Chapter 11
Ron, Susan and Lisa had been dressed for about fifteen minutes. Neither of them had looked into the eyes of the other. Questions, and answers to these questions would come later, there was one all-pervading worry on each of their minds; would these men allow them to escape alive!
As Lisa surveyed the cruel, leering features of each of the men in the room, she did not find a sympathetic face among them. Her mind was riveted back to reality as she suddenly realized that their lives were still in danger.
Ron had recollected himself as best he could. Plans and possible means of escape raced through his mind, and all of them seemed futile. Certainly the three of them were not strong enough to physically overpower this group of liquor-laden, burley men. Bull was standing like a sentinel at the door; a rush for freedom would only result in a beating similar to the earlier ones he had received. The only feasible solution was the gun in Lisa and Ron's camper; but how was Ron to get to it?
What would happen to them? Would these men beat the three of them into unconsciousness, take keys to their camper, then leave them to the elements in this deserted, unknown section of the Catspaw Mountains?
Or, would they suffer a worse fate? Would they be forced to undergo another wicked, lewd orgy?
The men kept passing around a whiskey bottle, each of them gluttonously imbibing a mouthful of the amber liquid. This worried Lisa; if the men got completely drunk, who knows what they'd do?
There was an uneasy tension-filled silence that pervaded the room.
Bull himself was wondering exactly what to do. The actuality of the incident in the bar was gnawing at him and he was becoming extremely nervous. What if backwoods police were combing these hills for him. If they found him, he might be able to explain away the bar incident, but not, if Lisa, Ron, and Susan were here! If he let them go, they might be stopped in a road-block and tell the police everything!
Yes, Bull had bitten off a little more than he could chew this time. He had always been impulsive, had always acted on his emotions, but he had always got out of it, somehow. He wondered if he hadn't made a mistake in following these three campers into this isolated part of the forest.
A numbing fear raced through his liquor-dimmed brain. Had he not, in effect, walled himself in by coming to this dead end road. There was only one way out; the way he came in!
But (he kept telling himself) the fight wasn't his fault! The other guy had cheated him! (Or had he?)
Had he? Would the police believe him? Bull had witnesses! But so did the other guy! And who were the police more willing to believe, a bunch of hometown folk, or total strangers.
Bull would soon discover the answers to these and many other questions as a strobe-like flash of brilliant red light frighteningly illuminated the inside of the motor home.
Bull opened the door and was met by a gun-toting, young state trooper. The trooper quickly stepped into the room and surveyed the scene. There was a look of surprise on his clean-shaven face as he saw Lisa, Susan, and Ron.
Within seconds, six additional troopers were inside the room curiously examining the bizarre scene which lay before them.
"We've got some questions we'd like to ask you," the young trooper said to Bull.
Bull did not reply.
The young officer turned to Lisa, Ron and Susan.
"Are you folks with these men?"
"No!" Lisa said emphatically.
"Well," the young trooper said smiling, "why don't you three step outside and wait by my car. I'll be with you in a moment."
As Lisa stepped out into the crisp night air she gazed up at the millions of stars sparkling like diamond-dust in the black, silent sky.
There are as many new beginnings, as there are stars in the sky, she told herself.
For her sake, Ron's and Susan's she prayed this was true.