Page 27 of Bronco

I yank on Erica’s hand as we do just that, crouching down on the other side as low as possible. We’re in full view of anyone else from the road, but nobody really comes up here. Nobody except Jude, the nosy bitch. That might teach her a lesson to stay out of other people’s business. Then again, she’s been a thorn in both of our sides since we arrived here, so I don’t expect her to change. My knuckles sting like a bitch but she had it coming. The amount of times I’ve held my tongue while she’s berated me in front of people; I’ve lost count. The man whistles a tune as he yanks the next bag out and my heart thunders in my chest that he’s going to see us. The minutes feel like hours as he returns for the last time, slamming the door shut as he takes the last bag out. I tug on both Erica and Olive’s hands as I peek around the van; he’s nowhere to be seen so I open it quietly and lift Olive up first.

“My doll!” she cries. In all the kerfuffle, she’s left her favorite toy behind but we can’t go back now.

“Shh!” Erica says, placing a hand over her mouth. “Mommy will get you another one.”

Tears prick her eyes and I feel bad, she was really attached to that ugly thing. “I’ll get you ten dolls better than her,” I say, climbing in as I shut the door behind me. There’s barely enough room, but we make it work. “We need to be quiet until we’re out of here, okay?”

Olive cries quietly and I’m glad there’s a partition between us and the driver’s seat or we’d have some explaining to do.

The man comes back and the driver’s door opens, his weight jostling the vehicle as he climbs inside. He’s singing a tune to himself and I’m relieved when he pulls out and drives forward. The guard is about fifty meters away around the corner. If whoever is on the gate wants to check the van, we’re screwed.I just pray we have enough time before anyone discovers Jude unconscious in the corner, tied to a tire. If I wasn’t so shit scared, I’d laugh my ass off about the look on her face when I struck her. Trust me, I put all of my frustrations over the last decade into those few swings, and she bore the brunt of it. The torment and ridicule she’s put both of us through, and looking down her nose at my niece. Well, her penance has been served.

Erica has her eyes closed, Olive’s face pressed against her chest as they huddle together.

“Not long now,” I tell them. “We’re almost there.”

The van stops and I know without looking that we’re at the gate.We’re almost home, free.

I hear voices, and it sounds like Ronnie, Mrs. McGregor’s son. Of course the gate wouldn’t be heavily manned today because it’s all hands on deck. And the driver has no reason to come back here since he’s done his last delivery… then I hear the driver’s door open and close and we wait with bated breath as he says something else. Ronnie laughs and then to my horror he’s right there; his shadow looming through the tinted window. The back door opens.

My heart in my chest, I stare right at the man who isn’t Carlo, but another guy with the name tag, ‘Charlie’ on his shirt, under that it says;Speedy Couriers 24/7

He balks in surprise, then opens his mouth to say something as tears begin to fall down my face before he can speak.

“Please,” I whisper, making prayer hands. “For the life of this child, please don’t. Please, I’m begging you. Don’t give us away. We just need a lift to town.” I bow my head, resting our fate in his hands. He’s an older man, maybe sixty or more, his face is lined from all weathers and his eyes are crystal blue. He has a kind face, and that’s all I can hang onto. Our life hangs in the balance and no words are even exchanged.

He stares at me, his face softens when his eyes fall on Olive. Swallowing hard, he turns at the voice behind him.

“Everything okay?” I hear Ronnie ask. “Did you find them?”

The delivery guy reaches next to me, rummaging around in a large box. He pulls out a bag of skittles, takes one long look at us, then shuts the door behind him. I realize Charlie must’ve promised Ronnie something from the outside, because that’s what all the gatekeepers ask for whenever a delivery is made, and it might just be the very thing to save us. They laugh about something and I don’t hear what Charlie says. After a long pause, my ears straining to hear them… my heart pounding so hard in my chest it may burst.

Erica squeezes my hand like there’s no tomorrow and Olive is sitting wide-eyed staring at us in total shock.

“Daddy hurt my mama,” Olive whispers.

I swallow hard. “Yes, he did, that’s why we’re leaving with this nice man.” My voice cracks and I realize the months of buildup have finally erupted. I’m no longer the girl I once was, and I haven’t been for a while now.

“She knows Daddy is unwell. Don’t you, honey?” Erica tries her best to downplay the situation, but it’s no use. Olive’s tears fall all by themselves as she clings to her mom.

Erica can’t speak anymore, she just nods as fear and trepidation flood her face and her eyes glaze over.

We’re either saved or we’re fucked, I don’t know which yet.

I see my life flashing before my very eyes and I don’t want to be a sitting duck. If he gives us away, we’re doomed and I will mount this wall, taking Olive and Erica with me if it’s the last thing I do. In fact, if Ronnie is distracted, it could be the perfect time to move. Or I could be completely crazy. I start to shift but Erica grabs my sleeve. “What are you doing?”

“I’m looking for another way out!” I whisper-shout, wiping my tears. A newfound sense of peace washes over me when Irealize how close we are. “There’s only Ronnie at the gate. We could overpower him.”

“And the delivery guy?” she whisper-shouts back. “All he has to do is call for help. We’re stowaways in his van!”

“I don’t have all the answers right now!” I slingback. “But I have to do something!”

I halt my escape toward the back of the van when the door opens again and the delivery guy appears, looking right at me again. He tosses Olive’s ragdoll at me and nods once. I catch it in my hand as I sink to my knees and he slams the door closed again. I hear him say something to Ronnie and he laughs. Olive hugs her doll to her chest as her face lights up.

A few moments later, our reluctant rescuer climbs in and the gate opens. I watch in stunned silence as we slowly move forward; Charlie whistling as he says his goodbyes to Ronnie out the window.

All I can hear is Erica and Olive saying the Lord’s prayer as we make our way to freedom.

7

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