navigate ahead until the cars became so crowded, they even filled the empty spaces in between.
Marcy, unsure of the next direction to take, killed the engine and after scouting around the area for dogs, Macy rolled down her window. She pulled herself through the narrow opening to stand on the windowsill, gaining a better view of what lay ahead. With wide-eyes, she returned to the cab and rolled up her window again.
“What? What’s out there?” asked Marcy.
“There’s a roadblock, so we can’t get through this way. We’re stuck, Marcy. We’ll have to walk from here,” Macy said.
“No! What about the dogs?” Marcy asked. How could Macy forget so quickly ?
“That’s what I’m saying. We can’t stay in the car. There are big concrete bricks up ahead with police cars on the other side with their lights on. We’re not going to make it this way,” Macy said.
Sitting in silence, both girls tried to solve the dilemma, knowing they did not want to leave the safety of the car.
“I think we should take our stuff, leave the car here and walk over to the barricade. Climb over and see if there is a car on the other side that we can take. The road is clear over there,” Macy said.
Marcy’s jaw dropped. “We can’t steal a police car. Are you crazy? You can go to jail for that. The police are over there. Maybe they can take us the rest of the way.”
“Marce, things are different now. Look around you. We’ll leave a note or something to let the owner know that we’re borrowing it. This is an emergency and like you said, we have to make new rules now. They’ll understand. They’re probably dead by now anyway. In fact, we haven’t seen anyone alive since that guy ran from the dogs last night, remember? It’ll be okay. Dad can explain it to them if they turn us in. If they are alive, we’ll ask them to take us to Dad’s, okay?”
Pausing in the silence to give it a little more thought, Marcy conceded, “Well, I can’t think of anything else better, so let’s get started. The sooner we get to Dad’s, the better.”
The twins gathered their belongings and Marcy said, “We need something to fight with in case those dogs come at us again.”
Looking around in the car for potential weapons, they came up with an ice scraper on the floor in the back seat and Macy’s jewel -toned metal ruler. She’d been looking for it a while back. Obviously, it had dropped out of her backpack.
Then Macy lowered her window once again and scouted out the easiest path of escape through the cramped car spaces. She saw a few places they’d likely have to climb over, like bumpers while they wound their way to the concrete barrier.
Climbing back into the car, she said, “Okay, it should not be too hard. Just follow me and we’ll run as fast as we can. Stay close and don’t make any noise. We don’t want to attract the dogs’ attention.” She added a second thought. “You need to come out my side since you don’t have any room over there. Don’t slam the door, just push it in softly.”
“Okay, that sounds like a good plan. How far is it?” Marcy asked, scared.
Macy had thought about this before she jumped back into the car. “From our front door to Mr. Sanchez’s house,” she said. Explaining the distance in this way was an old habit, one that Marcy would accept and not be too afraid. Though Macy thought the distance was actually more like from their front door to the Christenson’s house, which was quite farther, but she did not want Marcy to know that or she might opt to stay in the car indefinitely.
Looking again to make sure there were no predators present, Macy opened her door and Marcy scooted over the center aisle controls to exit on that side. The area between the two cars was just barely enough for their petite frames to pass. Marcy closed the door with just a click.
Macy led them in a crouch as they scurried their way, armed with a metal ruler and a plastic ice scraper. With overnight bags flung
Marcy, unsure of the next direction to take, killed the engine and after scouting around the area for dogs, Macy rolled down her window. She pulled herself through the narrow opening to stand on the windowsill, gaining a better view of what lay ahead. With wide-eyes, she returned to the cab and rolled up her window again.
“What? What’s out there?” asked Marcy.
“There’s a roadblock, so we can’t get through this way. We’re stuck, Marcy. We’ll have to walk from here,” Macy said.
“No! What about the dogs?” Marcy asked. How could Macy forget so quickly ?
“That’s what I’m saying. We can’t stay in the car. There are big concrete bricks up ahead with police cars on the other side with their lights on. We’re not going to make it this way,” Macy said.
Sitting in silence, both girls tried to solve the dilemma, knowing they did not want to leave the safety of the car.
“I think we should take our stuff, leave the car here and walk over to the barricade. Climb over and see if there is a car on the other side that we can take. The road is clear over there,” Macy said.
Marcy’s jaw dropped. “We can’t steal a police car. Are you crazy? You can go to jail for that. The police are over there. Maybe they can take us the rest of the way.”
“Marce, things are different now. Look around you. We’ll leave a note or something to let the owner know that we’re borrowing it. This is an emergency and like you said, we have to make new rules now. They’ll understand. They’re probably dead by now anyway. In fact, we haven’t seen anyone alive since that guy ran from the dogs last night, remember? It’ll be okay. Dad can explain it to them if they turn us in. If they are alive, we’ll ask them to take us to Dad’s, okay?”
Pausing in the silence to give it a little more thought, Marcy conceded, “Well, I can’t think of anything else better, so let’s get started. The sooner we get to Dad’s, the better.”
The twins gathered their belongings and Marcy said, “We need something to fight with in case those dogs come at us again.”
Looking around in the car for potential weapons, they came up with an ice scraper on the floor in the back seat and Macy’s jewel -toned metal ruler. She’d been looking for it a while back. Obviously, it had dropped out of her backpack.
Then Macy lowered her window once again and scouted out the easiest path of escape through the cramped car spaces. She saw a few places they’d likely have to climb over, like bumpers while they wound their way to the concrete barrier.
Climbing back into the car, she said, “Okay, it should not be too hard. Just follow me and we’ll run as fast as we can. Stay close and don’t make any noise. We don’t want to attract the dogs’ attention.” She added a second thought. “You need to come out my side since you don’t have any room over there. Don’t slam the door, just push it in softly.”
“Okay, that sounds like a good plan. How far is it?” Marcy asked, scared.
Macy had thought about this before she jumped back into the car. “From our front door to Mr. Sanchez’s house,” she said. Explaining the distance in this way was an old habit, one that Marcy would accept and not be too afraid. Though Macy thought the distance was actually more like from their front door to the Christenson’s house, which was quite farther, but she did not want Marcy to know that or she might opt to stay in the car indefinitely.
Looking again to make sure there were no predators present, Macy opened her door and Marcy scooted over the center aisle controls to exit on that side. The area between the two cars was just barely enough for their petite frames to pass. Marcy closed the door with just a click.
Macy led them in a crouch as they scurried their way, armed with a metal ruler and a plastic ice scraper. With overnight bags flung
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