Landmine - Post Malone

15

Austin is already outside by the time she gets outside, now dressed. Trucks are leaving one at a time as the men rush to them with rifles and shotguns in their hands. It's fucking chaos. Austin loads his shotgun quickly then cocks it and stalks around his truck. "Stay here," he tells her. Fuck that; Dillon will not be staying, so she rushes up to the truck, pulling the passenger door open and jumping in. "Damit it, Dillon. Get out," Austin growls as he starts the truck.

"No!"

"I don't have fuckin' time for this."

"Good! Go!" she says pulling her seat belt on. "Fuck!" he shouts, hitting the steering wheel but puts his foot flat and sends the truck soaring forward. Dillon has to hold on because he does not bother with the road and drives across the burnt fields in a straight line at one hell of a speed. She whimpers when they get closer to the cattle, and she hears gunshots. "Get down, head between your legs, baby," he says grabbing her head and pushing her down. She holds her knees and tries to stop her body from shaking when the gunshots get louder. "Fucking bastard!!" Austin shouts and slams on his brakes, jerking them to a skidded stop. "Do not fuckin' move, Dillon. I fuckin' mean it!" he growls grabbing his shotgun and jumping out.

Too scared to move, Dillon keeps her head down; all she can do right now is repeatedly beg into her knees that Austin does not get hurt. She can hear more gunshots and men shouting. There are so many sounds, including trucks and the sounds of cattle in pain. She is petrified but still not sure what the hell is going on, so against her better judgment, she lifts her head just enough to peep over the dashboard.

All Austin's men are there, and they either have their rifles raised at men she doesn't know or they are engaged in fistfights. She searches for Austin, which is difficult given they are between the cattle, and it's dark; the only light is thin beams offered by the truck's headlights. Austin has also parked his truck quite a distance away, as had Louis, so she is guessing Becky is in there.

Her heart stops beating when she suddenly sees Austin. He is stalking toward someone, weaving between the cattle as he goes, his face furious. Her eyes dart ahead of him, and she sees Luke standing at the back of the truck, grinning at Austin. Then he brings his fingers to his lips and whistles causing the men who must be his turn and rush for their trucks. Some of Austin's men turn and rush for their trucks too, then hightail it behind Luke's men who are heading out. Dillon's eyes flick back to Austin, and she gasps as she watches him raise his shotgun and aim it at Luke, then pull the trigger without hesitation. Luke ducks down and disappears into the bin of the truck as it pulls off, but not before his head pops back up, he is laughing. Austin aims his shotgun again and pulls the trigger, exploding the back window of the truck as Luke ducks again.

It goes quiet after the truck with Luke on it disappears. Then Dillon whimpers and lets out a sob when her eyes scan the herd. Half the cattle are lying on their sides, some dead, some dying. Most of them are the pregnant heifers. "Oh..." she breaths out, letting out another sob. The cattle have been massacred. Why would Luke do this? How could anyone be this cruel?

She screams when her door is suddenly yanked open and tries to climb to the driver's side, but she is grabbed and pulled back. "It's me. It's me, baby. Shh, darlin'. You are alright," Austin says. She grabs onto him and hides her face in his chest. Her relief at him not getting hurt overwhelmed her suddenly, and the sadness for what had become those beautiful pregnant mamas is a little too much for her to handle, so she cries.

"Austin..."

"Shhh, just take a breath, sweetheart," he hums stroking her back. "Rancher..." she hears a man say from behind Austin. "Finish off those that are dying," Austin says. Dillon has always thought herself a pretty tough woman; if anything, these two years have proved that. She has gone up against some shady characters and been slapped around more than once. She never backed off and always found the courage to stand her ground. But, this is a different level of shit. People land up dead in this type of shit. She is just a girl who grew up in Chicago and became an accountant, now looking for her lost sister. She is not tough enough for this type of violence, and knowing Austin is at the centre of it, knowing he could get hurt very badly - scares the shit out of her.