A Small Town

Chapter Thirty-Four/Tanker

After many more futile attempts, Bax and Ed finally had to stop.

"It's no use," said Ed. "It's too stiff and heavy, we'll never get it high enough..."

Bax armed sweat out of his eyes and nodded. He was standing with his hands on his knees and breathing heavily from the exertion. He forced himself upright and climbed down from the truck to stand near the base of the tree. Then he put a smile on his face and called up to Lisa.

"Sorry Lis'... you're gonna have to jump! Don't worry we'll catch you." He sounded confident but it was a long drop and he was not sure they could do really do it. Ed shambled up beside him looking even less confident.

"But where's Teddy?" Lisa asked, sounding tired and not a little scared.

Bax shook his head. "Don't worry about him... he's under the truck."

Ed looked over at him sharply and took a step towards the truck. "Wait a minute... are you saying I hit somebody!"

"No... well yes... but..."

"Holy Hell! Why didn't you tell me? We gotta call..."

A wrenching sound cut him off and both men turned back to see one of the roots supporting Lisa's tree tear up from the ground. As the trunk tilted sideways the two upper branches rotated and she was carefully dropped to the ground. As the two men watched in horror a ragged hole opened in the tree above them and sap gushed out like a torrent of vomit and saliva.

"BAX-SHHHHH!" it bellowed as it twisted, swinging its arm-like branches at him. Bax jumped to the side and felt the sharp ends of its wooden claws rake down his back. Ed was not so lucky as the branch caught him a solid blow across the ribs and send him flying.

Bax was up and running, he dashed behind the truck trying to think of what to do. He had to get to Lisa... and poor Ed. He peered back around the tanker to find out what was happening and was amazed to see Sarah running towards the huge tree that was now Teddy. Her dress was torn and ragged and her beautiful hair was tangled and burnt.

She beat her fists against the rough bark, like a crazy woman,

bloodying them as she screamed. "Leave them alone you son-of-a-bitch!"

Teddy turned and flung Sarah away, her limp body flew through the air and crashed onto the crooked roof of the wishing well. Bax watched in horror as she tried to hang on with one hand. For a moment she held onto the edge but then she slipped down into the mouth of the well and was gone.

Lisa rose, holding her arm and moved towards the well, but Teddy pulled another root from the ground and stepped in front to block her path.

"SHH-STAY THERE LIS-SHA!"

"No, I don't know what the hell you are, but I won't help you! Do you hear me!"

"YOU BELONG TO ME LIS-SHA!" He sounded almost hurt.

As they continued to argue Bax looked around in vain for a weapon. The hose from the tanker had fallen near the base of the tree and now it was laying next to Teddy's root. As quietly as he could he climbed back on top of the flipped truck and made his way toward the compartment that held the fuel control valves.

"Look out Bax!"

Bax instinctively threw himself to the side as Teddy swung a huge branch at him and missed by inches. Lisa's scream had probably saved his life. The force of the blow rocked the truck, sending it back onto its wheels with a scream of metal on metal.

"Jump Lis'!" Bax yelled, holding out his arms. She swung her legs over the branch and hung from her hands for a moment before closing her eyes and letting go.