Heading For A New Life

by Margaret Smith

  — Hands on the hood, ma'am, I'll check it myself. You too, sir. Hands on the hood.

  — Any problems? - Chris asked calmly, obediently putting his hands on the hot hood. - The documents are on my side, look under the visor.

  — Mike, is everything all right? - rustled on the radio. - Mike?

  A second policeman got out of the car, took a step towards them, but stopped when his partner raised his hand.

  — Move further, - Mike, who managed to get a pistol, waved them aside. - From the door. Slow.

  Chris raised his hands and suddenly rushed forward, twisting his wrist with a perfected movement. The gun fell to the ground, Chris grabbed the policeman tightly with his elbow under the neck,

  Glock appeared in the other hand and rested on his temple. All this took no more than three seconds, Laura did not even have time to blink.

  - From the car, quickly! Chris shouted sharply, shoving Mike forward. - Stand! He turned to the second policeman. - Hands on the roof to see. Laura, get the handcuffs from him.

  Laura walked slowly to the police car and pulled the bracelets from her belt.

  — We'll help you, ma'am. You shouldn't go with him, ”the policeman said quietly, obediently bringing his hands together behind his back.

  — They're looking for you all over the country, ”Mike said hoarsely.

  — Tell me, does she look like a kidnapping victim? Chris shook him, forcing him to look at Laura. “Fasten them behind him,” the last was addressed to her. - We're leaving now. And if you forgot that you saw us, everyone would be better off. But you won't forget, then ...

  A short blow to the back of the head, and Mike fell unconscious on the hood, his partner started to twitch, but Chris had already pointed the gun at him, pulled the trigger and shook his head.

  — Not worth it. I won't miss. I don’t want to kill. Get in the cage.

  The policeman glared gloomily and crawled into the back seat, but only managed to bend down to sit down, as an accurate blow to the back of the head knocked out. When Chris turned, Laura was already handcuffing behind Mike's back. Deserving a nod of approval, she clicked on the second bracelet and straightened. There was no trace of the former fear, on the contrary, adrenaline, like fuel, spread through the veins, even the vision cleared. Together they dragged Mike into the car, put him next to his partner and slammed the door. It took a couple of blows with the handle of the pistol to break the radio, the car key was left in the lock. Chris crouched down, twisted the bearings on the two left wheels and threw them into the grass.

  They returned almost at a run, Laura could hardly refrain from clapping her hands - now it seemed to her that they were invincible.

  — Now what? She asked as they drove onto the highway, leaving the cornfields behind.

  — The car will have to be abandoned, we have no more than an hour in stock before they wake up and can call for help.

  — You broke the radio.

  — But not telephones. In any case, time is running out. Ahead is Jefferson City, a small town, let's leave the car there, and from there we'll try to hitchhike to St. Louis.

  — And we'll steal a new car, ”Laura suggested gamblingly. “Since we are criminals, we must act like criminals. Maybe we can start robbing banks like Bonnie and Clyde? She added thoughtfully.

  — We are not criminals, and you know that, ”Chris frowned. “But you're right, the car will probably have to be stolen.

  — Can you?

  — I - no, but I hoped that you can.

  He looked at her slyly, and Laura, unable to bear it, burst out loud with laughter, leaning back in the seat.

  — The hijacker, ”Chris grumbled, glancing into the mirror. The steering wheel swung sharply to the left, the howl of horns sounded from behind and to the side, and Laura screamed in fright, clutching the door handle.

  — What the?..

  — Do not twitch! Chris shouted, diving into the gap between the sedan and the truck ahead. An eerie rumble of a huge container made me press my head into my shoulders. Laura involuntarily closed her eyes, imagining for a moment how this colossus fell right on them. Chris swerved again, cutting off the truck left behind, and jumped into the oncoming lane. A chipper appeared ahead, Laura dug her nails into her palms, at once forgetting the words of all the prayers that she had ever known, and only exhaled exhaustedly when they turned right, returning to their lane.

  — Damn it, ”she said in a trembling voice. - What was it?

