.
“Here’s the ignition key, Michael,” Megan said as she handed them over.
“Thanks, let’s see what she’s got,” Michael responded and turned to walk to the front of the camper.
Megan sat down with Robbie at the kitchen table as Chloe shortly joined them.
“Where are you headed?” Megan asked.
“Ohio, or as far east as we can get. I have friends on a farm there,” Chloe replied.
“Oh wow, that must be nice. I have my mom here but that’s it now that Robert is gone. His family drives me nuts and they could care less about the kids.”
“I don’t have family myself. My friend I told you about, Emma, who I am going to see, is about as close as I will ever have,” Chloe responded.
Michael sat in the driver’s seat ad put the key in the ignition. “Well, here she goes.” After several attempts, the RV started to blow black smoke out the back, but she did indeed start.
Megan and Chloe sang out in unison as the motor started to mellow out and idle. “Yeah!”
“Why don’t you both stay for dinner? I even have a spare bedroom you can use tonight and get a fresh start in the morning, shower included.”
“Um, sure!” Chloe said smiling. “Thanks!”
“I call dibs on the bed,” Michael yelled from the front of the RV.
Megan shot Chloe a puzzled look. “Oh, we aren’t together or anything like that,” Chloe stammered out.
“Could have fooled me!” Megan said in return.
105
Megan sat up that night talking with her mom. She had made up her mind and was grateful that her mother agreed. It was after two before the woman left for her own house and Megan wanted to get a few hours’ sleep before the kids were awake in the morning. She also wanted to talk to Chloe before she and Michael left on their journey.
Passing by the bedroom that her guests were using, Megan couldn’t help but notice the door was open. Glancing in, there was Michael, asleep on the floor beneath where Chloe was sleeping on the bed. “Could have fooled me,” Megan thought as she smiled to herself and went to climb into her own bed.
The next morning, Megan had breakfast on the table when her guests finally awoke.
“Wow! I haven’t had real food in like forever,” Chloe chimed out.
Glancing at the table, Chloe’s mouth started watering at the feast before her. Bacon, ham, eggs, biscuits and gravy. Chloe didn’t know where she would even start. That is, once she found a seat. All of Megan’s children were sitting patiently around the table ready to dig in once the word was given. Each smiled at Chloe and Michael as they introduced themselves.
“Manners are a must,” Chloe explained.
“Job well done, Mom,” Michael said as he took in the politeness of their host.
Chloe and Michael squeezed in between the kids and everyone spent the next hour having their fill not only of all the food but conversation as well. Megan homeschooled her kids and Chloe was astounded at their ability to hold her interest. Grown adults didn’t do that well! As they were finishing, the kids each started to clean up the table without even a peep from their mother.
“I am really impressed,” Chloe exclaimed. “Your kids are amazing.”
“Thank you,” Megan replied. “It’s been hard but we have really pulled together this last year.”
“Kids, why don’t you all take little Robbie into the living room for a while and watch some cartoons. We adults are going to have a cup of coffee and talk some business,” Megan said.
The oldest picked up the baby on cue and they all left to go watch cartoons, but not before saying goodbye to their guests.
“Really, Megan, you are doing a wonderful job raising those kids by yourself,” Michael said.
“I’m glad you think so. It will make what I have to say next easier,” Megan said perplexing her guests.
“I want to go with you. Well, me and the kids and my mom.” The silence was deafening as Megan anxiously looked from Megan to Michael and back again.
106
Michael paced back and forth beside the motorcycle, drawing his fingers back through his hair numerous times.
“It’s not the end of the world,” Chloe said. “They really are a delightful family.”
“Do you even know what you are saying? You want to travel with four small children for days across the Rocky Mountains in a cramped camper? Are you fricken insane?” By now Michael was shouting.
“So that’s a yes?” Chloe asked with a smile.
Kicking the curb with his foot, Michael just grunted.
“Let’s just roll with it. Change of plans. No big deal,” Chloe said as she tried to swat at his arm.
“You really are insane. My sister is going to owe me big time for this one,” Michael replied.
107
Scott cried out in pain as the dull end of the homemade shank caught him right below the shoulder blade. If it wasn’t for his arms being zip tied around the tree, he would have crumbled onto the ground. Closing his eyes, it was all he could do to remain conscious as his breathing became labored. He had to focus…he had to stay awake as the woman he loved was in dire trouble. “Fuck!” he yelled out only to send himself into a coughing fit.
Startled, Angie just stood there, unable to move at the horror before her.
The stranger had tumbled backwards and now was sitting on the ground laughing hysterically. “That was just priceless,” he howled.
“Oh, Scott!”
“Oh Scott…poor Scott… wah wah wah. Dumb bitch. You got some girlfriend there, Scott,” the man said in a devious mocking tone as he rolled over to stand up.
Angie looked back and forth from Scott to the stranger. Her mind and body made no connection as they were wildly working against each other.
