Chapter 2
"How much corn can a person grow?" Tim asked himself as he came to another crossroads. He'd been walking for almost an hour, by his watch, and all he'd seen was corn, and nothing else. "Where in the hell am I?"
He paused for a moment and set down his bag. He removed the long-sleeved button down shirt he'd stupidly worn that day, and tied it around his waist. The sun was beating down on him, and he had forgotten to snag a water when he left Tony.
I wonder if he ever fixed the car.
Tim picked up his bag and contemplated which road to take. After a moment, he decided to make a right, and started down the road. Hopefully he'd come across something-or someone-that could lead him to civilization.
"Damn it all!" Tony shouted, throwing his wrench on the ground. He'd been working on the car for over an hour, and hadn't gotten anywhere. He was stuck in the middle of nowhere, and to make it worse, McGee had taken off on his own, and was God knows where.
Stupid bastard... he's going to get lost in this mess of corn.
Tony took out his phone, desperate for a signal. He was dismayed to find he had no service.
"Great. Just fucking awesome."
Tony slammed the hood shut and went around to get his bag from the backseat. He put a bottle of water in it before he locked his car and started walking. He had to find a place to call for help, or neither of them were going to make it home.
The sun was getting hotter, and Tim was getting weaker from his lack of fluids. He'd been walking for about twenty minutes since the last intersection, and he hadn't seen anyone yet.
After a few more minutes, Tim could walk no more, and he fell to his knees in the dirt road, dropping his bag on the ground next to him. If he could just sit for a few minutes, he'd be fine, and could continue on his way.
-
The farmer had been working his land all morning. He'd finally come to his back 40, and he was getting close to the road. He needed to cross over to get to his other cornfield. He chugged along, and finally broke through his field to cross the road. As his tires moved into the dirt road, he caught something out of the corner of his eye, and slammed on the brakes.
There was a man lying in the road.
He turned off the tractor and climbed down, bringing his bottle of water with him. He kneeled next to the man in the road, and checked the man's vitals. He breathed a sigh of relief when he felt a steady pulse.
"Hey, can you hear me?" He said loudly, shaking the man's shoulder. The man groaned, but didn't rouse. "Are you all right?" He shook the man's shoulder again. This time, the man opened his eyes, and sat up.
"What happened?" the man said, in a raspy voice. The farmer knew he was dehydrated.
"You're in the road," the farmer said. "I could have killed you with the combine attached to my tractor here, had I not seen ya."
The man eyed the water in the farmer's hand, and the farmer handed it to him readily.
"You can have it all, son. You look terrible. Why were you lying down in the road?"
The man drank for almost a full minute, then cleared his throat.
"Car broke down... I was trying to find help," the man said, his voice sounding more normal than it did a moment ago.
"What's your name?"
"Tim McGee."
"I'm John Maxwell," the farmer said, holding out a hand. Tim shook it.
"You're the first person I've seen in an hour and a half."
"You've been walking that long? Are you crazy? It's 95 degrees out!"
"You don't happen to have a phone, do you?"
"Not with me, but you can use the one back at the house. I gotta finish up in this here field, but it shouldn't take too long." John turned and started back toward his combine. "Hop on, and hold on tight."
"Thank you very much, Mr. Maxwell," Tim said as he climbed into the tractor with him.
"Call me John, will ya? I hate being called Mr. Maxwell."
"Okay, John."
The tractor roared to life, and they were gone.
Tony walked for 30 minutes. He saw nothing but corn.
We really are stuck in the middle of nowhere, aren't we? Why didn't we take Probie's car?
Tony wiped his forehead with the back of his hand.
Damn, it's fucking hot today!
He stopped and shed his t-shirt, leaving him in only his shorts and undershirt. He shoved his t-shirt into his bag, and pulled out a bottle of water. He took a long drink, and shoved it into his bag. He had to save as much water as possible. If he ran out in this heat before he found a place to call for help, he'd be in trouble.
His thoughts immediately went to Tim, and remembered that his friend hadn't taken any water with him.
He's going to die out here with no water. I have to find him.
The thought of losing Tim forever propelled Tony onward, determined to find help.
Tony walked until he could walk no more. He needed to find shade, and quickly. He could feel his skin burning in the hot sun. He went to the side of the road and nestled himself between a few cornstalks, taking in the shade. He just wanted to close his eyes for a moment, take in the shade.
A loud click made his eyes snap open. The first thing he saw was the barrel of a shotgun, pointed right at his face. The next thing he saw was the angry man holding it, and his two friends, flanking ether side of him.
I am so screwed...
TBC...