Chapter 37

Present – Stacy – Travel back to the bunker

The horses are more than spooked - they are scared and are running like hell! I'm holding onto the travois for dear life and decide I desperately need Ben. I free one hand, thumb the hammer back on the shiny rifle and fire a shot! Well that was a mistake because now the horses are even more out of control and running faster!

Present – Ben – Travel back to the bunker - Recon

Well whoever was stalking us, is stalking me now which is much better since they are leaving Stacy the hell out of this. Now it will just be between the two of us, mano y mano! As I decide to start stalking this bastard, I think I see something but then I hear the distinctive report of the Winchester Centennial '66. I snap my rifle to my shoulder, fire a couple shots in the general direction of what I thought I saw to try to deter whoever's stalking me. I begin running in the direction of the report.

I hear a second shot from the Winchester and realize I'm much further away than I first thought. I run the best I can but my leg still bothers me some. As for whoever is stalking me, the shots sure didn't deter them because the hair on the back of my neck are still standing tall.

Present – Stacy – Travel back to the bunker

Where the hell is Ben? I operate the lever on the rifle (hey this is a pretty cool rifle) and fire a second shot in hopes that he will hear me this time. I'm looking forward trying to see if the horses are any more calm, when I hear a noise behind me. I turn and I can't believe what the hell is chasing us. I yell, "Faster you nags and get us the hell out of here!"

I figure it's gaining on us, probably because Knacker isn't very damn fast pulling this travois. So I try my best to snuggle down into the travois, let go with both hands, operate the lever on this cool rifle again and fire at it. But of course I miss because there's no way in hell I can hit it while I'm bouncing around on this travois. Let's see that's three shots. How many shots did Ben say this cool rifle held?

Present – Ben – Travel back to the bunker

I hear another shot from the Winchester. That's three but I determine I'm much closer. There was one in the chamber so she only has four rounds left. I sure hope she remembers to reload before she runs it empty.

I ignore the pain and find the energy to run even faster and I know the extra speed must be pure adrenaline. I still feel the hair on the back of my neck. In fact it's worse than ever so whoever is stalking me is also faster than I am. I chuckle for a moment when I remember Mira and how she was faster than I was. It would be funny as hell if it was her – again.

Shit, there's another shot from the Winchester, but I'm much closer now and soon I will be on the same road the horses are on, then I can really fly.

Present – Stacy – Travel back to the bunker

I fire again, more out of fear than anything else. Ben sure the hell is right, controlling fear in a confrontation is the hardest thing of all. I operate the lever and fire again and of course I miss so I do it again and miss again. Frack it all how many shots was that? I decide I'd better reload, start looking for the box of ammo for the rifle and realize it's gone. I frantically check and thank God I still have the revolver. I pull up the revolver, cock it and fire - and dammit I miss!

Present – Ben – Travel back to the bunker

I hit the road and crank up the speed, but whoever's chasing me must do the same because the hair on my neck feels like needles. I hear the report of the revolver and figure Stacy's in real trouble. I round the bend and I can't believe what I see! I almost stop running because I'm so damn surprised. It's a fucking lion chasing her. I hear a growl behind me and realize I've got another fucking lion chasing me. Where the hell did lions come from in Texas?

When Stacy fires again, the round whistles past my head and I hear a yowl from behind me. Dammit, she missed her lion and hit mine. I see her cock the revolver again and figure I need to be out of the line of fire so I jog to the side as she fires again and misses everything.

I glance over my shoulder to check the situation - my lion is hurt and pissed! But thank to Stacy's lucky shot, it's running slower and I'm improving the distance between us some. I decide that if I fire at her lion, it might just distract it. So I pull my pistol...

Present – Stacy – Travel back to the bunker

Ben finally shows up but I can't believe it, he's bringing another fracking lion with him. I fire, miss my lion, miss Ben (thank God) but somehow it hits his lion, which lets out a yowl and noticeably slows. I watch as Ben pulls his revolver, fires and he hits my damn lion. It yowls like crazy, Knacker freaks out and swerves and I get thrown off the travois. The last thing I remember is hearing a hell of a lot of gunshots. Then I hit the ground and...

Present – Ben – Travel back to the bunker

I'm distracted by Stacy falling off the travois, then when I regain my composure I realize I have a wounded lion in front of me, another wounded lion behind me and five rounds left in my revolver. I'm gaining faster on the lion in front of me so that's my first target. Besides, it's still after Stacy. I figure if I can take it down with the revolver, I just might have time to use my rifle on the lion chasing me. So I empty my revolver into the lion chasing Stacy and it finally collapses in a heap.

I keep running, bring my rifle around, spin and face the lion behind me. It let's go a blood curdling yowl, I fire offhand but dammit I miss! I operate the bolt, fire again and this time it's a hit. The lion slows some more but keeps coming. I operate the bolt and fire - it's another hit but the damn thing still won't go down. I operate the bolt, fire again and the rifle goes click! Dammit, I forgot the mag on this rifle only holds four rounds so I'm out of ammo (and out of luck).

It charges me so I wait until it's close enough and swing the rifle like a baseball bat with all my might. It connects squarely with the head of the lion, snaps the stock of the rifle in two and the lion collapses right on top of me. I scramble, trying to get my hand free to find my knife and realize this is not my tactical vest so it's in a different place. Then I realize the lion on top of me isn't moving anyway and begin to laugh like crazy!

Present – Stacy – Travel back to the bunker – SA and SLLS training

I wake up to the sound of Ben's laughter and I wonder what the frack is so funny. I slowly get up, realize how damn sore I am now, look over and see a lion on top of Ben. I pull up my revolver, fire and hit the dirt in front of the lion. Ben yells, "Stacy stop firing! This damn lion's already dead. Come over here and help get this damn smelly thing off me."

I shuffle over look at the two of them and ask, "How in the hell do you expect me to move this fracking lion in the condition I'm in?"

Ben says, "Shit I forgot that you're a little hurt."

I interrupt, "No I'm a lot damn hurt now!"

He whistles. Bo shows up this time by himself but won't get close to Ben. I say, "Well a lot of good that did."

Ben answers, "Well, get the rope off Bo, and bring it here."

I walk towards Bo, but his ears are back and he's pawing the ground like crazy. So I begin to talk to him till he calms enough for me to reach him. I take the rope, bring it over by Ben, he loops it around the lion's neck and says, "Now hook this over Bo's saddle horn and have him pull."

Again I have to soothe Bo as I walk toward him, tie the rope to his saddle horn and begin to lead him. It drags the lion off Ben with a thud. Bo looks back, sees the lion is moving and takes off running - dragging the lion behind him. Ben cusses, "Dammit! I thought I told you to hook it over his saddle horn, not tie it over his saddle horn. We'll never see him again!"

Ben begins to whistle and I sit down and do the only reasonable thing - I cry...

Present – Ben – Travel back to the bunker

Shit! I got upset at Stacy, yelled at her and in the condition she's in she becomes more upset and starts crying like hell. I sit down beside her, try to hug her but she pushes me away and blubbers, "You, you, you yelled at me."

I apologize, "Yeah, I was upset about Bo, worked up from dealing with the lions and I let my emotions get the best of me. Please forgive me."