In which our heroes attempt to escape; one hero falls; one hero evades.
The boys watched intently as the dark figure of Angus Dawson wandered thru the forest, getting closer by the footstep. His head swiveling from side, clearly looking for signs of the boys.
“We gotta get out of here,” Ted whispered. “This guy is dangerous. I am not sure we can take him by ourselves.”
“Think we can outrun him?” Billy asked.
“Think we can outrun him?” Billy asked.
“Probably. We’re both young. He’s old. He’s likely faster in the woods. If we can get back to the trail, I think we can out run him in the clear. Besides, what choice do we have?”
Ted consulted his GPS again. “Looks to be 1600 feet to the trail”. Somehow that seemed to be really far under the circumstances.
Billy closed his eyes, deep in thought. Then he opened his eyes and looked around. They were huddled behind a series of rocks that ran several hundred feet in the direction of the trail. Behind the rocks was a small depression in the ground, just large enough to hide the boys.
Billy looked towards the trail, and then back to Angus, who was steadily getting closer. If Angus got any closer, they would be discovered.
Billy looked towards the trail, and then back to Angus, who was steadily getting closer. If Angus got any closer, they would be discovered.
Billy quietly got to his feet. “OK, bro, lets get out of here. We’ll head towards the trail. Keeping these rocks between us and him for as long as we can. Stay low, and follow me. Be as quiet as you can! OK?”
“OK, bro”, Ted acknowledged, getting into a crouching position, “I’m ready when you are.”
“OK, bro”, Ted acknowledged, getting into a crouching position, “I’m ready when you are.”
Billy was watching Angus intently, waiting for the right time to move. Angus was wandering back and forth, walking in an S shaped pattern, searching for signs of the boys whereabouts. When Angus was 200 ft away, he turned away from the rocks that the boys were hiding behind.
“Now!” Billy whispered. “Go now!”
Both boys gripped their hiking sticks tightly and started to crouch walk towards the trail. They kept the rock pile between them and Angus for as long as possible, but soon they were at the edge of the small ditch. They crouched back down carefully just before they lost the safety of the rocks.
“Now!” Billy whispered. “Go now!”
Both boys gripped their hiking sticks tightly and started to crouch walk towards the trail. They kept the rock pile between them and Angus for as long as possible, but soon they were at the edge of the small ditch. They crouched back down carefully just before they lost the safety of the rocks.
Billy peered out from behind the ridge in Angus’s direction. They had gained maybe a 200 ft lead, but Angus was still walking towards them.
The sun was starting to set, and it was getting dark in the forest.
“How much farther until the trail?” Billy asked in a hushed whisper.
“1259 ft.” Ted replied, immediately, already looking at his GPS.
“OK here is what we’re going to do. You navigate, and lead the way, I’ll follow and keep an eye on Angus. We’ll be out in the open, so stay low. If we get separated, we’ll meet up at Cockney’s Knob, ya know, where we had lunch.”
“Roger, I’ll navigate, you guard. Meet at the lunch spot.” Ted summarized quickly.
“OK, lets go - keep down and stay quiet!”
The boys moved out from behind the rocks and out into the open. They tried to keep as many trees between them and Angus. Ted kept an eye on his GPS, and the route in front of them, Billy stayed on his tail, and looked back constantly, keeping his eye on Angus. They moved as quickly as they could, and the pine needles on the forest floor kept their footsteps soft and quiet.
The boys moved out from behind the rocks and out into the open. They tried to keep as many trees between them and Angus. Ted kept an eye on his GPS, and the route in front of them, Billy stayed on his tail, and looked back constantly, keeping his eye on Angus. They moved as quickly as they could, and the pine needles on the forest floor kept their footsteps soft and quiet.
Billy’s heart was pounding in his ears. He had never been more scared in his life. He suspected Ted felt the same way, though his brother had always been more of a risk taker.
Ted was intent on moving forward, and keeping an eye on where he set his feet. He had read enough war novels to know that it was important to watch where one steps if one wants to remain quiet in the woods.
