Apocalyptic Princess

Chapter 6

     For the most part, the plan was working. The dogs were no longer barking in unison. Success was bittersweet because Rick liked it better when he couldn't hear the babies crying. As time passed, he thought more about what was happening on the other side of the gate. He wanted to believe it was an orphanage, but what if it wasn't. His conscious was going to have a field day reminding him of all the children he left behind to the mercy of evil people. While throwing treats at the gate, it was easy for Rick to get depressed about the oppressed children that he couldn't save.

      An old woman screaming in the distance took the dogs away from the gate. They disappeared around a trailer, and Rick feared for his partner's safety. Across from where Rick stood, on the outside of the fence, the man raced back up to the road. On the road, the man headed back to where they came from. It didn't take a lot of motivation for Rick to follow. Both men ran as fast as they could down the road. They were still in range to hear the gate opening up behind them, releasing the dogs. Looking over his shoulder, at the first dog escaping the property, let Rick know that he wasn't in a good predicament.

      Rick reached for his pistol, and prepared to shoot the first dog that tried to bite. Remembering that he hadn't reloaded, he knew that he only had four bullets to defend them from attack. He hoped that gunfire would be enough to scare the rest of the pack away. They were reaching the top of the hill when the dogs got close enough to do harm. Reaching behind him, Rick took aim, just as the dogs stopped chasing them. As quickly as they began the chase, the dogs retreated back to the property. Waiting, over the hill, in the middle of the street, was the wolf that Rick was recently informed off.

      The men split up, running on opposite sides of the wolf, down the hill. Rick thought he was running as fast as he could, but the adrenaline that the presence of the wolf created, put him in a gear that he didn't know he had. All he could think about was getting away from the wolf, he gave no thought to shooting the beast. Defensive thoughts were never formed while the wolf was in range. Choosing a target, the wolf ran at Rick's partner, leaving Rick lost, thinking of what to do next. Coming to a sliding stop, Rick watched as the wolf disappeared in the woods, chasing after the other man.

      Putting his pistol away, Rick jerked his rifle from off of his back, and gave chase. Feeling it was better to attack the wolf while it was distracted, rather than to have it hunt him on his way back home, Rick ran, following the wolf's path. Everything was a blur as he sped through the trees. The man yelling out caught Rick's attention. He followed the growls of the wolf to bring him within a clear view of the struggle. Gripping his rifle tight, Rick took aim at the wolf. Wasting no time, he squeezed the trigger, sending a bullet into the hind leg of the wolf. With a yelp, the wolf released his bite on the man, and ran off into the woods.

      Rick ran to the man's side, and scanned the area with the barrel of his rifle. When he felt that they were no longer in danger, Rick turned his attention to the injured man. The wolf left behind a gory wound. It wasn't something that you could walk off. The man knew it was bad, and didn't want to look at it. He squinted and growled back at the pain.

      "Get me to the old lady," the man commanded. "It's just down the hill. I almost made it."

      Rick helped the man to his feet, and assisted him out of the woods. It was a struggle to get the man to the old lady's trailer, but it didn't take long. Her door opened as they approached the porch. She stepped outside to meet them. Wearing a tattered, long, black dress, the woman looked beyond them, through her thin, grey hair that hung in her face. When she felt that the threat was no longer present, she turned her attention to them.

      "Keep him here," the woman said as she returned inside the trailer. She rummaged around in her things before stepping back outside. In her hand, she carried a vile of liquid and some old towels to soak up the blood.