"BLINKED" Chapter Two: Author: Ralph Marston

This story continues, with pages four thru six: Man on the run!

             "BLINKED "

         Chapter Two of Three

 

page four:

                   Things don't alway's look as they appear to be.

 

 

Soon he sees.... four men, huddled around a small camp fire. as he approaches these strangers, John Doe inquires if any of them know at what time the train would be passing (the following day) ?, also if they knew what tie it maybe. one of them turns towards him and spits on the ground, he wears a rope around his waist instead of a belt and by his appearance (this stranger) hadn't see or used a bar of soap in years. said howdie... my name is Smitty Jones (the others call his "cow chips") cause I'm from Texas , been hopping trains for the better part of my life. I just can't seem to quit (smitty added), you know... from that first train I hopped back in forty three... I just fell in love with it. what's your name "sonny" ? and he said my name is "John Doe". all the men around the camp fire started laughing. don't you know boy (said smitty)... thee only time I've ever heard of someone called "John Doe", he was a dead man.

what do you take us for some fools (yells out Charles Jones) , no.. no sir, answered John Doe, but that was the name on my clothing at the hospital. Charles once again speaks... saying where the hell did you come from.. "the morgue ?.  no (answering John Doe). trying to explane that some how he "Bliked" and the next thing he had no memory ? , I can't even remember my own name..so they gave me that name "John Doe. Manuel ( the third member of the group) said " so your an escape patient", I wonder if someone has a "reward out for you", then thy all start laughing and invite John Doe to warm himself  around the camp fire. Smitty said its about ten thirty now and the train passes about eight in the morning give or take a few hours, some days there are more trains on this line then others.

then eacone started to introducing themselfs.... hi my name is Charles Jones, a big dark skinned man said sitting across from John, as Charles extends his hand to shake. then the next one who was also a large person said my name is "grey Eagle" (he was a full blooded Alaskan Eskimo) as he shook his hand also then Manuel Cruze stood and shook his hand also, thats when Charles said hey John count your fingers and laughed.

then one by one each would tell their own stories of where they came from and how long they had knowned also where they met each other. Smitty asked John if he would like a "taste", to warm yourself up... sure saying John. then Charles pulls out a bottle from under his coat takes a slug (drink), then wipes off the top of the bottle and passes it to John.. who takes a drink and starts to chokes as the liquid goes down his throat. must be used to that good stuff (said Grey Eagle) they all laughted again.

where was you heading John ? asked Manuel, I'm not sure answering John, I just know that I have to find my family before its to late. you know its a big country out there (said Smittie),yar..I know (said John) but as soon as my head clears a little more I feel I'll remember what state and my own name. are you hungry ? sure am replyed John, we'll here try this (it was cooking over the campfire) no.. no thanks fellas. it looked like a rat on a stick. now Grey Eagle and Charles are standing up yellin at John "you said you wanted some thing to eat... so eat it, demanding the two of them and within a flash... someone or something hit John square in his face and John remembered feeling something warm flowing down his face (it was his own blood). now John felt more and more pain from all parts of his body ( as if they all were hitting and kicking his body).

Jon Doe started falling in and out of conciousness. what John Doe seen was slowly moving objects coming towards himself and laughter... then his eyes closed for good.

he woke up in a daze. hurting all over his body, as he looked towards the ground he could see a pool of dryed blood also he noticed one of his eyes he could barely see out of and then some bloodied teeth on the ground. as he attempted to pick himself up, John stumbles back to the ground in pain, within moments again out of fear that these men would return he makes his way upward. he knows he again must hide and seek shelter to rest. as he crosses the rails (train tracks) he looks both ways, all clear... no one either way. he now makes his way for the woods along the trains route and comes across a small stream after washing his wounds and having a drink, he gathers some branches to rest for a while. thats when he notices his pockets are turned inside out.. then he hears that voice again... she saying "rest my love....rest and recover.... you still have a ways to go.... I'll always be here with you"   sleep and get healthy my love. as John lays on the branches, he fall off into a deep sleep.

 

 

 

 

                       "BLINKED"

 

page five:

                 fighting back is always harder:

 

 

as an express train moves pass his location:

hes woken to the ground shaking and noise of the trains movement across the tracks,  now trying to move his legs so he could stretch them out, cause so much pain... tears streamed down his swollen cheeks. asking himself over and over again "why" did those men beat him up (for no apperent reason) , it had to be something more then me not wanting to eat "a squirrel". then all sorts of thoughts crossedhis mind, and some how he managed to stretch his arms and legs... no he attemps to stand once again, but again he falls down. he decided that resting awhile longer would be the best thing for now.

 

after what seemed like a few more hours, he again attemted to stand... but falls down once again, he has become one shaky human being. finally he's able to stand upright, then starts to walk slowly around.

he walks towards the edge of the woods near the train tracks, looking once again up and down the tracks, he sees nothing. now he attemps to walk towards the burned out camp fire, where he finds a jug of water and opens up the container and took some of the liquid into his mouth swooshing it around and spitting it out on the ground, after a couple more times (of doing that, to clean the blood out of his mouth) finaly he's able to take a drink . the way he felt he wasn't going that far today, he knew that and at the same time he didn't want his "new friends" to return while he was in the area. who knows what these men would do ? if they knew I was alive and still near by, so John knows for better or worst he must find a safe place to hide and heal to continue looking for his family once again.

