Thanks to each person who reviewed the previous chapters! Your reviews are very encouraging, and I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long for an update. The truth is, I have not been satisfied with how some of the coming chapters were going, and I've been doing some changing and rewriting.
When I started this I only expected 2, maybe 3 reviews. I honestly didn't think there was much interest in Mandie Fanfictions anymore. But I've been pleasantly surprised-22 reviews! Thanks, everybody!
Some time later footsteps pounded up the stairs. Joe rolled over from where he had been dozing across the doorway just as the bar was lifted and the door swung open. Two guards appeared in the doorway, one carrying a basket, which Mandie recognized as the one that Aunt Lou had packed full of food for Mr. and Mrs. Burns. He set the basket and a lighted lantern inside the room, and then the door was again closed and barred.
Mandie sat up slowly, stiff from the hard floor. Her head still ached. Celia, lying nearby, blinked sleepily at her. "Do you know what time it is?" she yawned.
Joe shook his head. "No. It's dark outside, though."
"They're probably decorating the Christmas tree now," Celia said wistfully, thinking of Robert.
"More than likely they're all out looking for us," the ever-practical Joe pointed out.
"Mother's probably worried sick." Mandie said quietly. Her throat felt tight.
Celia squeezed her hand. "Don't think of that, Mandie." she said. "Are you hungry? It looks like we have plenty to eat."
Mandie half-smiled and shook her head. "I'm not really hungry. Ya'll go ahead." She got up and went to peer out a crack in the boarded-up window. Her head was still hurting, but the breeze of cold winter air that she felt through the crack helped. A moment later, she heard Joe's firm step behind her.
"You really should eat something." he said, handing her a napkin with a roll and some turkey on it.
"Thanks. Joe."
He nodded and went back to his own makeshift meal. Mandie ate, and then went back to peering through the crack. She could just barely see the moon through the branches of a tree.
"Do either of you have any ideas to get us out of here?" Mandie asked. turning abruptly to her friends.
Joe swallowed his mouthful of food. "The door is barred. I think the window is the most logical option." He stood and brushed the crumbs off his lap. "Whatever we try, we'll have to keep quiet. There's probably someone downstairs."
Celia packed the leftover food back into the basket while Mandie followed Joe over to the window. He ran his hands over the boards. "All tight." he said, disappointed. "If we had my knife, we could pry the nails out. Do you have a hairpin?"
Mandie shook her head "No." she had left her hair in a long braid that morning, not bothering with anything fancy.
"It probably wouldn't be strong enough anyway." Joe admitted, somewhat discouraged.
"Isn't there some other way we can get out? Celia questioned.
Mandie stared around the room as Joe slowly shook his head no. "The window was our best chance. We can't force our way through it or the door, because someone would be sure to hear it. With nothing to pry the nails out—"
"Let's at least try to pull the boards off." Mandie interrupted. Joe looked down at her, undecided.
"If they hear us—" Celia said.
Mandie swallowed and tried to forget how it felt to have a pistol pressed to her head. "We'll just have to be careful."
Joe silently considered it. The Boss had made it clear that if they did anything, Mandie would be the object of punishment. If they were caught—Joe's jaw tightened. He would just have to make sure they weren't caught. He looked from Celia to Mandie, both of whom were waiting expectantly for his answer.
"All right." he consented, "You two hold onto that end. On the count of three—" the girls gripped one end of the board "—One, two, three." Joe counted down, and they pulled together. With a slight creak, the nail on one end slid part of the way out. "Again," Joe said. They pulled together and the nail on the other end slid out. "Again." the board suddenly popped off. Joe and Celia were ready for it and kept their balance, but Mandie tumbled backwards to the floor with a soft thump.
Joe grabbed the board and pressed the nails loosely back into their holes. Celia blew out the lantern. They listened with bated breath as their eyes adjusted to the darkness. Faint moonlight streamed through the cracks. After a moment, when the only sound was the crackling of the fire below, Joe spoke. "I don't think they heard us."
Mandie nodded and scrambled to her feet. The three young people took hold of the next board and, little by little, pulled it off. The last board followed.
"I'll go first," Joe said in a low voice to Mandie and Celia. "I'll motion to you when it's safe." They nodded and Joe climbed onto the windowsill and leaped into a snow bank below.
In the faint moonlight, Celia and Mandie looked at each other. Mandie took a deep breath. "You go first."
Joe looked around and then motioned up at them. Celia awkwardly climbed through the window and jumped. Joe broke her fall, and Mandie saw Celia quietly steal into the woods to wait.
It was then she heard the heavy footsteps climbing the stairs. Mandie lifted her skirts and climbed up onto the windowsill. She heard the scrape of the bar being removed just as she jumped. Joe caught her and set her on her feet. A cry went up from the house. Joe glanced around and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the woods. Mandie limped along as fast as she could. But a door slammed behind them, and footsteps crunched swiftly around the corner of the cabin.
"Stop!" a guard yelled.
Mandie's hand slipped from Joe's and she fell to the snow. "Go on, Joe." she panted, tears stinging her eyes. "I'm slowing you down. Go!"
"No." Joe grunted. He stopped to put an arm around her waist and half-carried her towards the trees. They were almost to the edge of the woods.
"Stop—stop or I'll shoot!" the guard behind them yelled. There was the crack of a pistol, and the two young people dropped to the snow as the bullet zoomed over their heads. Joe leaped up and dragged Mandie to her feet, but the guard was only a few steps away and his pistol was pointed at them. "Don't move!" he yelled.
Mandie sank back to the snow. "I'm sorry Joe." she bit her lower lip. "This is all my fault." What would they do now?
Joe's let out a deep sigh and ran his fingers through his hair. "It's okay, Mandie." We were so close! he thought.
The guard pointed the pistol at her head. "March straight back into that cabin." he growled at Joe. "You make one move to run, and I'll pull the trigger."
Joe could do nothing but obey. He helped Mandie back towards the cabin, the guard following close behind. Joe glanced down at Mandie, and saw that her blue eyes were filling with tears. He drew her a little closer.
"Don't feel bad, Mandie." he said in low tones, his warm brown eyes understanding.
Mandie swallowed hard and looked away, shaking her head. "It's my fault." she said flatly. "If it wasn't for me, you could have gotten away."
Joe held back a sigh. As much as he ached to be away from there, he couldn't have left Mandie alone with those monsters. He loved her too much. Celia would have to find help on her own.
"What's a' goin' on 'ere?" the second guard, who spoke with a heavy accent, exploded when the young people were ushered into the cabin.
"They got out somehow." the guard said, pushing Mandie into a chair and keeping the pistol trained on her.
"Where's the redhead?"
"Gone. This girl's got a limp, or these two would be gone as well."
The other guard folded his arms. "Boss ain't a' goin' t' like that, Smith—not one bit."
Mandie and Joe's captor ignored the comment. "Get the rope, O'Brien." he instructed, "And tie up the girl."
O'Brien grunted and complied. In a few moments, Mandie was thoroughly secured to the chair.
"Sit down." Smith pointed the pistol at Joe briefly, then back at Mandie.
Joe sat, and the guard tied him to the chair.
"Now then." Smith said. "You watch these two, O'Brien. I'm going after the redhead."
Mandie swallowed. Hard. She was already secretly terrified at what would happen to her and Joe when the Boss returned. Please don't get caught, Celia. she prayed silently. Dear God, please protect Celia. Please hide her.
So what will happen next time? Will Celia find help? or will she be recaptured? What will "The Boss" do when he returns? Have John Shaw and the Cherokees found any leads?