A Step Back, A Step Forward: Sequel to Escape from the Ozarks

By Denisa Claris Cooke

Luella Jones spent her childhood in the back hills of the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas, living in a very primitive fashion, but with a large, loving family. She ran away from home, was forced to marry at 16, kidnapped, nearly murdered, killed her husband's murderer, and finally escaped from the Ozarks to Wichita, Kansas to live with an aunt and work in an office and take college classes on line. On the way to Wichita, her bus was hijacked and she shot the hijacker. While in Wichita, she was again kidnapped, almost killed, escaped, was nearly raped, and then fell in love with the sheriff from Arkansas. She learned many life lessons through all of this, but especially the one that God loved her and was always there for her. She also learned that love is being willing to sacrifice even your dreams, and that family is more important than self.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: May 30, 2016
• ISBN: 9781483570044

Denisa Claris Cooke

Denisa Claris Cooke began writing religious fiction books at the age of seventy-eight as a hobby, which became an interesting second career. She is a retired teacher, mom, grandmother, and great-grandmother, who lives in Colorado on the Western Slope. Denisa wants the message to get out there that a person is never too old or disabled (within reason) to begin new adventures and learn new things. She believes that even if you must get old in body, your mind can stay young and productive. Denisa has written seven books, published five, and plans to keep going as long as possible.

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23

CHAPTER 1

The gunman stood at the front of the bus, the gun in his right hand pointed at the bus driver, the gun in his shaking left hand pointed it at the passengers. He stood with his legs spread apart, balanced against the edge of the front seat. He was young, probably in his twenties, clean-cut, dressed in jeans and a tee-shirt. The frightened occupants slid down in their seats and onto the floor which made the gunman angry and he responded with a shot through the roof of the bus.

Okay, dammit, listen up, all of you. I want you to sit up where I can see you right now, or I’ll shoot the bus driver and then we are all in for a joy ride that can’t end too well. I want to ask some questions so sit up.

A few passengers sat back up in their seats, among them Luella. She was thinking, Okay, God, looks like we need Your help, real bad, real fast here. I don’t know what the deal is with this guy, but he looks and acts desperate and scared. You know how to help us so no one gets hurt so please help. Thanks, oh and God, if You need me to help You, just tell me how. Thanks again.

Good, I see a few of you are brave souls and not complete cowards. Can’t say much for the rest of you, but staying under your seats isn’t going to help you any. Now, I’m going to ask a question and I want a truthful answer because you don’t know if I’ll shoot you if you answer yes, or if I’ll shoot you if you answer no, or if I won’t shoot you at all because you sat up to face me. If your answer is yes, I want you to raise your hand. So here goes – is there anyone here who is proud to be an American and will admit it?

Luella looked around and then slowly raised her hand and looked right at the gunman.

So, girl, you are proud to be an American and will admit that even if I shoot you because you answered yes?

Luella just nodded yes and kept quiet. She was shaking so much she didn’t think she could answer if she had to do so.

I guess the same goes for the other three that held up your hands, right? Okay then, we have four people here who believe enough in this country and are brave enough to show that belief even if they die for it. Well, well, I’m amazed. Now then, you there, the girl, why are you proud enough of this country to risk your life by admitting it?

Because even though we have shootings and crime and poverty, it is still the best country that I know of because we have freedom to believe and worship God in any way that we choose. I know God is real and I do choose to worship him. We also have the freedom of free will, or you wouldn’t be where you are now, doing what you are now. In most countries you wouldn’t be allowed to have a gun. I hope that answers your question okay.

Right then the driver lunged for the gunman’s hand, and got a bullet through his hand for his effort. The bus swerved but the driver managed to get it under control. The noise on the bus was chaotic as people screamed, cried, prayed, and yelled. The driver now had to drive with only his left hand and held his injured right hand against him.

The gunman yelled and fired another bullet through the roof of the bus. Stop this racket, right now, or I’ll start shooting the rest of you. Now, driver that was real stupid of you as you now understand so don’t try to be a hero again. Just get this thing on down the road and don’t think about speeding. You attract the attention of the cops and I’ll shoot everyone I can before they shoot me, got it?

