Chapter Six Excerpt

“Shit! I have to turn the lights on.”

On came the lights and in a flash the sedan was in pursuit once again. But now the roads were not only wet but also narrow and hilly; I had a sports car and a general idea as to where I was going.

The way was dark and foreboding, with little for reference to indicate where the roadside ended and the gravel shoulder began. All that marked the way to success, or sheer disaster was an occasional tuft of grass or bit of rock. After several moments of roller-coaster riding and screeches from the back seat, the road seemed to smooth out to an open stretch with steady rain. The headlights in the rear bobbed up and down as the large sedan followed, but at a safe distance. With the end of the road coming up fast, I had to decide, Beaver Lake, or Prospect. Racking my memory, I tried to remember which would be the more promising. Prospect was a more dismal place at this time of night and would afford a better chance of escape, but more treacherous roads headed back up to Brentwood past Butchart Gardens.

“Prospect Lake it is!” On to the highway and an almost immediate right and we were on our way. As I drove along, I was hoping to see more to facilitate our escape, but every time an idea came to mind, I’d miss the corner almost ending up in the ditch, or sliding past the exit with all fours locked on the wet pavement. Speeding through the hamlet of Brentwood, I remembered a small road we had previously turned off on to go scuba diving in the Bay. By this time the persistence of our pursuers, close behind, was driving me to desperation.

“Hang on Shawna. There is a small road up here that heads down to the water. I remember it from several summers ago.”

Locking all fours, I slowed down and allowed our followers to come right up to our rear. Stepping on the gas again, we pulled several hundred feet in front of them.

“If I can time this right, they will be speeding up just as we make our turn. Hang on!”

I cranked the wheel just as they were ready to ram us. Down we flew, only it wasn’t as wide a road as I remembered it. Slick with mud and covered with cedar boughs and roots, it was very rough. Unable to stop on the steep mud decline, we shot down bumping up and down till the shocks were hitting bottom. Trying my best to stay in control I got a glimpse of headlights coming after us.

“Idiots! They must be nuts.”

“Yeah! You’re the one that’s nuts. They weren’t the ones who turned down here. This isn’t a road, it’s a walkway.”

“Oh God!” I sighed looking ahead as the headlight illuminated the up coming event as if in slow motion. With nowhere to go we sailed down toward two trees that lined the path on either side.

“We’re not going to make it.” Shawna moaned from the back.

Centering the car in the path as best I could, I took my foot off the brake and let it glide. Squinting my eyes just before impact, I prayed and watched helplessly as the advancing trees got larger and larger. Clutching my hands on the vibrating wheel and pushing my head back till it hit the rest, I took a breath and watched in slow motion as the front of the car bounced and tilted sideways. I heard a ripping noise and watched the mirrors disappear from my doors and a tug as the rubber trim came flying off the rear bumper.