The Leaf Free Write by Enoch (James) Wallis

Chapter one
In the sharp moonlight, the smell of campfire smoke permeates the air, and the sound of crickets mingles with laughter. An updraft from a dancing fire catches a changing leaf and gently lifts it from its summer home, sending it twisting and spiraling into the night sky. Up it floats, dancing in the stars as it frolics on its last happy ride through the autumn air. As it turns, its orange and gold streaked skin catches light from the harvest moon and, for a moment, it gleams with such beauty that the stars shimmered with delighted tears, thinking the sun had come early. Then the little blaze turns again and starts to the earth to give itself back to its mother tree, feeding it to make it strong. Another breeze catches it and it darts to one side and, just before continuing on its peaceful decent, a hand reaches out into the night , catching it, drawing it in and twirling it between his fingers.
David spoke, softly, gently, still twirling the blazing leaf so that She could see. “No mater where I am. No matter where you are, we’ll both see the same sun, setting in the west. And then I’ll think of you, and all the sunsets we’ve shared up on this water tower together.” And slowly, gently, he placed the leaf in Her hair. Dark brown, until it catches the light, sending out glints of auburn. As if to show her fire, unnoticed until you take the time to see.
She smiled. “How long did it take you to come up with that?” she teased. “Or have you been reading that little book my dad gave you?” snuggling into his arms and resting her cheek on his chest she closed her eyes and said. “You don’t have to come up with fancy words, I’ll love you anyway. Even if my dad is the most eloquent man in the country, and thinks if you don’t love words then you’re uneducated.”
Chuckling, David looked down to smell her hair “I actually found out it’s some pretty cool stuff. You’ll have to thank your dad for lending me that book, It showed me ‘a New World of depth and passion, unmatched in beauty.’ ‘Anonymous.’”
Laughing, She raised her head, placing her chin where her cheek had rested. “So you’re full of words now too, huh?” She stood on tiptoe and kissed him gently. “I can get used to that”
They stood holding each- other like that for a long time before David broke the silence.
“What made your dad decide to leave for Europe so suddenly? You’ve been here in Denver for as long as I can remember.”
She made a face as she looked up to answer, “He says that ‘the American education system has lost what effectiveness and ingenuity it had” and so “to get a proper education we will venture to Europe.’” She said it snidely, deepening her voice in a surprisingly accurate imitation of her father.
“Well I wish he’d change his mind.” David said softly. They both knew he wouldn’t though. And so they stood silently in each others arms, loosing themselves in the sad thoughts of separation, and absorbed all they could of each other while they could, listening with sad contentment to the nighttime sounds.
Crickets sang to them, the crunch of tires passed on the road, another group of post-graduate revelers no doubt. In the distance, their friends laughed, and they heard the sound of Mike tuning up his guitar. His little practice amp carrying the sound to their ears, and Tom’s voice as he loudly requested a song
“Let’s go back to the group” David said “they’re probably wondering what happened to us,”
so they started down the ladder to the ground, David below in case She fell. His feet touched the ground, and as he helped Her down the last few rungs, he heard a swoosh, and something hard hit him in the back of the head with the muffled thunk of wood. Dazed, he fell to the ground. Stars danceing at the edge of his vision his eyes tingling in their sockets. He heard scuffling and another thud and looked up to see the world tilting crazily and three men, a limp form over one of their shoulders, running to the nearby road where a black SUV idled with the doors open.
“No”, he said softly, desperately, “No! ELISABETH!” he screamed, stumbling to his feet and lurching after them, the world still spinning crazily. One of the men spun and cursed, said something to the others, who started running, before turning back. With a snarl and a look of cruel satisfaction he swung the bat again, and pain blossomed from David’s nose as the hard wood made contact. The force of the blow knocked him backwards so that he landed with a thud on his back, the air forced out of him.
With a grunt of pleasure, the man turned again and ran to the car, his door thudding shut behind him. Then, with a squeal of tires, the men with Elisabeth took off.
David lay stunned for half a second before what was happening cleared his brain, and he scrambled to his feet. Running after the car, his desperation lending him speed. “NO!” he screamed “ELISABETH!” and the car picked up speed. Turning, he started a stumbling run toward his own truck, and, with his blood filling with adrenaline the world slowly stopped it’s crazy wobble.
