When the Wind Blows - James Patterson [45]
There were too many of the suckers walking around out there. No way could she get closer and definitely no way could she get inside the School buildings.
She even heard guards in the nearby woods, so Max moved farther away from the School. She had to—she couldn’t bear to get caught now. She felt like crying, but she wouldn’t let herself break down.
I can’t get caught.Ican’t! I’m the only hope, she told herself. I’m the only one who can tell.
She made herself angry, and the anger gave her more strength. It always did, never failed.
She hurried back deeper into the woods.
Safe for now. She had no idea about the time, but it must be close to morning. There was just enough light to see, and to be seen by the creepy bums in the woods.
She heard the movement close behind her. Someone was there. And they were coming fast.
Max turned—and realized too late that she had it all wrong. It was much worse than she’d thought. This was the end for her. No way out of this.
The mountain lion was too close, less than ten feet away. It was gray and tawny brown, about five feet from head to tail, easily two hundred pounds. It had stopped moving when she turned around.
The two of them began to play a survival game of dare to stare; dare to move first; dare to do anything except be scared out of your mind, and show it in your eyes.
The cat started to growl, and she could see huge, powerful, stained yellowish-brown teeth. She couldn’t tell if it was afraid of her, or if it had sensed something different about her, but the cat hadn’t pounced and killed her yet.
She wondered if she could run, and then maybe she could get up off the ground? If airborne, she might be okay. She might live to tell about this.
The lion continued to growl under its breath. Its mouth was open a crack. Otherwise, they were both motionless, their eyes still locked together. She couldn’t imagine how this stalemate could possibly end with a good result for her.
Max needed to take a breath. She was suffocating, which limited her choices. She really had to chance it.
She began to draw in a slow breath—when the cat pounced. It leaped at her with lightning speed. It knew exactly when to attack. Instinct!
Max yelled, but amazingly, the sound came from anger and fierceness, not fear.
She spun away—faster than she thought she could move, faster than she ever had before.
I’m fast—like this cat, she thought, hoped, prayed, then knew.
The large cat stopped and turned, seemingly with one fluid, powerful move. Its huge paws were like brakes in the dirt. It seemed a little surprised, though.
Max sent a powerful swipe to the side of the cat’s head. The cat staggered sideways, but quickly came at her again.
Max showed a flash of wing, then pulled it away even faster. She swiped at the cat again, connecting solidly with jawbone. She couldn’t believe how good it felt. The animal spun out of control.
This gave Max time to run a few steps, to take off into the air. In a rage at losing its kill the cat ran after her and jumped, took off as if it too had wings. The big jaws snapped fiercely, but got only an air sandwich.
Max continued to climb stairs of air until she felt safe. Then she turned and looked down at the frustrated mountain cat. She made a face. “Meow,” she mouthed, as she flew away.
Chapter 46
KIT AND I SEARCHED the dense, hilly woods high above the “Peak-to-Peak” highway. The “Peak-To-Peak,” Colorado Route 119 runs along the top of the foothills and the beginnings of the big mountains to the west. It was pretty futile going. We were like bloodhounds who’d lost the scent.
I had never done this kind of thing before. It was weird for both of us, and even weirder that we were doing it together.
We looked pretty good, anyway. Kit had on a pair of green hiking shorts and not too much else. He’d already stripped away a