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CHAPTER 16
The haggard foursome reached the trailhead mid-afternoon. Brenda and Fudge half-walked, half-dragged Sarah along. She had become a zombie over the course of the last several hours. Technically, she wasn't in shock, but her grief left her detached and unresponsive to all inquiries. Actually, her somber condition set the tone for all the hikers. Little, if any, conversation broke the silence, and this was a plus. It made them less visible, somehow.
Tom led the way, of course, and whenever possible, they stayed beside the path, rather than on it. They were making pretty good time, all things considered. The Forerunner was sitting in an alley in Pikeville, and Tom had thumbed a ride for them. A young couple in a VW microbus had stopped. They were nice enough, but a bit chatty for Tom's tastes.
Fortunately, the ride was only 21 miles to the point where they got out. It was within visual distance of Diamondback Ridge, and the Walking Man was now on his own turf. He had been up there many times, and just seeing it caused him to recall his youth, when he raced his brother to the cabin. They had found it by mistake, one summer. Every time they returned, they found it in exactly the same condition, as if noone ever used it. It had become their special place. If he could get them to the cabin before nightfall, their odds of survival would improve even more.
He almost regretted having involved his brother, now. Tom knew that he needed Zulu’s expertise, and an FBI presence could do nothing but help, if they got here before Luther. But, if Zulu was true to form, and came charging in with the cavalry, there could be a blood-bath. Luther Pittman was capable of anything. Hopefully, they could get this resolved before Luther had a chance to paint the picture with his own brush, in his favorite color, red.
CHAPTER 17
"Jody... let me in, honey! We're going to be late!"
Claire Minifield rapped again and again on her daughter's apartment door. They were supposed to meet at the diner, but Ruth said she left early. Claire was muttering under her breath about how this child would be late for her own funeral. Fumbling in her purse, she found the spare key to the door, placed it in the slot, and opened it, calling Jody's name loudly. After again getting no response, she listened to the only sound present in the apartment, that of a shower running.
Making her way to the bathroom, she shouted, "Jody, honey, please hurry up! We won't have time to throw any practice balls before league starts!"
There was no response, and no wonder, that shower was on full blast. Jody wouldn't be able to hear her, so she'd have to go in. Claire pushed the bathroom door open, and the steam came billowing out. Behind the translucent shower door, she saw the nude female form laying on the floor. As she threw the door open, Jody's staring eyes looked up at the ceiling, but saw nothing except eternal blackness. Now, the shower had a competitor; the screams and shrieks of a grieving mother.
CHAPTER 18
Twilight was now waning, as the haggard foursome topped Diamondback Ridge. Soon, darkness would be upon them, and all hope would be lost. Tom knew that the cabin was less than a quarter of a mile over the summit, so he decided to leave the women here, and check out the cabin by himself. They had come too far to make a mistake now. Instead of making a bee-line straight to the enclosure, he traced a path of concentric circles which decreased in size, as he neared the cabin. By doing this, he could familiarize himself with the lay of the land, and get some idea where he could expect an attack to come from. Satisfied that he was not going to be ambushed from the outside, he proceeded to the area behind the back window of the cabin. Quickly, he glanced in, hoping to catch a glimpse of any impending danger. Seeing nothing but the familiar surroundings his memory recalled, he rushed at the door and swung it open, his head turning on a swivel, ready to deal with whatever presented itself.
The place looked like no one had been there for a long time. A light coating of dust was present on every surface he touched. Never had Tom appreciated dirt as much as he did right now. Nothing had been disturbed. He now knew that it would be safe to bring the women here. If they were going to die tonight, at least it wouldn't be from exposure to the elements. As he peered out the door, he again briefly made an assessment of what route he would use to lead them in, and quickly vanished into the trees. The time had come to bring them in, and for better or worse, that is exactly what he was going to do.
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Brenda found the rocky outcropping where Tom had directed her to take Fudge and Sarah. She sat with her back to the rocks, directly in front of the others. Anybody who wanted them would have to go through her first. Ready as she was, Tom startled her when he suddenly appeared from her side. In reflex, she'd started to swing the rifle at him, but his hands were able to reach it before she could ever get it into position.
"It's okay ... shhhhhh..." He pulled her to him and soothed her, rocking her gently as he wrapped his arms around her back. After a few seconds, she no longer struggled and returned his embrace.
"My God, Tom, what's going to become of us?" was all she said.
He sensed her fear, and knew that he had to do something to allay it. She was the only ally he could count on at the moment, and if she became an emotional basket case, they would all be dead by morning.
"No time for this right now. Come on, help me, Brenda, we have to get to the cabin. It's not very far now, and then you can rest. Suck it up, Marine, you hired on to be tough, didn't you?"
She pulled back from him abruptly. Suddenly, she just had to look into the eyes of someone who could make such a statement to her. A grin had replaced the concern, and his eyes shone, clear and warm. She looked down at the ground, knowing that he was laughing at her, said, "Grrrrrrrrr....", and now she, too, was smiling at him. Gathering up the supplies, she helped Tom get the others onto their feet, and quietly, they walked up to the cabin.
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