All Is Silence - Deserted Lands #1

Chapter 26 - Part II

Saj’s eyes looked like he’d been crying, but when he saw Lizzie, he flapped his arms like he would take off. He had a pacifier in his mouth and was sucking on it. Must’ve been a gift from Rachael.

“Stay quiet, little man. Sissie’s gonna take you away.” She picked him up and hugged him. She handed him to Rachael. “You carry the baby. Whew. His diaper really is shitty!”

“Yeah. Should we change it?”

“No!” Lizzie hissed. “Later.” She reached off another stretch of duct tape and wrapped it quickly around the man’s mouth and neck. “Sorry.”

Rachael tossed the strap of a diaper bag over her shoulder. “Let’s go.”

Rachael had been ready. Lizzie opened the door. There was no sign of movement outside. She gestured with her head. “Let’s get to the wall and move alongside it.”

“Here.” Rachael handed Lizzie’s phone back to her.

Lizzie shoved it in her other back pocket. “I’ve got a car on the other side of the wall. Across the street and down the alley. Can you drive?”

“Maybe.”

“Okay. Take Saj and get in. Start it. I’m going to see what I can do to block the gate. Ready?”

Rachael nodded. “Yeah. Good luck.”

Lizzie ran across the open parking lot and up to the wall. They slunk along the wall. Please Saj, stay quiet. When they got to the gate Lizzie motioned for Rachael to go. She pointed across the street to the alley and made a steering sign with her hands. When she was on her way, Lizzie pulled herself up into the cab of the cement mixer. The keys were inside.

“Thanks, Lady Luck.” Her cell phone dug into her hip. She had no idea if she could even get it to move. “Clutch on the left. Brake in the middle. Gas on the right.”

Run and trust they won’t find you. She’d decided to sneak out and opened the door when lights came on at the schoolhouse and an alarm blew. “Damn it!” She turned the keys in the ignition. “Reverse is supposed to be easiest.” She pushed in the clutch and pulled the gear shift knob into the R position. It groaned as she let out the clutch. It ground; she shoved the clutch back in and used both hands to jerk the thing into gear. She let out the clutch as gently as she could and pressed on the gas. The giant vehicle lurched backward and gained speed.

Lizzie felt a huge crunch. She knew she’d hit the new gate. She pressed the gas to the floor and the truck groaned in protest. It blocked the entire gate. She slid across the bench seat, shoving levers out of the way and threw the other door open. The truck spewed a dry gravel and sand mixture into the gateway.

She jumped to the ground and ran for the car. Rachael had started it and the door was open. She slid into the seat; Saj was still quiet in the car seat.

Lizzie stepped on the gas as she pulled the door shut. The car jumped forward, spitting gravel. “Shit. Take it easy, Lizzie.” The phones poked painfully. “Rachael, keep an eye back there. Anyone coming?” She pulled the phones out of her back pockets and dumped them in the catch-all between the seats.

“Not yet. Wait. Someone on foot. Running after us. He’s got a gun. Oh, shit!”

Lizzie shoved the accelerator to the floor, one eye in the mirror. She saw light burst upward and heard the rifle shot.

Where should she go? She saw a sign for I-84 and followed it. After a minute a movement in the rear view mirror caught her eye. A motorcycle had gotten through her cement-mixer mess. She kept the car going as fast as she could, taking turns that might lose him.

Lizzie’s hands gripped the steering wheel. “Rachael, hand me the shotgun.” She lifted it over the seat and set it comfortably close.

Ahead Lizzie saw a sign that said Single Lane bridge. She sped around the corner and saw headlights on the bridge coming toward her. “Shit.” The truck stopped. “What the fuck?” There was a deer carcass on the roof.

Lizzie slammed on the brakes; the car slid sideways. The truck door opened and a man in camo with a rifle in his hand stepped out. “Oh, shit. Duke!”

                                                *        *        *

Zach woke abruptly. He wasn’t sure why. Nev still lay cradled in his arms. His hand rested on her chest. He couldn’t hear anything. Maybe that was what woke him. He marveled at the warmth between his body and Nev’s. Yesterday had sucked, but it had ended well. He kissed her cheek and whispered, “Thanks for not keeping me at arm’s length.” He lay awake listening to her breathe, matching his own breath to hers until he slipped back to sleep.

When he woke next Nev was shaking him. “Zach. Lizzie’s gone.”

“Aww, shit.” He sat up glanced around, looking for his pants in the pre-dawn light. “Those people ain’t messing around.” Lizzie was busting his ass again. She was gonna get herself killed. Her self-centered self made him angry. “Get Spike and Charley in the truck. NO! Never mind. I need you to stay with the kids.” Zach tied his shoes.

Nev knelt in front of him. “Zach.” Her eyes filled with tears, but she fought them. “Don’t let her get you killed. I need you. We need you.”