  — They're on our tail, ”Chris said abruptly. “Maybe the cop's partner managed to tell me while we were talking, I don’t know.

  Laura sat up in the seat, looking back, trying hard to see the pursuers' car among the many headlights.

  — They are there! She screamed, falling back. A quick glance in the mirror, the car roared, the speedometer bobbed up to one hundred and twenty miles. Shrinking into the seat, Laura stared straight ahead, trying not to think about the fact that they were racing along a busy road, risking not only their lives, but also the lives of drivers who happened to be on the way. A demanding beep cut through the strained nerves, Laura shuddered in fright, looked at Chris.

  —These aren't cops, ”he muttered, not looking up from the road. - If they stop, they won't arrest.

  Laura didn’t have time to answer - a loud bang came very close, the side window crumbled behind her back, and the wind rushed into the salon, fluttering her disheveled hair.

  — Get down! Chris snapped. A heavy hand squeezed the back of his head sharply, throwing it forward. Laura hit the dashboard hard and froze, her arms wrapped around her knees. This is not happening to her, now she will close her eyes, and when she opens it, nothing of this will happen. There will be an empty staff room, a sagging sofa and the smell of freshly brewed coffee. Pain began to spread from her forehead to the back of her head, her right shoulder throbbed faintly, and Laura moved her hand gently, swallowing convulsively, squeezing her hand tightly.

  The car shook from side to side, the lights blinded, blood rustled in his ears - Chris did not think, he acted on his naked instincts, not even imagining what would happen next. When they get out, they will come off, hide. After all, they will get out. The tail did not lag behind, but they did not try to shoot anymore - they could not get closer, and they apparently did not need extra victims. Ahead another tractor appeared, and further - the denouement. Perhaps the only chance, though not a safe one. The engine roared at its limit, the wind whistled in my ears, the jeep on the left skidded to the side, letting the pickup fly right under the wheels of the truck. At the last moment, the driver unscrewed the steering wheel, avoiding the collision, the pickup skidded, pulled to the side of the road, the heavy trailer drove, it began to roll onto its side, but before it blocked the road, the pickup jumped out into the free lane and rushed forward,

  HeartrumbledSostrong,whatChrisfelteachhis hit. His fingers continued to grip the steering wheel so tightly that they began to cramp, and Chris unclenched them with difficulty, forcing himself to calm down. The shirt on the back and chest was soaked through and through, the wet strands on his head were stirring the wind that flew through the broken window.

  — How are you? - the voice sat down and listened badly. Laura nodded weakly and straightened slowly, still wrapping her arms around herself.

  — Are you off?

  —It seems to be. They'll think we turned off the highway, instead drive to Warrenton with a forest in front of it, hopefully the campsites are wild enough to keep up with the latest news.

  — Do we have a first aid kit? Laura asked.

  — Something happened? Chris turned to her in alarm.

  — You've got blood on your cheek, the shrapnel must have hit it.

  — You don't need a first aid kit to treat a scratch. He smiled briefly - her concern was pleasant.

  — It's not just for you, ”Laura said quietly, carefully removing her hand. Blood flashed glossy in the darkness, Chris cursed softly, slowing down. “Nothing dangerous, just ban
daging,” she added hastily. “Don't stop, I won't bleed and die on the way. Trust me, I know. The bullet went right through and, probably, got stuck somewhere here. Laura touched the round hole in the dashboard.

  The car rushed forward, reeling off miles, and Chris remembered the map, looking at the signs - the nearest town was not more than twenty minutes away. The forest stood in front of a dark wall and soon surrounded on two sides - they turned off the highway and now slowly made their way along the dirt road.

  — Are you okay? - Chris looked at Laura, who had time to pull off her shirt and tighten her sleeve over the wound.

  — Don't be distracted, ”she said shortly. Sweat appeared on my forehead and temples, a disgusting weakness spread over my body, I would also know what it was connected with: with the shock experienced in the form of an unplanned Formula 1 or with an injury. The shoulder ached, but the pain was bearable, and Laura, to distract herself, repeated the sequence of processing and dressing bullet wounds. The road parted, Chris turned left without hesitation, staring intently ahead, as if looking for something. In the end, Laura could not resist:

  — Where are we going?

