A Christmas Journey

Chapter 4

 A few minutes later, Sherri was back on the bus. It pulled out, the next stop being Nashville. She was so tired and so comforted by the conversation with Jesse that she drifted off to sleep. Two hours later, the driver made an announcement. Sherri rubbed her eyes a little as she listened to the muffled speaker. "All right, everyone, we're coming up to Nashville, where we'll be stopping off for about 15 minutes."

Sherri got up and left for the door, planning to walk around for a few minutes. As she was on the way into the station, three men quietly eased up behind her and, before the girl could react, Sherri felt a handgun sticking into her back.

"Don't turn around. Keep walking to the other side of the building." a voice ordered.

Scared, Sherri followed their directions until she managed to get to a crowd of people. Then, the girl suddenly elbowed one man in the stomach, ducked the other one, and began running away. People in the crowd were surprised and quickly moved out of the way. Sherri then kept on running past the bus depot, because she knew the men could easily catch her if she doubled back.

Meanwhile, a short distance down the street, a couple who appeared to be in their late-twenties was exiting a small restaurant, preparing to leave for their car.

"Good choice, Mike." the young woman commented, "That was really good." A smile crossed her attractive face. She looked beautiful with the wind blowing her shoulder-length brown hair.

"Thanks, Amy." The young man replied. He was handsome with a muscular build, a dark brown crew cut, and love in his brown eyes as he looked at his wife.

Just then, Michael said quickly, "Hey, check it out."

"Wait, that looks like..." she began as the girl reached them and Michael slowed her down. Amy asked, "Whoa, what's wrong?"

"Please," the girl pleaded, "You've got to help me! They're after me!"

"Sherri Turner? What are you doing here?" Amy asked.

"And who's after you?" added Michael.

"I'll explain later and them!" Sherri pointed to the men who were behind her.

"Get behind us!" Amy ordered.

The men had just caught up to them when Sherri had stepped behind the couple.

"Get out of our way." one of the men said ominously.

"I don't think so." Michael said confidently, "Not until you tell us why you want her."

Two of the men drew guns. "We said get out of our way."

"Oh. Well since you put it that way..." Michael said as he and Amy began to move.

Just as Sherri started to worry, in the blink of an eye, Michael disarmed one man and Amy kicked the other in the stomach, causing him to drop his gun. The men unwisely attempted to fight the couple while unarmed. Michael easily picked one up and slammed him into a brick wall, while Amy took down the other man with kick to the chest, then another to the head.

Then, Michael happened to look over and see the third man who had wisely retreated a few feet away before drawing a gun. He swiftly reached into his shirt, drew his sidearm from a shoulder-holster.

"Please don't do that." Michael said menacingly.

Apparently, Amy had decided the encounter had gone on long enough as she knocked the last man out with a surprisingly-hard punch. The entire encounter lasted about two minutes and somehow no passersby noticed.

"We'd better get out of here before more show up." suggested Amy.

"Yeah." Michael agreed, looking down at Sherri. "Well, you're welcome to either come with us, if you want, or go back to wherever you started from."