They Will Run You Down

Four: Dreamcatchers

John, Harley, Marcel and Brandon drove into the small, abandoned town of Higginsville and made their way to an old police station with high fences and locked gates. A man with unkempt hair and tattered clothing came out from inside the building, and scampered over to the large gate, unlocking, and hauling it open for the jeep to pass through.

Harley felt acutely apprehensive as the gate opened. Something just wasn't right, and that intense sensation of dread willed her to action. She tucked Rebel snuggly into her backpack, threw the straps over her shoulders, and wrenched the passenger door open, bolting from the jeep before it had a chance to enter the enclosure.

"Harley!" John called after her, but she dashed hurriedly away without so much as a glance backward.

Harley fled down the street, and turned into a narrow alleyway looking for a way to scale the building, but she could find no access. She continued sprinting away from the station as quickly as she could, veering onto streets, then back into alleys, desperately searching for a place to hide. Harley thought that she had been lured into a trap by John and the other men, but she was made of sterner stuff, and wouldn't be taken down so easily.

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John raced after Harley, only stopping to tell the other men not to follow, for fear of spooking her even further. The town was small, so there were only a few places Harley could have gone. John doubted she would have climbed up any of the buildings, as there weren't enough around for her to move freely from one rooftop to another. Since he knew she had a full bag of food and water, she would have had no need to go to a house or market, and in fact, would have probably kept away from them based on their past movements together.

His hunt brought him to a small main street with an old pharmacy, butcher shop, bar and post office, among other establishments. John searched the pharmacy first, then the bar, but no luck. He then moved on to the post office. He searched the main level, seeing no sign of Harley, but at the back of the post office, he found a stack of boxes and envelopes strewn about on the tile floor, and from the direction they had fallen stood a closed door. John crept over the scattered mail and opened the door, seeing a stairwell that led to a darkened basement.

He pulled the gun from his bag, "Harley?" He called out, pointing the gun down the blackened stairs in the event a screamer lunge out from the darkness. He heard a noise, faint but unmistakable. It was Rebel trying his best to bark, but little squeaks were all he could summon.

John put his gun away, "Harley, I'm coming down," he warned as he descended the staircase. Upon reaching the bottom step, John was tackled from the side. He and Harley met the cement floor with a thud, "Harley, stop!" he ordered as he subdued her arms. "What are you doing?" He added, confused by her behaviour.

"This was all a trap, wasn't it? You know those men," Harley said breathlessly as she freed one arm and slapped John's face.

John let Harley go and she scurried away from him.

"This isn't a trap, Harley. I don't know them, I swear to you," John insisted.

"I don't believe you," Harley spat.

"We need a vehicle. That's the only reason I agreed to come back with them. I know it's dangerous, but I see no other way," John explained.

"It's one hell of a coincidence that they magically appear out of nowhere just in time to save us, and then just so happen to have an extra vehicle to hand out, don't you think, mate?"

John moved closer to her, "Harley, look at me. I swear on my life this isn't a trap. I'm on your side here. I won't let anyone hurt you"

Harley was quiet.