  — I was here, ”Chris replied absently, stretching his neck,“ ten years ago, with friends. We rented a house by the lake.

  — Do you think he's still standing here?

  — Hardly. Even if he stayed, he can be removed. But why not check?

  Laura fell silent, peering hopefully into the darkness. The headlights snatched out straight trunks stretching into the distance, and dense thickets of ferns that hid the ground. A thick coniferous scent flew through the broken window, making my head spin.

  — Ha! Chris smiled broadly. - Look!

  Something flashed through the forest, and soon they drove onto the shore of a small lake. Nearby were some buildings, but no cars, no lights - silence. Chris turned off the engine and got out of the car, and Laura hesitated, opened the door too, but stayed where she was. The sedge rustled sadly in the wind, and at the very edge of the water the frogs, which had been silenced by the noise, again began to sing polyphonic songs. The air rang with mosquitoes, and Chris slapped his cheek several times, took out his phone, turned on the flashlight, and turned to Laura.

  — Stay where you are, I'll check everything. If it's empty, we'll spend the night here. - Laura is tired

  stretched out her legs, watching the flashlight dancing, snatching out the path, the edge of the house, the dark windows ... Soon Chris disappeared around the corner, and Laura closed her eyes, feeling every cell of her body ringing with tension. Now I would like to fall asleep, but wake up somewhere far, far from here ...

  — Laura! - Grimacing at the bright light, hitting right in the face, Laura with difficulty opened her eyelids. Chris hovered directly over her and looked alarmed. - Finally! You said you won’t bleed out, but you lose consciousness? - He reproachfully looked at her and carefully picked her up in his arms, pulling her out of the car.

  — I just fell asleep, - she replied, but did not protest against Chris carrying her in his arms. - Are we staying?

  — There is no one here and, apparently, has not been there for a long time. We were lucky - the holidays are long gone, let's hope that in the next day no one wants to rest here.

  Laura fell silent, buried her nose in his neck, swaying rhythmically to the beat. I didn't want to think about anything - just walk like this, into the unknown, completely relying on Chris, knowing that she was safe with him, that he would take care of everything, that she didn't have to make any decisions, run away, do something ...

  — Hey, don't sleep! Chris called softly. Laura opened her eyes and looked around in surprise - she was sitting on the sofa in the large living room. Thick wooden beams closed in a triangle overhead, and directly opposite the sofa, beyond the windows to the floor, the lake was silvery.

  — I'm going to go down to the basement now, turn on the light, and then go for the first aid kit. You try to wait for me and stay awake, okay? There was alarm in Chris's voice, and Laura smiled faintly, hoping to reassure him. She's a doctor, and she knows what to do. Now he will come back, help remove the bandage, and then she will carefully examine the wound, process the edges, apply a bandage, take ...

  — Laura! - this time she woke up instantly. She straightened up sharply, squinting at the blindingly bright light, although only a small lamp was burning on the table. I had to get up and wash my hands. Do not start inspection with dirty hands. Laura staggered to her feet and walked toward the kitchen in the corner.

  — We need to wash our hands, ”she said aloud, without looking at Chris. He followed, stopped at the sink, fumbled for the switch under the kitchen shelf.

  — You know, ”Laura spoke up again as the water started pouring out. - I haven't felt so tired for a long time. Not even, not just tired - damn tired, I don't even have the strength to move my tongue.

  — You spent most of the day behind the wheel. ”Chris gently pushed her to the side, placing his palms under the water to wash off the lather. - And then this chase ... I'm surprised that you can talk at all, and not stutter.

  — Crisis at work is the topic of one of my articles. - Laura grinned wryly and splashed water on her face, but only rubbed dust and sweat on her skin. - Is there a shower here?

  — First we will examine your hand, then you will go to the shower.

  — I'll take a look, you wanted to say. I will examine, I am the doctor here.

  — I will help, you will be uncomfortable.