The driver mumbled, Yeah, got it. During this exchange the gunman had not taken his eyes off of the passengers. Luella wondered how long this crazy farce could continue, and after glancing around again, decided that of those she could see, she did not detect anyone that would be of much help to put an end to it. So, okay, God, do You want me to do something? I do have the pistol that my Papa gave me and it is loaded, but how do I get it out of my tote, quietly push the safely off, and then aim and shoot the guy before he shoots me? If You want me to do all of that, God, You need to help me somehow, so just show me the way. Amen.

The gunman looked at a man sitting in the back of the bus, a man that was in military uniform, and asked him, Hey you, there in the army suit, why did you hold up your hand? You need to prove how brave you are or what?

No, I’m not especially brave, but like the girl up there, I can’t deny my faith and pride in this country, because, as she said, it is still the best one around. If I hadn’t thought that, I wouldn’t have spent several years in a foreign country fighting to keep the freedoms that we have.

While the gunman had his attention turned to the army man, Luella managed to get the gun to the top of her tote bag and slide off the safety, then very slowly withdrew the gun from her bag, and hid it behind her tote. God, I’m not sure I can do this – I won’t have much time to aim and I haven’t had a lot of experience with this pistol so hold my hand and thanks, God. By now the gunman was talking with another person that had held up his hand, an elderly man sitting near the back. Luella pulled the gun from her tote, quickly stood, held the tote in front of the gun, and just as the gunman turned towards her, she quickly aimed and fired, then ducked behind the seat. The bullet didn’t quite hit its true mark, but was close enough as it carved a furrow along the side of the gunman’s head. He fell to the floor, unconscious. The army man rushed forward, turned the gunman over, pulled his hands behind him, and yelled, Does someone have a rope or something to tie his hands?

Luella yanked the heavy ribbon from her pony tail and went to the army man and handed it to him. He told her, Now, call 911 if you have a cell and tell them where we are and to send help, okay?

Sure, only I’m not exactly sure where we are, but I’ll try. She managed to get through to them, but then clicked off her phone as she didn’t know what to tell them. The army man had the gunman’s hands tied by now, and kept his knee on the man’s shoulders. He told the driver, Drive this thing over to the side of the highway and stop it, then when this girl calls 911 again, tell them exactly where we are and what happened? Can you do that?

Yeah, I think I have just enough in me to do that much. He got the bus to the median and stopped it, then when Luella held the phone up to his face, he told the patrolman the needed information. She reported to the army man, They will be here as quickly as possible – probably be about 15 minutes. Is the gunman still out?

He is and I think he will be for a while, but he’ll live. That was some nice shooting. Where did you learn to shoot like that?

I grew up on a farm in the back hills of the Ozarks outside of Rodgers, Arkansas, and my Papa and brother taught me to shoot. My shot didn’t quite hit its intended mark as I didn’t have enough time to aim correctly, but I’m kind of glad of the way it went. I’m glad I didn’t kill him. I don’t like killing.

Well, if you ever want to join the army, I don’t think you would have any problem getting admitted. How old are you anyway?

Not old enough to join the army – I’m just 16, well almost 17, but old enough to have been through way too much.

Yeah, I bet you have. Where you headed?

I’m going to Wichita, where I have an aunt that I’m going to stay with for a spell while I work and go to college. Then I hope I can get a better job and move out on my own.

Good plan but have you already finished high school?

Sort of, I got my GED last week.

Well, good for you, and thanks for saving all of our lives.

Oh, I don’t know that I did that, but if I did, it is what I was supposed to do, and I had God’s help.

Yeah, well, you’re mighty brave and unusual for a 16 year old. Why do you carry a gun?

My Papa just thought I should, to keep me safe while I travel and in the big city.

Your Papa is right smart and I’m sure glad he is. However, in most states, it is not legal to carry a gun until you are at least 18. Did you get a permit for it?

I don’t think so – I don’t suppose my Papa knew that one was needed.

Yeah, well that could be a problem with the police, but I hope not. When you get to Wichita, though, you might want to ditch the gun until you are old enough to get a permit.

Sure, I’ll do that and thanks.

