One little note. I am not a rattlesnake expert, and I am not completly sure if cicumstances would have worked out just like they did in my story if this was real, but it was actually hard for me to find the right information. Any ways, I hope you enjoy it. :)

CHAPTER 10 Unforeseen Events

"Over there!" Ham exclaimed.

The farmhouse was in the middle of an open field a little ways from the road.

"Get down!" Kenny ordered. "We don't want him to see us!"

They all dropped the bikes and crouched down.

"How do we get over there?" Squints asked.

"Yeah, yeah!" Yeah-Yeah added. It's wide open! We'll be seen for sure!"

"We have to risk it!" Timmy replied.

"Have to risk it." Tommy repeated.

Kenny bit his lip as he thought.

"Stay low to the ground," Kenny said, "and run as fast as possible."

"What do we do when we get there?" Ham asked. "He has a gun, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah! And a knife!" Yeah-Yeah reminded.

"We'll figure that out when we get there." Kenny replied.

With that, they all started running toward the house. They all froze as a gunshot rang in the thin air. Looking at each other, they straightened up and ran as fast as they could toward the abandoned house.

_______________________At the Wrecked Car____________________

"They die slowly." The sheriff read the note aloud. "It's written in blood."

"We shouldn't have waited!" one of the deputies exclaimed. "He obviously planned to kill them from the beginning!"

"Seems that way." the sheriff replied. He tightened the paper in his hand as he thought of his foolish mistake.

"Where could he have taken them?" another deputy asked.

"The old farmhouse." the sheriff answered. "There's no where else around here he could have taken them."

"Then lets go!" the first deputy shouted.

The sheriff nodded and they jumped into the cars. Without the sirens or lights on, they drove fast down the road toward the old abandoned farmhouse.

_____________________In the Farmhouse________________________

Bo and Benny sat absolutely still as they watched the snake. The sun had all but set and the dim light was barely enough for them to see the snake's tongue flick in and out.

"Rattler." Benny whispered.

"What do we do?" Bo asked.

"Nothing." Benny replied. "Stay absolutely still."

They sat like that until five minutes passed and they heard Evans returning. Out of the corner of there eyes, they saw that he carried a lantern. As he stepped in the door, he placed the lantern on a hook.

"Ready for another round?" he chuckled. Noticing their expressions he asked. "What's wrong? Too chicken to take your punishments?"

He stepped forward; he was almost on top of the snake.

'What has he ever done to me but hurt me?' Bo argued in her head as she watched her father walk slowly toward the hidden snake.

'He's still your father,' a voice in her head argued, 'And a human being. No one deserves to step unawares on a snake, no matter how evil.'

"Snake." Bo said quietly.

Benny looked over at her as if she were crazy.

"What was that?" Evans took another step. "Snake? Are you trying to frighten me, girl?" He held his hands up in mock fright. "Oh no! A snake! Whatever am I to do?"

He laughed as he stepped onto the shingle hiding the snake. In the blink of an eye, the rattlesnake struck out and bit Evans on the leg. Evans screamed in pain as he pulled the gun from his back pocket. He pulled the trigger and the snake's head flew from its body. Evans fired again as the body twitched and then was still. The disconnected head landed next to Evans and, in death, lashed out and bit Evans' leg once more. Evans screamed and pulled the trigger again. This time, the head was blown into a million pieces.

Evans started jumping and fell as the venom spread. His leg was already swollen severely. Bo and Benny struggled to stand as the crazed man turned his gun on them.

"I may be dying." His face was paling and his hand shook as the venom slowly killed him. "But you're going with me!"

Bo and Benny stiffened as the hammer was pulled back and the finger started to tighen on the trigger.