Page 2 of Silos and Sabotage

She could hear the purr of another truck motor approaching, this time from the other direction. It had a smoother sound than the last one, and it was accompanied by the expulsion of air brakes and a squealing sound as it came to a complete stop.

Oh, no!She froze, knowing she must have been spotted since she’d failed to stay hidden. Though she was too weak to force her eyelids back open, she heard the slap of boots against pavement as the driver leaped to the ground, then the sound of running footsteps.

“Ma’am?” An unfamiliar male voice wafted through the breeze gusting above her head. “Are you alright?” He sounded concerned.

There was no answering slice of dread in her like there’d been with the last guy. Her shoulders slumped. “I, um…” She struggled to open her eyes, but was unsuccessful.What does it look like, mister?A hysterical laugh bubbled inside her, but it came out as a sob.

There was a scrambling sound and the tingle of gravel hitting the side of her left boot as the man climbed into the ditch beside her.

He mumbled something about calling an ambulance.

“No,” she gasped, unsure where her sudden burst of vehemence came from. Though she felt no fear around the man who was currently trying to help her, she knew she’d be a sitting duck at the hospital if the other man returned. Every instinct in her told her she needed to get moving again.

Strong hands gripped her upper arms, helping her sit up.

“Water,” she croaked, swaying a little. She pressed her hands to the ground on either side of her to regain her balance.

There was a rattling and hissing sound behind her. The strong hands immediately let go of her arms. A pop of gunfire ensued, making her jolt in surprise.

“Sorry about that,” the man said quickly. “Blasted rattlesnakes!” His hands closed around her upper arms again, lifting her swiftly to her feet. “We need to get you out of here before the next one slithers your way.”

She sagged against him, sensing that she was safe with him.

He muttered something she couldn’t understand and hauled her the rest of the way into his arms.

As her head lolled against his shoulder, she could smell grease and dirt on his clothing, along with the familiar scent of grain. He walked a few steps before muttering, “Up you go.”

He deposited her on a cushioned seat, laying her on her side. The vinyl upholstery felt cool beneath her cheek. Seconds later, water trickled against her cracked lips. It was slightly warmer than room temperature. Though she would’ve preferred cold water, she opened her mouth wider and gulped it thirstily. It trickled past her parched throat.

After a few seconds of lapping water, she was finally able to open her eyes.

The concerned features of an old cowpoke stared back at her. His face was so lined from overexposure to the sun that he could’ve been anywhere between fifty-five and seventy-five. He was seated behind the wheel inside the cab of what appeared to be a semi-sized truck. An uncapped bottle of water was fisted in one hand. By now, the water was pooling on the the seat cushion beneath her cheek. She could feel it soaking into the collar of her shirt.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“My pleasure.” Though he tipped the brim of his dusty hat at her, the concern didn’t leave his heavily lined face. “I’m Jim, by the way, and you are?”

“Ella.” She wasn’t sure what prompted her to use her real name since it didn’t feel like she’d used it in a while. Though she watched him closely for his reaction, his scowl of concern remained intact.

“Are you one of the seasonal workers around here?” he prodded.

Now there’s an idea.It would certainly explain how she was dressed. “I, er…” She ultimately decided to tell him what she did know. “I’m looking for someone. A man by the name of Gage Hefner.”

“No kidding?” To her astonishment, Jim angled his head in the opposite direction his truck was facing. “I’ve run into him a time or two at The Hitching Post.”

“You have?”She nearly choked on the lump of elation rising in her throat. Though she still had no idea why she was looking for him or how long she’d been at it, her heart pounded in anticipation of seeing him for the first time. Finding him felt huge — the needle-in-a-haystack kind of huge. Hopefully, Gage Hefner would be able to answer her biggest, most burning questions — like where her father was and why it felt like the two of them were in danger.

“Yep! He’s usually with one of his coworkers. A guy named Johnny, I think.” Jim chattered companionably as he buckled his seatbelt and gripped the steering wheel tighter.

A coworker?Ella had no idea where Gage worked, but the image briefly flashing across her mind was that of a man in a military uniform. The fog inside her head was starting to wear off. Despite her exhaustion and dehydration, bits and pieces of her memories were rising to the surface. They started to form pictures and feelings — a hospital bed, pain, lots of pain, screams, figures in white lab coats converging on her, then utter darkness.

The old cowpoke watched her swiftly changing expressions with concern.

“If you’re not from around here, The Hitching Post is a diner,” he explained. “A new one that’s crowded wall-to-wall with youngsters like you.”

Up to this point, she’d been too busy trying to figure out what she was doing on the side of the road to give any thought to her age. It came to her, anyway.I’m twenty-four.Another memory shivered to life and took shape inside her head — one where she was seated across from her father at an upscale restaurant. He was singing Happy Birthday off key to her, but the warmth and nostalgia fluttering through her was cruelly sliced away by the darker tang of fear and sadness. It was all she could do to hold back her tears.

“Tell you what,” Jim sighed, glancing at his watch. “How about I turn around, head back into town, and drop you off there?”

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