Beckman was, strangely, most aware of the drumming their shoes made on the wood floor as they charged, headfirst, out of the house. There seemed an interminable lunging for the car. The starter ground over forever, and it was only after the car started and there seemed to be a chance, did Beckman realize that the old man’s dog had torn both of his pants legs off, along with some of his skin. The dog was still outside, leaping repeatedly at the car window.
Beckman shoved the gear lever in reverse and spun the car around. For a moment he caught sight of the old man stumbling, blindly, out of his door, gun in hand and blood covering one side of his face. Beckman pushed the gear lever in low and drove toward the road as fast as the car could take the bumps. The gun started blasting away behin