David burst through the trees into the clearing full of laughter, the guitar having drown out his screams, and yelled “THEY TOOK ELISABETH!” while he charged forward, leaping over the fire and wrenching open the door of his truck.
“What!?” Mike said, standing. “What do you mean ‘they?’“
“THEY TOOK HER!” he yelled, and slamming his door he took off after the black SUV that held his Elisabeth, leaving the others stund in the clearing.
His headlights lit the road before him like blazing eyes, as he sped forward. Catching a glimpse of the suvs red tail lights as they rounded the bend just ahead. Growling he sped up. Trees flashing by in a dark blur, he rounded the bend and saw his querry, Still ahead, but much closer, and flattened his foot to the floor. His old red truck leaping forward. The reflective license plate of the car ahead glinted at him mockingly, as its driver floored the gas as well, 124G35. Then the chase began in earnest. David knew the road, but this guy was obviously more experienced at high speed driving. They zoomed down the dirt road, each one skidding around the wild turns and looking hopefully at the other. Those in the SUV, hoping for a crash, and David praying, desperate not to see one. David’s knowledge of the road was proving to be stronger than the other’s skill, and slowly the distance between them was closing.
What do I do when I catch them? he asked himself, don’t think, just DRIVE! Was the answer. The window of the dark car rolled down and a gun poked out. David had just enough time to register the weapon before a bullet shattered his windshield, and buried itself in the seat right by his head. “oh shit!” he said to himself and almost missed the next turn. Ahead of him another window rolled down on the suv and a second man poked his head out, aiming a rifle at the leading right tire of David’s truck. just as the man pulled the trigger, the suv hit a cattle guard, sending the shot into a tree instead of davids tire. The first man fired again, and David felt a jerk in his right shoulder. Yeling in pain and frustration he gritt his teeth, taking a hissing breath. His hunting rifle flicked into his mind where it lay behind the passenger seat but he quickly dismissed the idea. They have Elisabeth with them. what if I hit her?
So the chase continued, and ahead the license plate glinted tauntingly at him. 124G35
They can’t keep shooting. David thought. Soon they’ll be too close to town. Apparently the kidnappers had realized the same thing, because the two men retreated with their guns back into the car. David urged his truck to go faster. If I can’t catch them before they get into town, this guy will be able to loose me. In front of him, the suv took another turn and sped down the road by the free way. Suddenly turning off the road it headed straight for the barrier. David blinked in surprise, and swerved to follow. But too late, the suv rattled over the rough terane and got on to the freeway just to the side of the barrier. But David, a little farther over hit the barrier with the side of his truck and lost control. Spinning wildly across the two lane high way the front fender of the old truck nicked a sign post and David and his truck tumbled into the irrigation ditch on the opposite side. Scrambling back over to the drivers side, blood trickling from a gash in his forehead, he desperately pounded on the gas. A wet churning came from the rear wheels and the old truck sank deeper into the mud, like an old man settling all the way into a comfortable arm chair. “DAMN IT!” he yelled, and revved the engine rocking back and forth in his seat trying to add his own energy to getting the car up and on the road. It was no use. The old truck was stuck. “no” he said “no no no no!” and he yanked door handle and burst out of the cab, scrambling up the muddy slope to the highway, the red tail lights of the black suv gleamed back at him evily and, tears streaming in his vision, he charged down the road.
NO! he thought NO THEY CAN’T HAVE HER!! And he ran harder. Slowly, painfully, the tauntingly evil red eyes ahead of him faided crying out he put on an extra burst of speed. The horrof of loosing Elisabeth giving him strength he never knew he had. But his legs couldn;t keep the pace he was demanding of himself and he stumbled, his feet catching on the asfault and sendinghim to the ground. “no” he said again”NO!” he screamed, the word melting to an anguished roar. She was gone the thought seemed to sap his strength, and he sank to the black road, his yell echoing through the trees at the side of the road. She was gone, and he had failed her. They had stolen her. As he huddled on the road, anger, fear, and terrible loss forcing him to the ground, one thought ran through his head. It was his fault. She was gone, and he couldn’t stop them. it was his fault.
It was the last distinct thought he had for a long time.

