Bitch: Puncture (book 2)

I could smell a long slash of asphalt up ahead, sinewy fingers of exhaust drifting up through the trees and the bitter charred diesel pooling.

We crested a small hill and paused looking down at the truck stop below. Light stabbed down from the awning above the pumps, leaving dark hard rings of shadow. The uncomfortably bright LED lights gave everything a reflected green tint. Semi-truck rigs parked quietly in orderly rows, the windows covered and small generators burbling in the dark. We gravitated towards the rigs that were still awake and heading out. We angled down the hill, but we couldn’t get close to them without running through the well lit station.

I glanced around and saw the tiny black domes of cameras. No way to get to a truck without passing through their unblinking eyes. I was sure that the sirens had arrived to Granny’s to find us gone. My fear had me hallucinating that I could already hear the dogs on our trail.

Two trucks pulled away from the pumps and we both stood frozen in fear at the edge of the trees. I watched a semi truck car carrier pull in and under the well lit islands. The trucker slid out of the cab with a big yawn, and began fueling. As I watched him make the rounds checking the chains that secured the load of pickups. An idea began to form in my mind.

I head butted Apoc and ran down a drainage ditch at the edge of the pavement that ran the length of the fuel station. I kept to the shadow just below the sharp blade of light.

It was hard to ignore the delightful smells of crispy bacon and hot french fries in old fry oil. My belly rumbled quietly with a twinge.

I could hear Apoc padding along behind me.

I remembered that the trucks had to stop as they left the long parking lot. If I was right we would be invisible to the cameras. I arrived down at the far edge of the lot next to the stop sign.

I glanced back to the island and the trucker was no where in sight, but the pump handle was still in the tank.

Another big rig pulled in, rumbling to a stop next to the car hauler. It’s air brakes unlocked with a loud hiss.

I heard a siren in the distance.

I couldn’t tell which direction it was coming from, and my heart jumped into my throat. It was suddenly dry and I wanted to swallow. I glanced back to the pump.