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Chapter 35
Mrs. Mead and Ponduro
guided Ream back to his cabin because the phones were dead at Gus's. Ream
reported the horse was stolen to the highway patrol.
Then he said to Mrs.
Mead, "Please stay here by the phone. Ponduro and I will go back to Gus's
and wait for him there. Come get us if there is any important news."
Ponduro walked Ream back to Gus's in the rain, both men fearful of Biffer's
fate.
Within the next few
minutes, Gus arrived with Sally. He asked her to wait in the truck as he
ran through the downpour to the porch where Ream was waiting. Ream related
what had happened.
Without telling Ream
the reason, Gus went inside and got his pistol in the event the worst happened
and Biff had to be put down.
Gus led Ream through
the rain to the truck and Sally moved over to let him in. Gus said, "Biff's
been stolen and he is likely in the wreck."
"Wreck?" questioned
Ream.
Gus said, "Better tell
him what you saw at the interchange."
Sally explained what
she had seen at the accident as she remembered it. She and Ream were so
consumed by the danger to Biff and the pounding rain they were not aware
of each other's identity until Gus said, "Ream Johnson, this is Sally Barringer."
In the introduction,
elements previously hidden were suddenly out in the open. Sally reacted,
"Oh my God, I thought you were Maurice."
"He's both," interjected
Gus.
A lightening bolt in
the distance sent a roll of thunder over them, and through them.
Before this moment,
Sally had not known Maurice Johnson and Ream Johnson were the same person.
Her thoughts and feelings collided. Ream also was hit with
the recognition of Sally being next to him. Ream, his secret, and his soul
were completely exposed.
They had arrived at
the accident, and Gus got out of the truck with his hand gun. "Sally, stay
here with Ream, I might have to put Biff down." There were no masks,
no defenses. No secrets remained. Time became stone, and the downpour turned
silent while Sally and Ream were baptized by the swirling reality of their
encounter.
Sally was covered
in goose bumps, and chills of confusion ran through her lending even further
desperation to the situation.
Gus was headed to the
horse trailer carrying his gun.
Time hung from the
sky in suspended anguish while destiny took its time to decide. Even a
clock could not be moved forward. This decision of fate would not be rushed
or abated.
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