CHAPTER 2
Elisabeth drifted awake to a curse and the boom of a gun, and heard a rough, unfamiliar voice say “Damn country road! I missed!” then another voice came in, this one sounded upset. “ they wont be happy. I told you we should have waited longer!” BANG! And she thought she heard David cry out in savage pain. “man, that kid’s tough” said a third voice.
“Yeah?” said Rough, addressing Upset, “Well if Taylor had knocked the kid out like he was ‘sposed to, then it wouldn’t have made much of a difference!” the car jostled and she faded back out as a smooth deep voice joined the conversation…
she woke again, sometime later, when she rolled across the empty floor of the car and hit some ones leg, not knowing if she’d been out seconds or hours. Who ever’s leg it was kicked her back to the middle and then said, “Ha! That got ‘im! He went right in the ditch!” it was Rough. Elisabeth felt ice in her veins. no! David! Tears slid down her cheeks, and then upset spoke again. “Damn! He’s chasin us!” he said, amazement in his voice and Elisabeth’s heart beat again, bringing a fresh set of tears. “Damn but ain’t He Fast!” said rough, obviously impressed, and Elisabeth couldn’t help the pride that welled up, adding to the salty parade rolling down her cheeks. the car stopped swerving and she blacked out again, tears still streeming down her face.
The next time she awoke she was in the dark, tied to a chair so tight her hands and feet were numb and tingly from lack of circulation, the bag that had been over her face in the car was gone, but it didn’t make any difference. She still could see nothing.
CHAPTER 3
Mike sat, stunned for a moment as David roared away, tail lights flickering between the trees. “this's gotta be a joke” he thought, but David really wasn't the prankster, that was his job! Elizebeth couldn't be kidnapped, that kinda thing didn't-
“Lets go!” Tom said jumping to his feet, and the spell over the stunned clearing was broken, everyone rushed to their cars, and Toms voice lanced out again, the harsh whip of reality cracking over head. “Someone call the sheriff!” with a flurry of car doors, and the sputtering of engins the frantic convoy was off, heading down the road after David.
Digging franticly in his pocket, Mike pulled out his phone and diled, getting only a buisy signal. What the crap man! He thought, this is an emergency! And he jammed the redile button as the first gunshot rang through the trees. “Oh crap!” he said and the operator picked up.
“Hello, 911 emergency”, she sounded stressed, “Hey Lady! My buddies girl's been kidnapped and now hes chasin after them, and i just heard a gun shot!” BANG, BANG! “THREE gun shots!””Please stay calm,” easy for her to say! “we've already heard from two of your other friends, we're sending out an amber allert now and all four cars are on their way.” snapping his phone shut, Mike fumbled with the radio and with the hiss of statick he caught the end of an annoying buzz tone and an electronic voice rang through the car, THIS IS AN AMBER ALLERT!!! ELIZABETH -------- HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED, SHE IS A SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD, COCASION FEMAIL, FIVE TWO WITH DARK BROWN HAIR AND GREEN EYES, REPEAT, THIS IS AN AMBER ALERT!!!
Mike switched off his radio as the anoying buzz came back, signaling the end of the alert, and sped aroung a cornesr, hearin the shreik of tires ahead, and then a crash, his foot hovered between the gass and the break, uncertainly untill ahead, Toms car swerved off the road, to folow battered and bruised earth across the short gap to the highway. And as mike folowed, the trail, he spotted davids truck in the ditch, headlights blaizing into the night sky and steam pouring out from under the hood.
Tom was already leaping out of his car and running to the old red Ford. Mike yanked open his door, strughlingm with his seatbelt and cursing when it caught around his neck. By the time he'd extracted himself Rachel and .Shantell were getting out of their car and Jacen was pulling up behind them.
It had been Mike who saw him first. Realizing that it was David they were looking for, the fastest guy on the football team and state champion in track long distance, he had started down the road in the direction of the skid marks, continuing on farther than they had the first few times. He drove slowly for almost an hour, and was about to turn back, thinking he’d gone far enough, when he saw David through his windshield. If he hadn’t have been going so slow, he would have run over him. David had been slumped over, his arms hanging by his sides as if they were stuffed and his eyes glazed, staring down the road. There was a deep gash on his forehead, blood soaked his right arm from a bullet hole in his shoulder, he had numerous other cuts and bruises from crashing into the ditch, and he was deep in shock.
