Fifty-three

John turned around and looked at Sherrie.

Her body was slumped forward and she wasn’t moving. Her forehead rested on the steering wheel. A trickle of blood ran down the side of her face.

“Sherrie?” he shook her shoulder. “Honey, please, wake up!”

She moaned.

John glanced back out the window. The Jeep was still reversing, its engine roaring in the night.

“Sherrie, please,” he shook her again. “We’ve got to get out of here!”

Lightning flashed.

He looked past Sherrie and out her window. The forest was so close. The impact of the Jeep had forced the car sideways and forward, towards the edge of the road. The trees were no more than fifteen feet away from the driver’s side of the car.

Gotta get into the forest. Gotta get away!

He reached past Sherrie and grabbed her door handle.

As he did so, light filled the car. He heard the Jeep’s engine gunning.

It was getting closer.

He closed his eyes, hunched down in the seat and held onto Sherrie, bracing for the impact.

This is it. It’s all my fault and now this is it! If only I’d acted earlier and not dragged everyone into this mess oh God ohGodOHGOD!

But the impact never came.

Thunder rumbled outside the car.

After a few seconds, John opened his eyes and turned to stare out the window.

The headlight was there, right by his window.

Shit!

The Jeep had stopped right at his door, only inches from his face.

With another flash of lightning, John could see Zoe was staring at him through her windshield.

My God! She’s playing with us!

He stared back, trying to work out the emotions on her face.

What does she want?

They sat staring at each other for quite a while. John didn’t want to make the first move, just in case it was the wrong one.

Play your hand, Zoe. Let me see what you’ve got!

Sherrie moaned behind him.

“Sherrie?” he whispered, not taking his eyes from Zoe. “You okay? You awake now?”

He got no reply.

“Sherrie?” he asked again, his voice pleading with her to wake up.

Thunder rolled heavy and loud through the night air.

You can’t stay here!

I know that.

You’ve to get out before Zoe gets to you.

You don’t want to end up back in the church.

I KNOW!

Then DO something!

He had no alternative. He had to act. They couldn’t sit in the middle of the road all night, waiting for Zoe to finish playing with them and jump on her prey.

The Jeep’s engine gunned in the night.

“John?” Sherrie moaned quietly.

“Honey, you okay?” he fought the urge to turn around and look at her.

“What happened?” her voice was quiet, scared.

“Zoe ran into us with the Jeep,” he replied. “And she’s out there now. Just sitting watching us.”

“Zoe?” Sherrie sounded confused. “Zoe did this?”

“Yes.”

John continued staring out the window.

Zoe smiled back at him. She had seen his lips moving. She knew he was talking to Sherrie.

Zoe leaned forward and placed both her hands on top of the steering wheel. Then she rested her chin on her hands.

She’s just going to sit there, John thought. Sit there and wait for us to make the first move!

“What are we going to do?” Sherrie asked.

John felt her hand on his shoulder, but he didn’t dare look around at her. He had to stare Zoe down.

Lightning flashed into the night.

I need a weapon of some kind.

Something to protect us with.

What?

I don’t know.

There’s nothing here to use.

“Don’t make any sudden movements,” John said. “I don’t think she can see you from where she is.”

“Okay.”

“Keep low and out of sight.”

“I’ll try.”

“I want you to see if you can start the engine.”

“Okay.”

“If it starts, you need to be ready to take off as quickly as possible.”

“Alright,” Sherrie sounded scared.

The Jeep’s impact had pushed the car to the side of the road. It was sitting on an angle, half on the road and half on the gravel shoulder. They were still facing away from Hepburn Lakes, but at that moment John didn’t care. There was enough room to the side of the Jeep to drive past Zoe if they had the chance. As long as they got away from her, they could work their way back to Hepburn Lakes through back roads if they had to.

We need to be anywhere but here.

Thunder rumbled outside.

“Just let me know when you’re ready,” he whispered.

John stretched back with his hand, found Sherrie’s thigh and squeezed it.

He felt her hand on his. He could feel her fingers shaking.

“I’m ready,” she replied.

John continued to stare unblinkingly at Zoe.

“Right,” he said. “Let’s do it.”

“I hope this works.”

“So do I.”

Zoe was peering back at him from the Jeep.

Lightning again, two flashes this time, and John could see the pendant around her neck.

Helen. I’m so sorry…

Her head tilted to one side, almost as if she knew something was happening, or maybe she was getting bored waiting.

Just a little longer…

Over his shoulder, John heard Sherrie’s keys clink against each other and he braced himself for whatever was to come.

“Here goes,” said Sherrie.

The ignition clicked.

The engine kicked over.

And a double wave of thunder crashed down upon them, loud and long.

Zoe continued to stare.

She can’t hear it! The thunder’s masking the engine noise!

He knew they only had seconds to move.

Zoe moved forward in her seat, tilting her head more.

Damn!

She broke his stare and glanced to the front of the car.

He followed her eyes.

The car headlights were on!

“Sherrie!” John turned to her. “Kill the headlights!”

But it was too late.

Starting the engine had turned the headlights back on full. Even with the sound of the thunder hiding the engine noise, Zoe had realised what was happening.

John turned back to her.

She was shaking her head, a look of disappointment on her face.

We can still make it!

She leaned over to the passenger side of the Jeep and disappeared out of sight for a split second.

We have to.

“Sherrie, quick! Drive!”

Then she sat upright again and stared back at him, a look of sadness on her face.

She mouthed something to him. But he couldn’t work out what she said.

Then she raised the gun.

And started firing.