Joshua figured if he tripped or lost his balance, he’d be dead within minutes. The braying and barking of the hounds sounded closer so he pushed harder, his calf muscles protesting as he increased speed. He failed to realize he had reached the railroad bridge until it was too late to turn around so he slowed as much as possible. If they caught up now, there would be no mercy. A hoarse shout behind him rang out and muffled the sound as a bullet whizzed past, inches from his cheek. If he hadn’t known better, Joshua might have taken it to be an insect. The second shot echoed out across the valley and another bullet passed by. A burst of fire from multiple guns roared and his options narrowed to two choices. He could keep running and be shot. Even if the men in pursuit lacked shooting skills, the odds were he’d be hit and probably killed, so Joshua took the other option. Without pausing, he changed course and ran straight over the open side of the trestle. His feet encountered air and danced on nothing, hovering in space for a long moment until his brain realized what happened.
