for comfort. Unlike before, Reno didn’t take the time to return fire. Instead he kept his gaze focused on the path ahead. His goal was to lead the killers as far away from Clay and the children as possible. To his left, the granite mountain loomed large, a vast dark dome. The deeper he rode into the canyon, the thicker the shadows became. Soon, only a strip of night sky was visible overhead. Pulling up on Traveler’s reins, Reno slowed the horse for safety’s sake. Unfortunately, this gave his pursuers an opportunity to close the gap between them.
“This is our playground, Redskin.” Redskin? Reno shook his head at the irony as a warpaint wearing Kinsella kept shouting, “We know these hills and hollers like the back of our hand. You’re trapped. There’s no way out of this canyon.”
Reno couldn’t dispute their claim, sheer rock walls rose on either side of him. He seemed to be trapped. His only hope was to find a cave or a crevice, a place of shelter to make a final stand. No matter the outcome, as far as he was concerned his mission was a success. Clay and the children were on their way to safety.
Pop! Pop! Pop! A hail of bullets flew around him. With gritted teeth, he kept expecting one to pierce his flesh. He returned fire, but only once. His sixteen-shot Henry rifle was out of bullets, he needed to reload.
And then he saw it – thank God, they were wrong. Straight ahead of him, Reno could see an opening in the wall. Moonlight illuminated a pathway out of the canyon. If he could make it through without getting shot – he had a chance. “Come on, Traveler. Faster, buddy. We’re almost out of here.”
With a burst of speed, the black stallion lunged through the opening. To Reno’s shock, he heard what sounded like an audible pop – as if someone uncorked a bottle. Despite his urging, the horse came to a full stop as if it had come to the edge of a cliff. But there was no cliff – just a wide expanse of rocky terrain lay before him. He stared into the distance as the night air seemed to vibrate and an odd silence settled around him like a heavy blanket. Holding tight the reins, Reno tried to calm Traveler as the stallion sidestepped and danced in place. Something had spooked the horse. Stranger still, the hoofbeats of the raiders could no longer be heard. Turning Traveler around to face from whence they’d come, Reno eyes met an impossible sight.
A wall of rock stood behind him.
“Whoa, boy.” He patted Traveler’s neck as he dismounted. Taking a few steps, he ran his hand over the solid surface, trying to determine what had just transpired. Only moments before, he’d come through an opening and now that opening was no longer here. How was this possible? Gazing around, he searched for answers, his mind racing. When he lifted his head to gaze into the heavens, Reno found himself staring at two blinking lights traveling fast across the sky among the stars. “What in the hell is that?”
Journey
Out of breath, Journey stopped near a mesquite tree to rest for a few moments. She listened to shouts and footfalls, trying to determine if they’d figured out her path. Glancing around, she could see Enchanted Rock in the distance – the grand, granite mountain dark against the sky. As she gazed at it, Journey marveled at the green glow that suddenly appeared. She knew there was some scientific explanation for the phenomenon, but for now she would consider it to be a sign of hope. Assured of the direction she needed to go; Journey took off again. If she could make it to the ranch, she felt she had a chance. Myra kept a key on a magnet behind the shutter that covered the kitchen window. If she could get in the house, there was a gun in her aunt’s closet.
Could she shoot someone? Journey didn’t know. If she didn’t, what would they do to her? Rape her? Kill her?
“Hey, bi-i-i-tch! Can you hear me? Isn’t this fun?”
Fresh horror sent a cold chill running over every part of her body.
They were coming for her.
“Help me. Please help me!” she cried as loudly as she could, having no earthly idea where help might come from.
* * *
“Help me!”
Instantly, Reno’s attention was jerked away from the mystery lights overhead to a woman’s frantic voice drifting to him