9 Seconds of Freedom, Original Suspense, Part 35, links to other episodes
The benches emptied as guards and staff ran as one from the cage, to the opposite end of the compound, almost a quarter mile away. From where I was, I couldn’t see a single guard remaining at the cage.
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Leeanne stood up and carried bolt cutters over the dam and to the fence. The women in the cage still had no idea what was in store. She clipped the fence as quick as she could.
Another woman joined her with a second set of cutters, as they made a tall upright cut about four feet high. Then they cut horizontally, to create two big flaps. Another flare lit the area and I could see the other team doing the same.
The chain link was fastened at the bottom of the fence as well and by the time they got it cut, the women at the front of the cage were starting to notice.
“Hey, there’s someone back here,” someone yelled.
Women began moving toward us.
“They’re cutting the fence,” another voice said. “We’re free!”
Meanwhile, the emergency generator had kicked on, and the lights over the ring came back up. Someone from Leeanne’s team raised a pistol. There were three cracks and the ring was plunged back into darkness.
From the front gate, gunfire continued, along with a lot of pig calling and war whoops and loud four wheelers. Several of the ATVs came into the compound and circled around.
Across the water, at the edge of the clearing, motors could be heard as well. The cavalry was arriving to haul us out. Women were flooding out of the fence.
“Sarah?” Leeanne called.
She was looking for her sister.
“Have you seen Sarah?” She asked every woman coming out of the fence.
“Hotbox, Sarah’s in the hotbox,” one of them finally said.
Leeanne pushed into the compound. She looked back at me.
“My sister’s in there, I’ve got to get her,” she said. “If I don’t make it, take care of my son.”
I had a choice, I could do what she told me. I’d done that before. Or, I could go after her. I dragged Boots’ unconscious body up onto the dam. One of the women I recognized from lunch met me.
“It’s Boots, what happened, is she shot?” she asked.
“No, she shot the doctor. Not sure why, take her back, but don’t take your eyes off of her,” I said.
Four strong hands took Boots and her two guards took her back across the water.
I stepped through the cage wire and pulled the pistol from my belt. It was heavy and square. I’d only fired one a couple of times at a range a few months back.
It seemed like a skill I should have. I looked for a safety, it seemed to be off. I pulled the slide back and let it go, then I ran.
I could see Leeanne’s back. She climbed over the women making their way out the back, bolt cutters in hand. I found a second pair, discarded just inside the cage, I grabbed them and followed. When I reached the front of the cage, Leeanne as already cutting. I joined her.
“What the hell are you doing in here?” she asked. “I told you to take care of my kid.”
“Yeah, but last time I did what you said, you tried to kill me, so this time I’m coming after you,” I said.
She kissed me.
“See that outhouse looking thing in the middle of the compound?” she asked.
I nodded.
“She’s in there. You know how to use that pistol?” she asked.
“Sort of,” I said.
“Well, if anyone comes near, point and shoot,” she said.
We ran out together. The hotbox was locked. I turned back for the bolt cutters.
“Dalton, there’s no time,” Leeanne said.
She threw her shoulder against the box, it began to tip. I added my weight to the other side and the old rotted wood holding it to its concrete foundation crumbled.
The hotbox tipped back and fell. On the three-foot square of concrete in its center, huddled a blonde mess. Even with the look of confusion and horror on her face, she looked exactly like Leeanne.
“Leeanne?” she said. “What is…”
At that moment, a bullet ripped into the ancient wooden hotbox. Followed by another. I looked up. Coming at us, from across the compound was a man in a guard uniform. He pointed his gun and fired as he ran.
I raised up to one knee, shaking. I pointed the pistol and pulled the trigger. The gun leaped out of my inexperienced hand, my shoulder hurt. The bullet went higher than I’d been aiming, and ripped through the man’s face. I froze. His nearly headless body toppled to the ground.
“Dalton!” Leeanne screamed. “Run!”
The guards had been turned back from the gate, and realizing they were under attack from the rear, the two remaining uniforms I could see were moving toward us.
I ran. Leeanne half carried her sister for the first few yards, then Sarah found her footing and they ran side by side. I reached the dam and hopped over, sliding down into the water. I was up and running before I heard the first shot.
Bullets tore into the water behind me. I didn’t look back.
When I reached the clearing, someone dragged me onto the back of a 4x4. On the ATV next to me, the driver had tied Jensen’s arms around his waist, and his half missing face was staring at me.
“Hold on,” my driver said. I did.
success is always a friend @markrmorrisjr
SAME AS I HAVE WRITTEN FOR PART 34...
"I want to be honest with you... I have started to read this book from beginning and I am only at the 3th part yet -reading at my works break- ... and I won't read this part... I will wait... when I finish previous parts I will read this and next chapters.. I want to enjoy this novel... "
quite an interesting read. keep it coming sir. and thanks for the supports you gave me as a minnow. mentioned you in my milestone post of today. best regards sir
Any time, I try to be the person I wish I'd found when I started something new.
sure and keep it coming for us. So excited having shared my first ever vlog in dtube and hoping it goes well. lets keep up the steemit spirit!
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