Chapter 5

Thursday, July 17th

11: 36 A. M.

Clara shivered as they turned onto their street. She still couldn't believe that Doc had made it to the McFly house before her. He had explained that he'd driven over while forcing her over, but she couldn't understand where he'd gotten a car. It reminded her far too much of one of those horror movies Marty had told her about.

Doc smiled. He had the point of the knife jammed into her ribs and was animatedly talking with Marty. "I'm going to kill her right where you died, Marty. I'll make her kneel over the counter and slit her throat. Then I'll get on the trail of the little freaks." He turned his attention to Clara. "You wouldn't happen to know where our adorable little boys are, would you?" he asked sweetly.

"No," Clara said firmly. "Lorraine took them, and that was the last I saw of them."

"Liar." He jabbed her with the knife, giggling as she squealed. "But it doesn't matter. I'll find them. Only one of those bastards left -- George. He probably has them." Doc sighed happily. "I'll get them all in one go."

Clara blinked. "Only one McFly left?" she whispered.

"You'll see." He grinned insanely as their home came into view. "Ah, home sweet home. Park here and come inside, my dear."

"Emmett, please--" Clara began desperately.

Doc jabbed her with the knife again. "Don't even think of arguing with me, bitch. Park."

Shaking, Clara obeyed. Doc yanked her roughly out of the car, holding the knife to her throat now. Kicking open the front door, he forced her head down. "There, bitch. Look at what happens to those who betray Marty."

Clara burst into tears as she saw Dave and Linda's bloody bodies. She could barely believe all this was happening. "Why, Emmett?" she begged. "They were Marty's family! What on earth could you have against Marty's family?!"

"They weren't Marty's family. Marty's family wouldn't have tried to help his murderess. This is all your fault. Everything here is your fault."

"Please, Emmett, don't say that," Clara wept. "I know Marty and I fought a lot, but don't say that all this death is my fault. It'll kill me."

"Then why keep it hidden? I'm going to kill you anyway." He dragged her into the kitchen, past Einstein's bloody body. "Kneel," he growled, forcing her down. Grabbing her hair, he pulled her head back and exposed the tender flesh of her throat. He extracted his bloody blade from his pocket and looked at it. He gently rubbed the blood onto his fingers and drew a red line across her neck. Clara gagged.

Doc smiled. "It's all for you, Futureboy," he said, swinging the knife down toward the line.

In the seconds when the knife was falling, Clara thought of a way to save her life, if only for the moment. She quickly yanked her head forward, putting her hair as opposed to her neck in the path of the blade.

Her plan worked better than she had thought it would. She yanked her head so far forward, the knife not only sliced through her hair but bit into Doc's fingers. With a yowl of pain, Doc let her go and briefly took his attention off her.

It was all the time Clara needed. She elbowed Doc hard in the stomach and made another run for it. Doc fell against the counter, cursing his luck. Who has got it in for me? Why won't whoever it is let me appease Marty?

Don't worry about that, you fucker! Marty's voice shouted at him. GO AFTER HER!

As Doc began his pursuit, Clara flew out the door. She slammed it shut and pulled the nearby log seat she and Doc used to look at the stars in front it. Having bought herself a few minutes, she hastily reviewed her options. She couldn't stay, obviously. And she could no longer use the van as an escape -- Doc would simply track her down again, probably in Dave's car. Or go after Jules and Verne instead. Those same cons disqualified hiding in Hill Valley.

Her gaze wandered toward the garage. Immediately the image of the time train flashed into her mind. Of course! I can go invisibly to Grass Valley to pick up Jules, Verne, and George, then escape into time! Thank God for Emmett's inventiveness -- and the fact it'll take him forever to build another machine without help! Relieved, she made a beeline to the doors.

Inside, Doc had found the front door blocked. Ever resourceful, he used a foot stool to smash out a window. As he climbed out, he spotted Clara running pell-mell for the garage. Now what could she possibly want in there, the murderous hussy?

Then it came to him. The TIME MACHINE! She wants to kill Marty twice! This new terror only added to his insanity, and he redoubled his efforts to catch her. "I won't let you do it, bitch!"

Clara flew into the garage and yanked open the trapdoor that led to the time train. She almost fell down the stairs in her haste. The train sat patiently in its tunnel, ready and willing to take a driver. Clara ran up to it, kissed its glossy black finish, and got in the cab.

As she pulled the starting lever, Doc appeared at the bottom of the stairs, breathing heavily. Clara quickly threw a few more logs into the fire to get the train moving more quickly. Slowly, ponderously, the time train started rolling down the tunnel Doc had made especially for it.

The scientist climbed aboard the single car, knife at the ready. "There's no escape now, bitch!" he yelled up to her.

Clara ignored him for the moment, shoving in more wood. Sometime during her run for freedom, her attitude toward Doc had changed to "kill or be killed." She grabbed the poker from the fire and stuck her head out the window. "Come and get me!" she yelled back, waving it threateningly.

Doc just laughed manically. "Like that will protect you from the extent of my wrath, coupled with Marty's! Prepare to be destroyed, bitch!"

Clara quickly shut and locked the door to the cab. She checked the speed of the train, then found the button to turn the train invisible. She pressed it as she heard Doc pounding on the door. "Open up and meet your doom!"

"You'll have to break it down!"

She found that those were a poor choice of words. Doc managed to break the lock and open the door. He knocked her down, wildly swinging his knife. "DIE, BITCH!"

Clara blocked his swing with the poker, snarling at him. They began to battle, sparks flying as metal hit metal. Doc backed Clara back up against the time circuit panels, forcing her against the keys. Unbeknownst to either of them, she turned them on and began to enter various dates as she struggled against him.

The train steamed on, gathering speed. Just before it entered Clayton Ravine, Clara saw the danger and managed to activate the hover conversion. The train rocketed out of the tunnel, the speedometer now in the 80s.

85. . . . Doc succeeded in slashing Clara's shoulder.

86. . . . Clara smacked Doc over the head with her poker.

87. . . . Doc fell to the floor, semi-conscious.

88. . . .