 

as John walking down the along side the train tracks (hes covered by the underbrush), his thoughts once again are of his new friends.  are they criminals, who are using our rail systems to comit crimes in different states and that way leaving a cold trail to follow ?, have they killed anyone ? I know they could have killed me and left me at the camp site for dead, I would have become just another dead drifter.

but his thoughts change once again that he will soon be on another train searching for his tru identity and his family, but for now he sarted getting tired from all this walking. so he heads inward deeper into the wood, so he can that it easy and rest for the night. tomorrow if hes feeling better then he can try to get on another train, but for now he needs to rest again as he drinks the last of the water.

during the night John hears trains passing his location, then what sounded like someone walking down the train tracks. he could barely hear there voices (as they seem to whisper) but they to pass on by.

the following morning Johns feeling much better and feels he able to ride the train, so he slowly waits on the edge of the underbrush (next to the woods), when off in the distance John hears a whistle blowing...  as the sounds become louder, John sees that it a freighter (a cattle, live stock car). as this train approaches, John runs and able to grab, the railings and moves towards the side door where its unlocked and hes now able to open one side and slides inside where he finds used hay  (he uses the hay to make himself a bed for the night), all thru the night Johns stomach growls (with hunger pains, two days without food). morning can't come soon enough for John, as this train again starts to slow down, John opens the side door and leaps off the moving train.  his body is stiff from the way he was sleeping and the pain its still in, but he knows he must walk so attemps to walk slowly (at first) be after a short while John picks up the pace. soon John see a marsh area or some sort of pond in the not to far distance.  again John picks up the pace, maybe theirs berries or some kind of fruit near by ?. once he sees the water he beginning to feel a little better. John starts by taken a long drink and then starts washing his hands and face, then all over his body... that's when John sees the reflection of "his friends" aggression towards himself in the pool of water. now with every movement  his whole body aches, there are gashes below his eyes and face... yet another on the side of your head. 

now your starting to questioning yourself again, should you have just stayed at the hospital ? , for surly you would not have been injured or beaten half to death.  if you had just waited awhile longer but whatever your reasoning is... it's always the same answer "your looking for your family and theirs no two ways about it".

after you've cleaned yourself up (the best you can), you lay back on the waters edge, your stomach aches (with all thats happen over the past few days, its no wonder your even alive) you still haven't eaten.

so as you help yourself back up on your feet once again. you start walking towards the train tracks, after what seemed like hours... you spot a restaurant sign off in the distance. you heart starts feeling better infact your whole body feeling much better. as your getting closer to that restaurant you can smell the fumes of food in

the air.now even your mouth makes your lips grins. 

 

 

 

 

 

                           "BLINKED"

                       Chapter Two

 

 

page six:

 

the road is alway's going

 

 

Those aroma you smelled was that of Italian food, now your stomach groans with pain. John begins to walk towards the rear of the restaurant. as John approaches from the wooded area, he see two employees standing around and smoking a cigarette, while drinking a coffee. then one of the employees seeing John exiting from the woods, yells to him to keep moving... otherwise he'll tell the managemnt to call the police.

scared now John limps back into the woods, from there all he can do is to wait and watch until the coast is clear.

those two employees now leave the loading dock area and walk back into the employees entrance area. John stays where he is and notices two security camers around the rear. but hunger finaly takes over his fears of being caught and its either now or never. slowly John looks around and makes way towards the rear loading area, then he hears a noise... a voice,  John moves under the dock area... and hears voices talking then a cigarette drops ( to the ground below), then a noise of a door closing. he waits a bit longer and no noises John

believes those employees must have been on their break, but the rear door must be open... but again John is to scared to go any where so he waits until dusk. towards the early evening hour he hears another employee on the loading platform area after a few moments John again hears the closing of the rear door. this time is his last chance to find something to eat... all of a sudden John hears someone coming from the rear door area, he quickly ducks under the loading area again. as he waits a rat walks pass him along the wall of the building,he is so scared of both (that person on the loading dock and that rat) that sweat pours off himself now.

then again John hears the door closing, he hurries out and climbed on the loading dock, he try's the rear door knob "it won't move", there was nothing but used cigarettes buts in the ash tray. desperate from hunger... then John notices a camera aimed at the rear loading platform area and also the door. now John fears that the employee had infact told the manager or owner about seeing him there earlier and by now he had been spotted, so the police must be on their way. John begins to limp down the rear stairway, then he spots a "dumpster container", and now knows its either finding something to eat inside that dumpster or starve.

the pains over came any guilt of his survival. he lifted himself into the container, then sees a bag... of what appears to be day old bread, then John notices another bag, but that one is closed and it feels as if there are containers inside of that bag... so John reaches for the both of them... grabing them both tightly as he lowers himself to the ground and runs into the woods. before looking inside either bag John makes sure that he's  furthest from that area, but fatique made Johnstop to see what was inside those bags.

the first bag had day old bread that had turned green (mold), the scond bag did have containers and they were closed and taped... to his surprise, they contained complete orders apparently no one picked them up and they were thrown out... as John opened the container it had meatballs and spaghetti, with a roll and butter. at least something was going right for me now (John was thinking). maybe my luck is changing now... for the better.

full and feeling much better now, John lays back on the ground to rest looking at the stars above. after awhile

John heads back into the woods. again gathering branches for his bed. John lays down and said to himself honey it won't be long now, tomorrow I'll hit another train and we'll be that much closer.... again John hears a womans voice speaking to him "remember what ever happens down the road, I'm alway's beside you...my love"

that night Johndreams for one of the few times since he left the hospital, John keeps hearing the same womans voice thru out the night... I love you...very much, soon my love... you'll be home again. then its as if he could feel someone's lips... touching his own, then a total blank.

as the sun once again rises, John hears the sounds of a train approaching... hopefully (that train is heading the same way as I am). John standing on the edge of the woods again (slowly the noise becomes louder and the whistle blows even louder) yes it's heading the same way I'm going. maybe my luck has changed.

 

Author's Note

sorry I have tryed to write this short story using one story line.