Page 98 of The Hitchhikers
This time, with Simon reading the map, they found their way through Fernie and back onto the Crowsnest Highway. The sun slipped below the mountains and dusk fell. The old truck’s headlights were low and didn’t shine far ahead. The forest on either side was dark.
Alice kept glancing at the rearview mirror, but there were no police lights chasing them. No sirens. There’d been so manyshots fired. She swallowed against the lump in her throat and forced her hands to loosen on the wheel.
When they came into a small community, Alice sat straight, her heart beating faster, but it turned out to be more of a stopping point, with a general store, a gas station, and a roadside hotel and bar. There wasn’t a single streetlight and within minutes they’d passed through.
The highway was dark for a long stretch, only the occasional car passing them, until they reached a town called Sparwood, this one with more homes and businesses. She slowed the truck. There was an intersection coming up, and past that, the glowing lights of a gas station.
Alice stole a glance over at Simon, who was still checking the road behind them. Good. She wanted him distracted.
The light changed to red. Was it the right moment? Alice hesitated. She didn’t want to hurt herself on the pavement. Or get shot. Then Simon turned to look behind them again.
Alice slammed the gear shift on the wheel column into park and pushed the door open with her other hand. She leaped out, stumbled into a run, and aimed for the closest building.
Another door opened behind her.
“Hey!”
Heavy steps, harsh breathing, and a body slammed into her. She fell forward, the ground rushing up. All the air was pushed out of her chest. She slid. Her chin scraped along the pavement, elbows, palms. She gasped and wheezed.
“What the fuck, Alice!”
She couldn’t take a breath. Maybe he’d broken her ribs. She was close to panic when she was finally able to get a lungful, but Simon was dragging her up with one arm around her waist. Then his hand gripped the back of her neck, and they were walking toward the truck.
She tried to pull away, twisting, and hitting. If she could buy a little time. A car would appear. Someone would see what was going on. She elbowed him, kicked, but Simon was so much stronger, and he dragged her along. They were at the open truck door.
“Get in!” He lifted and shoved her inside. She latched onto the steering wheel for leverage, then turned, and kicked him in the chest. He swore and grabbed her ankles, twisting her legs. He leaned his elbow into her thigh and punched the bicep of her outstretched arm.
She screamed and let go of the wheel.
Simon pushed Alice across the seat, almost to the floor. She could hear Jenny sobbing. Simon was partway into the truck. Jenny had moved over to the passenger’s seat.
Alice was forced to sit straight. Her arm and thigh throbbed.
Simon slammed the driver’s door shut, gripped the steering wheel. He struggled with the shifter, found the gear, the engine screaming as they pulled away. He cursed as he tried to shift again, grinding the gears until they clunked into place, and Alice and Jenny jolted forward.
Alice tentatively ran her fingers over her chin, felt each palm of her hand. Bits of grit were pressed into her skin. She tried to pick them out. Her kneecaps burned. She thought about Tom, tears filling her eyes. How was she ever going to get them help now?
“You shouldn’t have run.” Jenny’s voice was scolding, angry.
Alice snapped her head toward her. “Why wouldn’t I? You can’t honestly think we’re going to live through this, Jenny. The cops are going to shoot all of us. You and your baby!”
Jenny’s eyes grew wide. “Shut up!”
Alice felt cold hard metal pressing into her temple.
“Don’t talk about the baby,” Simon said.
Alice had gone too far. She didn’t dare move. She closed hereyes, and felt movement beside her, a weight pressing on her side, the warmth of Jenny.
“Stop!” Jenny yelled. The truck swerved, and the gun slid away.
“Jesus Christ, Jenny! My finger was on the trigger.”
“Just stop, Simon! Leave her alone. She’s scared. I’m scared!”
They were quiet after that. Simon was focused on driving, taking corners too sharp or too slow. Alice gripped the edge of the dashboard. Simon overcorrected around a bend and crossed the center line, toward an oncoming car. The driver honked, shouted something out the window.
Alice eyed Simon from the side. Even in the dim dashboard light, she could see that his arm was covered in rust-colored streaks, and there was a darker circle in the middle of the bandage. His face was shiny with sweat, his eyes flicking to the rearview and side mirrors.