The man walked over and was delighted in how easy it was to grab Angie by the back of her hair.
“Bitch, you try that again and I will kill poor little Scott right before your eyes.“
Angie’s head had snapped back, the stranger pulling her hair so far back that she was having problems standing. Looking in the man’s eyes as he spoke to her, something in her soul snapped. Memories came roaring back of a time not long ago in a parking garage. She felt helpless then, but time had changed her. Her eyes became small slits as she glared at the man, not hearing the words he was saying anymore. She refused to be a victim, not anymore. Never again would she endure the terror of her past.
Still holding her hair, the man caught glimpse of the soft flesh of her cleavage straining against her blouse. Pushing her in the direction of the cushions where Scott and Angie had slept earlier, he released her hair as he shoved her downwards.
Angie caught herself as she fell and scrambled backwards towards the makeshift pillows. The stranger, thinking she was cowering in fear was surprised as she quickly slid her hand under the pillow and pulled her handgun.
Locking his eyes with hers, the only words that were spoken were by Angie. “No more,” slowly rolled from her lips as the trigger was pulled back. The sound was deafening as the projectile met its target square in his chest.
The stranger’s heart instantly exploded as the bullet tore through the flesh. Collapsing in a heap on the ground,
he was dead before he hit the dirt.
Angie gathered herself off the cushions and ran to Scott, who was struggling to breathe. Brushing his hair from his face with her hand, Angie saw how pale his face had become. Reaching down, Angie’s hand was trailing his back to where the shank was protruding.
“No, don’t pull it out,” Scott said with panic in his voice.
“OK, OK … you’re the doctor here. Just tell me what you need me to do.”
“Is there blood coming out?”
“No, doesn’t look like it.”
“Good. Leave it in there. I need you to cut me off of this tree. Feet first and then my hands. Is there a chair or stool somewhere close?”
“Yes… in the trailer. I will be right back.”
Angie ran to the back of the trailer and brought out one of the kitchen barstools she had packed in there.
“Back it up against my legs… slowly cut me off the tree so I can ease onto the…” Scott caught his breath, now becoming more ragged. “Ease me onto the chair,” he finished quickly.
Angie ran back to where she had pulled the gun from and grabbed her flashlight. Rummaging around under the makeshift pillow, she couldn’t feel her knife. Flipping the light on, she couldn’t find it anywhere. “Dammit” she muttered under her breath. Returning back to where Scott was still tied to the tree, she paused long enough where the stranger was slumped to make sure he was indeed dead.
Pushing the barstool up against Scott’s legs, she untied the rope from his around his feet. Checking on him again, she noticed his lips were drying out. Quickly gathering a bottle of water, she was able to get him to take a few sips. Tossing the bottle aside, she went back around to the other side of the tree.
Letting a slow growl of frustration escape her lips, she had to find a way and fast to get the zip tie off of Scott’s wrists. Shining the light onto the snap, she realized how thick the ties were. “Damn.”
“What’s wrong?” Scott panted.
“My knife is gone. I need something to cut through these ties.” She glanced up and looked at Scott. She wasn’t going to let him die. She just needed to cut through the thick plastic.
“OH! I know!” Running to where her pack was, Angie pulled out her nail clippers.
“You ready?” she asked Scott.
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” he replied with a faint smile.
108
Getting back to Ohio was out of the question, Angie thought. She had Scott resting on his side, but she had to find help fast, and close. Her best guess was that she had damaged his lung when she slammed the shank into his back, but she was nowhere near qualified to make that determination.
She was able to get him to drink some more water and eat a little bit of food. His color was better but he was in a lot of pain. She was sure he had a reason that he didn’t want her to pull the shank from his back, but she couldn’t fathom what it was. She had to trust that he knew what he was talking about.
Her best guess was that it was a couple hours now after daybreak. She had moved the stranger’s body away from where they were and covered it with a tarp. Before she had left him, she checked his pockets. Little in the way of supplies, the only thing that shed a light into who the man was, was a neatly folded piece of paper. Gently pulling the layers apart, Angie discovered that the man’s name was Brian. Reading the rest of the document, Brian had recently been released from prison where he had served multiple years for molestation and rape. Looking at the date listed, he was released the day before all hell had broken loose.
Walking back to where Scott was, Angie sat down cross-legged beside him and sunk her head into her hands. She had to think. She had to figure out how to get Scott medical help. Her mind drifted back to the packs that they had. Angie walked her mind back to when Emma helped her pack them.
“That’s it!” she yelled out as she jumped up.
