Free B. E. V. by Arthur Butt Page B

lip, tugged, and struggled until my face was over the top. With a grunt, I locked my elbows on the surface, pushed, and swung my good leg up. For a moment, I tottered and felt the asphalt crack underneath my hands. The chunk of road, a pile of dirt, and I crashed backward.
    When the dirt settled and I stopped sliding, I had a mouthful of sand and a half a ton of road surface pinning down my bum leg.
    My leg wasn't crushed, but my foot was trapped in a small pocket, and no matter how hard I pulled it wouldn't come free. I kept tugging and cursing until the sun disappeared, and I couldn't pull anymore. I closed my eyes and fell asleep.
    ****
    "Hunter – Hunter. Please wake up! "
    It was dark. I opened my eyes and a salty tear dropped on my cheek. "Hey, cut it out," I shoved Kat away, "you sting." I tried standing and remembered my leg was still stuck. "Oh, man." I pushed into a sitting position.
    "Where have you been?" Kat surveyed my half-buried body. "And how did you get into this mess?"
    "I've been hanging around, waiting on you, what do you think?" I tried tugging on my leg again. "Can you pull me out of here please?"
    Kat glanced up at the road and back at me. "I don't know. I'll try."
    She ran down the gully and staggered back dragging a heavy branch, pushed a rock over by the asphalt block, and jammed the lever in between. "Ready?" she asked.
    I tensed my arms and leg. "Ready."
    "Now."
    Kat heaved on the branch, putting all her weight behind it. The block lifted a scant inch, and I scooted myself backward as hard as possible. I heard a snap, the branch broke, and Kat tumbled on top of me.
    "Th – this do it?" she panted, sitting back on her haunches.
    I glanced at my leg. It was free. "Yeah, what happened to you? Morgan's men captured me – I've been running all day."
    "Captured? Oh, wow, no wonder I couldn't find you," Kat gasped. "What happened?"
    "You left, I fell asleep," I explained. "Next thing I know I've got a rifle in my gut, hands tied, and they threw me in a tent." I took a deep breath. "I escaped, and been running ever since. I'm glad you weren't caught, though; but what happened to you?" I thought back, "You took off yesterday. Get lost?"
    "Been hunting for you, dummy," she snapped back. "I've ridden up and down this road a dozen times, saw soldiers, hid, and kept searching. You had me worried sick."
    "Did you ever make it to the lab?"
    "Made it to the lab with no problem," she said in a rush, running her fingers through her hair and standing. "The soldiers rummaged through the main floor, alright, but they missed the doctor's place. He didn't even know Morgan's men had been there until I told him." She reached down and helped me up, "And see who I brought with me."
    "Well, if it ain't my handsome young one," a cheery voice rang out through the dark. Bev rumbled to the edge of the asphalt. "What's the matter, too lazy to walk? I gotta spend my time searching every gin joint in town for you, and then drag your lazy carcass back home with me?"
    "Nice to see you too, Bev," I said. "Kat, did you tell Doctor Krumboton what happened?"
    "Yeah." She appeared puzzled. "He seemed more upset I hadn't brought more fresh vegetables."
    I stumbled back to the road. "Kat, give me a hand climbing up there, will ya? I've had a rough day."
    Kat hopped up to the pavement and extended her hand down to me.
    She pulled; I pulled. I felt Kat slipping toward me and let go before she toppled over the edge. I landed on by backside with a muffled grunt.
    "Well, this didn't work."
    "Do I have to do everything?" I heard Bev's voice from above me. "Girlfriend – inside, second locker from the right – you'll find a rope. Let's haul old protein Pete outta there."
    Kat dashed away, a moment later a heavy cord slapped me in the face.
    "Wrap it around yourself," Bev advised. "Kat, there's an eyelet on my nose. Tie it off, and let's see what we caught."
    I wrapped the line around my waist and for good measure threw in a half