Part 25 (2/2)
Panic took hold of her. He was leaving. She fought her way through the crowd of friends and rushed to the coach, running as fast as Rebecca's weight would safely allow.
She got to the coach and pounded on the door, ”Get out here, now!”
Jerry opened the door.
”You can't do this now.”
”But ...”
”No, you can't do this and you can't give me some c.r.a.p about it being what a post-apocalyptic nomadic warrior does.”
”There's ...”
”No. No. You can't just get ride off into the sunset.”
Jerry stepped from the coach, grabbed her by the waist, covered Rebecca's eyes, and kissed her.
Erica did not resist, her panic abated in his embrace. She kissed him back. A moment turned into a minute. When he finally stopped she was quiet, calm, and in love-fully in love.
”Erica, I'm not going anywhere. I'm just really, really tired and I was going to take a nap.”
”Oh. Well, if you're staying around, maybe you should kiss me again.”
Jerry smiled and obliged.
”Eing with me.”
”It's Sarah, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d.”
”It doesn't really matter, does it honey?”
Jerry slowed and raised his hands. ”It's over, Logan. Your friends are dead. There's nowhere for you to go.”
”I'll make new friends.”
”You let my daughter go, you lying s.h.i.+t!” the mayor roared from the crowd. He had been welcoming the new residents personally. There was an election coming and a hundred new votes could really help.
”Not happening, Mayor.”
”If you ...”
”This is kind of your fault, Mayor,” Logan started to move towards the Mustang. ”If you weren't so stupid, I wouldn't even be here.”
The mayor began to protest, but Jerry signaled for him to be quiet.
”Fine. Let the girl go,” Jerry gestured to the Mustang, ”and you can leave.”
The former prisoners began to protest. Jerry turned to them. ”Listen, everybody. Shut up.” He turned back to Logan who had inched closer to his Mustang.
”Let the girl go and you can just drive away.”
Logan opened the door of the Mustang and pushed Sarah's head down into the car. ”No.” He pushed her across the seat and sat down behind the wheel.
Sarah tried to scramble out the pa.s.senger door, but Logan grabbed a lock of her hair and pulled her back in the car.
The Mustang roared to life. The exhaust stirred dirt into the air. The spinning wheels spat gravel into the crowd. The crowd scattered, seeking cover from the tiny missiles.
Jerry broke into a sprint to the motor coach.
The Mustang sped out of town.
”Get after him! Everyone!” The mayor ran after the Ford.
”Where are you going?” Erica yelled as Jerry rushed by her.
”I've got to save her.” He dashed up the steps to the coach. The door rattled shut behind him.
”But you can't catch him in this,” Erica ran to the ma.s.sive vehicle and tore open the door. She rushed into the c.o.c.kpit. Jerry wasn't there. Chewy lay in the pa.s.senger seat annoyed; Erica had woken her.
”Where is he?”
The dog looked puzzled and lay back down.
The rear of the coach began to rumble. The weakened walls rattled.
Erica spun and saw a panel in the rear of the cabin hanging open. It was dark beyond the small door for just a moment. Then it was flooded with sunlight.
The loading ramp crashed to the ground and Jerry jammed the transmission into first. The old Dodge charged to life down the ramp.
The crowd had begun to emerge from behind doorways and buildings. They dove for cover again as the Viper sent up another barrage of rocks. The metal walls of the town hall barn banged like thunder as the larger rocks left dents in the building. The braver ones in the group watched as the black sports car tore through town square and out into the wasteland.
Erica rushed through the garage and down the ramp of the Silver Lining. She watched the Viper disappear through the gates of the town and began to chase after it.
Logan's dog, gray and grizzled, cut her off before she could step onto the dirt of the courtyard. He bristled, his hackles raised; the mutt drooled as he growled. Teeth were missing. What were left formed a jagged smile that snapped in the air as Erica began to back away.
Three steps would take her to the safety of the motor coach's cabin. Two took her to Chewy.
She b.u.mped into the mighty mastiff and stopped.
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