Status: Updates are sporadic and may occur at whim, but I do try to add chapters regularly.
Silent Nights
Play it by Ear
I’ve got about three seconds to figure out how to play this. I take my time sliding off the hood, trying to assess the situation. There are two men closing in on us and two on the boys. I count four guns, only two of which are in hand. All the same, I decide to consider them all armed and dangerous.
“Yeah, well, ya aren’t me,” I drawl as my feet hit the concrete, trying to affect a country accent similar to that of the man who spoke. I say it louder than strictly necessary to get Matt and Drew’s attention. They look back at us, but no sooner do they make a move than they have a rifle pointed at their chests. Well, at least the only two men with guns out are distracted now.
“Doesn’t look like ya goin’ anywhere ta me,” the first man says with a smirk. He leans one arm on the truck, effectively blocking my path. The other man reaches for the gun Anna’s holding and pulls is from her loose grip. She backs away from the man and closer to the truck. A glance at the others confirms that Matt and Drew have also been relieved of their weapons.
“If it wasn’t for ya stupid roadblock here we’d be gone by now,” I retort. The big guy chuckles and takes a step closer. I tuck my hands into my pockets and casually lean back against the bumper. The idea is to create some space between us, but the man makes sure to push into my personal space again. I force myself to remain still.
“It serves its purpose,” he says cryptically. He looks over at Matt and Drew- who are being herded this way at gunpoint- then raises an eyebrow at me with that smirk still plastered on his face. His hand comes forward in the direction of my gun. I push off the bumper, pretending not to notice his hand, and take a step toward Anna. I pluck the keys from her hand.
“Yeah, well, this has been fun, but we’ve got places ta be.” I twirl the keys around my finger, feigning nonchalance, and make to walk around the big guy.
“Now hold on there, darlin’.” He grabs my bicep and pushes me back against the front of the truck. “What’s the rush?” It takes everything in me to keep from hitting him. I settle for crossing my arms, subtly blocking my gun from him.
“Get off her!” Drew shouts. One of the other men kicks the back of his knee. I realize his hands are secured behind him when he doesn’t try to break his fall. The man drops one of his hands off his rifle to grab the back of Drew’s shirt and haul him up to his knees. The big guy takes a step back away from me, but only to glower at Drew. His hand curls into a fist.
“I can take care a’ myself,” I yell at Drew. I can see the confusion in his face, but the big guy turns back to me at least. He looks just as thrown as the others.
“Woah, girly,” the guy behind Drew says with a chuckle. He hasn’t brought his gun back up yet, leaving it hanging by his side. The guy behind Matt is the last one still ready to shoot.
“It’s your fault we’re even in this mess,” I continue, ignoring the man who just spoke. I take a step toward Matt. He looks more pissed than confused now. I step on his foot and shove his shoulder hard enough that he falls into the man behind him. The man loses his grip on his gun and it falls to the road. The other men start laughing.
Before anyone has a chance to recover, I yank my gun from the holster, flip the safety, and fire off four of the best-placed shots of my life.
“Yeah, well, ya aren’t me,” I drawl as my feet hit the concrete, trying to affect a country accent similar to that of the man who spoke. I say it louder than strictly necessary to get Matt and Drew’s attention. They look back at us, but no sooner do they make a move than they have a rifle pointed at their chests. Well, at least the only two men with guns out are distracted now.
“Doesn’t look like ya goin’ anywhere ta me,” the first man says with a smirk. He leans one arm on the truck, effectively blocking my path. The other man reaches for the gun Anna’s holding and pulls is from her loose grip. She backs away from the man and closer to the truck. A glance at the others confirms that Matt and Drew have also been relieved of their weapons.
“If it wasn’t for ya stupid roadblock here we’d be gone by now,” I retort. The big guy chuckles and takes a step closer. I tuck my hands into my pockets and casually lean back against the bumper. The idea is to create some space between us, but the man makes sure to push into my personal space again. I force myself to remain still.
“It serves its purpose,” he says cryptically. He looks over at Matt and Drew- who are being herded this way at gunpoint- then raises an eyebrow at me with that smirk still plastered on his face. His hand comes forward in the direction of my gun. I push off the bumper, pretending not to notice his hand, and take a step toward Anna. I pluck the keys from her hand.
“Yeah, well, this has been fun, but we’ve got places ta be.” I twirl the keys around my finger, feigning nonchalance, and make to walk around the big guy.
“Now hold on there, darlin’.” He grabs my bicep and pushes me back against the front of the truck. “What’s the rush?” It takes everything in me to keep from hitting him. I settle for crossing my arms, subtly blocking my gun from him.
“Get off her!” Drew shouts. One of the other men kicks the back of his knee. I realize his hands are secured behind him when he doesn’t try to break his fall. The man drops one of his hands off his rifle to grab the back of Drew’s shirt and haul him up to his knees. The big guy takes a step back away from me, but only to glower at Drew. His hand curls into a fist.
“I can take care a’ myself,” I yell at Drew. I can see the confusion in his face, but the big guy turns back to me at least. He looks just as thrown as the others.
“Woah, girly,” the guy behind Drew says with a chuckle. He hasn’t brought his gun back up yet, leaving it hanging by his side. The guy behind Matt is the last one still ready to shoot.
“It’s your fault we’re even in this mess,” I continue, ignoring the man who just spoke. I take a step toward Matt. He looks more pissed than confused now. I step on his foot and shove his shoulder hard enough that he falls into the man behind him. The man loses his grip on his gun and it falls to the road. The other men start laughing.
Before anyone has a chance to recover, I yank my gun from the holster, flip the safety, and fire off four of the best-placed shots of my life.