Free As the World Ends by Marian Lanouette Page B

back and help him? Would they get down the mountain in enough time to get help to him and save him? Did he want him to live? That last question bothered Rob the most, because his answer was emphatically, no. He went after what was mine. Surprised that his hand-to-hand combat training had kicked in when Roan jumped him. Training he thought he’d long forgotten. I guess it’s true, you never forget. It’s like riding a bike . “Thank you, Uncle Sam,” he shouted. Lauren moaned in his lap, he rubbed her back to settle her down. What a trooper she’d been, not once complaining about the conditions. Her empathy for Roan bothered him, but he had to acknowledge it was her gentle, loving soul that he had fallen in love with the first time he met her. Her laughter was another thing that warmed his heart. Lauren was Lauren and he wouldn’t want it any other way. It would be a sad day for him, if he had to train her to be anything other than what she had always been.

    Roan rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Cocking his head to the side he listened intently for another sound—the crunch of dirt and gravel echoed through the cave. A scream caught in his throat, his pulse spiked through the roof of his head. His heart pounded in his chest as he fought to focus. Whatever it was out there wasn’t casting a shadow. It must still be dark out. Did that bastard come back for me? Roan gently placed his hand down on the ground beside him, searching for his gun. Pull it together. The last thing I need do is show fear to any kind of animal. Grow a pair.
    Unable to gauge the time or distinguish between day and night, his mind raced to identify the predator. Danger most times was in the prey’s mind. Didn’t he read that somewhere. Shifting, he let out a groan when the pain shot up his leg. All of a sudden—dead quiet—the noise stopped. Did that bastard have a conscience? The silence filled the air spooking him beyond reason.
    “Hey, Rob, I’m in here,” Roan called.
    Nothing.
    “Rob?” Bile burned its way upward into his throat. Though he tried, he couldn’t push down his fear.
    More silence.
    If it’s not Rob, it must be an animal. Question is what kind of animal? For the love of God, please make it a small one. I couldn’t deal with anything else right now . Deeper in the cave he heard the bats flapping their wings. He knew only young children could actually hear the bats echolocation, not adults, unless they had recording devices. He had studied bats for awhile until he got bored with them and moved on to the Mayan’s. He picked up his stick and banged it on the ground hoping to scare away whatever was outside. Leaning back against the wall, he closed his eyes, straining to hear.
    Silence echoed back to him. All of a sudden, the little hairs on the back of his neck stood straight up. Opening one eye, he squelched a scream. What seemed like mere inches from his face amber eyes stared into his brown ones. A red fox its pupils no more than slits. Its ears point skyward. The fox’s posture yelled attack. Roan held perfectly still. The fox’s brownish red coat and spots of black stood on end. Electrified. Roan dared not breathe, but he needed his knife. Slowly he inched his hand down his leg to remove the knife from its sheath. The seconds became hours as he worked his hand down. A slight movement could mean his death. The fox stood about ten feet away. Roan knew all too well that the fox could move at the speed of light. Foxes in general were adept at hiding and escaping from predators, including man; but would stand and fight if threatened and couldn’t escape. Roan estimated it weighed around fifteen pounds. Sweating, burning up with both fever and fear, he knew the fox held all the cards. In his weakened state, Roan understood he was at a disadvantage. With his hand on his knife, he slid it slowly up his body, resting it against his good leg.
    It was a game. They were playing chicken. He needed to win. “Bastard,” he