Speed’s Delay

Wednesday has come around again and I’m happy to present this week’s flash fiction.

“We’re out of time.” Ollie glanced to Timothy standing at the strider’s controls. More exacting, holding the engine back to creep the Strider along. Not that where were much ground left before town.

“A moment more.” Josephine Maria Ziegler didn’t glance up as she demanded.

“Unless you wanna turn around, that ain’t happening. Come on.” Ollie grabbed her arm.

Shaking her off, Josephine, snapped her doohickey’s cover in place. She lifted it in her hand and grinned. “Now I’m ready.”

“About time!” Timothy hollered. Releasing the gear, the Strider jerked forward. He, Alessia, and Ollie faced the swiftly descending ladder and grinding open door as the strider settled into the town’s station.

Below a marshal’s voice hollered orders. And the chorus of voices answering.

“Well, this’ll be interesting.” Alessia grinned at Ollie.

Ollie grunted. Interesting had become too common a phrase since smuggling Josephine out. But all that were left was getting through the guard below, a quick jaunt into the desert, and Josephine would be secured.

Leaning forward, Ollie caught a glimpse of the two-dozen waiting for them below.

Easy.

“Ears!” Josephine shouted as something soared over their heads. Something that looked strangely like the gismo she’d just finished. Clamping her hands over ears, Ollie didn’t have to be told twice. Not anymore.

There was… well, not a boom. More a whoosh. Ollie glanced down. The men below lay sprawled about. “They ain’t dead, are they?”

Josphine sniffed and raised her chin. “As if. Now can we please depart.”

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Be sure to check out the other Wednesday Words authors’ take on the prompt.