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Not now, not ever. He could only stare at his father s crushed expression and feel like the lowest of the
low. He looked away from his dad, unable to meet his eyes.
 Her old man will have the cops on you before you reach the county line, his dad murmured in a
defeated tone. All the forcefulness had been leeched from his voice, replaced by a mournful resignation.
He dropped down onto a stool.
Johnny guiltily turned back toward his bike. There seemed nothing more to say. He glanced around
the maintenance tent, making sure he hadn t forgotten something. At least Dad s not sick anymore.
There was still time to make it up to him sometime in the future. Right now, though, he had to focus on
Roxanne and getting the hell out of here.
 Hey, hot shot. Johnny was surprised to hear his dad call out to him. He looked over at Barton, who
lobbed a set of keys at him. Johnny snatched them out of the air, then peered down at the keys in his
palm. He instantly recognized the keys to Grace. Johnny looked up at his dad and smiled. He realized
that this was the closest thing to a blessing he was ever likely to get.  Take Grace. At least you ll have a
decent head start.
Johnny gave his dad a grateful look. Despite everything, he knew his father loved him.
I won t forget this.
 Ladies and gentlemen, the Amazing Blaze Stunt Cycle Spectacular!
The barker s amplified voice rang out over the fairgrounds as Johnny prepared to make his
departure. He glanced back over his shoulder at the big top, then revved Grace s engines. Twelve
hundred cc s of raw power sprang to life beneath him, eager to hit the open road. Grace had a full tank
of gas, which would be more than enough to carry Johnny and Roxanne beyond her father s suffocating
grip & forever?
Maybe & maybe not.
He took one last look around the carnival, feeling a sudden pang of nostalgia for the life he was
about to leave behind. Most kids dream of running away to the circus, he reflected; how ironic was it
that he and Roxanne were doing exactly the opposite? Smiling sadly, he listened to the excited cheers
coming from inside the main tent. The audience s collective oohs and aahs were as familiar to him to as
a childhood lullaby. Sounds like Dad s blowing their socks off, he thought with pride. He kicked the
bike into gear and started away from the tent.
Without warning, a tremendous crash came from behind him. From the big top. Johnny froze at the
unmistakable crunch of mangled metal. The crowd s enthusiastic cheers and gasps gave way to horrified
screams.
Dad!
Johnny wheeled Grace around, skidding to a stop. He leapt from his seat, letting the precious Harley
topple over onto the sawdust. A mass of confused townies blocked the entrance to the big tent. Johnny
shoved his way through the milling rubes, not letting anything get between him and his father. He
rushed into the tent, where his anxious eyes confirmed the awful truth.
Barton Blaze lay amidst the flaming tracks. His wrecked motorcycle rested on its side several yards
away, its wheels still spinning. Shaken men and women fled the bleachers, holding their hands over
their children s eyes, while others in the audience stood transfixed by the shocking tableau before them.
Barton s fellow performers looked on in dismay. A pale-faced trapeze artist called frantically for a
doctor.
 Dad?!
Ignoring the helpless spectators, as well as the flames running along the length of the track, Johnny
raced to his father s side. He jumped over the fiery display, barely feeling the heat. Dropping to his
knees, he cradled his dad s head upon his lap. Cracks and skid marks scarred Barton s crash helmet.
 Somebody call an ambulance! Johnny hollered at the top of his lungs. He searched his father s
face, looking for some sign that his dad wasn t hurt as badly as it looked. Barton had survived some
nasty tumbles before-that was just part of the biz. Yet this crash looked worse than any he could
remember.
 Johnny & ? Barton said weakly. His blue eyes struggled to focus on his son. He lifted a trembling
arm, trying to reach out to Johnny, but his strength was fading fast. The arm dropped limply onto the
track. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Barton Blaze was dying& again.
 Dad! Johnny blurted hoarsely. Hot tears streaked his cheeks.  It s going to be okay. I m here. The
memory of their last painful encounter tore at his heart.  I m not going to leave, I promise. He grabbed
onto his father s hand and squeezed it. Gloved fingers were too weak to squeeze back. His dad s eyes
lost their focus. His breathing grew shallow as his throat rattled.  Dad?& Dad!
A final shudder passed through Barton Blaze s body before he fell forever still. Glassy eyes stared
blankly into eternity.
No! This can t be happening. Sobbing, Johnny clutched his father s lifeless body to his chest. He
pleaded silently for God to restore his father to life, but heaven s mercy seemed very far away. Unable [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]