her away as the head
snapped at her. She cried as the animal screamed and lunged forward.
The
others were caught off balance. Startled, with the scent of blood in their nose
and their herd mate screaming in pain the other creatures panicked, lunging
down the trail.
Deidra,
caught off guard fell back from the carriage step into Eugene's arms. He helped
her to her feet. She angrily shook off his helping hands and said something like
unhand me. He grimaced, holding his hands up and backing away. She turned to
the unmanned carriage.
The
carriage bounced down the trail with the refugees yelling and running in hot
pursuit. It hit the bend of the trail and smashed into a pair of trees. Ryans
winced in mute sympathy. The splintered yoke snapped, the animals continued on
oblivious, leaving the wrecked carriage behind them.
The
girls stared stunned, the refugees as well. One was bent over, huffing in
distress, clearly out of breath. Zara threw herself into Perry's arms, weeping
bitterly. He hugged her and patted her shoulders awkwardly. “Well, that
sucked,” he muttered watching the refugees shake their heads and head back. One
kicked a stone in disgust.
“What
now?” he asked looking over to Ryans. He turned as well to see Deidra climbing
into a hummer.
“Guess
they ride with us,” Ryans said dryly as he looked over his shoulder to Deidra,
sitting prim and proper, head elevated, every inch a princess in charge. He
shook his head; he for one wasn't going to argue with the woman. “Come on
folks; let’s get the hell out of here. I for one have had enough excitement for
one damn night.”
“I'll
take care of them,” Doc said softly. “Come on kid, let’s get you fixed up. I've
got a washcloth and a chemical toilet with your name on it... then we can get
you an MRE.” She wrapped an arm over the other girl's shoulder and gently
guided Zara away from Perry towards the camper. Deidra noted their path and got
out to follow.
<==={}------------>
“Where
are we going now?” Zara asked, looking back to Deidra as the healer urged her
into the strange large carriage.
“With
them of course,” Deidra said. The man and woman followed her.
Inside
the metal carriage she looked around in amazement. There were strange torches
in the ceiling, bright white unlike anything she'd ever seen before. The walls
were thin and white with wood paneling on what looked like cupboards.
There were seats as well, and seats in the front. There was a glass wall,
something she didn't understand. A man was seated in front, behind a wheel. He
said something to the healer.
“Strange,”
she murmured looking around. The healer closed the door and pushed the peasants
into a seat. Deidra and Zara sat in another seat. She turned to the driver and
said something. After a moment the strange contraption rumbled to life and
began to move.
The
healer turned and opened a small door and pulled out clear bottles. She used a
hand to pop the top off one and handed it to Zara before giving another to
Deidra and then finally one each to the peasants.
<==={}------------>
Doc
slipped each of the girls a couple of yellow pills after they had a drink of
clear cold water and washed up. They asked what they were for in their
language. Guessing their intent from their faces she told them gently
that one was to prevent infection; the other was to prevent pregnancy. The
princesses nodded after she mimed what she meant. Zara latched onto the Doc,
Doc told them both they needed rape trauma counseling.
Chapter 3
When
Zara finished her drink she whimpered a little as they hit a bump. She fumbled
the cap on, surprised that it screwed on and then studied the material, trying
to distract herself. Her legs crossed and she groaned as they hit another bump
and jolted.
“You
have to go again don't you?” Deidra demanded. Zara nodded mutely, one hand
going to her waist. “I suppose I'll have them stop then,” Deidra said. She
waved to the healer. The
snapped at her. She cried as the animal screamed and lunged forward.
The
others were caught off balance. Startled, with the scent of blood in their nose
and their herd mate screaming in pain the other creatures panicked, lunging
down the trail.
Deidra,
caught off guard fell back from the carriage step into Eugene's arms. He helped
her to her feet. She angrily shook off his helping hands and said something like
unhand me. He grimaced, holding his hands up and backing away. She turned to
the unmanned carriage.
The
carriage bounced down the trail with the refugees yelling and running in hot
pursuit. It hit the bend of the trail and smashed into a pair of trees. Ryans
winced in mute sympathy. The splintered yoke snapped, the animals continued on
oblivious, leaving the wrecked carriage behind them.
The
girls stared stunned, the refugees as well. One was bent over, huffing in
distress, clearly out of breath. Zara threw herself into Perry's arms, weeping
bitterly. He hugged her and patted her shoulders awkwardly. “Well, that
sucked,” he muttered watching the refugees shake their heads and head back. One
kicked a stone in disgust.
“What
now?” he asked looking over to Ryans. He turned as well to see Deidra climbing
into a hummer.
“Guess
they ride with us,” Ryans said dryly as he looked over his shoulder to Deidra,
sitting prim and proper, head elevated, every inch a princess in charge. He
shook his head; he for one wasn't going to argue with the woman. “Come on
folks; let’s get the hell out of here. I for one have had enough excitement for
one damn night.”
“I'll
take care of them,” Doc said softly. “Come on kid, let’s get you fixed up. I've
got a washcloth and a chemical toilet with your name on it... then we can get
you an MRE.” She wrapped an arm over the other girl's shoulder and gently
guided Zara away from Perry towards the camper. Deidra noted their path and got
out to follow.
<==={}------------>
“Where
are we going now?” Zara asked, looking back to Deidra as the healer urged her
into the strange large carriage.
“With
them of course,” Deidra said. The man and woman followed her.
Inside
the metal carriage she looked around in amazement. There were strange torches
in the ceiling, bright white unlike anything she'd ever seen before. The walls
were thin and white with wood paneling on what looked like cupboards.
There were seats as well, and seats in the front. There was a glass wall,
something she didn't understand. A man was seated in front, behind a wheel. He
said something to the healer.
“Strange,”
she murmured looking around. The healer closed the door and pushed the peasants
into a seat. Deidra and Zara sat in another seat. She turned to the driver and
said something. After a moment the strange contraption rumbled to life and
began to move.
The
healer turned and opened a small door and pulled out clear bottles. She used a
hand to pop the top off one and handed it to Zara before giving another to
Deidra and then finally one each to the peasants.
<==={}------------>
Doc
slipped each of the girls a couple of yellow pills after they had a drink of
clear cold water and washed up. They asked what they were for in their
language. Guessing their intent from their faces she told them gently
that one was to prevent infection; the other was to prevent pregnancy. The
princesses nodded after she mimed what she meant. Zara latched onto the Doc,
Doc told them both they needed rape trauma counseling.
Chapter 3
When
Zara finished her drink she whimpered a little as they hit a bump. She fumbled
the cap on, surprised that it screwed on and then studied the material, trying
to distract herself. Her legs crossed and she groaned as they hit another bump
and jolted.
“You
have to go again don't you?” Deidra demanded. Zara nodded mutely, one hand
going to her waist. “I suppose I'll have them stop then,” Deidra said. She
waved to the healer. The
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