Battling Fear

Battling Fear - Chapter 8

Janice opened her eyes they were through the barricade but they were still being chased. The truck was making noises. It sounded like the radiator was damaged. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to keep running for long. Fear set in did she really want to go back and face Cass. Cass had entrusted her with the truck her father had done such a nice job of modifying. Glancing over at her partner for the day and a new fear hit her heart. She had to get back and fast. She couldn’t lead her chasers back to the others what was she going to do. She wasn’t even sure how to get back to the school without him. But the blood oozing from the wound on his head scared her. He was unconscious and she knew only the basics of first aid with no way to stop and apply them without getting them both killed. She allowed her eyes a minute off the road as they traveled down looking for any other signs of injury. Quickly she pulled her eyes back to the road when she felt the truck traveling to the side, but not before she saw the blood flowing freely from his left shoulder.

Fear gripped her heart in a vise as she continued to push the truck to go farther and faster. How much longer could she keep going? She had to try to shake these guys while she could. Without giving herself time to thing she made a sharp turn to the left and felt the truck try to roll as it settled back onto the road. She grabbed the next right before half the cars following her could even get on the road she was on to see where she was going and turned immediately to the right once more. Then a left so fast her mind was spinning she took turns as fast as they came up trying to shake her followers glancing back there was only one vehicle left in pursuit. Maybe it was going to work but she was so lost in this strange town that she knew she would never find the school shelter again without a lot of work or a little help.

Janice continued to weave through the roads at the fastest speed at which she felt she could handle the truck eventually she noticed there were no pursuers chasing her whether they had gave up or she lost them she did not know but she did know that the man beside her was still unconscious and she needed to get him medical attention fast. Unsure of how to get back to the shelter she continued driving hoping to find someplace she recognized. When it became apparent either she was in a part of town she did not know or she was too upset to focus she pulled over to the side of the road.

Slowly she reached over to check her partner to see what kind of damage she could uncover. Nothing seemed broke but he did have a knot on the side of his head. She prayed there was nothing serious wrong with him then started the truck. She drove in as straight a line as possible looking for landmarks in an effort to find shelter for them before night. She wanted to find someplace small that hopefully would not have any vamps hiding in it. Each house she passed had broken windows and doors making it too hard to secure this close to night. As she turned a corner she came smack dab into sight of two of the cars that had been chasing her they hadn't given up they were searching for her she knew it in the bottom of her heart. Knowing they had seen her she took the next left and began once more to try to shake them. On the third turn her heart leaped into her throat there in front of her was another barricade. Janice could feel the panic filling her lungs as she looked for a weak spot in the barricade to break through it. Then miracle of miracles one of the cars moved allowing her access. In her mind she knew that they were allowing her into their circle to trap her but there was no way to turn around and go back so she had no choice but to aim at the gap left open.

As she drew nearer she saw men come out with rifles and weapons she couldn't name she waited for them to take aim and fire at her but the shots never came. The cars chasing her were slowing down. Janice thought they knew she could not escape reaching over she grabbed the gun in the seat behind her she was not going to go out without a fight. Then she saw people running from the houses armed, but they didn't fire at her they fired at her pursuers. Relief flooded through her system. The first thought to enter her mind was these have to be some of Cass’s people. She brought the truck to a stop but before she could get out guns she found the guns now turned on her.