Excerpt

I started out of the trees toward the trash barrels when I saw a child come from the nearest camper and walk toward the picnic area. What was a child doing out at this time in the morning I thought, putting down the garbage and taking a closer look through my binoculars. To my surprise, it wasnt a child but a small, I guess I should say petite, woman who looked to be about five-feet tall. Not knowing why I did so, I stepped into the shadow of a large tree and stood perfectly still. I guess I thought she was thinking about her troubles and didnt need an interruption from me. Or maybe it was just habit, or the residue of a feeling of self-protection. Whatever the reason, I remained out of sight.

She was within three feet of me as she walked into the road and began her trek back to the camper. From the corner of my eye, I saw a van coming toward us. She came out of her daze long enough to move from the road and out of the path of the vehicle. It drove past her to the end of the road, turned around and stopped right across from the tree I was behind. A man opened the door and emerged. He seemed gigantic beside the petite roamer. He was probably about six-feet tall with broad shoulders. His large, muscular arms shone to advantage by the rolled up sleeves of his tee shirt. He called quietly to the woman, Miss, could you tell me how to get to umm? The last word was mumbled. She moved closer to him.

Suddenly, I was finding it difficult to breathe. The air seemed thick. OH, GREAT AND MERCIFUL AUNT MINERVA! I was experiencing a numbing feeling of dj vu.

Im sorry, I didnt hear where you wanted to go? The small lady answered.

I asked, he said moving just a little closer to her, if you could help me find umm.

Unthinking, she kept moving toward him. I wanted to scream at her to be careful and not go any closer. But my mouth wouldnt work. My mind was being attacked by all kinds of thoughts at once. My brain felt like a tiny rock caught in an avalanche. It had no power to do anything except tell my eyes to watch what was going on. I couldnt believe it. Independent, self-assured person that I had become, I was having a return attack of WIMPYNESS.

When she was within arms length, the brute grabbed her, pulled her to him and put his hand over her mouth to stifle any sound she may try to make. I saw no weapon but then he was so much larger than she was, he probably figured he didnt need one. The tiny ladys head was hitting his chest in the heart area.

Here I was again, in a predicament not of my own making but one I couldnt walk away from. I finally stilled my shaking knees, gave myself a talking to and came out of my stupor. Putting my walking stick against the tree, I pulled my knife from its sheath and hid it by my side. I had no idea what I was going to do but I had to do something.

Whatcha doin? I asked loudly. The brute turned toward the sound of my voice so quickly that he lifted Tiny off her feet. She looked like a rag doll in the arms of a gigantic child.

This aint none of your business. He said as he began backing toward his van. Just you go and leave us alone. Just you forget that you saw me here.

I knew that he couldnt take her and leave me here alive. I could describe him and his van. I decided that he was trying to get to the van to get a weapon. I had to stop him before he got there.

I cant do that. I said. She obviously doesnt want to go with you and I dont think I should allow you to take her. Funny, at that moment, I became very calm. Id handled things like this before and Id just have to do it again.

Well, he laughed, I dont see as how you can stop me. Youre biggern her but you aint as big as me.

I kept walking closer and the daylight seeping into being showed me his face a little clearer. He had a vicious look about him. There was a familiar sneer on his face and I was certain that if I could see them, his eyes would be dead.

His back against his van now, he tried easing toward the door. It was ajar but not open. I knew that when he reached for the door, to open it, it would be my only chance to save Tiny. Making certain that his left arm was secure around Tinys neck and watching me closely, he reached for the door. For one second, a short tick of the clock, he looked toward the door to see if he was getting close enough to open it. When he took his eyes off me, I threw my Bowie knife as hard as I could at his arm. My knife is razor sharp and a very sturdy weapon. It hit him in the middle of the lower arm right between the two bones and pinned him to the van. A few seconds went by before he realized why he couldnt move his arm. He looked - and the pain hit about the same time. He screamed, threw Tiny to the ground and reached to remove the knife.