Heiser-The-Facade - Sparkling Eyes

CHAPTER 25"The mark of a good action is that it appears inevitable in retrospect. "—Robert Louis Stevenson—BRIAN GRABBED MELISSA'S arm and pushed her into motion."Head for the jeep! Get under it!" He started running as well, and almostimmediately outpaced her. After a few more strides he looked back over his shoulder.The dogs were dismayingly fast for their size, and were rapidly gaining on them. Hethought he could make it, but there was no way Melissa would.Brian suddenly whirled about and sprinted toward Melissa. "Keep going!" heyelled as he flew past her. Bewildered, she paused and looked behind her at Brian, nowheading straight for the dogs as fast as his legs could carry him. In amazed horror shewatched as he slowed his pace, timing the leap of the first animal, and caught theshepherd in midair. The impact nearly toppled him, but he managed to keep his balance.Then, in a remarkably swift, deliberate motion, he altered the path of his momentum, thefirst dog still in his arms, and dove into the second animal. She turned and ran for thejeep, too afraid to witness what would surely follow.Brian immediately began pummeling the head of the dog pinned on its sideunderneath him. The shepherd went into a frenzy. He outweighed the dog by a goodseventy pounds, but it was all he could do to keep the animal in a prone position. Thesecond animal lunged and hit its mark. Brian cried out as the fangs penetrated deeply intohis exposed calf, but he held the dog beneath fast. He had no choice but to hold on; therewas no way he could protect himself against both animals simultaneously. Desperately hedug into the pinned animal's eye socket with his thumb, trying to ignore the pain shootingthrough his leg. The dog beneath him yelped in agony and jerked violently, managing toloosen its hind legs, which he immediately set to fending off the man on top of him.Suddenly Brian felt the shepherd's sharp teeth release his leg. Without warning a secondat-tack came from the side and inflicted a vicious bite on his shoulder. The animal did notlock on, though, choosing instead to go for its victim's throat. Brian caught a glimpse ofthe charging animal out of the corner of his eye, and had no choice but to release his gripand surrender his arm to the second dog's gaping maw.Melissa made it to the jeep and scrambled underneath the stalled vehicle. She laidprostrate, panting heavily more from panic than exertion. She ' d heard Brian's scream asshe'd reached safety. A piercing yelp next punctuated the air, and she maneuvered herbody into position where she could see what was happening. The battle was raging aboutfifty yards away. She flinched as one of the dogs latched onto Brian's left arm and shookit violently. Brian shrieked in pain again, but managed to get to his feet, the dog firmlyattached and standing on its hind legs. The other dog seemed momentarily disoriented,walking in circles, shuddering, blood streaming from one of its eyes, but it soon got itsbearings and circled behind its quarry for a counterattack. Brian frantically jammed histhumb into the eye of the yet unwounded dog, which instantaneously released his arm asit whined in distress and retreated. Run for it! she screamed in her mind, but, to her221