The Tracks

Washout

She knows how to drive a motorcycle but she never really liked them. She always preferred her bicycle. She knows she can easily control its speed and direction. But here she is now, driving her brother's motorcycle, her godfather-mayor pointing a gun to her temple. She was going 60, deliberately slowing down so that Jay, Harry and the rest of the men can follow them.

"I know what you're doing Dei. I'm telling you, drive faster. I wouldn't want to put a bullet through my beautiful goddaughter's head. Shift your gears to fourth, dear."

"The bike's too heavy, Mayor..."

"It won't be if you go faster!"

"Then why don't you drive?!"

"And let you jump off? Hah, dear goddaughter, you're my insurance. Head to the platform near the eastern tunnel."

He poked her head harder with the gun, and even if she wanted to continue arguing, to distract him, she felt the fear rising up from inside. She shifted the gears and they sped faster.

//

Jay ran to where his bike was parked. Chip was about to get on his bike when Harry held his arm.

"Dude, let me ride your bike. Please. That's my sister, and I need to make our fool of a Mayor pay."

Chip looked over at Jay.

"Chip, we can handle this. Go with dad and Uncle Bugs. You can all follow us with the truck."

Chip nodded and handed over the bike to Harry, who quickly got on and almost tumbled forward when he cranked the engine.

"Whoa. It kicks strongly dude, you might want to ease up for a bit..."

But Harry was already off, with Jay right at his tail.

"...or not. Sheesh. Hey, Uncle Bugs, Uncle Rich, can I drive the truck?"

Bugs and the other men who have now caught up with them threw him the keys. Richard had his arm around Walter as they walked to the truck. Vic and Mike were jogging behind them, trying to catch up. Chip started the engine and waited for them to get on.

"Where should we go? Where do you suppose is the Mayor taking Dei?"

"Go on to Platform 24. He's likely to take the train going east. It's almost noon, there's a train scheduled to pass through there. We better hurry."

Walt pointed out to Chip the directions, but his voice was shaky. Bugs patted him on the back.

"Walt, don't worry. We'll catch him. Your daughter's smart, she won't let Jose do her any harm."

"I know, Bugs. It's Jose that I'm worried about. He's not thinking straight anymore."

"What's gotten into him? He's always been a douche when we were kids, but I'd think he would have outgrown that, don't you think? We're too old for this childish revenge bullcrap."

"I don't know either, Mike. He's always been looked up to in town, he's a good mayor..."

"That's not what Dei tells us, Walt."

Walt sighed and shook his head.

"Dei's never been fond of her godfather. But Harry looks up to him, and Jose took him in as a right-hand man. But seeing how angry Harry was a while ago, I don't know what he might do to Jose. Take this turn on the left, we'll reach the eastern tunnel faster. The bike tracks also went this way."

Bugs smiled at Walt, and patted him on the back.

"You were always the best navigator of the gang, Walt. Chip, step on it. We can't let Jose get away this time."

//

Dei could hear the sound of motorbikes following them and she smiled, only to be poked harder on the head by the gun.

"Don't even think of slowing down. Step on it!"

She saw the small incline towards the eastern tunnel. Her thoughts flew to their tree, to their very few meet-ups in the afternoon, to her surprise kiss to Jay, to when they first met. Then the thought just hit her. She shifted the gears, stepped on the gas and sped faster up towards the eastern tunnel. As the bike reached the jump, she released the bars, and threw them both off from the bike.

Harry and Jay saw what she did, how their bodies flew from the motorcycle, and landing with a thud somewhere near the tracks. They drove faster.

Jose, still with the gun in his hand, quickly stood up, disoriented at what just happened. He saw Dei wincing in pain, a large gash on her arm. Her foot might've been twisted again, but he didn't bother to go and get her any longer. He tried to run, but almost fell as he felt sharp pain running through his thigh. He saw a branch sticking out from his side. He cursed as he pulled it out, blood oozing out.

"It's over, Mayor Jose! Even if you try to run, you'll never get far with that wound!"

Harry was pointing his gun at him as he walked towards Jose. Jose lifted his arm to point the gun at him. Jay was already by Dei's side, tearing a piece of his shirt to wrap around her arm to stop the blood. She was looking at her brother as he approached the mayor. She tried to stand up, only to fall back into Jay's arms as sharp pain pierced through her leg.

"Don't push it Dei, it'll only make your foot get worse."

"But he's got a gun on Harry, Jay! He's going to kill my brother!"

"Don't worry, he won't."

"What?! I know you've had your differences with him but he's still my brother, Jay! You've seen how Mayor Jose can be vicious and ..."

"It's a water gun."

"... he's gone out of his mind and ...what?"

"That gun he took from Chip, it's a water gun."

Dei looked at him in disbelief, processing what he just said.

"Oh."

"So keep still, stay here."

Jay stood and walked towards the two men who were still having a stare-down, both guns still aimed at each other. He could hear the sound of the train from afar, and the screeching of truck tires braking. It would take another two minutes before the train reaches the spot where they are, and he saw that Mayor Jose was already in between the tracks. His mind was racing as he saw Harry close in on him. He had to get both men step away from the tracks.

"Give up, Mayor!"

"Harry, I treated you like a son! You should be grateful I was mentoring you, your father never had it in him to be a role model for you!"

"I told you not to speak of my father that way!"

Jose took another step back and almost fell, making him pull the trigger, and water spurt out.

"What the hell ...?!"

Harry took that moment to run towards him and hit him with the gun. Jose fell over the tracks, but pulled Harry with him. The siren of the train was getting louder, indicating that it was  just a few meters away from where they are now. Jay had to think quickly. He saw the two men wrestle. A few more seconds and the nose of the first car would be hitting them. He jumped on the tracks and pulled at the first body he could grab hold on, and lifted him away.

From a distance, shouts were heard, blending in with the sound of metal passing through metal. And blood stained the tracks once again after four decades.

***

Washout. Gap or break in the railroad tracks, ballast, and roadbed caused by floodwaters. Also, a signal to the engineer to make an emergency brake application. (Railroading Glossary. TRAINS Magazine)