Finally reaching the Far Trek Campground, he looked around, but no one else there. It was still relatively early in the day, so that could change. He set up his tent and built a fire, glad that the rain had stopped. There was a shed which held dry wood. The sign on it asked that if you used some, you replace it. After lunch, he trudged around and gathered all he could. This deep in the woods, there were plenty of broken branches and dead fall. He added a good amount to the shed.
No one else had arrived by the time he went to bed. The night was chilly and still, a taste of thunder in the air. He rather hoped he'd have the place to himself, but he wasn't so lucky. He was just moving around when someone tapped on top of his tent.
"You up, Donno?" Bob?
"I made biscuits from scratch!" Barbie—no Louella, said.
He wanted to ignore them, pretend he wasn't there, but it was no good. Frowning a little, he got up and crawled to the doorway.
"Yeah," he sighed as he got up.
Louella held a tin plate covered with a cloth. "You lied to me," she teased. "Like a little rain could harm a big, strong man like you!" She gave him a provocative wink.
Strangely, her husband didn't seem to care.
"I'm working through some things," Anton said. "Kind of want to be alone."
"Aw—girl trouble?" Louella asked. "You poor baby. Mama Lou can help. Come on out" She reached in to grab him, her grip surprisingly strong.
"Thanks, no...."
Bob pulled a .45 from under his jacket. "I really think you want to. Yeah?" He aimed at Anton. "I knew I recognized you. But you don't remember me, do ya?"
Anton, who was good with faces, did. Why hadn't he realized yesterday, that Bob was the man who'd waited on him at Wal-Mart.
"Saw you on the TV after you left, and I was real sure it was you. There's a hundred thousand dollar reward out on you. It was a million to one chance we'd meet up with you here. Guess it was meant to be. Honey, you got the cops yet?"
"Cell phones don't work out here. No towers,"Anton said calmly. "You could hope for a ranger to drop by. Or another camper."
He gauged the distance between himself and Bob. His face bland, he watched Bob's hand start to quiver.
"Bob," he spoke abruptly. "You remember that report—the part where it said armed and dangerous? And not to approach alone?" He waited while that sank in. "Your missus isn't armed. Bob. And me, I don't mind killing people," he lied. "How about you? Bob. Ever shot anyone?"
"Don't make me pull this trigger. I will!"
"I don't think so. I think your plan was to corner me, then call the cops. Only, that phone's not working. Is it, Louella?" He crawled quickly out of the tent. Louella screamed. Trying to hit him with her tin platter, biscuits flying in all directions. She screeched again, louder. Anton grabbed her and put his hand over her mouth. Louella tried to get away, but not very convincingly. She seemed to like having Anton hold her. She could have hit, kicked or bitten, she did nothing.
"Drop the gun, Bob," Anton suggested calmly.
"You ain't got a gun."
"No, but I have your missus, and I can kill without a gun."
Bob's hand shook harder and he went red in the face. Louella grabbed Anton's hand from her mouth.
"Bob? Honey? Sweetheart?"
Clutching his chest, Bob fell in an untidy heap, dropping his gun. Louella struggled to get free. Anton grabbed the weapon, tossing it into his tent.
"You killed him! You bastard!" Louella screeched. She tried to pummel Anton, but he pushed her aside.
"Undo his shirt," he commanded and dove into his tent after the satellite phone. "You know CPR?" he yelled as he dialed the rangers.
"No! No! Bobby!"
"Hello. I'm at the Far Trek Campground. One of the other campers is having a heart attack."
"Do you know CPR?"
Anton paused. "Yes. I can't talk and do it. His wife is freaking."
"We'll be there in twenty."
"I hope that's soon enough." Hanging up, he checked Bob's pulse. "Faint, thready," he said aloud. The big man was breathing, but it was shallow and fast. "Get a paper bag," he told Louella.
"Yes. Yes." She ran to her tent and bought a white pharmacy bag.
"Put it over his nose and mouth."
"But he's not breathing! His heart stopped."
"He's breathing, and his heart's beating." Anton started to dismantle his tent.
"You're leaving him to die!"
"He's not dying!"
"You can't leave us! That's just wrong!"
"Your husband held me at gunpoint."
©2021 Dellani Oakes
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