Tommy Hastings said, “Geez, I
don’t know how I’d have made it to Canada and back without a friend.”
Freddie Merrill nodded.
“I’d’a died of fright by now like a hundred times if I’d had to go there
alone.”
They both nodded and went
back out to the room. Nilson’s mom walked out and said, “Where’s Nils?” They
all turned to the door when they heard a harsh scream...
Tommy was out first, followed
by Nils’ mother. Freddie stopped at the door as the other two charged into the
darkness. He turned back to the kitchen, rummaged in the drawers until he found
the biggest knife he could find. He strode out after them. When he reached the
beach where the boat was, there was a group of men with flashlights, shining
them on Tommy and Nils’ mother.
Nils was on the ground,
curled around his middle, moaning. At least he wasn’t dead. Freddie stepped
into the light, holding the knife up and shouted, “Get back or I stab the next
person who tried to hurt us!”
Tommy spun around, face in
the sudden dark, the flashlights behind him. “What are you doing!”
“Saving us from these guys! I’m
tired of them chasing us! I’m tired of being afraid!” He looked into the lights
and screamed, “Stop it!”
There was a dark rumble, then
a shot rang out. Tommy and Freddie screamed and dropped to the ground. Nils’
mother raised her arm in the air, a gun in one hand and said, “Get off my
property or I start shooting bodies.”
A voice accented with what
the boys had come to recognize as a Finnish accent said, “You wouldn’t dare,
woman!”
Another shot rang out and
Nils’ mother said, “You punched my son. I have no husband to take care of me,
so I take care of myself. Now you can rush me, but I have Smith and Wesson .38
that I learned to use and I can plug the bottom out of any tin can I throw into
the air – three times – before it hits the ground. I also fought off a charging
black bear sow.”
“You wouldn’t…” a woman’s
voice said.
This time Nils’ mom put a
bullet into the ground, then added, “Now get off my property. The second you
are, I’m calling the police and because I used to date the chief, he’ll bring
all of his deputies will be here in about five minutes. So I’m suggesting you
leave for your Socialist hidey hole in Duluth now before they get here.” There
was movement and she added again, “I also know you’re staying at the Five Pine
resort, so get out of the cabins. And make sure you forfeit your fees.”
“You can’t…” a third voice
shouted. This time, a bullet hit the trunk of a tree in the darkness. There was
a scramble as the Socialists fled. She turned to Freddie, who was still holding
the knife up like he was going to carve down the Socialists, and said, “That
was incredibly brave, young man. Wish Nils had more friends like you.” Now that
the flashlights were fleeing into the woods, the streetlight lamp outside over
the dirt parking lot of the resort showed her face. “You and your friend are
welcome to stay here any time you’d like.” With a nod, she added, “We’ll get
you out of here and on the road in the morning. Now I’ve got a phone call to
make. Would you see to Nils, then?”
Tommy was still staring at
Freddie as he nodded. Freddie was kneeling beside Nils who was struggling to
breathe. He was up on his hands and knees and Freddie patted his back then
lifted the other boy’s arm, put it over his shoulders and stood. The two of
them walked slowly past Tommy. He watched as they went into the cabin then
followed after them.
Image: http://heblewherakiss.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/adc1.jpg
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