Chapter 11

Nona felt the tension in the village. Nick drove his car up in front of the local tavern, which appeared to be the focal point of village activity. Timber grew right to the edge of Craig and a bad fire could conceivably incinerate the town.

They sat for a moment, close together. The smoke-smell was very strong, now, blowing in from the west. The sky in that direction glowed red, as if another sunset were occurring.

"I'll have to go out with a crew of fire fighters," Nick said.

"Have to?" Nona asked, shivering.

"Code of the hills, Nona. Also the law-but I don't mind. I want to do what I can."

"B-be careful!" she whispered, leaning nearer. She didn't care that he had been Ivy's date; she still felt warm and wanted.

"I'll leave my car with you," he said and his arms went around her. A truckload of helmeted men appeared, armed with shovels and axes. A man on a walkie-talkie shouted orders. A man in forest green uniform was recruiting a crew in front of the tavern.

Nona didn't see Hugh or Ivy anywhere. Jud's big Caddy appeared at the end of the main village street. The lights all over town wavered, dimmed, then came back on.

"We'll have that date when things quiet down," Nick said, his arm tightening.

"Oh-yes!" she answered. She held her mouth up. His hands, in the darkness of the front seat, squeezed. Then he kissed her soundly. She strained against him. Even with her frock and bra in place, her nipples tingled again. There was a hunger in his caress that filled her with longing.

He let go at last and climbed out of his car. "Be careful!" he admonished. "Stay around where people are. They'll have a fire warden in the village. Do what he says."

She nodded. He smiled and walked over to the helmeted leader who was recruiting help. He was so big and strong.

He does care for me, she thought. He does!

She watched Nick climb in the rear of the truck with other volunteer fire fighters. He waved at her. She waved back. The truck's motor roared. It jerked and pulled away.

At that moment she saw Ivy park her car across the street. Nona started to get out of Nick's auto, and Ivy left hers, striding toward Nona. The schoolteacher came around and climbed in the front with Nona.

"You didn't waste any time," Ivy said, dryly.

"Nick asked me to come with him," Nona answered. "W-where's Hugh?"

"I don't know. He got in his own car and took off...."

"Very brave!" Nona said.

"He was your date, not mine."

"Well, I d-don't like him."

"He's not so bad," Ivy said.

"Well, you can have him!"

"Thanks, I hope they get this mess straightened out. Let's go in the tavern and have a beer or something."

Nona shrugged. Her thoughts remained with Nick. There was danger along a fire line.

They left the car and walked toward the tavern. Knots of people stood about on the street, staring westward. The odor of pine smoke was stronger, but the false sunset appeared to have faded somewhat. The wind held. Nona realized this would make the battle with the fire more difficult.

"I got some of our things out of the cabin," Ivy said, as they entered the tavern. Several elderly men and a number of village women stood about uneasily, some drinking beer, others just talking.

The forest was their prime source of revenue. It drew tourists and supplied logs for the sawmill that was the town's only basic industry. A whole night shift at the mill had gone out to fight the fire.

Ivy found an unoccupied table and they sat down. The barmaid paid them no attention. She seemed as upset as the rest of those inside and outside.

"Your lipstick's smeared, honey," Ivy murmured, dryly.

Nona was proud of what Nick had done to her mouth. In fact, her lips seemed even yet to be extra-sensitive, a bit swollen.

"Didn't you have fun with Hugh?" she countered.

Ivy laughed. "The way things were going, I intended to suggest trading males!"

Nona flushed. The edge of excitement generated by the liquor was wearing off. She remembered the way Hugh's hand had moved around between Ivy's outspread thighs ...

"C-could you see through your blindfold, too?" Nona asked.

"Of course! Leave it to Lucy!"

At that moment Lucy came through the crowd around the tavern door. She looked upset.

"Hell of a way to end a party!" she complained, sitting down. "Jud went bravely off to battle-with a fifth in his hand!"

Ivy laughed. She received several frowns from the nearby patrons. The forest fire was no joking matter.

"Where are we going to stay?" Lucy asked.

"There's a hotel here, a kind of fleabag," Lucy said, lowering her voice.

The barmaid finally arrived and took their order. Nona asked for a plain cola. Business in the tavern commenced to assume a normal pace. A radio, tuned up high, gave out the news. The blaze was still several miles from the village. Heavy equipment was being moved into the area to establish some sort of protective line. In the morning planes would drop chemicals and smoke-tops.

Lucy murmured, leaning forward, keeping her voice down. "I was really getting my charges!"

Ivy giggled. "I heard you!"

Sex! With the two older girls this was the big thing. Getting their emotional charges, sensual kicks, flaunting their bodies in front of the men ...

