Broken Part Eight

Broken Part Eight

Jed’s frustration grew and so did his fear that this 4 wheeler would not mean good things for him. He slammed the steering wheel in anger again and again. Suddenly something moved and he could feel his legs were free now. He moved them around and as far as he could tell everything was okay except they were numb and felt tingly from lack of proper circulation for hours now. He tried to slide the air bag away from his window but simply could not seem to get it to move and the noise outside was growing louder and thus closer still to him. He decided he would just make his way out of the passenger’s side since they had no trouble getting Erica out that way earlier. He made his way across the front seat and slithered out the passenger side. His hands touched the ground and a relief went through his body as he was at least now out of the car. The ground was wet and muddy but it was so much better than being stuck with no way of helping himself or finding Erica. He moved to the back of the Saab and looked up the hill it had come down during the crash. He was surprised at how steep the drop had been as it certainly didn’t feel like that when it happened although it all happened so fast. He decided that he had to get back to the road for help and the sooner the better. He looked over his shoulder as the sound of the 4-wheeler’s drew closer to him. He scampered up the slope towards the road struggling with the mud and leaves under foot with each step. He felt some pain but he knew he had to get help and find Erica. He was making good progress. He turned and looked below as the 4-wheelers pulled up next to the car. He recognized the truck driver immediately and knew that this was worse than he could have imagined. This guy truly wanted to kill them and wasn’t going to stop until he did just that. His heart sunk as he thought of Erica and what might be happening to her as she was no longer with these two guys. Where had they taken her? What had they done to her? Was she still even alive? He thought about going back down and confronting them but his thoughts quickly changed as the one he did not know pulled out a pistol and started firing shots into the drivers’ side of the car. If he had still been stuck in the car he would now be a dead man. He knew he had to get away and fast so he turned his attention back to the hill and climbed as fast as he could towards the top.

Ronnie grabbed Skeeter’s arm after he had fired four rounds into the car. “Skeeter what in the hell are you doing?” Skeeter looked at Ronnie sideways as if try to figure out what he was saying as it didn’t seem to make sense to Skeeter. “Well, jackass!! We need to make sure he is dead and what better way then to shoot the hell out of him!!” Ronnie shook his head and let it go as it didn’t matter now and the thought of Skeeter with a gun was probably what had gotten to him more than what he did with the gun. He walked over towards the cars passenger side so he could see if the man inside was indeed dead now or if Skeeter could have more fun playing Rambo or whatever he was doing. He couldn’t see anyone on the driver’s side of the car so he leaned into the passenger side a little deeper and as he reached into the driver’s side of the car he was expecting to touch a body but all he touched was empty space. His heart began to race as he plunged in further and there was nothing there, no body in the car. Where had it gone? How had he gotten out of the car? What now? He screamed to Skeeter who hustled on over as Ronnie made his way out of the car. He looked at Skeeter and told him there was nobody there and asked what he thought. Skeeter stood there just scratching his head dumbfounded. Ronnie looked around the car for blood to follow but the rain was taking car of that as he could find none and then he noticed some tracks in the mud and disturbed leaves that could not have been from either of them as they certainly were not impressions made from boots. He pointed towards the tracks and they both began to walk in that direction. They realized the tracks were heading for the road where the car had come from and that would only mean trouble for them. They broke out into a run as they tried to make up whatever ground they had lost to the man in the car. The footing wasn’t easy but their boots made it much easier than what is must have been for the man they were now after. The fear had set in them as they realized this could unravel a lot of secrets buried in these mountains and valleys. It would not only ruin their lives but everyone they knew as well. They could not make their feet go fast enough.

Jed looked back down the hill he just climbed and could not believe they had survived that adventure in the Saab but he was sure thankful for its safety features. It was worth the extra money. He could the two men trying to make their way up the same slope he had just finished. He knew that he had to decide what to do next in just a matter of moments as they would be there with their gun and not ask any questions before they shot him. His life was his own to save right now and the next thing he did could either save him or cost him his life. Just then lights from a vehicle could be seen coming up the road. Jed breathed a sigh of relief as he moved to the middle of the road to get the attention of the driver and to make them stop. If they passed then his chance would likely pass with them. The lights grew brighter and brighter. Closer and closer the vehicle came towards him. Ronnie and Skeeter were more than half way up the hill already and would be there before long. Their lungs were burning from the grade of the slope but neither was about to stop.

Jed’s heart stopped when he began to hear the sounds of the vehicle approaching him. It couldn’t be but it was sure was familiar to him. It was a truck, a big rig, and could only mean trouble. Ronnie and Skeeter heard it as well on their way up the slope it grew louder and louder like sweet music to their ears. Jed began to move out of the road and back towards the woods. The slope down would be easier than the slop up and he headed for it as the brakes of the 18 wheeler began to make their cries for the rig to stop. Jed made his way over the guardrail and headed down the slope as quickly as he could without falling. Ronnie and Skeeter made their way onto the road and approached the stopped truck. They cab on the truck opened and the driver leaned out. “You friggin idiots know how to handle this or what? Do I need to call in the others? Come on now boys finish this already!!!” He then pointed to the spot where Jed had gone back into the woods and down the slope. Ronnie and Skeeter needed to catch their breath before they could move again even though they knew they needed to get going. There was no way having the others called in to help was a good idea. They would do this on their own. They had too or maybe it would be their own demise at the end of this crazy adventure. Things worked out up here in there own way and justice was swift to all. Those in the group were not exempt from that swift justice if they wronged the group as a whole either. Both Ronnie and Skeeter had taken part in handing out that justice before. Now they hoped to avoid being on the other side of it for being sloppy. They began to move towards the woods.