Free Fight or Flight by Natalie J. Damschroder Page A

her stick.
    They ran, the trail blissfully smooth, though narrow. The strip of woods was thicker here, but Kelsey could see a flicker of passing headlights. They were almost through when Kelsey heard a shout. She cursed as they all staggered to a halt, not sure where the shout came from, which way they should go.
    “They saw us,” Van gasped.
    “Just run.” Kelsey pushed them ahead of her on the path and sprinted behind them. Hopefully, their pursuers would just follow, not figure out their plan and angle back through the woods, cutting them off.
    Please, God, let them be stupid.

Chapter Five
    Kelsey, Tom and Van made it to the road but stopped inside the trees. They couldn’t see or hear anyone else, but by now their gasping for air sounded like a bull pen. Kelsey’s lungs burned in her chest…or maybe that burning was fear.
    Tom pulled himself up the short bank to the shoulder. He peered around, then turned to look down on the girls. “I don’t see anything up here.” He held a hand to pull Van, then Kelsey, up to the roadside.
    “Where are the cars?” Kelsey looked for herself when she reached the street. She could barely make out the vehicles down the road. There were no human shapes between them and the car. She started trotting along the gravel shoulder, much slower than she’d started, worn out from running.
    “Kelsey!”
    The shout made her jump. She didn’t consciously recognize the voice, but turned almost automatically. She could make out three figures, two wearing dark clothing, one farther back in a light-colored shirt. Judging by distance, the man in the light shirt was the one who had called her name. The other two were probably the “cops” chasing them.
    One of the two in the middle turned back, toward the other man, but the other one continued running toward her and her friends.
    “You know that guy?” Van pulled at her arm.
    “I think…” But she didn’t have time to think. The fake cop started to hit the man with his billy club, and the other one came closer to them, pulling something from his hip. A gun?
    “Go, go, go!” Tom yelled, pushing both Van and Kelsey ahead of him. Adrenaline gave them new speed, and soon they’d passed their disabled car. Van scrambled into the fake cop car, Tom and Kelsey diving for the back seat. Van cursed when she came up empty at the ignition, and started flipping visors and console compartments. Metal jangled, she whooped, and the car started with a roar. She peeled out before Tom closed the door.
    Kelsey stared through the side window, trying to see what was happening as they passed. The “cop” who’d been after them was braced as if he had a weapon.
    “Duck!” she yelled.
    The car swerved as Van obeyed, her foot still to the floor. Something pinged off the roof. They all lifted their heads a little, Kelsey and Tom peering through the rear window.
    “I think we’re clear,” Tom said.
    Van sighed and sat up straight. “Good, ’cause I can barely see over the wheel already, never mind when I’m dodging bullets.” She glanced over her shoulder and let the car slow a little. The others couldn’t follow in the damaged Chevy. “You know that other guy?” she asked again.
    “I’m not sure.” Kelsey paused to buckle her seatbelt with shaking hands. Tom put his arm around her and squeezed reassuringly as she leaned against his shoulder. “I think it might have been Tyler. Our neighbor. It was his cell phone number my mom gave me.” She looked around. “This doesn’t look like a cop car.” There was no grate between the front and back, and the back doors had handles.
    Tom bent to open the backpack he had set at his feet. “We’d better charge your phone.”
    “Yeah.” While Tom pulled the charger free of the mess inside her backpack, Kelsey reached into her pocket. Her empty pocket.
    “Shit.” The back of her throat stung. She blinked furiously, trying not to let the tears make it to her eyes. It was stupid to cry now, after