Helltown - Jeremy Bates Page 0,31

kicking wildly. Mandy on her butt, as if she’d been pushed over, her hands held protectively in front of her face. Cleavon shoving himself onto his knees, glaring at him. He didn’t see Floyd anywhere, and knew the man must behind him—

Something heavy slammed into the back of his head.

Mandy was still dazed from Floyd’s open-handed slap across her face. Her eyes watered, her cheek smarted, and when she blinked away the stars she saw Floyd looming up behind Austin, swinging a tree branch. It struck the back of Austin’s head with a snappish crack. His eyes rolled up in their sockets and he fell limply onto his chest.

This happened so quickly Mandy had no time to react. Now she leapt to her feet and ran at Floyd, screaming at him to leave Austin alone. Floyd kicked Austin in the side of the head twice before she reached him. She grabbed his arm, trying to pry him away. He shoved her aside and kicked Austin again. The impact of his foot striking the side of Austin’s skull made a heavy, dead thunk. Mandy felt ill, and all she could think was: This can’t be happening! This isn’t happening! He’s going to kill him!

Shouting hysterically—she hadn’t quit shouting the entire time—she flung her weight into Floyd, knocking him off balance and away from Austin. While she drummed her fists against his chest, he clutched her around the throat with his hand. She gripped his wrist but could do little else except make rusty, rasping noises. He squeezed tighter, crushing her windpipe. His eyes were shining like a rabid animal—intense yet emotionless.

“…stop...” she gasped.

Her body was going weak. Blackness seeped into her vision.

She tried to rake the freak’s face with her fingers, but his arm was outstretched at full length, and his arm was longer than hers. She swiped at air.

He’s killing me. He’s going to kill me right here.

The realization was like a shot of adrenaline to her heart. She kicked with all her strength and connected with his groin. He bellowed, sagged, and released her.

She ran.

Encouraged by Mandy’s escape, Cherry raised both her legs and drove her four-inch heels into Earl’s shins as hard as she could. He grunted and dropped her to the ground. She fled in the opposite direction Mandy had gone. The forest was a blur of darkness and fog, shadows layered upon more shadows. Still, she didn’t slow. She knew her life had boiled down to two scenarios: escape and live, or get captured and die.

Mandy thrashed through the scrub, out of control, like a drowning swimmer. Her throat, already raw from being strangled, was now on fire. Her breathing came in gasping sobs. The scent of rot and evergreen seared her nostrils. She dodged vegetation left and right, leaping and ducking obstacles she saw at the last second, praying she didn’t poke out an eye. She raised her arms for protection against the brittle branches clawing at her face, but she could do little to prevent them from piercing the thin Spandex of her costume, scouring her stomach and legs, drawing warm blood from a half-dozen different cuts.

Cherry thought she had lost Earl when a hand suddenly seized her shoulder. She felt resistance, felt herself slowing. Then a loud tear. Her top. She was free, picking up speed. But she only made it a few more steps before Earl seized her shoulder again, this time dragging her to the ground.

She scrambled forward on all fours, the giant clawing her back, her rear, searching for purchase. He snagged her leg, his fingers pinching her flesh. She kicked her foot, once, twice, and connected with his face or shoulder. Yet he wouldn’t let go. She rolled onto her back, gasping for breath, struggling to free herself. He raised a fist. She brought up her arms in front of her face to block the blow. His swing came from the side, plowing into her left ear, knocking her senseless. He raised his fist again. She yelled and squirmed. He smashed her jaw.

Holding onto consciousness by a thread, Cherry shoved her hands into his face, pushing him away. One of her thumbs found an eye socket and she dug deep.

Earl reared up with a startled cry. She wormed out from beneath him, flipped onto her front, and crawled away. She didn’t get far. A moment later he appeared next to her and mumbled something that might have been, “Nice try, little girl.” He kicked her in the stomach, lifting