Snippet #1678886

Walter looked back and saw what Abigail was talking about, two men were following them and they were gaining considerable ground. The terrain of the hillside was rough and slow going, jagged rocks on which someone might cut their hands abounded, loose rubble and slick grass added to the possibility of one slipping, all of which added to the tremendous danger now facing Walter and Abigail. After crawling a few more feet Walter discovered a clear patch of earth devoid of any rocks and loose sand, which had once been a part of a fairly well traveled pathway, though to get to it Walter had to climb over a small boulder. Walter tried to make it around the boulder at first but this proved to be far too dangerous, as there was little footing in front of the huge rock, and also for the fact that it would have taken him away from the path. Walter knew that climbing over the boulder was the only option and so very carefully he assailed the rock, strategically placing his feet he climbed, once on top of the boulder he paused, Walter had the feeling that if he moved but one more inch the rock would become dislodged from the hillside. Walter looked at Abigail with a worried and fearful face, but then Walter turned to look at the two men only a short distance behind them he suddenly came up with a plan.

What he had in mind was dangerous for he could fall along with the boulder if he was not careful. Walter realized the possible danger that he faced, but he also realized that if he did not act quickly the two men would soon catch up with them. For the past few hours Walter and Abigail had been climbing straight up the hillside, making the clear horizontal path before them all the more desirable. Quickly running this through his mind Walter turned to Abigail to warn her of what he was about to do, "Abigail! I think I know a way that I can slow them down. You need to back up a few steps. I'm sending this boulder their way." With that Walter braced himself against the hillside with his feet on the boulder, using the hill as leverage he began to pushed the boulder back and forth with his legs. The rocky debris beneath the boulder shifted and fell, this released the boulder from side of the hill and sent it careening toward the two men. The men were not that far behind Walter and Abigail and though it had only traveled a short distance the boulder had gathered enough speed that when it impacted with its target it knocked one of the men off of his feet.

The site of the man with his arms and legs splayed out upon the face of the boulder as it traveled downhill was almost comical, if it had not been such a brutal thing to witness. The second man who was climbing on all fours and managed to get to his feet by the time the boulder collided with his partner, straightening himself up he was able to avoid being struck by it as well. Still, the second man was not out of danger, for he had lost his balance, and his attempt to leaned his body forward and grab onto the hillside was unsuccessful. After a few seconds he had totally lost control of his balance, at which point the man fell backwards and tumbled down the hill to his death. Now that their adversaries had joined each other in eternal silence Walter and Abigail were free to make their way to the clear pathway that lay ahead of them.