Hellbender (Murder Ballads and Whiskey Book 2) by Jason Jack Miller Page A
Authors: Jason Jack Miller
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man.”
The huff of the engines grew. I could see brake lights through the trees.
Prying felt like the first real chance I stood of being able to lose Charlie, so I focused on that and tried to ignore his proximity. I just leaned back with the full weight of my body. Within seconds the board had split down the center. I kicked it a few times, and when it came loose I let it fall into the river.
A small victory. Twelve inches worth to be exact. “You need more than a foot.” The rumble of their downshifts on the other side said pretty much the same thing, so I went to work on the next one. Prying and pulling with all my weight. Another twelve-inch plank split up the middle. I let the halves fall into the gap I created.
A flash of light caught my eye. Sunlight reflected off of the windshield of Charlie’s pickup. I got clumsy and nervous. Sweat made my grip weak and slippy. They were about to round the last bend and come into the rafting outfitters’ parking lot.
“Just two more. Two more.” They splashed through the big ruts made by the outfitters’ trailers. Springs squeaked as the trucks rocked from side-to-side. My time was up.
On the other side of the bridge Charlie Lewis lined up his truck. He backed up then straightened it out so he’d be able to cross without pinballing from rail to rail. I pulled and pulled on the plank. Even though the wood gave way easily, the gap didn’t seem nearly wide enough. I kicked the board away.
He hit the gas, a sad bluff I was too smart to fall for. The truck was too heavy. Charlie knew it. With nothing better to do, Tasso jammed the barrel of his rifle through the open passenger-side window. A woman got out of the Billy’s truck and watched. She had black hair pulled into a bun on top of her head, and wore a long denim skirt. I expected somebody old and fat, but her face was fair. It could only be Odelia Lewis, Charlie’s sister.
Falling back onto my ass as another plank split allowed me a second to strategize. A thirty-six inch gap separated me from the truck, more than enough room, but I got suddenly lightheaded thinking about it. When Charlie saw my handiwork he yelled at Tasso to start shooting. But the trestles were too close to the side of the truck. Tasso couldn’t open the door the whole way. Cursing and shouting, Charlie backed up while Eddie still had a foot on the bridge.
Billy fired a warning shot as I ran. The bullet pinged off the steel trestle with a loud whine like from an old Western. He fired again, a small puff of dirt flew up just ahead of me.
A second gun fired. Buckshot ripped through the leaves above my head. I put my head down and made for the road.
The overwhelming scent of cucumber slowed me. My dizziness grew and I scanned the ground for copperheads. For a second, I thought I might throw up. The smell came out of nowhere. Like it showed up when Charlie did. But I couldn’t see Charlie anymore, and I couldn’t see Eddie either. Only Odelia was visible, pointing at me through the trestles from the other side of the river. She picked up a handful of dirt, spit in it and rubbed it between her hands until her palms and fingers were bright red. When I saw the anger in her expression I backed away. Odelia twisted a piece of cloth with her long, reddened fingers. I could’ve sworn she was trying to strangle it.
While she hissed words I couldn’t hear, the smell grew stronger. I coughed on them. I didn’t know how else to explain it. She shouted, and something more than words came out, like feathers from an old down sleeping bag blowing at me from across the gorge. I could make out a fluttering in the distance between us and knew it was the old magic.
Alex screamed, snapping me out of the spell. I stumbled toward her. She climbed out of the Jeep and moved to the side of the road. From here I could see the problem. A dead bluebird had fallen onto the hood. From the other side of the river came a few gunshots, but they were nowhere near
The huff of the engines grew. I could see brake lights through the trees.
Prying felt like the first real chance I stood of being able to lose Charlie, so I focused on that and tried to ignore his proximity. I just leaned back with the full weight of my body. Within seconds the board had split down the center. I kicked it a few times, and when it came loose I let it fall into the river.
A small victory. Twelve inches worth to be exact. “You need more than a foot.” The rumble of their downshifts on the other side said pretty much the same thing, so I went to work on the next one. Prying and pulling with all my weight. Another twelve-inch plank split up the middle. I let the halves fall into the gap I created.
A flash of light caught my eye. Sunlight reflected off of the windshield of Charlie’s pickup. I got clumsy and nervous. Sweat made my grip weak and slippy. They were about to round the last bend and come into the rafting outfitters’ parking lot.
“Just two more. Two more.” They splashed through the big ruts made by the outfitters’ trailers. Springs squeaked as the trucks rocked from side-to-side. My time was up.
On the other side of the bridge Charlie Lewis lined up his truck. He backed up then straightened it out so he’d be able to cross without pinballing from rail to rail. I pulled and pulled on the plank. Even though the wood gave way easily, the gap didn’t seem nearly wide enough. I kicked the board away.
He hit the gas, a sad bluff I was too smart to fall for. The truck was too heavy. Charlie knew it. With nothing better to do, Tasso jammed the barrel of his rifle through the open passenger-side window. A woman got out of the Billy’s truck and watched. She had black hair pulled into a bun on top of her head, and wore a long denim skirt. I expected somebody old and fat, but her face was fair. It could only be Odelia Lewis, Charlie’s sister.
Falling back onto my ass as another plank split allowed me a second to strategize. A thirty-six inch gap separated me from the truck, more than enough room, but I got suddenly lightheaded thinking about it. When Charlie saw my handiwork he yelled at Tasso to start shooting. But the trestles were too close to the side of the truck. Tasso couldn’t open the door the whole way. Cursing and shouting, Charlie backed up while Eddie still had a foot on the bridge.
Billy fired a warning shot as I ran. The bullet pinged off the steel trestle with a loud whine like from an old Western. He fired again, a small puff of dirt flew up just ahead of me.
A second gun fired. Buckshot ripped through the leaves above my head. I put my head down and made for the road.
The overwhelming scent of cucumber slowed me. My dizziness grew and I scanned the ground for copperheads. For a second, I thought I might throw up. The smell came out of nowhere. Like it showed up when Charlie did. But I couldn’t see Charlie anymore, and I couldn’t see Eddie either. Only Odelia was visible, pointing at me through the trestles from the other side of the river. She picked up a handful of dirt, spit in it and rubbed it between her hands until her palms and fingers were bright red. When I saw the anger in her expression I backed away. Odelia twisted a piece of cloth with her long, reddened fingers. I could’ve sworn she was trying to strangle it.
While she hissed words I couldn’t hear, the smell grew stronger. I coughed on them. I didn’t know how else to explain it. She shouted, and something more than words came out, like feathers from an old down sleeping bag blowing at me from across the gorge. I could make out a fluttering in the distance between us and knew it was the old magic.
Alex screamed, snapping me out of the spell. I stumbled toward her. She climbed out of the Jeep and moved to the side of the road. From here I could see the problem. A dead bluebird had fallen onto the hood. From the other side of the river came a few gunshots, but they were nowhere near
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