Disclaimer: I own pretty much everything in this particular chapter. Although I would like to clarify that I enjoy small towns. I do not mean to imply that the people who live in them are hicks. This town is not based on any real place. I meant no slight, and hope that no one takes offense.
Chapter One: Wishful Thinking
Nell led a boring life. She had been born in Hicksville, lived in Hicksville, and would probably die there. She got up every morning, spent the day at work, and got home in time to eat a late supper and go to bed. There was no one in her life to resent the fact that Nell worked so much.
Her father had died two years ago. He had been a cop for twenty years and never drawn his gun. It was bad luck that killed him. Well, that and the drunk driver. On that particular day, Nell's dad had been monitoring the main road in Hicksville. It was around lunch time when the town librarian had come roaring by in her 1985 Ford Escort. Miss Berthe was headed straight for Chet's Diner, impatient to tell people what she had just seen two of the teachers from the local high school doing in the stacks. Nell's father had pulled her over for speeding, and was approaching her car, when an out-of-town drunk driver had hit him.
Nell's mother hadn't lasted long after that. She went a little insane, and decided to join a nudist colony. Nell visits her every so often at a sanitarium, where she was committed after being arrested for public indecency.
The only one that Nell really has is Kyna, her dog. Nell had decided at the age of eight to follow in her father's footsteps and uphold the law. She currently works at the local police station. During regular business hours (9-5) she works as a secretary for the chief. After hours, she and Kyna transport criminals from nearby communities to the state prison (Which happens to be a couple miles down the road). Seeing as how Kyna was one of the only trained police dogs in that area, they also spent some time tracking down escaped convicts.
Nell's life was routine, and she hated it.
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"I hate my life." Nell confided in Kyna. Kyna merely flicked an ear at her, used to the complaint.
"Nell, can I see you in my office?" The voice drifted out of the intercom system connected to Nell's desk. It was really annoying when the Chief used the intercom. His office door was three feet away. Did he really think that Nell wouldn't be able to hear him if he raised his voice a little?
Nell walked into the office, Kyna her silent shadow. Neither the girl or the dog liked the Chief of Police. He was arrogant, and a complete jerk. He refused to let Nell work at the station as anything other than a secretary. It didn't matter that she was a better shot than any of his men. He had tried to boot her out of transit and tracking services too, but had failed miserably. Both services required Kyna, and she wouldn't obey anyone but Nell. There went the Chief's big dreams of earning glory for himself in both fields while using Nell's dog. Ha.
"Yes?" Nell asked the Chief with thinly veiled sarcasm.
"I thought I told you I didn't want mustard on my bologna sandwich." The Chief whined.
Just another day in paradise…
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"Hey Jonas." Nell greeted the transport driver as she climbed on the bus.
"Hey Nell…Kyna." Jonas nodded a greeting. "We'll be ready to go in just a minute. If you two ladies will have a seat and wait, Bob will do the final check." Nell and Kyna got out of the way as Bob checked to make sure the prisoner's were secure before exiting and locking 'the cage'. In order to protect the driver in the event that a convict got free during transport, metal fencing had been secured between the front of the bus (where Jonas, Nell, and Kyna were) and the back (where the prisoner's were kept). A door had been placed in the fencing, and a padlock made sure that the door stayed closed once the final check was made.
"All clear, Jonas" Bob tipped his hat to Nell and left.
"All right ladies…" Jonas spoke to Nell and Kyna as he started the engine. "Here we go!"
The first half and hour of the trip was uneventful. The prisoner's behaved, Kyna took a nap, and Jonas and Nell made small talk.
Without any warning, the right front tire blew. The bus started to skid as Jonas tried to keep it on the road. Unfortunately he overcorrected and swerved into the other lane…right into the path of an oncoming Semi.
Nell latched on to Kyna's collar and wished bitterly that she had said no when Bob had called her earlier and asked her to go on the transport. She wished she had stayed home. As the bus and Semi collided, Nell wished she was anywhere else. Then everything went black.
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Author's Note: Because I miss my friends…especially plotting with Kate.