3. Counter Attack

Chrissy fights back.

Chrissy's gamble worked. The SUV slowed almost to a stop as the driver wondered what she was up to. Chrissy stopped the motorcycle about twenty yards in front of it and put her hand behind her. Emily placed one of the stones in it. As the SUV accelerated again Chrissy lobbed the stone toward it. She lurched the motorcycle forward, feinted left and then veered right and sped past it by only a couple of feet. She heard the stone connect with the vehicle's windshield with a high-pitched, satisfying crunch. Her heart nearly stopped when she felt Emily momentarily lose her grip and almost fall off the motorcycle.

The SUV skidded to a stop and Chrissy came around the back end to the other side. She stopped about ten yards away from the passenger door and put her hand behind her again. Emily placed the remaining stone into it and Chrissy flung it with all her might. The stone didn't even slow down as it smashed through the window in an explosion of glass.

She spun the motorcycle around and sped across the field toward the road as fast as she dared. It was hard to tell, but the SUV didn't appear to be following them. When she reached the road she took a chance and stopped to look behind them. The SUV was just starting to turn and come across the field after them again. There was a giant spiderweb-like series of cracks across the windshield from the concussion of the stone she had thrown at it.

She took off down the road for about half a mile and then went off-road again into another wooded area. Once they were deep into the cover of the trees she stopped.

“Are you okay, Squirt?” she asked.

Emily nodded. “Yeah.”

“You gave me a scare when you almost fell off. You need to hang on tighter,” she said.

“I'm sorry,” Emily responded.

“You don't need to apologize. I just don't want to lose you, okay?” Emily nodded again. Chrissy dug her phone out of her pocket. “I need to call 9-1-1 and report those clowns. I have no idea where we are, but the cops should be able to track us using my phone's GPS.” She started pushing buttons on her phone and then stopped with a puzzled look. “That's funny. It says there's no signal, but I just saw a cell tower less than half a mile away.” She continued trying to manipulate her phone. “What the hell? I can't get this thing to work at all!” She suddenly froze and her eyes grew wide. “Oh, my God!! They hacked into my phone somehow!” she exclaimed, “That must be how those guys are tracking us! They're using the phone's GPS!” She flipped her phone over and popped the back off and removed the battery. “I don't know how the hell they got my number, but that means they know where we are! We need to keep moving.”

She started the motorcycle forward again. Driving through the woods was difficult at best. She had to maneuver around trees, bushes, fallen logs and various other obstacles. It certainly wasn't an old-growth forest with lots of room between giant trees. The trees were packed close and there was plenty of undergrowth in the way. There was no clear path and they made slow progress. She tried to travel in an easterly direction, parallel to the road as best as she could. After nearly an hour she stopped and turned the motor off. They both got off and took off their helmets. Chrissy scanned the woods behind them for signs that they were being followed.

“What are we going to do?” asked Emily in a fearful voice.

“I don't know!” snapped Chrissy, “Give me a chance to think, will ya?!” Emily sat down on a fallen log with a dejected look.

Chrissy stood and stared into the trees for several minutes. She tried not to show Emily how worried she was. Who were these people that were chasing them? It was becoming obvious it wasn't just road rage. They were damned resourceful if they could get her phone number and hack into her phone. And why were they after them? She needed more information before she could come up with a plan. But in the meantime she needed to show Emily that she was in control and knew what to do. More than anything, they needed to keep moving.

She looked over at the child and suddenly felt guilty about snapping at her the way she had. Then she made a decision. She opened the small tool pouch that was attached to the side of her motorcycle. She took out a utility knife and a screwdriver and put the screwdriver in her back pocket. It would serve as a weapon in a pinch. Then she cut a small, low hanging branch from a nearby tree with the knife.

“We need to keep moving,” she said to Emily, “And I have a job for you. I'm going to try walking the motorcycle for awhile. It will make less noise and save on gas. And it won't be much slower than riding it through these woods.” She handed the branch to Emily. “I want you to bring up the rear and wipe out the tracks that the tires make so that anyone will have a hard time following us. I also need you to keep an eye out behind us and watch for anybody.”

Emily nodded and took the branch from Chrissy. It was an important job, but Chrissy also knew that it would make her daughter feel useful and help take her mind off of their predicament.

Before they started out, Chrissy looked at Emily a little sheepishly and said, “I'm sorry I snapped at you, Kid. We're in a tight situation and we need to be patient with each other, okay?”

Emily smiled and nodded. “Okay.”

It was slow going at best. Chrissy tried to keep going East. The sun was obscured by the trees most of the time and it was difficult to tell which direction they were traveling. Without the use of her phone she had no idea what time it was. Emily's task wasn't that difficult. Most of the forest floor was covered with leaves and other debris, so they didn't leave many tracks. When she wasn't covering their tracks, she was helping Chrissy push the motorcycle. After traveling for what seemed like two hours Chrissy stopped to get her bearings. They were both exhausted. Emily sat down while Chrissy looked at their surroundings.

“Remind me to put a compass in my tool kit when we get home,” she said.

“Are we lost?” asked Emily meekly.  She didn't want to anger Chrissy again by pestering her with questions.  But Chrissy answered her in a reassuring manner.

“Well... yes and no I suppose,” responded Chrissy, “I have no idea where we are. But we're not lost in the wilderness if that's what you're worried about. This is farm country, so none of these wooded areas are very big. We're surrounded by farms and roads. If we keep walking, we'll come across something sooner or later.” As long as we don't walk in circles, she thought to herself.

She dug into their overnight bag and took out one of the water bottles and opened it. She gave it to Emily and said, “Here, Kid. But take it easy. We only have one more after that.”

Emily drank a third of it right down and then handed it back to Chrissy. Chrissy drank a couple of swallows and put it back into the bag. Then she grabbed the motorcycle by the handlebars and said, “Let's get moving.”

Author's Note

Suggestions and constructive criticisms are always welcome.

By the way... I saw Chrissy in the store today. No kidding! Except she had long hair.

Reviews

[Megan Simpson]

Ooh the suspense continues! I'm really enjoying this story so far. My one suggestion is to focus on really showing the readers what you mean rather than telling. (One example I saw while reading this was where you wrote something along the lines of, "Emily sat down with a dejected look." Instead of telling that she was dejected, you may want to say exactly how to make the story more visual.)

[Craig2591]

Good point. Thanks for the review.

[Tina Kline]

Did you take a chance and say hi to Chrissy?

Good chapter. Can't help but strongly wonder what is going on here, why these people are chasing them? Good mystery.

[Craig2591]

I wanted to say something to her, but I was afraid I might come off as a creeper. She already caught me staring at her.

Thanks for the review.

[Tina Kline]

You're welcome.
Maybe nest time when you see her you can have a plan of action so you won't come off as a creeper! It would be fun to say hi to her.

[Nienor Niniel]

I like the interaction between Chrissy and Emily. It shows that Chrissy's concerns about being a good mother are unfounded; she has Emily's best interests at heart, and that's what counts.

The Idea that someone could track a person by using a cell phone's GPS is creepy!

[Craig2591]

I'm pretty sure that the cops can track you through your phone if you have the GPS on, so I figured if they can do it so can others.

Thanks for the review.

[Barbara Walker]

Seeing Chrissy must have taken you by surprise! I know it would me! I might even have to say something to her...

[Craig2591]

She even had burgundy lipstick. I had to keep from staring. Even my wife said it looked like her.

[Barbara Walker]

How funny!