joanie drove the truck across the deserted parking lot and eased it down an unpaved slope and on to the highway. she turned right, heading north.
the “highway” was filled with ruts and potholes. there was no dividing line on it.
“so is this the barbary coast?” joanie asked ruby, who was riding shotgun beside her.
“you could call it that, “ ruby said. “there is no clear dividing line, there’s nothing official.”
“this road is awful,” joanie said. “does it get any better?”
“no. maybe in a few spots, but this is basically it, except when it is really bad.”
“whatever.”
“i told you how bad it was,” ruby said.
“yes, you did. i guess it just didn’t register.”
despite the weight it was carrying in the back - food and water for two days, a few guns, some ammo, clothing and costumes, and big ticket and flabby judy - the truck was bouncing pretty good.
“do you want me to go faster?” joanie asked.
“a little faster. until it starts to get dark.”
“all right.”
“when it gets dark, “ ruby explained, “you can get people suddenly coming at you, especially from around bends.”
“i see there are no lines.” joanie said. “this is two-way, right?”
“oh, absolutely.”
“and there are no lights.”
ruby laughed. “forget lights. honey, lights and lines are the least of our worries.”
they bumped along. after half an hour they had still not seen another vehicle on either side of the road.
it started to get dark.
“we are making great time,” ruby said. “right on schedule . keep going until it gets completely dark, then i will take over.”
joanie wished ruby had not said things were going so well, because it might be unlucky, but she did not say so.
*
it was completely dark. but ruby had fallen asleep.
they had still not encountered any other vehicles, or any signs of life. or any lights by the side of the road.
but the truck’s own lights were working, and joanie could see where she was going. she decided to let ruby sleep, and push on. she was not tired, and had no desire to get into the back of the truck.
then, finally, she saw another truck up ahead, coming toward her.
a much bigger truck than their own, and driving without lights. it was painted a light gray, and was visible enough.
joanie slowed down a bit as the big truck passed. she could not see into its cab as it passed.
she breathed a sigh of relief. she watched in the rear view mirror as the big truck disappeared.
except that it did not disappear. it turned around, taking its time to do so, and then began following joanie and her friends’ truck.
joanie took a couple of deep breaths, and speeded up a little.
the big truck seemed to speed up too.
ruby woke up as soon as joanie touched her arm.
she seemed wide awake instantly. “what’s up?” she asked joanie. “it’s dark.”
“we are being followed.” joanie managed to not sound panicked.
“followed?” rubye looked at the passenger side rear view mirror. “for how long? are you sure they did not just come up behind us?”
“they were on the other side. they turned around and started following us.”
“are you sure it’s the same truck?”
“they turned around right away.”
“ahh. i see.” ruby stuck her head out the window and looked back at the pursuer.
“what should i do?” joanie asked. “where are we? should i try to out run them?”
“no - here’s what you do. floor it, for about two hundred yards. then pull over and stop,”
joanie was happy to let ruby do the thinking. she speeded up, and started edging to the side of the road.
ruby opened the glove compartment and took out a pistol.
“stop here.”
joanie pulled over and stopped.
ruby got out of the cab with the pistol in her hand. she started walking back to the other truck, which had stopped in the middle of the road, about fifty yards behind, still with its lights off.
big ticket got out of the back of the truck, carrying a shotgun, and followed ruby.
“what’s going on here?” ruby shouted at the silent gray truck. “what do you clowns want?”
28. a message for renaldo
| 
No comments:
Post a Comment