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The guy’s leer turned into a scary smile. A smile that made my skin goosepimple and my breath catch in my chest. There was nothing in that smile to suggest mercy or goodwill and a lot to suggest a shallow, unmarked grave once they’d finished with me.
“Ah... hi,” I said, hoping I’d misread the situation.
His friend got out and slammed the passenger door then the two of them exchanged looks and nodded.
Both of them snickered. The driver ran his hands down his plaid shirt without taking his gaze from my boobs.
It struck me how alone and vulnerable I was here.
Very alone.
Very vulnerable.
Despite the heat, a cold chill ran through me. My stomach churned so badly, I had to hug myself.
Those guys weren’t here to help. I could run. I could phone someone. But chances were, these guys would tackle me before I could do anything to save myself.
Still, I tried to work my phone. Maybe I could dial emergency services without looking at the screen. But it slipped from my sweat soaked hand, landing in the gravel at my feet.
The two of them edged closer. My gaze darted around, knowing there was no escape but hoping against hope. I could make a run for it across those sheep paddocks. Maybe, eventually, I’d find a farm house but more likely, they’d run me down. At least here on the roadside I had a slight chance some passerby would see me and stop.
I could bargain with them. I could offer them money to leave me alone. But I had no money. Hell, they could have my car if they let me walk away. Walking was fine with me.
The passenger guy rubbed his crotch. Light flashed off the gold hoop in his ear. That earring looked out of place with the rest of his outfit like some stolen bounty.
I needed to escape.
My car. If I jumped in and locked the doors, I’d be safe.
I had about five seconds before they were on me. I edged along the side of the car, not breaking eye contact. My hand reached out for the door handle.
I flung the door open when the driver lunged at me. He smashed his body into mine, slamming the door shut behind me.
I trembled. My only sanctuary taken from me. All the while, my stomach twisted into tighter and tighter knots. It wasn’t like these guys would let me run off for a toilet break.
I should’ve just paid the roadside assistance fees. I’d have some friendly mechanic here helping me now instead of just crows and sheep.
The driver licked his lips and laughed. I kicked him before he could do any more but he just kept laughing. He stood so close now, I had no chance of escape. The other closed in on my other side.
My gaze flittered between them. Two on one, I’d never win this fight.
“What’s wrong, darl?” the driver drawled. “We just want to help you... and have a little fun...”
The stench of sweat and bourbon came off him in waves. I tried backing away but, with the car behind me, I had nowhere to go.
He grabbed my wrists. I froze, trying to shrink. He gawped at me like he didn’t even see me as a human being, just a lump of meat he could use for his own amusement. Even if I had money to offer, he’d steal it and I’d be no better off.
Only a miracle would save me now. Tears welled in my eyes. I had nothing, no weapon even to defend myself.
I wanted to scream but the sound stuck in my throat. Screaming would do me no good anyway. Who’d hear me out here?
The crows screeched as though they’d taken over the screaming for me.
The guy dropped my wrists to grip my jaw tight. I tried to kick him but he’d blocked my body so tight I couldn’t get any power into it. Instead, I tried to squirm away.
“She’s feisty,” he said.
“Means she wants it,” his friend said.
That made no sense at all but I wasn’t about to argue with them. If I stayed still and quiet, they might hurt me less. I could only hope. They’d have their fun and get it over with quickly. My insides chilled at the thought but I saw no other way out of this.
The shrieking of the crows got louder. The passenger guy picked up a rock and threw it at them. I tried getting away while they were distracted but I couldn’t move. As the rock struck the fence, the crows rose up into the air.
Everything turned black as the crows descended. The driver screamed and jumped back, letting go of my jaw.
The crows perched on his head and shoulders. More and more descended until I could barely see a thing.
I put my arms over my head, squatting down to protect myself as I became surrounded by the flutter of wings. The cold metal of the car body against my back became the only thing connecting me to reality.
Each time the wings hit my skin, I flinched, waiting for something more brutal. But it was only a gentle swipe. Nothing to scream about. No pecking, no biting. The flutter seemed almost reassuring, like the crows wanted to be my friends, but they weren’t. I didn’t want friends with beady eyes and sharp beaks.
I stayed huddled down as the screams and cawing reached a crescendo around me, drowning out the thumping of my heart. Drowning out the weird noises coming from my stomach even. I rubbed my stomach, trying to calm it down.
I’d die here on the side of the road with my bones picked clean by those damn crows and that’d be a welcome death compared to being raped to death by rednecks.
Until that happened, I could only hug myself and hope for the best.
If I could reach my phone, I’d call for help but without uncovering my eyes, I could only feel around on the ground.
The flapping around me died down a little tempting me to look up but, if I did that, would the crows peck my eyes out? My fingers dug into my knees.
A crow settled on my shoulder. I jumped. They’d finished off the rednecks and wanted to start on me? But he cawed gently and something cold dropped on my lap. I opened my eyes a little and grabbed it.
A gold hoop earring. The crow had given it to me?
As suddenly as they’d started, the crows went silent.
A car started up. The rednecks?
Then I heard the car skidding through the gravel.
I risked peeking up. They’d gone and the crows had gone back to sitting on the fence. A few black feathers on the ground were the only signs of what had happened. I looked at that earring in my hand again, half afraid it’d still have earlobe attached to it but thankfully, no.
I got up to my feet, using the car to steady myself because my legs had turned to jelly. What the hell had happened here?
“Thanks, crows,” I said, feeling silly talking to them but I could swear they understood.
I picked up my phone. Luckily, it wasn’t broken. It just had some dirt on it but I dusted it off then redialed the roadside assistance number.
“Take my money,” I said to them. “Take all my money. Just fix my car.”