The roar came closer. Headlights turned the corner from the highway onto thestreet where Lakeesha and Nancy stood. They looked at each other and thenturned in u... » 

The roar came closer. Headlights turned the corner from the highway onto thestreet where Lakeesha and Nancy stood. They looked at each other and thenturned in unison to look toward the headlights. Nancy saw a long stick emergefrom the window of the oncoming car. The engine roared and the car leapedforward. Nancy froze in space and time. Her mind floated somewhere just aboveher motionless body. Broom handle Nancy thought calmly watching it move inexquisite slow motion toward Lakeesha. That second stretched out like a rubberband hours long. A brilliant flash of light made Nancy duck and blink. Thenthe broom handle hit Lakeesha with an awful crack. Nancy heard it even over thegrowling car that sped toward her and the ugly shouting from inside it. Thestick disappeared inside the window. Another flash of light came from somewherebehind her. The car swerved. Nancy came back to life and jumped away as it shotpast her «