Colten knocked again. No answer.
He stepped to the side of the door and looked in the window, cupping his hands to fight against the glare. He could see the kitchen with its small table, the couch. His eyes scanned the room, down the hallway. It was a small place, this should be easy.
He grabbed the door handle and tested it. Locked. Colten studied the doorjamb and saw that it was pretty weak. The age and rot of the place gave the cabin little strength.
He stepped back, raised his foot, and kicked at the door. The handle broke but the chain-lock held firm. The door parted a few inches. From inside he could hear a quick scream.
The prize.
He reached inside and felt for the chain but couldn’t get it.
———
Laura saw Colten’s fingers wiggle through the doorjamb. They resembled the legs of a spider feeling its way through the air. Catching her breath, she pounced forward, slamming her weight against the door, smashing his fingers in the process.
Screams of agony echoed through the desert emptiness.
Colten pushed against the door, doing everything possible to free his fingers pressed numb against the doorjamb. Laura stood on the other side, all her energy used in keeping it closed. He could hear her breaths, her exertions.
“I’m going to kill you! You know that, right!” he screamed through clenched teeth, his eyes rolling to the back of his head as he tried to process the pain coursing through his hand. He put his shoulder into the door again and again, pulling on his trapped fingers. Finally they came free and the door shut securely in the jamb.
Colten fell back on the porch, clutching his hand, whimpering. Underneath the door he could see the faint shadow of Laura’s feet. She was right there, inches away from him. His source of agony.
He stood and kicked the door with the rage of demons.
It flew open, knocking Laura back onto the kitchen table. It smashed apart as it broke her fall. She quickly regained her feet and stood facing him, a splintered leg from the table held firmly in her hand. She could feel a thin trickle of blood running from her hairline.
So this is how it starts, she thought.
A maniacal smile crossed his face.
“You? I know you,” he said with a mix of surprise and sick fascination.
He took two steps forward, seemingly unconcerned with the weapon she had. She swung it quick, as if she had been anticipating the move for years, and landed the blow low on the side of Colten’s knee. He buckled in pain and dropped to his knees. Laura brought the table leg back again, but before she could strike, Cole drove his fist into her stomach. She doubled over, and then he backhanded her across the head. The table leg went flying as Laura fell to the floor.
With his good hand, Colten grabbed Laura’s ankle. She kicked at his arm with her free leg, but he would not let go. Colten’s body was in such a state of shock that added pain had a diminishing effect. He refused to let go. Crawling on the ground like a wounded lizard, he fought the blows of the woman and pinned her to the ground. His fury out of control. He looked down into Laura’s face.
“This is going to be good!” he whispered to her.
His hands began to strangle her by their own will as if possessed by something outside his body. He was in the zone. The perfect zone. This woman was done.
Then the noise.
“Hey!”
Colten looked up. Toward the back of the cabin.
There was the girl.
His lost adventure.
Running toward him.
The table leg held back in her hands like Big Papi swinging for the fences.
Colten’s head tilted and his eyes widened in fascination as Molly swung the piece of wood across his face, his nose breaking on impact and spewing blood through the cabin. The shock of the blow sent him back through the doorway and rolling down the porch into the dust.
Molly helped Laura to her feet, the older woman’s eyes showing the realization of death in them. The two women stepped to the door and looked outside.
Colten was staggering to his feet, his wounded hand trying to offer comfort to his busted nose as his frame tottered on his swollen knee. His whole body was in pain. He looked at them through swelling eyes. His body began to shake. His rage uncontrollable.
Laura took the table leg from Molly and started stepping through the door onto the porch. Molly stayed behind her.
“You need to get out of here!” she yelled, doing her best to sound strong.
“I ain’t leaving.”
“Get out of here!”
“This is just getting started!” Colten spit venom and blood onto the ground as he advanced to the porch. Laura swung the weapon but missed, the blow going wide and carrying her momentum with it. Colten grabbed her and threw her off the porch. Laura went crashing to the ground. Molly suddenly stood exposed, staring into the eyes of her kidnapper again.
“Remember me?” Colten said as he grabbed her hair with both hands, driving his knee into her abdomen. The girl crumpled before she knew what happened. Colten then cuffed her across the head, knocking her unconscious on the porch.
He turned to face Laura, who was just getting up off the ground.
The wood was still in her hand.
Colten laughed. “Looks like we have a stand-off here.”
Laura surveyed the scene. Molly lay on the porch, Colten’s boot now placed gingerly over the girl’s neck as one would squash a bug. She stood several steps away, bruised, scared, and shaking. Her eyes looked on the horizon. Boots, Jack . . . where are you?
“Ain’t no one coming . . . it’s just you and me now.”
Laura tried to force words into her throat. Her adrenaline had already exhausted itself with the first round inside the cabin. She held the table leg more in self-defense.
“Get away from her,” she stammered.
Colten put his hands up and smiled, lifted his boot, and stepped off the porch. “You say so.”
Laura found herself moving backward with each advancing step of Colten.
“You ready for this?” he asked, savoring the moment that was unfurling before him. He could sense her apprehension. Her fear. Her intimidation.
Laura suddenly felt the truck grill pressed up against her back. There was no more space to retreat. She planted her feet and squeezed the piece of lumber in her hand.
“Yeah,” she whispered, “I’m ready for this.”
He tilted his head, blood dripping from his nose and mouth. The same sadistic grin on his face.
Laura prayed for Boots and Jack to emerge from the wasteland as she swung with all her strength.