Part Three

...James was finally parallel with the vile creature. He stopped the car and left it idle. He opened his door and was about to jump out to begin pursuit when something caught the corner of his eye. At the foot of the passenger’s seat were the foam finger and the souvenir bat. He reached over and grabbed the bat. Emma always seemed to find a way to help make any situation better. He was now ready for pursuit.

            He jumped over the railing, surprised at his own agility, and began the hunt on the grassy area that lay next to the highway. The man was fast, but not fast enough. He kept looking over his shoulder and saw James inching closer and closer.

            James’s overwhelming exertion is what those people on the news must feel when they perform miracles. No one can explain how they successfully hurdled over a massive brick wall after being chased by a pack of rabid dogs or how they single-handedly lifted a car to save their loved one from asphyxiation. These things just happen when a hero is needed.

            Unaware of his heroic nature, James managed to get the man directly in his crosshairs within seconds. Inches away, James brought his right shoulder back, bat in hand, and swung with massive force. He hit the man square in the head, making him stumble instantly and roll to the ground.

            In full momentum, James almost tripped over the fumbled body but managed to leap right over him and come to a halt. The man was on the ground grabbing the back of his head. James ran back towards him and released an onslaught of kicks to the man’s gut.

            When it was over, the man groaned in pain holding his stomach. “I’m taking you back,” said James towering over him. He held the bat with both hands, brought it over his head like an ax ready to chop firewood, and pummeled it down striking the man’s head.

            He dragged the comatose man back to his car and threw him in the trunk. As he drove away he began to tremble profusely. He felt his throat close. He gagged a bit as beads of sweat glistened on his forehead. James pulled over to the side of the road to regain his composure. This was quite an ordeal he’d been through tonight. He buried his face in his hands and gave himself a little pep talk. 

I did the right thing.

*        *        *        *

            It wasn’t until Emma hung up with the emergency dispatcher that she noticed a video camera and a gun in the back seat. She knew what was on it. It had to be some sick, vile, twisted video of what the heartless man did to the boy in the trunk.

            She knew because she was there before. She was a victim of child abuse. Had Victor the neighborhood babysitter never been hit by a car on his way to school the day after he videotaped himself with a seven-year-old Emma, who knows how long the twisted teen would’ve continued tormenting her.

            She reached over to the back seat, terrified. She thought twice about viewing the tape. But she just had to be sure that they were doing the right thing. Hesitant, she powered it on and pressed play. After a mere six seconds she dropped the camera as if she were holding a live animal trying to bite her. She jumped out of the car, goose bumps crawling all over from head to toe.

            She looked up the road and saw the first pair of headlights since James left. She recognized the car immediately and saw only one figure in the car. James parked the car on the shoulder. He flung out and caught a running Emma in his arms.

            She was trying to say something, but the wailing and elaborate breathing made it difficult for Emma to say anything.

            “Hey, hey, calm down baby,” said James still holding Emma in his arms, “What’s wrong?”

            “There’s—there’s a camera in there. The…boy…the man…he’s--”

            “Stop Emma. It’s ok, it’s over. He’s in the trunk, out cold.”

            She couldn’t stop crying, but that didn’t mean she was incapable of anything else. As soon as James announced his hostage’s location, she pushed James off, went to the Jetta’s back seat, grabbed the gun and went back to James’s car. The savage and determined look in her eyes made James stay out of her way. She opened the driver’s side door and pulled the lever to pop open the trunk. Her breathing was sharp as she looked at the man lying in the trunk. She dragged him out and threw him on the ground.

            The man was moments away from waking up from the well deserved beating. Emma stood close, assuring she wouldn’t miss her target.

            “Emma! No!” yelled James “Put the gun down!”

            It was too late. Emma gave a tumultuous roar as she pulled the trigger.

 Bull’s-eye.

            Such a terrible way to wake up, but this man deserved everything coming to him. He yelled as he put pressure on his junk. Emma made sure he would not be using that grotesque body part on anyone else.

            As the sirens approached, James grabbed the gun from Emma and threw it on the ground. They would later say the gun was fired in self defense and that their lack of expertise on hand guns made for such an oddly placed shot. After hearing how James chased the man and seeing the video, not a person in the world would condemn them for anything.

- The End -