Ah, here are the cops and the ambulance. Can you open the door for them? I think the driver has had it.

Luella pulled open the door, and a patrolman entered with pistol drawn, followed by another. Okay, who called us and what the devil is going on here?

Luella was frightened by his tone and the gun, but managed to answer. I called you, and as you can see, I shot this guy on the floor, after he shot the driver of the bus. Maybe the army guy can fill you in for the rest.

Sure, he turned to his partner and told him, If you will just cuff this guy and get him to the ambulance and also the driver, then I can get the details.

Right, I’ll get the EMT’s for the driver first.

The first patrolman looked at the army man, Are those guns belonging to the man on the floor?

Yep, he dropped them when he fell after the girl shot him. Boy that was some nice shooting she did. She had to aim quickly and the bus was moving. I doubt if I could have done that well.

The patrolman turned to Luella, Okay, who are you, why do you carry a gun, do you have a permit to carry it, and where are you from, and where are you going and why?

Luella stared at him, Um, that’s a lot of questions, but I’ll try to answer all of them. My name is Luella Mari Jones Buttram, and I’m almost 17, and from Rodgers, Arkansas. I grew up on a farm out in the hills there. I’m going to Wichita, Kansas to stay with my aunt there and work and attend college. I don’t have a permit for the gun and my Papa got it for me – he said it would protect me while I traveled alone and in the big city where I am going. The hill people in the Ozarks don’t trust people much, especially after all the trouble we have had in our area lately, what with the bank robbery, me being kidnapped by the robbers and almost killed, then the two murders. The bank robber who was the leader has been killed as has the murderer. One of those that was murdered was my husband who was just 21. We hadn’t been married very long when he was shot. And by-the-way, I’m the one who shot and killed the murderer because she was fixing to kill my brother-in-law, and sister-in-law. I think that answers all your questions.

Now it was the patrolman’s turn to stare at her, as did the army guy. The cop found his voice and answered, Wow, you have had quite some time of it to be just sixteen. Who taught you to shoot?

My Papa and brother did. Everyone who lives out in the hills knows how to shoot – quite well. It is necessary for survival, so both girls and boys are taught. I didn’t know I needed a permit for the gun and my Papa didn’t realize that either. My aim is usually better, but had it been, that gunman would be dead, so I’m glad I missed a bit and just winged him. It stopped him, and he will recover and probably go to jail. I wonder why he was doing what he was.

Who knows, we have some real wackcos around lately. Now, my partner here is going to drive this bus on in to the next town which is Tulsa, and then all the passengers will be transferred to another bus to continue. I will need for you, and this army gentleman to come with me to the station to get your statements, then you may be on your way also.

Okay, I guess, but I need to call my aunt to let her know for sure when I will arrive in Wichita.

You bet, we can arrange that. Now, if you two will come with me, I’ll give you both a free ride on in to Tulsa.

The army guy asked, We aren’t being arrested, are we?

No sir, I just need your statements. Where is it that you are headed?

I’m going to Wichita also to see family there. I was just discharged from the army.

Good, and thank you for your service. You two probably saved the people on this bus, so you sure won’t be arrested, although, Luella, you will need to put the gun away until you are older. I won’t arrest you for not having a permit this time since you weren’t aware that you needed one, but don’t use the gun again until you are older, okay?

Okay and thanks.

Even though it was the first part of September, it was still hot outside, and the wind was blowing fiercely. Luella’s hair blew across her face so she could barely see and she wished she still had the ribbon for a ponytail. She wasn’t accustomed to the high winds and wondered if it always blew like this here in the flat lands. She was glad she had worn jeans and a short sleeved tee-shirt as the wind couldn’t blow those around. However, as they stood outside the patrol car, waiting to enter it, the sun penetrated the dark blue denim of her jeans, and she could feel the sweat as it dampened her yellow tee-shirt under her arms, across her back, and chest. She began to feel faint, and remembered what her Papa had told her, Always, stand up for yourself, and say what you need to say to whoever you need to say it. Don’t hide in a corner and suffer. So, she decided to speak up, Ah, I wonder if I could get in the car out of the heat? I’m feeling a bit dizzy and sick.

The patrolman looked at her white face,