Page 111 of The Hitchhikers

“We have to get farther.”

“My bladder hurts!”

“You can wait a few more miles.”

Up ahead, a truck pulled out from a side road and turned onto the highway, a cloud of dust billowing behind. The road had to be dirt, and she bet it crossed over the train tracks.

“We can stop where that truck pulled out.”

He was already shaking his head. “No.”

“Let her stop,” Jenny said from the back, startling both Alice and Simon. He looked over his shoulder at Jenny like he was going to argue, but she said, “It’ll only take a moment.”

Simon straightened around. “Fine.”

Alice made the turn and slowed as they drove the rough dirt road, fighting to keep the car from bottoming out in the deep potholes or fishtailing on the loose gravel.

“Where are you going?” Simon said. “Pull over.”

“I want to be away from the highway.”

“This is far enough.”

She stopped the car on the side. Simon took the keys out of the ignition.

“Let’s go.”

Alice opened her door. The moment her feet touched gravel she felt her nerves give out. If this didn’t go well, if Simon caught up to her, he’d dump her body in those woods.

Simon slid out behind her. “Come on. Hurry up.”

“I need privacy.”

“Pick a spot and I’ll turn my back.”

As they walked away, Alice heard the rear door of the car open and close. Jenny was out. Alice had hoped she’d wait in the car. Alice swallowed, trying to ease the tension in her throat.

She looked around. There was a stump set not far back from the road. She moved in that direction, scanning the ground near it for a stick. A big, heavy one. The forest was so dense with trees, shrubs, and slash, she wouldn’t be able to cut through quickly. She’d have to run down the road and find the railway tracks. That plan would only work if she was able to distract Simon.

And by distract, she meant incapacitate.

She was almost at the stump and beginning to worry that she’d picked a bad spot. There was too much grass. Simon’s footstepscrunched on gravel behind her. She had to see this through. He’d get suspicious if she wanted to keep looking.

Her eyes landed on a fallen tree close to the stump. A limb had broken off and was lying nearby. It looked sturdy and long enough.

“I’m going over there.” She pointed to the stump.

“Fine. Go.”

She waded through the long grass, pleased that Simon was staying nearby at the edge of the road. It would have infuriated her previously, but now, the closer the better.

“I’m going to go too,” Jenny said. “In these bushes.”

Alice looked over her shoulder, relieved to see Jenny walking into an area on the opposite side of the road, partially blocked by the car. She hoped that meant Jenny couldn’t see her either.

When Alice was in position behind the stump, she glared at Simon.

“Some privacy?”