I heard an engine like a freight train roaring up my left as I streaked through the field of tall grass. Which was joined by a spiraling siren as the cop car roared past. Lights blazing, the truck braked, believing he was being pulled over.
The cop car raced past the truck and overshot the onramp in front of the truck who then had to slam on his brakes. The 18 wheels chittering to a stop on the blacktop. The cop romped on the gas and the car tires spun and flung the gravel of onramp edge in a fantail until it caught the blacktop and it shot forward. The truck came to a stop with it's cargo rocking against the locking chains. The cops shut off their lights and siren when they got onto the freeway.
Now.
Apoc burst from the cover of the grasses and alighted on the back of the car trailer. I saw his eyes flash as he turned to look at me. The airbrakes shot out an angry hiss. Apoc's head twisted to the side.
I was still too far away.
The truck was still paused. The smell of burnt rubber acrid in the air. I could only imagine the collection of colorful language the trucker was probably venting.
I was almost there when the truck's brakes unlocked.
My joints were aching now... but my goal was moving further and further away, in a moment it would be out of reach. Then I felt teeth on my neck and I was lifted onto the trailer. For a moment I watched the ground go by faster and faster even after I was safely aboard. My legs were shaking with exertion, the joints kept locking and the muscles didn't want to flex. I sucked in a deep breath as the wind began to rush past faster and faster. I walked carefully around the edge of one of the cars strapped to the trailer, and up the ramp to the upper level. Apoc followed stepping carefully.
I climbed clumsily with a skitter of toenails over the rear tailgate of the closest truck on the upper level, unwilling to look down. I knew that if I fell off I'd likely fall all the way to the pavement racing by below and even at this speed that would be the end. I was shaking with fear when I collapsed into the bed of the truck. I could smell myself. The stink of fear was coming off me in waves. 'The curse of such a fine nose,' I mused. I could smell Apoc's worry trailing off of him, but I wasn't sure the source of it.
