Page 73 of A Cock and Bull Story

Jude looks back. Jack has the passenger door still open, and he’s waving frantically for him to get in. Lunging once more at the tiger, Jude throws the flaming branch at the cat and flees into the safety of the vehicle.

Belle whips it into drive and guns the gas. Instantly, we shoot forward. The crazy woman plows over the burning hunk of wood and barrels right into the tiger. The Tersh screams and attempts to scamper out of the way, but can’t.

He’s scooped up onto the bonnet until Belle flips a u-ey. Then, the cat goes flying and knocks hard into a nearby tree trunk. She rights the tiny vehicle once more and races away down the road.

I glance back once in the side mirror.

The Tersh is still immobile—but the tiger’s flashing eyes promise revenge.

“Get out of the way, you bloody wankin’ sods!” Jack screams at the car meandering slowly in front of us.

He lays on the horn, but the car just goes slower.

Jack zips past him, beyond pissed—maybe I shouldn’t have switched places will him, but he knows these roads better than me.

Also, I kept diving on the wrong side of the road.

I’m upset—cut me some slack.

“Do you want me to flip him off?” I offer, keen on doing something.

Arthur just shakes his head.

“No, we need to focus. I’ve texted the girls to meet us on campus. We need to get your passport and get you to the airport.”

“What about my stuff?”

I really don’t want anyone seeing—or handling—all my, er, toys.

“I’m sorry, but you need to get out of herenow.”

I look down at my hands—every single nail is chipped.

Those bastards ruined my nail job.

“Where's your passport at?” Arthur continues.

“I don't know. Let me think.”

“Think quickly, love,” Jude urges. “We have very little time to pick up the girls and get off campus. We can text Elise and Sian where your passport is. They can get it and we can leave sooner.”

“Ummmm. . . “ I trial off, my brain shutting down because I need it to do actual work. “I’m sorry! I can’t remember!”

“It’s ok,” Theo soothes. “You’ve been through a traumatic experience. It’s just that we're in a car, but everyone else is running.”

“What's that mean?” I wonder.

“It means,” Jack elucidates, passing another car, “that we have to follow where the road goes—but animals can go as the crow flies.”

“Wait—all you guys are crows?” I blurt out in even more confusion.

Jude lets out a strained chuckled.

“No, it means that the Tershes chasing us don't have to follow the traffic signs, speed zones, the physical path of the road. They can run through the woods and make short cuts—”

“It means that they can get to Oxford faster,” Jack interrupts for clarification.

“Oh. . . oh!” I exclaim when I finally get what they’re stepping in—and it’s a shit sandwich.