Read The Dummy Line for Free Online

group.
    “Ain’t nobody inside.”
    “Check the camper, Reese.” Johnny Lee grinned.
    “You said my name!” the one named Reese said quickly. Not moving yet.
    “It don’t matter anyhow,” Johnny Lee said confidently. “Because I got an idea…a plan.”
    Jake didn’t like the sound of that. His heart was pumping rapidly, and his palms were sweating. He was trying to think of something to say to disarm this situation. An impossibly vivid scenario was unfolding, and to Jake, it was like being in some sort of parallel universe, almost like an out-of-body experience. The movement of one of the guys snapped him back to reality. Reese started toward the camper, and Jake instantly spoke up.
    “No! Stop. Take another step and I’ll shoot you!” Jake tried to keep them from hearing the fear in his voice.
    Johnny Lee yelled, “Bingo! She’s in the camper!” and the whole pack started laughing and catcalling.
    Jake kept quiet. He was thinking. The hair on the back of his neck was standing up. These guys only understood one thing—violence. They weren’t rational. He could pump the gun…that would let them know he did in fact have a gun, but he would lose a shell in the dark, high grass.
    Johnny Lee, sizing up the situation, suddenly looked like he had made his decision.
    “I think we’ll jack this dude’s world upside down. Then we’ll take his woman out on a little date …and we’ll steal his ride,” Johnny Lee said calmly to his pack of jackals. Then alluringly he spoke directly to Jake: “Step out of the darkness, my brother, and let me see you. Can you ‘squeal like a pig’?”
    Everybody but Jake laughed hard.
    “What’s she look like…black chick?” one asked, laughing even harder.
    “It’s all good!” another one added, and they all laughed.
    Jake said, “It’s just me and this twelve-gauge, and I don’t want any trouble. Please just leave.”
    Sweat chuckled and pulled a knife out of his back pocket. He loved forced sex. This was the most excited he had been in years.
    Less than ten yards separated them from Jake, but they could not see him because of the shadows and the floodlights shining directly in their eyes. He couldn’t believe their brazenness.
    Should I shoot the leader in the leg? Shoot up in the air? I’ve only got three shells. I’ve gotta make ‘em count. Looking in Johnny Lee’s eyes, Jake saw pure evil. At that moment, Jake knew he would have to kill him. He glanced over his shoulder and thanked God that he couldn’t see Katy. He prayed she was still asleep.
    Johnny Lee pointed the huge pistol right at Jake’s head. Jake swallowed hard, looking straight down its muzzle. Suddenly, Johnny Lee swung the pistol at the camper and fired. KABOOM!
    Jake jumped with surprise and fear. Oh my God! Katy! He looked at the camper then back at Johnny Lee, who was grinning. The rest of the guys were laughing. In slow motion, Jake saw Johnny Lee thumb-cock the pistol and aim at the camper again.
    Jake screamed, “Nooooooo!” then put the shotgun’s front bead on Johnny Lee’s chest and pulled the trigger. BOOM!
    All hell broke loose as fire shot out of Jake’s gun barrel, blinding everyone for a second. Johnny Lee was knocked off his feet. Reese shot twice in Jake’s direction, then grabbed Johnny Lee by the shoulders and dragged him toward their trucks. The fat one tripped over a barbecue grill. Jake pumped another shell into the chamber and was ready to shoot anyone that moved toward him or the camper. Two more shots rang out, hitting the camp house wall just above Jake’s head. They were hiding behind their trucks, frantically talking to their leader. Johnny Lee was screaming in pain. They quickly loaded him in the back of the black pickup. Gravel flew as they backed out and scratched off down the road; then they stopped at the gate. Jake could hear them arguing. One was extremely emotional.
    Jake stood in a trance, soaking wet with sweat. Slowly breaking out of the haze, he