They were hiding at the front corner of a wood sided house. The house had wildly overgrown shrubs – the bad neighbor – all around it. In the corner was an enormous bush and they slipped into the low space below it against the house. There was little space for them both –crouching – but Daniel felt it a good spot for a short time, they could run in a number of different directions as needed – if they needed to. He was thinking. Not far off they could hear the truck, occasional shouting, and then they could hear a second truck. Daniel resisted the urge to run again. If there were many of them they would hold the upper hand right now. They waited. Five minutes, fifteen, half an hour passed. Occasionally they heard shouts. The shouts hopped around the neighborhood; popping up first far out, then near, to the left, then off again. The truck seemed to be running up and down the outer drive, but had not been tracing up and down the smaller streets. Isobel began to fidget. She was growing uncomfortable and Daniel grew angry towards her. His legs were screaming in a cramp and he had been suppressing the need to move.

She began to shift. She was first trying to peer out of the bushes and then trying to find a place to stretch her legs. He closed his eyes. He forced her out of his mind. The burn was shooting up his thighs. He opened his eyes and looked at her, her eyes were pleading. He nodded. She showed relief. They began to wiggle slowly.

He was in agony. His muscles were on fire. He wanted to move quickly out, but resisted the urge and unpacked himself slowly. He rolled forward, crawling out of the bushes along the side of the house, away from the street. When he had moved part way and stopped he felt her slipping over him, crawling over him slowly to emerge first. He let her come, buying time to allow his pain to subside. She passed him and crawled out first. He followed.

They didn’t emerge fully. They both stopped in a small strip of shade underneath the large shrub. They were exposed, but not out of cover. She turned to him with a worried look that transformed quickly into a look of relief. He smiled and blinked. A warm smile spread across her own face.

Their expressions sank simultaneously. A low swishing sound in the grass in the lawn before them – footfalls – were nearly on them. Dread filled Daniel in a rush of heat and sweat. They froze – both of them. Daniel was lying on the shotgun. He had allowed it beneath him while he crawled. The swishing stopped; footfalls were on them now. They looked up. Ed was standing over them with a rifle in his hand. He was holding it, not brandishing it. They all regarded one another without moving, seconds passed.

“Ed.” A whispered call from behind him floated in. Ed shot his hand out behind him in a ‘wait’ signal. He didn’t move his head. He was looking at Isobel, but he cocked his head funny.

“Ed.” The whisper, lower. Ed turned back angrily and held up a finger. He gave a stern look and then turned back slowly towards them. He looked at Isobel, coldly at first, and then his expression changed to sadness. He looked at Daniel for a flash – a blink – but turned his eyes back to Isobel. They watched him struggle with himself. It was a painful wash of emotions, visible in his eyes. He held his ground for thirty seconds, forty-five.

“Ed, what do you see?” The whisper was urgent, pressing.

Ed turned. “I thought I saw a fucking rabbit, you asshole,” Ed said to the man in a low whispered, angry voice. “Not that I’d ever get the fucking chance to shoot one,” he breathed. “What with me chaperoning Mrs. Peterson’s fucking third grade class on a god damn field trip to the petting zoo today, you fucking idiot,” he berated the man coldly. “Bobby, what the fuck are you doing on my side of the street?!” he asked angrily. “Will you be able to do any single fucking thing that I tell you at some point?”

“I just…,” the young man warbled.

“You just nothing, you fucking retard,” Ed went on, “get your ass across the street and try to find whatever or whoever the fuck we are looking for!”
“Ed,” the young voice pleaded again. “Ed, I don’t want to find those people.” He was earnest. “I ain’t up for this shit, Ed. That guy killed Cody fucking dead as Sunday fucking dinner, and beat John Ray all fuck shit so you can’t hardly recognize him – face all smashed…,” he sputtered, “swollen up like a damn cantaloupe.” The boy had fear in his voice. “I think the very last thing in this whole world that I want to have happen right now is for me to stumble across those people. I ain’t into dyin’ today, Ed. I just want to get done and get back in one piece. I don’t give a shit about some random folks hiding out in this fucking backwater town…”

“You shut the fuck up, Bobby. Parker hears shit like that come out of your mouth he will sure as hell shut you the fuck up for you.”

“Ed I ain’t….”

“Bobby, shut your trap!” he told him “And get your ass back to the truck!”

The young man, who they had not seen, turned and hurried away. Ed stood watching the boy, and then he turned to Isobel, looked at Daniel and then Isobel again, drew breath and then followed the young man away.

Daniel and Isobel shrank in relief. – Thank God for unrequited love.
Wax Dragon