Camptown Lady - @Short Story

Part XVll

 Camptown Lady                         

by sloanranger

Part  XVll

She followed him into the darkened train. She saw two of the elephants on the left side of the boxcar, and reclining bales of hay on the right. In one motion, Tom slid the door shut and pushed her down onto the hay.

"What did you do that for?" Kathy said, trying to stay calm.

"I want sex."

"Stop it Tom," she said, attempting to stand and trying not to panic.

"You see the elephants?" He menaced.  "They'll do anything I tell them to. And if I tell them to put one foot on you, you're dead. Understand?"

Her mind raced but nothing came.

Tom said: "Mabel, Mavis - come." The huge creatures began lumbering slowly towards them.

Terrified, Kathy rolled off the bale and stood in one move and shoved Tom at the same time with all her strength. It was enough to knock him down and for her to gain the door.

Kathy!" He yelled, getting up as she was sliding the door back and leaping onto the ramp. Flustered, he screamed: "Kit!"

The elephants stopped in their tracks suddenly and sat down. Tom stared stupidly at the animals sitting with their front legs up. Kathy caught only a glance before the distraction gave her time to clear the ramp and run desperately from the train car. 

 She kept on running until she was out of breath. Stopping after several minutes, Kathy bent over with her hands on knees taking big gulping breaths. Still panting she noted aloud to herself:

"That's the first time the sonovabitch called me Kit." 

Competing now with the scared, shaky feeling was the look she'd seen on Tom's face as the elephants had sat. Kathy burst out laughing suddenly – her real laugh – loud and raucous.

She was shaky on the walk home but she felt much better.

(To be continued).

Del Shannon  gives a  great, live performance of his: ' Runaway,' in Media, up top :)