LJI F&R 3: Fremdschämen...
[ Part 1. Unfinished business.]
[ Part 2. Second thoughts.]
The red-headed girl and I had taken not more than two steps away from the track and into the brush when we both became aware of the sound of approaching voices, whooping and mouthing curses, doubtless with the intent of panicking the girl. She had not been jesting about how close they were.
I glanced back toward the track, and realized that although the vegetation between it and where we stood was thick, it wasn't thick enough to keep from being seen by our pursuers, and it was doubly not thick enough for my companion and her red hair, who was reacting to the voices, giving every indication of wanting to bolt into the scrub, even though doing so would serve no purpose other than to make sure we'd be seen and captured soon after.
As I grabbed the girl to keep her from running, I additionally became aware of the steady tattoo of approaching footfalls, followed a few seconds later by the nearing mixture of wheezing and heavy breathing. I judged there to be three pursuers from the sounds I heard, and they would be passing the tree in mere seconds, so I put my hand over the girl's mouth, hissed “Not a sound!” in her ear, and unceremoniously swept her to the ground, where the undergrowth was thickest. I then stripped off my doublet the way Master Lascaux had taught me when we entertained townfolk with quick costume changes, and I managed to conceal the girl's red hair under it as I, too, lay down on the forest floor and became motionless, with one arm around the girl and one eye half open and looking toward where the track went by the big tree..
I was not a moment too soon, for within three heartbeats of becoming still, I saw the girl's pursuers noisily come into view from past the tree, moving at a pace that was faster than a walk but not as fast as a run.
The first man to pass was the thug who had beaten Lascaux to death in front of my eyes the night before, although he had apparently not brought his club with him this time. He ran easily, at an even pace.
The second man stopped in his tracks a dozen or so paces past the tree, whereupon he bent over, wheezing heavily, and gripped his legs with his hands just above the knees. Although in obvious distress, he had a broad chest, sizeable upper arms, oversized hands, and probably weighed about twice what the girl and I weighed together.
A third man-one of the two that had held my arms the night before, while the first man killed Lascaux-came into view and halted a few yards behind the second man. Although he was breathing heavily, he appeared to be in better shape than the second man, and he started walking in little circles with his arms akimbo.
“Finch!” said the second main, and took another breath. “Wait a second!' he continued. The first man came to a halt and looked back along the track. “How 'bout a little breather?” said the second man.
“What's your problem, Fremd?” said the first man. “Can't hack the pace?”
“Can too!” said Fremd. The words came as an outburst. “'s not the point... It just don't...,” he continued, “make sense to... get all tired out... chasing that girl.” The young man walking in circles stopped, facing the first two men, and his arms dropped to his sides. He cracked a little smile upon hearing Fremd's lame explanation, and gave his head a small shake. “We'll still get her,” said Fremd, who tried to stand up straight as he struggled to bring his breathing under control.
“Fremd, shame on you!” said Finch, as if admonishing a small boy, which Fremd certainly was not. “What you just said is such a pile of fresh, steaming horse manure that I feel ashamed for you,” said Finch, taking a few steps back along the track, toward Fremd and the third man. “And so's Ellmore,” he continued. “See that smile on his face? It says he's embarrassed for you, too-ain't that right, Ellmore?” said Finch, his voice rising as he addressed the third man. Ellmore kept his peace.
“I should probably give you a good drubbing for being such a non-hacker,” said Finch, “but we have a girl to capture and return to the boss, and since I want to get back to town before nightfall, this is what we're going to do.”
Finch pointed the tree out to Fremd. “You sit your fat rear end right over there, next to the tree, and wait for me and Ellmore to come back with the girl. In your shape, you'll only keep slowing us down, anyway.” Then he motioned for Ellmore to join him, and the pair set off at a quick pace, down along the path they had been following until Fremd caused an unscheduled delay in their pace.
As I heard Finch's and Ellmore's footfalls fade as they made their way down the path, my eye remained fixed on Fremd, who slowly gained the base of the tree and, as instructed, dropped down onto his ample rear, a mere two dozen or so paces from where the girl and I lay and facing more or less in our direction. Staying where we were was not an option, for as soon as the two pursuers figured out the girl could not be in front of them, they'd be back and eventually find us, unless we moved, which was not an option, either, since Fremd would surely see us if we tried to do so.
Our only chance at escape lay in overpowering Fremd.
