they were closing in on the spot where Ledger had left Baskrville, drawn by the animal’s terrible howls of pain.
~22~
Rachael Elle
Rachael sat in in the driver’s seat, foot propped up on the dash, biting her lip, weighing her options. She did not want to be here much longer, but she knew the children were going to fight her about staying there as long as they could. The sun was almost down, there was no sign of this Dez woman, and then what? The men would probably be coming soon, and she couldn’t risk any of them being there when they arrive. That would spell certain death for them, or worse, judging by the vibes she got from that man.
But alone in the woods? At night? In darkness, with scared, unarmed children with no means of defense? That would leave them open to attacks from animals, humans, and Orcs. That wasn’t a good option either.
She needed to figure out a plan. The kids were resting wearily, some of the older ones watching her while the rest slept. They would be safe here as long as she didn’t go too far out of sight.
“I’m going to go see if maybe Miss Dez is around here somewhere. I’m not going far, just up the road a little. If you need me, I’ll be able to hear you,” Rachael said to one of the older boys, and he nodded as she strapped her swords back into place and headed out of the bus.
She first stopped by the other side of the bus, dreading what she was going to see as she approached the body of her companion. She choked back bile and tears as she looked down at his body, but didn’t let herself look long.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered to him, reaching down to stroke his forelock one last time, before unhooking her packs she could reach from the saddle. She checked the supplies, which seemed a bit crushed but not damaged, and then reached to check for her cellphone. It wasn’t in its usual pocket, and Rachael sighed, missing it, feeling it’s loss.
And yet....
It was an artifact from the world before. That was not this world anymore. That was not her world anymore.
So she turned away, shouldering her bag and continuing down the road away from the bus, looking for any signs of people, good or bad, living or dead.
But there was nothing. The sun was low in the sky, casting a bloody haze over the horizon.
Appropriate, Rachael mused to herself. Ominous .
“A little obvious, though , don’t you think?” she asked the sunset. It ignored her and continued to bleed colors across the horizon.
Suddenly the distant crack of a gunshot startled Rachael back into focus. She froze, listening to the echoes, trying to source the sound. It wasn’t nearby. No. A few miles away at least, but it was there. She strained to listen for more. And they followed, the repetitive popping of distant gunfire.
It had to be the men coming for them. The panic rose in her heart.
She needed to move the group, get them to safety. They were her problem now; she needed to make sure they survived.
Be the hero they need.
It was now or never.
~23~
The Ranger and the Cop
Ledger ran across the room, scooped up his fallen gun, then kept moving through the house.
“Where are you going?” demanded Dez.
“Back door,” he said as he ran. “Stay with the girl.”
He opened the back door, checked the yard, and went out quickly and silently. There had been five men in the field and there had been the glint of metal in the moonlight. Guns or blades. Probably both.
Baskerville’s howls filled the air, hiding what few sounds Ledger made. The dog sounded angry as well as hurt, and that was a good sign. If the poor bastard was simply dying there would be only the wail of despair that Ledger had heard too many times before from mortally wounded animals. But there was still fight in Baskerville’s voice.
He heard men’s laughter, though, and that was a bad sign. It meant that they weren’t afraid of the dog.
Ledger ran low and fast. Once upon a time
~22~
Rachael Elle
Rachael sat in in the driver’s seat, foot propped up on the dash, biting her lip, weighing her options. She did not want to be here much longer, but she knew the children were going to fight her about staying there as long as they could. The sun was almost down, there was no sign of this Dez woman, and then what? The men would probably be coming soon, and she couldn’t risk any of them being there when they arrive. That would spell certain death for them, or worse, judging by the vibes she got from that man.
But alone in the woods? At night? In darkness, with scared, unarmed children with no means of defense? That would leave them open to attacks from animals, humans, and Orcs. That wasn’t a good option either.
She needed to figure out a plan. The kids were resting wearily, some of the older ones watching her while the rest slept. They would be safe here as long as she didn’t go too far out of sight.
“I’m going to go see if maybe Miss Dez is around here somewhere. I’m not going far, just up the road a little. If you need me, I’ll be able to hear you,” Rachael said to one of the older boys, and he nodded as she strapped her swords back into place and headed out of the bus.
She first stopped by the other side of the bus, dreading what she was going to see as she approached the body of her companion. She choked back bile and tears as she looked down at his body, but didn’t let herself look long.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered to him, reaching down to stroke his forelock one last time, before unhooking her packs she could reach from the saddle. She checked the supplies, which seemed a bit crushed but not damaged, and then reached to check for her cellphone. It wasn’t in its usual pocket, and Rachael sighed, missing it, feeling it’s loss.
And yet....
It was an artifact from the world before. That was not this world anymore. That was not her world anymore.
So she turned away, shouldering her bag and continuing down the road away from the bus, looking for any signs of people, good or bad, living or dead.
But there was nothing. The sun was low in the sky, casting a bloody haze over the horizon.
Appropriate, Rachael mused to herself. Ominous .
“A little obvious, though , don’t you think?” she asked the sunset. It ignored her and continued to bleed colors across the horizon.
Suddenly the distant crack of a gunshot startled Rachael back into focus. She froze, listening to the echoes, trying to source the sound. It wasn’t nearby. No. A few miles away at least, but it was there. She strained to listen for more. And they followed, the repetitive popping of distant gunfire.
It had to be the men coming for them. The panic rose in her heart.
She needed to move the group, get them to safety. They were her problem now; she needed to make sure they survived.
Be the hero they need.
It was now or never.
~23~
The Ranger and the Cop
Ledger ran across the room, scooped up his fallen gun, then kept moving through the house.
“Where are you going?” demanded Dez.
“Back door,” he said as he ran. “Stay with the girl.”
He opened the back door, checked the yard, and went out quickly and silently. There had been five men in the field and there had been the glint of metal in the moonlight. Guns or blades. Probably both.
Baskerville’s howls filled the air, hiding what few sounds Ledger made. The dog sounded angry as well as hurt, and that was a good sign. If the poor bastard was simply dying there would be only the wail of despair that Ledger had heard too many times before from mortally wounded animals. But there was still fight in Baskerville’s voice.
He heard men’s laughter, though, and that was a bad sign. It meant that they weren’t afraid of the dog.
Ledger ran low and fast. Once upon a time
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