Now Tom wasn’t a lover of the woods like David, nor was he into the medical field so he never saw a reason to learn how to deal with delusional people. But his mother had forced him to go to scouts for a year and he remembered a few things from the first aid lesson. So he ran back to his little car and reached into the back, pulling out the thick quilt he’d brought for Rachel, and draped it over David, gently laying him down on the road side. Then he’d called Mike, who was back with the main group, and soon his best friend was on his way to the hospital.
While the search for David was going, the sheriff, after hearing the story of why David was missing with his truck in a ditch, left the three other town police with the search party and drove slowly back to town. Over and over he worded what he was going to say to Michael and Susanna Taylor. When he finally got out of his car in front of their house he was fairly confident on how he would tell them that their daughter had been kidnapped. he climbed the porch steps, every creak of wood a sorrowful harold of the news he bore the good people inside the house. Crossing the final distance to the door he raised a hand, knocking three times. Or at least he meant to, for as his fist hit the door, instead of producing a solid rap, it swung open, and seeing the front room, the sheriff froze.
A broken table leg had stopped the door from swinging in all the way, and a mirror on the far wall was broken, reflecting the room in cracks and fragments. As he stepped into the house he noticed that the couch was over turned, the TV had fallen to the floor, and the coffee table was smashed, one of its legs the one at his feet holding the door.
“Mr. Taylor?!” he called, realizing his gun was in his hand, he didn’t remember drawing it. “Mrs. Taylor?!” but nobody answered, and nobody would.

David Bastian awoke slowly, fighting desperately to keep his heart closed, to keep the terrible pain from breaking through the blissful dam of sleep and washing him away. But the fight was doomed before it began, and he was swept away. A man standing in the riverbed with his hands stretched futilely before him. He lay on his bed, consumed by his raging emotions, and the swirling images of Elisabeth.
Slowly, David turned and sat up. His feet coming to rest on the soft rug in front of his bed and slumped there, his head in his hands, trying desperately to contain the swirling currents of rage, despair, and helplessness that were thrashing him to pieces. Crashing him against the rock of Elisabeth’s kidnapping that he caried with him. Finally, taking a deep breath, he reigned in the storm that circled tightly around him, and lifted his head.
For a long while David glared at the tan rug beneath his feet, imagining charging into the sheriffs office and demanding answers., and smiled grimly at a particularly fierce section where he threw aside the desk and held the frustratingly uncooperative deputy against the wall until he spoke. The in action was driving him mad! They hadn't gotten anywhere as far as he knew, and the only way he'd been able to help was by telling the sheriff the license number of the black suv. After that, whenever he'd approached an officer, they had calmly told him that the police were working hard to find Elisabeth and to go home and let them handle it.
Taking a deep breath, he held it for a moment thrying to calm himself, and then, running a hand through his hair he looked blankly at his dresser in anticipation of wearing clothes. As he leaned forward to open the top drawer containing shirts, a light blue paper, neatly folded with his name in red ink caught his eye. Great, he thought, another pity note that wants to be touching. He lifted his hand over the paper and let it fall, his fingers closing limply around the thin blue stationery, dragging it off the dresser top by the weight of his arm.
Carelessly, he unfolded it, and looked down at the message, reading the first line that was scrawled in a hurried hand. For a moment he didn’t comprehend what he read, snorting afterward in contempt of the expected cheesy frothel and strting to toss it asside when what was actually written sank in, and he stared again at the first words.
A steely determination came rushing through him, and he knew what he was going to do. His face hardened and his jaw clenched as he gazed at the red letters that spelled out the first sentence that had made sense since the water tower. He stood, the words blazing in his mind, and lighting his world like a beacon fire.
You can save her.


CHAPTER 4
Elisabeth stared blankly at the brick wall in front of her, the fear that had been her constant companion for who knows how long seemed muted now, she hardly noticed it anymore. A sound in the other room brought her mind back in focus, and hope stirred in her as she heard someone approach the door to the dark little room she was in.
please let it be the polece! She thought, or david... she had had amaizing dreams bouth awake, and asleep, where he had come bursting into the room and whisked her away. But when the door opened it was one of the kidappers, and the cold fear came blaizing back to the fore front of her mind. Fear of death, or worse, at the hands of thease men.
CHAPTER 5
“Ok David.”