Chapter 2

It was as smooth as any road trip. They shared road-food, listened to classic rock on the radio, and only spent broken moments in mundane updates of their current lives. The highlight of the day was Lewis' joke about a sailor, a nurse, and a college professor.

After dinner at a truck stop, the two pulled out into the dusk with Lewis at the wheel again. By the time the night had fallen, Bobby had his head tilted toward the ceiling and his eyes shut.

For a moment, Lewis wondered if his companion was sleeping, but then Bobby started talking. "I used to have the hots for Elaine. I'm glad she recovered from the divorce. I'm glad she's getting another chance."

Lewis groaned, remembering when they were in high school and he had to watch his best friend pining after his sister every time they crossed paths. "God, you did have it bad for her, didn't you?"

Bobby opened one eye, then shut it again. "She was the most interesting girl I knew back then."

"Interesting, my ass. You were mesmerized by her boobs. You used to have entire conversations with one or the other of them."

"Well, I still find that interesting, if you wanna know the truth."

Lewis chuckled and flicked his brights on. They were in the boonies now, somewhere in Ohio, only an occasional glow from a house here and there as they drove past cornfield after cornfield.

Lewis spotted a car on the shoulder of the road ahead and slowed down. "Hell of a place to get stranded," he said as he coaxed the car to a stop behind the stalled vehicle. He killed the motor and got out, Bobby following his lead.

"Engine trouble?" Lewis asked.

"Damn thing's a piece of shit," the big one complained. "Damn near wrecked, it was knocking so bad."

"Mind if I have a look?" he asked.

The thin one handed Lewis the flashlight and stepped away from the hood. If Bobby hadn't chosen that moment to rub his tired eyes, he would have seen the look that passed between the two motorists.

Goren cried out in protest as he watched the smaller man slam the hood down on his friend and lean heavily against it, pinning Lewis there. He took three steps forward, and then saw the gun aimed right at his chest.

"Keys," the big one said.

"Mmmm… He's got 'em," Goren said, nodding in the direction of Lewis's struggling form.

"Winchell," Bobby's captor said. "He's got the keys."

The thin man turned and stuffed his hand into each of Lewis' pockets, withdrawing the keys on his second attempt.

"Look, you can have the car," Bobby said. "Just take it. We're half a mile from nowhere out here anyway. You don't have to hurt us." Even as he spoke the words, he saw the big one choke up on a crow bar he held in the hand opposite the gun.

One hit, and Bobby fell like a stone.

"Bobby? C'mon, Bobby, that's it, open your eyes," Lewis said softly.

The bile rose in his throat and he tried to keep it down. He blinked his still shut eyes, not sure whether opening them was a good idea or not.

"C'mon, Bobby, I need you, man…"

Bobby tried to answer him, but all that escaped his lips was a miserable groan.

"Ah, fuck!" Lewis shouted, and then added a few more words to the night air around them.

Bobby's worry for his friend forced him to open his eyes. Fortunately, a full moon provided just enough light for him to see. Once the swirling stopped, he saw Lewis on his side next to him, holding his hands over his knees. "Wha's wrong?" Bobby slurred.

"Fucking Mosquitoes," Lewis said. "They're eating me alive. You okay?"

Bobby closed his eyes again. "Swat 'em," he advised.

"I'm tied up, Bobby. I can't move."

Goren's eyes flickered back open. He tested his own hand and was surprised that it moved freely. He reached out clumsily and felt for the ropes that bound Lewis. Once his fingers scraped across the rough twine, he dug into his pocket and withdrew his switchblade.

"Aw, be careful with that, man!" Lewis warned.

It was a tedious process, but Bobby managed to position the blade on the rope without throwing up.

"Just hold still," Lewis said. "Let me do it." He rocked his body slightly back and forth, and the rope released one strand at a time. Once his hands were loose, Lewis took the knife from Bobby and cut his ankles free. Then he kneeled over his friend and touched the sticky mess of blood caked in Bobby's hair.

