Ella & Vlad at the end

# 16 - here and there

Mid-afternoon Ella waits in the shadows of a tree-line end. Across a vast field she observes a transport truck on its' side and a dozen, noticeably armed, men wander around it. Parked at the tail end of the truck a black Escalade, at the front sits a green military Hummer, identifying known highway marauders.

A body placed in the back of the Escalade has her wonder, one of theirs?Must be important to them if they're not leaving the body to rot... maybe to eat?

Once the body is placed in the Escalade five of the men get in and drive off. While keeping an eye on the several men left Ella is curious where the black SUV goes.

Panting in place Ella's head seems to nod knowing where the Escalade is going. Hoss's cannibal clan, last of the greasy fat bastards. Drawn by the smell of blood Ella's wolf happened upon their group of sick bastards. Coming close to getting captured and eaten that day she caught a couple bullets from Hoss fleeing; she easily pictures his fat-potbelly and long stringy grey hair skullet. Far from the largest of people encountered over life, but three hundred plus pounds is big for today's survivors.

Once the black SUV out of sight Ella focuses on the remaining men. What I wouldn't give for a machine gun right now. Mow them down so I can see sooner.

Picking the rig and grounds clean of anything useful the males chatter among themselves. Ella strains to hear but the breezes are not favorable. Lack of field-cover she stays put. Whatever happened must've bummed them out, they're barely talking to each other. if that trailer had livestock in it, I'd be bummed out... Especially if they were healthy.

Considering belly crawling through the field she notices the men all move for the Hummer. Focusing on the vehicle she's drawn to a machine gun swivel on the roof of the vehicle. Oh that's perfect for Sunday drives in the country. With a lil'ol seven, sixty two mini haha. They best go now and hope I never come looking for that. Could haul some serious shit and ass with it. Daydreaming she pictures chasing some assholes down. Vlad driving, her in wolf form with goggles on and wind through her hair blasting away. Have to make an addendum to my message to Vlad if he's not wiling to help with a transfusion. He's helping steal that nice green rig.

Filling the Hummer the men get inside, one even stands up into the roof's machine-gun position.

The vehicle drives around the downed truck back onto the road, traveling in the direction the transport is facing.

As soon as the Hummer is out of sight Ella trots briskly over to investigate.

Reaching the sided rig Ella takes a smell of the livestock trailer, detecting Vlad's scent, what the Hell? What's up here?

Around the back of the trailer there are four bloodied body impressions in the dirt. Each spot of blood is diseased but differs in scent.

She pauses on one spot for a stronger whiff. Smell's like Hoss. Maybe related. Maybe that's who they put in the Escalade. I keep smelling Vlad.

Sniffing about she finds the discarded raincoat along with definite traces of Vlad's blood. Oh no Vlad, you're okay right? She looks left and right. There's four different sets of tire tracks. Recalling the Hummer's path Ella identifies those tracks.

Walking towards the Escalade's parking spot Ella can see what happened in the dirt. The Black SUV pulled in parked and circled out. Another vehicle skidded in, then drove off where the Hummer went.

Sitting on her haunches to think a second Ella scratches an ear. Now did Vlad chase these guys down? What would he be doing way out here? Was that truck after the animals on our farm? And he chased them all the way here crashing that truck?