  — Trust me, you still don't know what is uncomfortable.

  — Believe meI know. But whatever you say, - Chris raised his hands up and smiled, - I won't bother you.

  Nodding importantly, Laura returned to the sofa, where the first-aid kit was already brought from the car.

  — Tony's friend was worried about everything, even antibiotics are available, ”Chris remarked, turning on the second lamp. Laura gritted her teeth tightly, trying to loosen the knot on her forearm, but the blood-soaked tissue struggled to yield. Sighing helplessly, she looked at Chris, who began to loosen the knot carefully, trying to ignore Laura's panting breath. Sweat beaded on her forehead, her skin took on a sickly gray tint, and her pupils dilated, making her eyes almost black.

  — We need to rinse and apply a tight bandage, ”Laura said in a weak voice, looking at the wound. - Lucky that the bone was not hurt. Is there peroxide in the medicine cabinet? First rinse with water, then ...

  — Laura, ”Chris interrupted gently, forcing them to look at him. - I know how to dress, and you won't scare me with bullet wounds. Could you just close your eyes and try to breathe slowly and deeply?

  — I'm the doctor here, ”she muttered, not finding the strength to argue. Dark dots slowly gathered in front of my eyes, the T-shirt on the back got wet, and a ringing emptiness spilled in her body - it seemed to Laura that she was floating away and looking at herself and Chris from somewhere from the side, but at the same time, some force did not let stay in a heavy and clumsy body.

  — Have a drink.

  Chris's voice sounded like it was through cotton, but Laura obediently opened her mouth and washed down the pill with water, absentmindedly glancing over Chris. He sighed heavily and lifted her into his arms.

  — Look, I'll get used to it, ”she muttered wearily.

  — Not worth it, ”he said quietly. Corridor, stairs, pictures on the walls - Laura had a hard time remembering the path, struggling with sleep. The painkillers began to work, and the body seemed to be twenty pounds heavier, and someone had hung weights forever, and it became more difficult to open them each time. When Chris lowered her onto the bed and began to take off her shoes, she tried to protest weakly.

  — Wait, I need to take a shower.

  ButasonlyChriscoveredherblanketLauraplungedin deep sleep. After making sure that she was breathing regularly, Chris returned downstairs to clean up after him, bring things from the car, make sure that she was not visible from the road, and, finally, fin
d something to eat. Worth think out further Steps, solve, what make and as Now get there to Washington. View map, recalculate cash. Sitting over can from tuna found in one of the drawers in the kitchen, Chris listlessly picked the fish with a fork, and only when he realized that he had crumbled it in mashed potatoes, he woke up. There was not a single thought in my head, only a subtle ringing at the edge of consciousness. Outside the window, frogs were wailing desperately, the night was peaceful and calm, and one could imagine that the police, the crazy chase, the shootout were the plot of the film that he and Laura watched before going to bed. And now you can take a shower and go to bed, so that in the morning laughingly retell each other the details of yesterday's action movie.

  Which Chris did, bringing with him a set of clean clothes. The boiler did not have time to heat the water, and I had to, snorting, rub myself vigorously with my hands, and then with a towel. Wide sweatpants and a T-shirt after two days in jeans felt like flannel pajamas. Putting the Glock under the pillow, Chris lay down carefully.

  with Laura, listening to her breathing, and quickly fell asleep under the quiet puffing.

  Notes:

  * 120 miles - 200 km / h

  Laura woke up a few minutes ago, but was in no hurry to open her eyes, listening to herself. There was no fever, but the hand ached, carrying pain from the forearm to the wrist and neck. Behind her, it was as if someone had put a heating pad - in a dream, Laura rolled over to Chris, who was sleeping on his side, and, if not for the pain, she felt quite comfortable, curled up next to him in a ball under the covers. Remembering that there was a first-aid kit with painkillers downstairs, Laura carefully, trying not to disturb Chris, sat down, but he was sleeping soundly and did not even move. The tongue stuck to the palate, the sand creaked on the teeth, it seemed to cover the face with a thin layer, causing the desire to wash immediately, this very second.