Nona hoped Nick wanted her for more than her physical self. She felt that he did, but she wouldn't know now for some time-maybe days.

Lucy and Ivy continued to rehash moments of the party and Nona listened only half-heartedly. She decided she wouldn't participate, even if Lucy staged another brawl. And she was glad she hadn't been forced to fight off an affair with Hugh-an affair which he had obviously expected.

J know it's silly, but I'd like to have Nick take me the first time. I never wanted anything so much in my life! He'll be gone soon, but I don't care ...

She glanced up from the table, through the smoky tavern window. In the uncertain shadows outside she thought she saw a man staring at her. The figure disappeared behind a car.

Again the lights dimmed, wavered. Had the blaze reached a source of the town's electrical supply? There were signs of panic among the women in the tavern. Two older men shuffled out the front door, evidently bent on getting home before the lights all over town failed entirely.

"Let's get out of here," Lucy said. "I think I'd rather sleep in the car than in that old, creaky hotel!"

"Couldn't we drive away from here?" Ivy asked.

"You heard the radio. The road out goes right through the fire zone. I guess we're stuck. But if the fire gets too close I'm driving somewhere!"

Nona stood up. She would spend the night in Nick's car. Ivy would be in hers, Lucy in the Marker auto.

All three left the tavern. The street lights wavered. Smoke still blew through the village.

Nona ran to Nick's car, jumped inside, aware that several older men were watching her. Maybe she would drive to the edge of the village, wait for morning in some secluded spot away from prying eyes. She wished she could return to the cabin and pick up a few personal items, but she could get by until daylight. She could run the motor and turn on the heater if she got cold.

She slid under the wheel, started Nick's car and pulled away from the curb. At that moment the village was plunged into darkness. She trembled, flicking on the headlights.

What she sought was an area of open country, where there were no trees. There would be plenty of side roads. The trouble was, she didn't know where any of them led.

She reached the rim of the scattered residential area. She saw only one house with lights-and they appeared to be of the gas variety. The darkness seemed very intense. She wondered if she should have stayed with either Ivy or Lucy.

"Just keep goin', blondie!" a harsh voice said, right behind her.

She nearly jumped through the windshield. Some one-a man-had slipped into the rear seat and hidden!

Her heart seemed to stop beating. Rough hands gripped her shoulders. Why hadn't she looked into the back seat when she first got into the car? The dome light had gone on as she had entered, but she had been too involved with her problems.

She kept driving, slowly. The hands crept along her shoulders, toward her neck ...

"W-who are you?" Nona managed. Don't panic, she thought. Try to think!

The man laughed. His breath had a foul odor that turned her stomach. In the close darkness she smelled the stink of sweat mingled with smoke.

"You heard of the Ridge-runner, I guess!" he chortled. "I been watching you, blondie. On the beach an' around. Tonight I got my chance...."

Nona shuddered. She had heard the Ridge-runner was harmless ...

"The fire!" he went on, a wild note in his voice. "What a fire! It does things to me!"

His hands left her neck, crawling toward the slopes of her breasts, molded by her frock. The road narrowed, with tall trees on both sides. She was afraid to stop.

He was crazy, no doubt about it. She had heard of people who were unnaturally stimulated by a huge blaze.

Suddenly she remembered the man she had seen with the binoculars and the shot he had fired in the air. Probably he was still armed-dangerous. Anyone who ran around loose in the hills, like an animal, was a little off-center. If this were the person she had seen, and she felt her guess was right, she was in danger. Anything could happen to her.

His hands reached the fullness of her breasts.

"Stop," he commanded.

She pushed on the brake pedal, turning the car into a clearing on the right of the gravel road. She cut the motor.

His hands cupped her, and a mewling sound came from his mouth. Again his foul breath sickened her.

She had the horrible feeling that the beast intended to rape her. And after that--? "Please," she cried.

He snickered. "What a coupla handfuls! You've got 'em, blondie. Now, don't try anything imagine, like running away. You come along with me out in the bushes and we're going to have us some fun."

She glanced wildly around. The car headlights cut a path through the darkness. All around lay thick brush. She tensed, jerked at the door handle and felt her frock tear as she struggled out of his grasp and lunged through the open door.

She ran as fast as she could, straight into the thickest growth she could see. Behind her she heard a livid curse, a scrambling noise. She plunged forward, small twigs stinging her face. She went straight a few yards and then turned to the right. She struggled behind a bristly bush-and lay very still.

A car door slammed, and then came the thud-thud of shoes on the ground. She huddled in the darkness. The brush crackled. When the man raced past her position, going further into the timber, she knew she was only safe for a brief moment. He would be back. He would retrace his steps.

How did I ever get into such a mess? she thought, trying not to sob out loud in her fear and desperation.