All Around the Town




Elizabeth stood up as she stretched her arms. She walked past the convicts, to the back of the bus. She stopped, and stood next to Dave. He turned to her with questioning eyes.

"I thought that you might need help," she explained

He smiled and handed her some bandages, "There's a few kids over there with some scrapes." His eyes seemed to be saying 'thank you'.

In response, she tipped her head and took the bandages. She went from child to child, trying to mend their wounds, as well as to comfort them. Several children cried, some expressed their fears outloud, and a few simply sat there in stunned silenece. They boh finished with the children, and made their way back to the seats. Elizabeth sat down in the front seat, and Dave sat next to her.

"Now that we've got Curly Sue and Rambo back, we can get down to business," the burly man said

"We gonna kill em Ed?" the skinny man asked

"No," the man called Ed replied, and put his face in front of Elizabeth's, "Not yet"

Ed's face was mere inches away from Elizabeth's. She could smell the tobacco and smoke on his breath. She saw that his eyes were filled with pure hatred. She wondered if he could see that her eyes were filled with fear. He pulled his face away from Elizabeth's, and stood in the middle of the aisle.

"We've hit the jackpot, Tom!" Ed said to the skinny man, "It was good enough when we had the kids, but it's an added bonus getting the doctors, especially our good friend Rambo."

"Ed," Dave said calmly "You know as well as I do, that my name is Dave."

Elizabeth snapped her head to look at Dave. Her eyes now questioned his, with much alarm and shock. He avoided her glance, and instead looked at Ed. Ed, on the other hand, saw Elizabeth's shock.

"Ah yes, Curly," Ed said looking straight at Elizabeth. "I too know Dr. Malucci. Although - I didn't know that he's a doctor now. Never thought he'd amount to that much."

"You, on the other hand," Dave retorted, "Amounted to exactly what I thought you would."

"How do you know him?" Elizabeth asked Dave.

"We went to high school together," Dave answered quietly

"Yeah, I knew the doctor way back when," Ed added, "Let's just say he wasn't the most popular...."

"You certainly were, though - now weren't you?" Dave responded "But look at us now - I'm a doctor, and you're a jailbird."

"Great idea - Let's look at us now, Dave. First of all, it's ex-jailbird. Fine okay, you turned your life around - you're a saint," Ed said sarcastically. "But who's got the gun, huh?"

With that, Ed pulled Dave to his feet, and into a headlock. Holding him there, he put the gun to Dave's head.

"You see Malucci" Ed said, not releasing his grip on Dave, "It's not a matter of who we are. It's a matter of who has power. And from the looks of it, I'm in control."

"Fine, you've got me," Dave admitted "But why bother keeping the kids here?

"What do you suppose I do with them, let them go?"

"Yes," Dave answered firmly

"And I suppose then you'd get to go too?" Ed responded

"No. If you let them off - I'll stay."

"You've got yourself a deal, Rambo," Ed announced, "Pull over Murray"

He released Dave and pushed him into the seat across from Elizabeth, but Ed still held the gun to his head. The bus screeched to a halt, and the door opened.

"Everybody up, and all of you get off the bus," Ed bellowed

Both Dave and Elizabeth watched as the kids slowly got off the bus. When the last kid exited, Tom pulled Elizabeth to her feet.

"That means you too, Curly." Tom said and pushed her towards the door.

"No," Elizabeth said, trying to sound strong, "I won't desert him."

"How sweet," Tom said cynically, "OFF!"

With that, he pushed her down the bus stairs. She landed on the road, that lay beneath. Dave watched her slowly get up, as the bus lurched forward, taking him away from them. He looked at her, and the now-free children for as long as he could - until they became tiny specs. Finally he couldn't see them anymore, and he turned back to the convicts. He was now standing there, a lone man, against the band of evil villains. Would good triumph over evil? Dave hoped so, but realized that he was the only one left.......The only one left to fight.



Part 4
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