[Fiction] Friday Challenge #181 for Nov 12th, 2010

[Fiction] Friday Challenge #181 for Nov 12th, 2010


Utilise the T.S.O.D (Traveling Shovel Of Death) – a NaNoWriMo tradition. The rules are simple. In your story, kill someone. With a shovel.

Once again we will be exploring the character Jax from current WIP @jax #theinceptionofchaos

*first draft

**jax excerpts may or may not appear in chronological order and may or may not make the final cut.

***

Simo stood up and brushed herself down, looking around suspiciously.

'What's up?'

Simo lifted her head and smiled, 'Nothing.’ she said over brightly.

Jax watched her fidget for a while, 'You never did tell me how you came to find me out here.'

Simo laughed and avoided looking at her, 'Are we back on that again?'

Just then Jax heard the rumble of a car. She let it drop. No cars had passed out here for days, the road in was too treacherous. The ride Jax was counting on was more of the propeller variety. She grabbed Simo's arm and pulled her under the tree but Simo pulled free and ran towards the noise, her arms waving frantically.

'Simo' Jax cupped her hands to her mouth and shouted but Simo didn't listen.

Shit, shit, shit. She searched the ground for a weapon, whoever it was way out here in the middle of the northern outback was not on a friendly sightseeing tour.

Trying not to stray too far from the tree's cover Jax scoured the ground, the only thing that could be of any use was an old shovel leaning stoutly against the trunk. Rusted and splintered Jax couldn't remember it being there earlier, or how it came to be leaning against a tree in the dessert anyway, but she didn't have time to ponder. A dusty Troop carrier came into sight and Jax realised Simo had climbed into the troop tray.

Shit, shit, shit. She looked at her transmitter and noticed a second red light blinking.

She sent a silent prayer to her mother, or whoever might be listening, then picked up the shovel and stepped behind the tree. She didn't have time to wait for Triton's rescue. The Troop carrier skidded to a halt a few metres away and Simo jumped out. Her eyes were wide and terrified, which could have something to do with the crazy eyed Thug pressing a rifle into her back.

'Where is she?' he growled.

Another Thug jumped down out of the driver's seat, his rifle slung casually over his shoulder.

Jax pressed herself so close to the tree that a thick stump pressed hard against her pelvis. Rude and totally inappropriate jokes sprang to her mind. She rolled her eyes in disgust, not now!

Simo searched frantically but Jax disguised herself too well nowadays. The Thugs were pretty thick and stuck together. The driver even left the keys in the ignition with the engine running. Shifting a little to relieve the stump pressed into her groin she scraped her boot against the tree and the Thug swung around, his eyes falling on the shovel.

'There she is.' he called and the other guy and Simo swung around to look.

Jax shrugged and stepped out from behind the tree, 'Here I am. Now boys, what can I do for you?'

She lifted the shovel to shoulder height and gave it a practice swing, hoping like hell they didn't shoot.

When no shots were fired she lowered the shovel to the ground and leaned on it like a walking stick. Well she would have if she hadn't first lost her balance. With the shovel head no longer attached the handle skidded on the hard ground and splintered into two. Shocked she regained her composure only to realise Simo was screaming. She looked up and gagged. There was blood everywhere and the head of the shovel was lodged into the head of the first Thug. The second Thug was thrashing on the ground with a bullet hole in his neck. How did that happen?

Not giving it a second thought Jax realised this was there chance and dropped what was left of the handle, grabbed Simo and sprinted for the truck. Simo tried to get away from her and ran around madly like a chook with it's head cut off. Jax slapped her twice, shoved her in the truck and jumped in the driver's seat.

'You could have killed me!'Simo sobbed.

Jax shrugged, 'Yeah well, you almost had me killed by running off like that so we're even.'

Simo stared at her for a moment and then burst into fits of hysterical laughter, 'Oh my God. Oh my God,’ she panted through her tears, 'did you see the shovel?' She shuddered, 'It sliced his head almost right off!'

Jax pressed her foot to the accelerator and screeched around in a wild donut, 'Yeah, well we're not out of trouble yet!' She pointed behind them and Simo looked into the back of the truck. Somehow the Thug with the shovel implanted in his face dragged himself across the dirt and was now clinging on to the tailgate for dear life.Jax swerved madly across the hard baked earth trying to shake him but the madman would not be shook. His fingers clung to the tray and he slowly heaved himself, inch by bloody inch up onto the tray.

'You have to go back there.'

Simo looked at her like she was crazy, 'Are you crazy?'

'Uh uh' Jax shook her head.

'And do what?'

Jax shrugged, 'Dunno. Smack his fingers?'

***

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