Run. Just Run.

Chapter 43

James quickly puts his hands around Ashley's waist and scrambles to his feet, pulling her up with him. He stays bent over and pulls Ashley over to the stairs going up to the back porch. He pushes her in a crevice underneath the stairs and crawls in behind her.

"Are you sure they're not gonna see us?" Ashley whispers in James' ear.

James clamps his hand over Ashley's mouth. "Shhhh." He says quickly. "It's our best chance."

They see two figures come around the corner of the house and they try and shrink back into the shadows. The two men look around wildly, then it seems like something catches their eye and they run off towards the woods. James and Ashley listen till they can't hear their footsteps anymore, and they crawl out of the space under the stairs.

"We've gotta get out of here." Ashley says quietly. "Let's go back to town. Let's go to Danny's house. His dad can help."

James involuntarily grabs hold of Ashley's hand and then stands up. They half walk, half run around the front of the house, and notice a big black car sitting in the driveway. It must be those men's car. They quickly memorize what the car looks like. Then they take one last glance around, and take off running towards the road.

"Danny said we should just go into town and ask for where the sheriff lives." Ashley says. "He said that everyone knows where they live, and will give you directions."

James nods, and they keep running until they start to see the shape of the buildings that lie on the outskirts of the town. Then they slow down and begin walking. They walk down a street, surprised to find that it's the same one they walked down when they first came to the town.

"Hey Ash." James says as he catches sight of a familiar sign. "Let's go ask Boomer where the sheriff lives!" He says with a smile. "I'm sure he'll know, and it'll be good to see a familiar face."

Ashley brightens up. "Okay!" She says excitedly. In the short time she'd been around Boomer, she knew she liked him, he seemed.....how to describe him.....like a good old friendly-to-everyone mountain man.

James and Ashley walk in the store, and a bell that's attached to the door rings. Their eyes take a minute to adjust from the bright sunlight outside, and they hear a familiar voice.

"Well, if it isn't Jacob and Asher!" Boomer says loudly as he grins from behind the counter. "Glad to see ya!"

"Hey Boomer!" James and Ashley say simultaneously as they walk toward the big, grizzled old man.

"How's it goin'?" Boomer says as his eyes twinkle. "Howd'ya like..." He stops short as he sees Ashley's not wearing the necklace James bought.

James follows his eyes and sees that he's looking at Ashley's neck, then he turns bright red. He completely forgot about the necklace! He felt his back pocket. It was still there. He quickly holds up a finger to his mouth, almost saying 'shhh' in the process.

Boomer quickly covers up his mistake. "The stuff you bought." He spits out. "Howd'ya like the stuff you bought?" He says with a smile.

Ashley quizzically looks at James, who has already put his finger down and is acting normal.

"Oh, haven't gotten a chance to use much of it yet." James says, relieved that Boomer covered it up. "But we're here for something else. Where does the sheriff live?"

Boomer raises an eyebrow. "Whatcha be needin' Sheriff Denton for?"

"Well, there's certain things you should know." James says, and with a nod from Ashley, he continues. "Our names aren't really Jacob and Asher."