Run to Me by Diane Hester

just a little longer. Approaching thirty. He moved his fingers to the lid of the box.
    Then he sawit. Something he couldn’t have seen from the gas station. A ditch along their side of the road. What would it do? Improve the odds or work against them? He’d have to chance it. He leaned forward slightly, opened the box and shook its contents onto Nolan’s shoulder.
    Tragg caught the movement from the corner of his eye and spun around. Like a striking snake his hand shot out and snatched Zack’swrist in a crushing grip. ‘You wouldn’t be dumb enough to try something, would you?’
    Zack bit down to keep from crying out.
    The van lurched sharply.
    ‘Shit! Oh, shit!’ Nolan jerked the wheel as he slapped at his face.
    Tragg let go. ‘For Christ’s sake watch –’ was all he got out before being slammed against his door.
    The van lurched again. Flashing images, squealing tyres.
    Through the lastblurred seconds Zack saw the oak tree rushing towards them.

Chapter 9
    Zack sat gasping. By some miracle they’d missed the tree but their final impact had been a lot harder than he’d anticipated. The van’s nosedive into the ditch had thrown him against his shoulder belt with enough force to wind him. Otherwise he felt okay.
    Beside him, Reece and Corey sat speechless, eyes filled with shock. No blood, no mangled body parts. At least they hadn’t been injuredeither.
    The men in the front had not fared as well. Tragg lay crumpled against the dashboard, Nolan slumped over the steering wheel.
    A groan from Nolan spurred Zack into action. ‘Come on, let’s go.’ He threw off his belt.
    The others sat frozen, their incredulous expressions making it clear he hadn’t convinced them they were in danger.
    ‘I said, come on!’ He undid their belts, turned for thedoor and let out a gasp.
    Face streaked in blood, Tragg glared back at him from between the front seats. With a quavering hand he pulled something small and dark from his pocket. And aimed it at Zack.
    Though the sight threatened to loosen his bladder he couldnot look away. The hole seemed enormous, opening wider as Tragg moved the pistol towards his face.
    When the man’s arm jerked Zack thoughtit was over – he hadn’t heard the shot because he was dead.
    But as the arm lowered further he saw Tragg’s face and realised what had happened. The vicious sneer of moments ago had changed to a dull, questioning stare. The pistol slipped from the gunman’s hand as he slumped unconscious against the seat.
    Zack sat gaping for precious seconds. Again it was the sound of Nolan moaning that snappedhim out of it. ‘Let’s go. Move!’
    This time the others needed no convincing. As he slid the door open and scrambled out they were right behind him.
    ‘Hey, get back here!’ Panic at the sound of Nolan’s voice helped them clamber out of the ditch.
    Up on the road there were no cars in sight.
    Reece grabbed his hand. ‘What do we do?’
    Zack looked around. No houses, no people. Only the gas stationa hundred yards back. With the transport truck still idling out front!
    ‘This way!’ They ran.
    Halfway there he slowed to look back. Nolan was staggering out of the ditch. He walked in circles on the shoulder of the road, then spotted the three boys running. ‘Damn it, get back here!’ He started after them.
    Zack quickly made up the ground he’d lost. He reached Corey first, who was lagging behind,grabbed his hand and dragged him along. The three of them reached the station together.
    ‘Over here!’ Zack hurried them to the back of the truck. Then stood staring up at the towering beast.
    With the rumbling engine, noxious fumes and massive wheels, it felt like some kind of sleeping dragon. Corey could just aboutwalk beneath it without bending down. It was almost as ugly and scary as Tragg.

    Zack stepped closer. The two back doors had lever handles but there was no way he could reach them from the ground. He would have to climb up. And that would take time they might