his cell phone.
"It won't work in here." Jaron cast a quick glance behind him then chuckled when it was apparent Telor couldn't get reception.
"This isn't a good idea, with all the rain we've been having," Telor said. "A drainage ditch is just asking for trouble."
"By all means," Jaron replied. "Go back and find Carver."
"We don't even know if he's in here following us," Rain whispered, moving forward with trepidation. Looking back gave no insight. The darkness closed behind them like a draped black blanket.
Drips of water splashed from the top of the drainage pipe to their feet. The sides of the metal were slimy, the top just barely high enough for Jaron and Telor to walk without slouching. The aroma was pungent. They sloshed as they went along. Deeper Jaron led them, until they came to a turn. He started down a new path. Rain held Jaron's hand and Telor's.
"Where are we going?" Rain asked, keeping her voice low.
"First we're going to get the doll and find out why Carver is so hot and bothered for it," Jaron said.
"But we need to…" Rain stammered.
"What? Go to the cops? And have your boyfriend tell them I burned your house down and kidnapped you? No thanks."
"We need to tell them about Carver," Rain insisted.
"With what proof?" Jaron demanded. "I didn't see him set the fire, and even if I did my word is shit. They'd think it was just payback for him pinning a murder on me eighteen years ago."
"But I'll tell them…" Rain started to say.
"Tell them what? You suddenly remember that night after I kidnapped you? They'd think I coerced you. You didn't see Carver start the fire."
"I never saw who hit me from behind," Telor said irritably.
"That's why you were stumbling," Rain said and gasped. "I was terrified when you started back in for Papa. I knew you'd never stop looking for me."
"You're right. I would never have stopped."
"I'm sorry, Telor," Rain sadly whispered, hearing his hurt. She was sorry she had hurt him but she wasn't sorry she had been with Jaron.
"Do you hear that?" Jaron asked.
"What?" Telor's hand tightened on Rain's painfully.
"That sound." Jaron cocked his head to the right.
They all stopped to listen. A rushing sound was gaining volume and speed as it closed in on them. Telor turned and flashed his light in the direction of the noise. Rain remembered Telor had worried over the storms they had been having. They could be facing a wall of rushing water. They'd drown.
Rain screamed louder than she ever had in her life. A dark wall-like mass was moving toward them. Hundreds of rats were closing in on them. Thousands of scampering feet tidal-waved, gaining with rapid intensity. Beady little eyes centered and seemed focused on Rain. She screamed again; she loathed rats.
"Oh shit," Jaron muttered.
Behind the rats came the wall of water. All three turned as one and ran for their lives. Before long Rain could see the furry creatures under her feet. She had no air to scream. Telor's flashlight bobbed as he ran, giving her eerie glimpses of their panicked movements. Rain heard Telor swear and she saw him throw a rat off his shirt. Jaron had one clinging to the back of his pants near his waist. It was a terrifying sight. Their wet fur brushed against her ankles. With each hurried step she could feel them squish under her feet and she gagged.
Up ahead, a beacon of light shone as day broke. They reached the grate at the end of the metal tunnel and all three fell through with the water teeming over them, carrying the rats to the river and its edges. Jaron grabbed Rain and yanked her to the side of the concrete bank. Telor crawled up beside them. None of them could speak as they dragged air into their tortured lungs. Rain's clothes were clinging to her. Soiled bits of garbage hung from her hair. A rancid odor came from all of them.
Telor stood up and looked down at Jaron in fury. "Now we go to the cops. Unless you have another gun you've hidden away?"
Rain noted Jaron's weapon was no longer in his
"It won't work in here." Jaron cast a quick glance behind him then chuckled when it was apparent Telor couldn't get reception.
"This isn't a good idea, with all the rain we've been having," Telor said. "A drainage ditch is just asking for trouble."
"By all means," Jaron replied. "Go back and find Carver."
"We don't even know if he's in here following us," Rain whispered, moving forward with trepidation. Looking back gave no insight. The darkness closed behind them like a draped black blanket.
Drips of water splashed from the top of the drainage pipe to their feet. The sides of the metal were slimy, the top just barely high enough for Jaron and Telor to walk without slouching. The aroma was pungent. They sloshed as they went along. Deeper Jaron led them, until they came to a turn. He started down a new path. Rain held Jaron's hand and Telor's.
"Where are we going?" Rain asked, keeping her voice low.
"First we're going to get the doll and find out why Carver is so hot and bothered for it," Jaron said.
"But we need to…" Rain stammered.
"What? Go to the cops? And have your boyfriend tell them I burned your house down and kidnapped you? No thanks."
"We need to tell them about Carver," Rain insisted.
"With what proof?" Jaron demanded. "I didn't see him set the fire, and even if I did my word is shit. They'd think it was just payback for him pinning a murder on me eighteen years ago."
"But I'll tell them…" Rain started to say.
"Tell them what? You suddenly remember that night after I kidnapped you? They'd think I coerced you. You didn't see Carver start the fire."
"I never saw who hit me from behind," Telor said irritably.
"That's why you were stumbling," Rain said and gasped. "I was terrified when you started back in for Papa. I knew you'd never stop looking for me."
"You're right. I would never have stopped."
"I'm sorry, Telor," Rain sadly whispered, hearing his hurt. She was sorry she had hurt him but she wasn't sorry she had been with Jaron.
"Do you hear that?" Jaron asked.
"What?" Telor's hand tightened on Rain's painfully.
"That sound." Jaron cocked his head to the right.
They all stopped to listen. A rushing sound was gaining volume and speed as it closed in on them. Telor turned and flashed his light in the direction of the noise. Rain remembered Telor had worried over the storms they had been having. They could be facing a wall of rushing water. They'd drown.
Rain screamed louder than she ever had in her life. A dark wall-like mass was moving toward them. Hundreds of rats were closing in on them. Thousands of scampering feet tidal-waved, gaining with rapid intensity. Beady little eyes centered and seemed focused on Rain. She screamed again; she loathed rats.
"Oh shit," Jaron muttered.
Behind the rats came the wall of water. All three turned as one and ran for their lives. Before long Rain could see the furry creatures under her feet. She had no air to scream. Telor's flashlight bobbed as he ran, giving her eerie glimpses of their panicked movements. Rain heard Telor swear and she saw him throw a rat off his shirt. Jaron had one clinging to the back of his pants near his waist. It was a terrifying sight. Their wet fur brushed against her ankles. With each hurried step she could feel them squish under her feet and she gagged.
Up ahead, a beacon of light shone as day broke. They reached the grate at the end of the metal tunnel and all three fell through with the water teeming over them, carrying the rats to the river and its edges. Jaron grabbed Rain and yanked her to the side of the concrete bank. Telor crawled up beside them. None of them could speak as they dragged air into their tortured lungs. Rain's clothes were clinging to her. Soiled bits of garbage hung from her hair. A rancid odor came from all of them.
Telor stood up and looked down at Jaron in fury. "Now we go to the cops. Unless you have another gun you've hidden away?"
Rain noted Jaron's weapon was no longer in his
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