SKIPPING TIME

Chapter 15.5

Somewhere in the background, Jess heard the unmistakable sounds of a fight. He didn't turn around. Ray might be the only one who could get them home, but right now home could wait. Beside him, Cacee stumbled for the third time. He yanked her upright, half dragging her along. He knew he was going too fast, asking her to put too much weight on her knee. In his mind, he kept seeing how swollen it looked back in the room. And that was before she'd walked a mile on it.

Cacee tugged on the backpack he still held. "We have to stop!"

The fence. Shane. Shit. Shit. Shit. He let go of Cacee. "I've got him. Go, Cace! I'll be right behind you!"

He watched her drop to a hobbling sort of half- jog. Shane stayed by her heels.

"Shane! C'mere!"

Cacee's pup stayed by her side.

Cacee said, "Go with Jess, Shane!"

At her words, Shane turned and bolted towards him. The sounds of the fight got louder, cancelling Jess's flicker of surprise. He grabbed the little dog and Shane scrambled into the backpack as if somehow understanding it was his only way out of the alleyway.

"Ow!"

Jess's head snapped up to see Cacee sprawled on the asphalt. "Cace!"He lurched to his feet and threw the backpack with Shane in it over his shoulder.

Cacee was already up. Grease and water streaked her shirt, blood streaked her elbows and knees. Her jeans had torn and her right knee now looked like there was a grapefruit under the skin. Despite all of that, Jess saw her stuff a few rocks in her pockets before making a limping dash for the fence again. She'd gotten her slingshot out of her pocket and held it in one hand, as if she might have to use it. 

He raced behind her and picked her up without stopping, throwing her over the same shoulder as Shane. Then he made a beeline for the fence. Thirty feet. Twenty. Fifteen.

Cacee screamed. "Jess! He's right behind us."

Before he had a chance to even react, she shrieked again and began flipping back and forth in his arms, dodging someone. With no other choice, he dropped her and yelled, "GO!" He turned around swinging.

But even as his fist flew through the air, Ray jerked his attacker back. Both Ray and the other man were wielding neon-blue weapons that reminded Jess of miniature light-sabers. If Cacee wasn't with him, he might've been tempted to watch. As it was, he didn't care if Ray fought off his attackers with a wiffle bat or a few grenades. None of his business. Jess started towards the fence once more, trying to spot Cacee in the deep fog that had settled. Between that and the rain, visibility was next to nothing. 

As it was, all he heard was her voice as she shouted, "JESS! LOOK OUT!" 

In the same second a vicious snarl rent the air as two enormous Rottweilers leaped from the fog behind him. One headed straight at him as the other veered to the left—the direction Cacee's voice had come from. It was nothing but instinct that made Jess throw out both hands and bellow, "Stop!"

Both dogs came to such a fast stop they tumbled over one another, yipping with surprise. Under other circumstances, Jess would've laughed. But he wasn't laughing as the dogs got back to their feet and stood, frozen and growling, their eyes locked on him.  He pointed towards the direction they'd come from with a trembling hand, but his voice remained steady. "Go back!"

The dogs stayed, quivering with whatever warring instincts now kept them from attacking. The larger of the two took a few threatening steps towards him. The other followed its lead, a low growl rumbling in its massive chest. In the bag on his back, Shane's small body began violently shaking.