~*~Chapter Fifteen: No Where to Run~*~
Todd heard the police chopper overhead. "Marty!" he cried while running toward the cabin. He had to get back to Marty so they could both make it to safety.
After the chopper landed, Kurtz exited. He approached on foot with a loaded weapon. He wasn't that far from the cabin. *I got you right where I want you, Todd Manning,* he was thinking.
Todd started running faster, seeing smoke rising from the cabin. Marty was in danger!
Marty had attempted to put out the fire. She struggled and tripped as she was running towards it with a bucket of water. She hit her head when she tripped. She was lying unconscious on the floor, only a few feet from the fire.
Todd stepped onto the wooden porch as smoke and flames were coming out of the cabin. "Marty!" he screamed. He saw her passed out on the floor. There was a bit of blood on her forehead. Marty was injured!
Todd lifted her in his arms. He carried her out of the cabin and set her down gently on the front porch. He watched helplessly as all their dreams went up in smoke. The cabin was turning to ashes.
The loud sound of the chopper overhead caught Todd's attention. "Todd Manning, come out with your hands up!" he heard a voice from the chopper yell. Todd tensed, they had no where to go and no where to hide.
Looking down at Marty, Todd saw that she was coming awake. He hugged her in relief. "Baby, are you okay?" he asked.
"Todd," Marty said sadly. "I- I tried to put the fire out, but I think I tripped. Then everything went black."
Then she too heard the voice from the chopper. "They're coming for you! What are we going to do?" Marty gasped.
From the chopper, a voice was still calling out Todd's name. He ignored the voice and caressed Marty's cheek. "Marty, do you trust me?" Todd asked.
"With my life," Marty responded.
Todd lifted her face to his and he tenderly kissed her. Then, carefully, he helped her to her feet. "Come on, then... let's run!"
Marty and Todd were running when Officer Kurtz approached with the gun. "Stop right there!" he demanded. "You made me look bad, Manning. No one makes me look bad. I am afraid you'll have to die."
Officer Kurtz had trapped Marty and Todd at the edge of the bluff. Todd realized there was no where to go but down. He grabbed Marty in his arms and together they fell off the bluff...