Grabbing her backpack, she searched around in the bottom until she found the plastic Ziploc bag. Opening it, she laid all the pieces of paper out on the ground before her. Looking at the map, she could just about pinpoint where they were currently located. She stuck a small pebble on their current location. Grabbing Scott’s bag, she found another Ziploc bag and opened it. Unfolding another sheet of paper, she checked off the co-ordinates of the closest location to where they were. 5 miles. It was 5 miles away. If she could just get Scott those 5 miles, then she knew help would be there. Looking at the map again, she ran her finger from where she was until she hit the circled area. Another 50 miles or so and they could get to a safe haven. Someone Emma trusted with her life. And if that was good enough for Emma, it was good enough for Angie. But first, Angie had to conquer those first 5 miles.
109
Ben smiled at himself in the mirror. Damn if he wasn’t handsome. Checking to make sure that what he had for lunch wasn’t stuck in his teeth, he splashed on some cologne. Glancing at the bottle, he read the label before he sat it back down on the side of the sink. “Damn shame to waste the good stuff on a spic,” he muttered to himself. The problem was, this bitch wasn’t one of the party girls, as he liked to refer to them, he had picked up in the past. This one had money and, more importantly, power.
Power excited Ben. He could feel his dick getting hard just thinking about snapping out orders to all the uniformed staff Nina had. If he played this right, the damn army she had with her would soon be doing whatever old Benny boy told them, he thought with a smirk. He just had to kiss Senator Varga’s ass for a while. Staring at himself in the mirror, a smile crept across his lips as the realization of how much control he really could have if he really did play this right. What was that called, he thought. Eminent Domain? It would kill Emma to lose her farm, but hey, it would be a matter of national security to kick her cunt ass off of her own land. Oh, this was priceless, Ben thought. This had to be his best plan yet. Priceless. Slamming his hat onto his head, he grabbed his jacket as he ran out the door. He had a date that he didn’t want to be late for.
110
Nina walked into the barn and was a little disappointed to find Tom covered in chicken manure still. She was hoping that he would have the decency to at least clean up a bit before he took her out to the cabins, but whatever. She would just have to deal with the smell. After all, most of it was on his clothes and once she was done, he wouldn’t be wearing them anyways.
“Hey Chulo, you ready?” she yelled out to him.
“Oh, ya. Give me a minute to finish clipping this hen’s wing and we can go,” he replied, a chicken tucked beneath his arm.
“Doesn’t that hurt?” Nina asked.
“Oh, not at all! It will keep her from flying outside the fenced-in area,” he said, pointing in the direction of the field. “If she gets out, it’s going to be easy for the coyotes or raccoons to make a meal out of her. It’s for her own good.”
“Ah,” Nina said shaking her head in agreement.
Tom finished up with the hen and gave her a toss as he set her loose. “Wise choice in shoes. Wasn’t sure if you even had something to walk out here in as all I’ve ever seen you in are high heels.”
“You been checking out my shoes, Tomás? I’m flattered” This might not be as hard as I had thought, Nina thought.
“They just all seem very impractical for being out here,” Tom retorted, bursting Nina’s bubble as he walked past her outside.
Nina followed Tom through field after field until finally he entered the woods from the back corner of one meadow. Nina was already exhausted. Her daily treadmill jaunts just weren’t cutting it, she thought. Trudging through back country was a lot different than walking in place with her headphones on, that’s for sure.
They had made it to the first cabin when Nina had had enough. “Can we take a break?”
“Sure. You OK?” Tom asked. It was the first time he had looked at Nina since they had left the house. Her face was beet red. Tom thought he had pushed her a bit too hard.
“Yes, just need to sit for a bit! Not used to all
this walking,” she replied. “I think I’ll just look around here for a bit, if you don’t mind,” she said as she walked up the steps to the cabin.
“No problem, I’ll be ready to go when you are,” he called out but she had already disappeared behind the door.
Nina let out a scream from inside the cabin at the same time Tom realized she shouldn’t be in there. Running up the stairs, Tom ran through the doorway. “Damn it,” he muttered out looking at Nina.
She was standing there looking at all the blood on the floor
“What happened here?” she asked, turning to Tom.
“Let’s go outside.”
“No! Is this the cabin?”
“Yes, you don’t need to be in here,” Tom replied as he reached out for her arm.
Nina pulled away. Walking over, she kneeled down and touched the floor where the blood had dried into the wood. Tears began to stream down her face as she thought about Elsie.
Finally standing, Nina turned to Tom, “Any idea of who did this to her?”
“No,” Tommy replied and motioned for her to exit the door.
They walked back in silence, Nina’s plans of seduction long forgotten.
111
Nina and Tom were walking past the barn when Ben caught glimpse of Nina with her arm tucked into Tom’s. Fury burned deep in his loins. He was waiting in the kitchen for his “date” with Nina and had decided to get a glass of water at the sink when he spotted them. “Wonder if Emma knows about our Latino Lovers,” Ben muttered under his breath.
This was a problem. He would be damned if he was going to let anyone get in the way of his plans. Tom was obviously enjoying having another spic in the house, and right under Emma’s nose. He almost felt sorry for her. Almost.
Nina and Tom walked into the house and were surprised to see Ben just standing there staring at them.