The Tracks

Torpedo

"What the hell did you do to my sister?!"

Harry parked his motorycle and quickly took Dei from Jay's arms. Jay didn't make any attempt to hold on to her, already aware that this was the sort of 'trouble' that Dei warned him about.

"Careful, she's hurt."

"What the fuck did this guy do to you Dei?!"

"Can you just stop with the shouting, Harry? I hurt my foot but I'm fine. Put me down."

"You still didn't answer me, what did this jackass do to you?!"

"He didn't do anything, ok?! Do you really want to go into a shouting match with me now, Harry?!"

Jay remained silent, admiring how Dei can equally match her brother's outrage. He glanced at the two other riders who were looking smugly at him, one even roaring up his engine loudly as if threatening to run him over. He turned to Dei and her brother who were now glaring at each other. The gasoline guy was watching quietly from inside the store. Jay figured it was him who alerted Dei's brother about them.

"You. Southern guy. You got some balls coming over here this time of night."

He looked at the guy riding a Honda dirt bike, mentally calculating its model to be more than 20 years old but still looking well-maintained. The other guy riding a Kawasaki cranked up his engine and spat on the ground. Jay remained unfazed and calmly answered.

"I followed Dei as she was escaping from the fields back in my town. I caught up with her by the tracks."

"Fuck. Dei! What were you thinking?!"

"Shut up, Miggy!"

Harry put Dei down, and went to grab Jay's shirt, fisting at him.

"You chased my sister to the tracks?! What were you trying to do, kill her?!"

"I didn't chase her..."

"But you followed her to the tracks. You were trying to scare her away!"

"Harry, stop that!"

Dei struggled to walk over to where the two guys were facing each other. Jay very easily towered over her brother, but Harry had a larger built, and Dei was afraid that he would pin Jay to the ground and beat him up. But she knows how to handle her brother, no matter how tiny she looks opposite to him. The guy she called Miggy tried to stop her but she just slapped his arm and hit his head.

"Ow! Dei!"

"Touch me one more time, Miggy, I swear I'll tell Liza that you're smoking pot again!"

He backed off and helplessly looked on as Dei pulled at her brother, trying to release his hold from Jay.

"Harry, stop it. Please. He didn't do anything."

"This guy tried to kill you, Dei, and you're defending him?!"

"He saved my life, you idiot!"

Harry looked at her sister in disbelief, and that moment of shock allowed Dei to come in between him and Jay. She faced his brother, whose eyes went back to Jay. The other guys sat silently in their bikes.

"What do you mean...?"

"My foot got stuck in the tracks. The 8pm train was approaching and he got there in time to set my foot free. I was a hairline away from getting hit. He saved me, Harry. I owe him my life."

Jay felt like his heart grew big a thousand times hearing how she stood up to her brother to defend him.

"So stop being an asshole and just let him go home. And no funny business, Miggy, Chuck! I mean it!"

Harry was still looking mad but resigned to the tone of his sister's voice.

"Take down Dei's bike, Chuck. Bring it to the yard. You and Miggy can go."

Chuck got the broken bike and tied it to his motorcycle. After the two guys left, Dei looked back at Jay, breathing a sigh of relief.

"You should go now."

"Are you sure you're ok?"

"I'm fine, Jay..."

"You should have your foot checked..."

"You heard her, she's fine. Now leave."

"Harry, enough. Jay, please go."

Jay got on his bike and with one last nod to Dei, sped off into the South. Harry started his bike and helped Dei to the back. She looked out to where the dust was still settling in the direction of where Jay went. Her brother grunted.

"Don't even think of going back there, Dei. I'm warning you. Nothing good will ever come out of being goody with Southern people."

***

Torpedo. A small explosive charge that can be clamped to the top of the rail. It detonates when a train rolls over it, alerting the crew that a potentially dangerous situation exists farther down the track. (Railroading Glossary. TRAINS Magazine)