Two shots were all it took to reduce the ground around them to flaming, flying rubble. But the Yeerks didn't seem to care about that; all they cared about was making absolutely sure that there was not even the slightest bit of evidence that there had ever been a Yeerk in that area.
***
Standing at his truck, digging through the various medical instruments and bottles of anti-venom, Walter heard a sudden loud explosion. Turning to look over his shoulder, Walter saw that the area that was currently being blown apart, was the same area that Cassie, Rachel, and the injured mare had been standing in.
At that moment, Walter stopped thinking or wondering, or doing anything except running as fast as he could to where his daughter and her best friend had been standing. The area had stopped exploding by now, which was good, but most of the dry brush in that area had caught fire, so Walter knew he would have to move fast.
Not caring that he was running into a place that looked like the gates of Hell, Walter vaulted through a low wall of fire. When he saw that Cassie was unconscious, and that Rachel was dragging her out of the way of the spreading fire, Walter felt a flash of admiration for the blonde girl. It took a very special bond to be willing to stand practically in the middle of a raging inferno just to have a chance at saving a friend.
Rachel seemed to be having some trouble now, and Walter didn't pause to consider why, instead putting on a burst of speed and clearing the last bit of distance between himself and his daughter. Without a word, Walter lifted Cassie's legs, and he and Rachel ran out of the path of the blazing fire.
"Thanks," Rachel gasped, breathing hard, and bending double to catch her breath.
"Anytime," Walter nodded.
Walter lifted Cassie's legs again, and Rachel picked her friend up by the shoulders.
"We need to get Cassie someplace safe," Rachel said.
Walter more than agreed with her.
"Help me get her back to the shop," he said.
Rachel and Walter ran as fast as they could, all the way back to Crazy Helen's shop. When they got there, panting and out of breath, Crazy Helen was already outside.
"So what's wrong with – My god! What happened?" Helen gasped, catching sight of Cassie's unconscious body.
"A fire," Walter said, still breathing heavily from his run. "Some kind of explosion caused it. Cassie and Rachel were both caught in it."
"Let's get them inside, then," Helen said, hustling Rachel and Walter into the store, since her trailer was a bit small to fit four people comfortably.