He stepped over a large tree branch. Suddenly the quiet of the forest was broken by a loud snap!
He stepped over a large tree branch. Suddenly the quiet of the forest was broken by a loud snap!
Both boys froze.
“I guess Billy didn’t read those books”, Ted thought to himself, as a sickening feeling grew in his stomach. He looked back to see that, indeed, Billy’s foot was resting squarely on that same branch.
Billy had been looking back towards Angus, and had not seen the branch. Also, Ted was right, Billy had not read those novels.
Billy gave his brother a look that said “sorry bro!”, then he looked back towards Angus.
Angus was heading straight for them, at full speed.
“Crap! We’re busted! RUN!” Billy cried out in alarm. “Go! Go! Go!”
Angus was heading straight for them, at full speed.
“Crap! We’re busted! RUN!” Billy cried out in alarm. “Go! Go! Go!”
Both boys took off running as fast as they could through the pine trees. They had about 500 ft to go. Angus was 200 ft behind them and catching up fast.
“Move!” Billy screamed at his brother, “He’s gaining on us!”
The brothers raced through the trees. Their arms and faces getting scratched up from the branches. It stung like crazy, but they didn’t have time to stop and complain.
“There is the trail!” Ted finally exclaimed, spotting a break in the trees about 30 ft away. Angus was right on their tail.
The boys reached the thick undergrowth that lined the trail. Billy caught his foot on a vine as he threw his body through the briars. He almost went down, but managed to keep his footing as he stumbled onto the path. Ted was right beside him, managing to remain in complete control of himself.
Before Billy could completely regain his balance, Angus Dawson lept from the woods and body checked Billy, putting all his might into it.
The brothers raced through the trees. Their arms and faces getting scratched up from the branches. It stung like crazy, but they didn’t have time to stop and complain.
“There is the trail!” Ted finally exclaimed, spotting a break in the trees about 30 ft away. Angus was right on their tail.
The boys reached the thick undergrowth that lined the trail. Billy caught his foot on a vine as he threw his body through the briars. He almost went down, but managed to keep his footing as he stumbled onto the path. Ted was right beside him, managing to remain in complete control of himself.
Before Billy could completely regain his balance, Angus Dawson lept from the woods and body checked Billy, putting all his might into it.
Completely out of control, Billy stumbled erratically into the woods on the far side of the trail, then he tripped over a large log. He heard something in his foot snap loudly. He screamed in pain like a banshee as he completely lost control and tumbled head first onto the ground, hitting his head on a stump. He blacked out.
He lay motionless, silent, and out of sight.
When Ted saw Angus leap onto the trail, he turned around and swung his hiking stick as hard as he could at Angus, hitting him squarely on the shoulder.
He lay motionless, silent, and out of sight.
When Ted saw Angus leap onto the trail, he turned around and swung his hiking stick as hard as he could at Angus, hitting him squarely on the shoulder.
Angus stumbled to his knees, but quickly got back up on his feet and leapt at Ted, tackling him to the ground in the process.
Ted kicked Angus off, and they both got to their feet. They exchanged several punches, swinging their fists back and forth against the others heads. Finally Ted kicked out and kicked his foot into Angus’s belly. Angus doubled over and cried out in pain.
Ted picked up his hiking stick, and swung it at the back of Angus’s head. Angus fell to the ground with a thud.
Ted looked around frantically for his brother.
“Billy!” He cried out, “Billy! Where are you?”
He got no response. Ted remembered what Billy said about meeting up and Cockney’s Knob. “He must have headed that way,” Ted thought to himself. He was in a daze from taking so many blows to the head and not thinking very clearly.
By this time the sky was mostly dark. The sun was down, and a full moon was rising over the trees.
Ted decided his best course of action was to head to the meeting place, and hope his brother was there. So he turned down the trail and started to run.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/. Copyright 2015 by Dave DeBaeremaeker. All Rights Reserved.