But how?
[ To: Part 4. Void.]
[ Part 2. Second thoughts.]
The red-headed girl and I had taken not more than two steps away from the track and into the brush when we both became aware of the sound of approaching voices, whooping and mouthing curses, doubtless with the intent of panicking the girl. She had not been jesting about how close they were.
I glanced back toward the track, and realized that although the vegetation between it and where we stood was thick, it wasn't thick enough to keep from being seen by our pursuers, and it was doubly not thick enough for my companion and her red hair, who was reacting to the voices, giving every indication of wanting to bolt into the scrub, even though doing so would serve no purpose other than to make sure we'd be seen and captured soon after.
As I grabbed the girl to keep her from running, I additionally became aware of the steady tattoo of approaching footfalls, followed a few seconds later by the nearing mixture of wheezing and heavy breathing. I judged there to be three pursuers from the sounds I heard, and they would be passing the tree in mere seconds, so I put my hand over the girl's mouth, hissed “Not a sound!” in her ear, and unceremoniously swept her to the ground, where the undergrowth was thickest. I then stripped off my doublet the way Master Lascaux had taught me when we entertained townfolk with quick costume changes, and I managed to conceal the girl's red hair under it as I, too, lay down on the forest floor and became motionless, with one arm around the girl and one eye half open and looking toward where the track went by the big tree..
I was not a moment too soon, for within three heartbeats of becoming still, I saw the girl's pursuers noisily come into view from past the tree, moving at a pace that was faster than a walk but not as fast as a run.
The first man to pass was the thug who had beaten Lascaux to death in front of my eyes the night before, although he had apparently not brought his club with him this time. He ran easily, at an even pace.
The second man stopped in his tracks a dozen or so paces past the tree, whereupon he bent over, wheezing heavily, and gripped his legs with his hands just above the knees. Although in obvious distress, he had a broad chest, sizeable upper arms, oversized hands, and probably weighed about twice what the girl and I weighed together.
A third man-one of the two that had held my arms the night before, while the first man killed Lascaux-came into view and halted a few yards behind the second man. Although he was breathing heavily, he appeared to be in better shape than the second man, and he started walking in little circles with his arms akimbo.
“Finch!” said the second main, and took another breath. “Wait a second!' he continued. The first man came to a halt and looked back along the track. “How 'bout a little breather?” said the second man.
“What's your problem, Fremd?” said the first man. “Can't hack the pace?”
“Can too!” said Fremd. The words came as an outburst. “'s not the point... It just don't...,” he continued, “make sense to... get all tired out... chasing that girl.” The young man walking in circles stopped, facing the first two men, and his arms dropped to his sides. He cracked a little smile upon hearing Fremd's lame explanation, and gave his head a small shake. “We'll still get her,” said Fremd, who tried to stand up straight as he struggled to bring his breathing under control.
“Fremd, shame on you!” said Finch, as if admonishing a small boy, which Fremd certainly was not. “What you just said is such a pile of fresh, steaming horse manure that I feel ashamed for you,” said Finch, taking a few steps back along the track, toward Fremd and the third man. “And so's Ellmore,” he continued. “See that smile on his face? It says he's embarrassed for you, too-ain't that right, Ellmore?” said Finch, his voice rising as he addressed the third man. Ellmore kept his peace.
“I should probably give you a good drubbing for being such a non-hacker,” said Finch, “but we have a girl to capture and return to the boss, and since I want to get back to town before nightfall, this is what we're going to do.”
Finch pointed the tree out to Fremd. “You sit your fat rear end right over there, next to the tree, and wait for me and Ellmore to come back with the girl. In your shape, you'll only keep slowing us down, anyway.” Then he motioned for Ellmore to join him, and the pair set off at a quick pace, down along the path they had been following until Fremd caused an unscheduled delay in their pace.
As I heard Finch's and Ellmore's footfalls fade as they made their way down the path, my eye remained fixed on Fremd, who slowly gained the base of the tree and, as instructed, dropped down onto his ample rear, a mere two dozen or so paces from where the girl and I lay and facing more or less in our direction. Staying where we were was not an option, for as soon as the two pursuers figured out the girl could not be in front of them, they'd be back and eventually find us, unless we moved, which was not an option, either, since Fremd would surely see us if we tried to do so.
Our only chance at escape lay in overpowering Fremd.
But how?
[ To: Part 4. Void.]