Page 21 of Wild Runaway
The front door is open a crack, and I push it all the way open with the barrel of my gun. Voices are coming from the bedroom mixed with the sound of Rose’s cries. My heart hammers against my chest and I want to rush in there, but I’ve got surprise on my side. And as I learned in the military, surprise can go a long way in deciding an outcome.
I’m a big guy, but I can be stealthy when I need to. I creep through the cabin until I’m at the door of the bedroom. Keeping low to the ground, I edge the door open until I get a full picture of the situation.
A tall man with greasy hair holds Rose in front of him as the baby screams and writhes in his arms. Her face is puckered, and her arms reach out for her momma.
“Just hand me Rose, please.” Trish’s eyes are wide and terrified, and I hate the desperation in her voice.
Her eyes are only on Rose, and she doesn’t see me at first.
“Make her fucking stop, Trish. Tell her to stop fucking crying.”
Ian jiggles the baby harder, making Rose scream.
“Give her to me and I’ll make her stop, I promise.” Trish reaches for Rose, but Ian holds her out of Trish’s grasp.
My instinct is to shoot the fucker for what he’s done, but he’s holding Rose and she can’t get hurt. I lower my gun and rise to my feet; I’ll do this the old fashioned way.
This guy must be deaf as well as stupid, because he doesn’t hear me sneak up behind him. Trish’s eyes glance at me and I hold my finger out for her to be quiet, to not let him know I’m here.
I give her a nod, and we move at the same time. I barrel into Ian as Trish lunges forward and snatches Rose out of his hands.
Ian spins around just in time for my fist to connect with his face. He screams, which makes Rose scream louder.
“Get her out of here.”
Trish cradles Rose to her chest and scoots past us out of the bedroom. As I lay into Ian, my vision goes red as all the rage simmering inside me comes out in my fists. I pummel the man who hurt the woman I love, and when he slumps to the floor, I kick him.
“You motherfucker.”
Kick
“You think it’s fun to hurt a woman.”
Kick
“You’re scum.”
Kick
All the rage I’ve pent up since I saw Trish’s bruise comes out of me. I’ve seen humans hurt each other. I’ve seen humans shoot each other and beat each other to death. In the military I learned how to fight and I learned how to kill. And that’s where I go now. My years of training and the unofficial training I had from what I witnessed goes into each kick.
“Stop!”
Trish’s voice cuts through my rage.
My foot pauses mid kick. Ian’s in the fetal position on the floor, his arms covering his head as blood spurts from his nose. My boot is covered in his sticky blood, and there’s an acrid smell from where he’s pissed his pants.
I hate this man for what he did to Trish and Rose, but if I let my anger go and kill him, then I’m no better than him. I’m no better than the dehumanized soldiers from both sides who I witnessed doing bad things to each other.
But there is good in this world. I’ve witnessed it in the last few days, seeing Trish’s devotion to her baby and the MC coming together to help. Since I’ve lived on Wild Heart Mountain, I’ve only seen the good side of humanity. And maybe that’s what humanity mostly is. Maybe what I witnessed was the exception.
If I take Ian’s life, I’m no better than the dark side of humanity that I fear, but in the last few days I’ve seen the light. I’ve got something to live for now, an example to set for my family, for my daughter.
I stagger backward, breathing hard. Trish puts a hand on my shoulder and it’s reassuring, her light in my darkness.
From out front comes the roar of bikes.
“You’re not worth going to prison for.” I grab Ian by his T-shirt and haul him to his feet.