"Shit, they nailed you good, Bobby."

At that moment, Bobby lost his battle with his stomach. He gagged and choked, and Lewis turned his body farther to the side. "It's all right, man, we're gonna get out of this mess," Lewis said.

"Call 911," Bobby grunted.

"Well, if we had a phone, I'd do that, but they cleaned me out before they took the car. Bobby, they got your piece, too. Wasn't your phone charging?"

Bobby sighed in response. It had been plugged into the cigarette lighter, resting in the empty ashtray when Lewis pulled the car over.

Lewis slapped at the mosquitoes that were attacking him. "Can you walk?"

Bobby rolled his eyes.

"Well, you're gonna have to," Lewis said. "I'm not leaving you out here, you'll get eaten by a wolf or something." He checked Bobby's head wound again. "Let me wrap that with something." He took off his button-down shirt, removed his t-shirt, and used the knife to cut it into a long, winding strip. He slipped his overshirt back on without buttoning it and leaned in to wind the bandage around Bobby's head.

"Bobby," Lewis poked him with his finger. "C'mon, man, wake up. We've got some hiking to do."

He hoisted the big man up with an arm stretched across his shoulder. As Lewis struggled to catch his breath, Bobby moaned in protest.

"C'mon, buddy. Take some deep breaths. You can do this," Lewis said, though the words were half for himself. He knew he wouldn't be able to take the bulk of Bobby's weight alone. "If we can get back up on the road, we can flag somebody down, get some help."

Lewis looked up at the steep hill in front of them. They must have tossed them down the steepest ravine they could find. Bobby was sagging heavily against him, and his arm was already tiring. He reached up with one hand to adjust the glasses that weren't there. "Shit," he breathed. He must have lost them while tumbling down this damn hill.

Lewis took a deep breath. "Okay, Bobby, here we go. Let's get some use out of those long legs of yours." He counted to three and stumbled two steps forward.

Bobby was trying his best, but his legs weren't cooperating. He managed to lift one, but it came down wrong. He gained ground with one step and lost it with the other.

Lewis strained under his friend's weight. They tried a few more times, managing to gain a few feet before both men collapsed to the ground.

On his hands and knees, Bobby's stomach lost its contents again. Lewis managed to pull the big man into his lap before Bobby collapsed into his own vomit.

He only meant to rest a minute, but Lewis' aching body fell asleep.

Something wet and cold plopped on his face. Lewis groaned and felt more heavy drops splashing against his skin. He slid out from under Goren and got to his knees. The light was coming up, and everything around them was sheathed in a kind of gray fog. He saw the hill ahead of them and as the cold rain trickled down the back of his neck, he determined to get Bobby up it.

He shook Bobby with his hand, but his friend didn't wake. Lewis could feel some warmth in his face, and he knew he wasn't dead. As painful as it was, he grabbed Bobby under the arms and dragged him up the incline as far as he could. He rested, and did it again.

45 minutes later, they made it into the scratchy weeds that lined the road. The rain came down faster.

Lewis saw the car, the Taurus that had belonged to their attackers. He stumbled forward and wrenched at the doors, but all four were locked. Looking around, he spotted the crowbar on the crusher fine gravel that blanketed the road's shoulder. He picked it up and smashed it into the front passenger window.

The glass shattered into a million pieces, but did not fall free. He stabbed at the broken glass with the pry end of the bar and wiggled it in a circle until he'd carved a hole big enough to get his hand through.

Lewis reached in and hit the power locks. With a satisfying click, the doors of the car were released.

It started pouring. By the time he'd stuffed Bobby, prone, into the back seat and climbed into the front again, they were both soaked clean through.

As Lewis watched the rain rushing down the windshield in sheets, he was grateful for the shelter of the chilly car. He turned, reached a hand back, and rested it against Bobby's chest. His friend still refused to wake. Comforted by the rise and fall of his chest, Lewis turned and stared at the swirls of rain in front of him. He looked at the dash and found the switch that controlled the car's lights.