Respect the Dead. Shawn McLain
off balance as the shoulder strap of her back pack tightened. She didn't even remember throwing it over her shoulder. Beth stumbled into the door frame. Spinning around she saw Mrs. McGee lose her grip. Reality hit her hard in the face. Beth let out a scream. She shot ran from the door the backpack now swinging from her arm. Out in the yard she looked left and right and had no idea where to run.
A car tore around the corner. It sped straight toward her. It was coming fast as it jumped the curb and went into a skid sliding on the grass. The tires threw mud and grass into the air. Beth's feet slipped and slide as she stumbled backward, terrified of being hit yet not want to back to close to the house. The well manicured lawn was shredded as the station wagon skidded to a halt right in front of her. The passenger side door flew open.
“Get in! Beth McDaniel! Get! In! The! Car!”
Beth took a step cautiously. A howl from behind her snapped Beth out of her shock, she jumped in slamming the door. Immediately she was thrown back against the seat. The car accelerated for a moment. She was thrown forward as the vehicle suddenly stopped. More dirt and grass flew in the air as the tires clawed at the lawn trying to get traction. Beth urging the car forward as Mrs. McGee slowly approached.
The woman’s face smacked against the window, Beth yelped jumping away knocking into the driver who barely noticed. The front tires bit into the concert of the driveway Beth was again thrown back in her seat. The car lurched forward as it squealed back onto the street, leaving a muddy blood streak on the window from Mrs. McGee’s hand.
Beth watched her former neighbor grow smaller in the side view mirror as they sped away. Turning from the mirror to the window she watched the road as cars and people flew by. She looked down at her lap. She played with the clasp of backpack. Realizing she was in a speeding car she looked over at the driver.
“Mr. Reager?” She stuttered in shock.
“Are you hurt? Did they bite you?” He asked frantically.
“No…… Oh god noo, Dad!” She turned in her seat looking out the back window. She couldn’t see her house. All she saw was a chaotic street and an empty backseat.
“Where is Denny?” She asked turning back to the front. Mr. Reager didn’t say anything as he hurled the car down the road missing an oncoming truck by inches.
“Dead” he finally replied. He turned the car toward downtown and the road to the highway.
Nice Night for a Ride
Kate was curled up in a the large chaise lounge in the living room. She was reading a heavy leather bound copy of “The Lord of The Rings” her father had given her.
“You’ve got to be kidding.” She said to the man standing in front of her. He held out her jacket. She let the book fall into her lap.
‘What? Why not?” Martin asked his daughter.
“I don’t know…It just feels inappropriate.” She shrugged but had already put in the book mark. She slipped on the thick black leather jacket. “Was this your idea?”
The rumble from outside answered her question. She shook her head smiling all the while. “Bear’s idea then? Are we going to be making any stops along the way?”
“Maybe, why?”
“Because if we are traipsing all over the war memorial, these,” she pointed to the purple Converse high top canvas sneakers, “Are coming with us.”
Martin crossed the room heading back to the closet. The front door opened. A huge hairy man entered the room, “Bear” grunted a greeting; Kate barely straightened up from untying her shoes to give him a wave in return. He passed Martin as he headed straight to the kitchen. Martin dropped a pair of boots by Kate’s feet as he followed Bear. Pulling on the boots Kate threw her shoes into her pack then joined the two men.
“Totally empty out there.” Bear was explaining, “Should be a great ride up the mountain to the memorial.”
The memorial was the huge monument to the fallen soldiers from the area killed in war. Bear’s father’s and Kate’s grandfather’s names were on that monument, as were several of Martin and Bear’s friends.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” She asked even as she zipped up the jacket and pulled the straps of the pack over her shoulders.
Bear downed his glass of water, his smile barely visible through his thick beard. Patting Kate on the head, “Kit, when isn’t a good idea to ride?” He was past her and out the door before she could answer.
Kate laughed shaking her head at his back. She knew Bear owned a car but in all the time she knew him he never drove it. “I swear he would ride in the snow if he could.”
“I think he has.” Her father laughed. Martin held the door to the garage open for his daughter. Kate thanked him with a laugh. He gave her a short bow. She hit the button to open the garage. She passed the expensive German luxury car. Martin stopped at the shining Harley Electra Glide. Kate hurried around her older Honda Accord to grab her helmet. Pulling her hair back in a pony tail with several bands on it in a faux braid she watched her father get the bike ready. The huge cycle roared to life then purred loudly. Kate allowed herself a second to listen the rhythm of the pistons.
Adjusting her hair, she slipped the helmet over her head. Martin clicked the remote to close the garage door as Kate hoped on the bike behind him.
“Ready?” He shouted over the rumbling engine.
She bonked her helmet against his in affirmation.
Martin pulled in the clutch, clicked the bike into first. As they eased down the driveway a smile broke out over Kate’s face. As the bike accelerated she yelled. “Swing by the Harley shop.” Her excitement growing. “I want to see my girl.”
Martin nodded. Bear pulled up next to them. The two bikes rumbled down the empty street of the neighborhood. Reaching a stop light. Martin told Bear of the side trip downtown. “Getting anxious to get your own?” Bear laughed.
Kate just smiled at him, “I don’t want to hang onto my dad forever.”
“I’ll miss having my girl with me.” Martin smiled over at Bear.
“Don’t worry; I’ll still ride with you, just on my own bike.”
“They gotta grow up sometime Marty.” Bear gruffed. “But Kit, don’t be so quick to let your Dad Go.”
“Seriously, I’m twenty and it might be time I…”
“You’ll always be an itty bitty princess to me, and a daddy’s girl.” Bear laughed. Kate’s reply was drown out by the roar of engines when the light turned green. Bear pulled quickly away. Slapping down her visor Kate chuckled at him.
“Coward, knew you were going to get an earful,” she thought. The smile on Kate’s face faltered as they continued toward town. Empty street after empty street flew by. They had not seen another vehicle on the road since they left the house.
“This is just eerie”. She thought. A small laugh escaped as she continued to think, “this is the safest I’ve felt riding through town though.” She looked at all the empty cross streets, nobody on a cell phone, looking in the wrong direction, or not stopping at a stop sign. Tonight it was just two bikes rumbling through a ghost town.
The light ahead turned red. Martin slowed to a stop; Bear pulled up next to them in the same lane. A beautiful red Mustang eased to a stop next to them. Kate glanced over at the car. “Not bad,” she thought about both the car and the driver.
“So when we pick up your bike, do you think they’ll have training wheels for you?” Bear laughed, grabbing Kate’s attention.
“I just figured I borrow the ones you took off your bike last week.” Kate shot back with a laugh. She glanced over at the Mustang driver. He was looking at her. “He is cute.” She thought