Joedan thought to himself "there's not much time. It's now or never." Strolling around the corner of the shed, Joedan stood straight, slung his shovel over his left shoulder, and proceeded to walk towards the door.
"Oi, what do you think you're doing?" Joedan said, startling the man.
Moment of surprise, success. Here goes nothing, Joedan thought.
"Who the hell are –" the brother started to ask Joedan, but before he could finish his sentence, Joedan had already swung.
Shovel came around and there was a loud crunch as teeth went flying. Joedan watched as the man he had just struck stumbled to the ground. The man fumbled around on the ground, dazed, but not unconscious and reached for a knife at his boot.
"I'm gonna make you regret that." the man said.
The two locked eyes as the wounded man began to circle Joedan, knife in a reverse grip. The brother charged Joedan. Bracing the shaft of the shovel out in front of him, Joedan caught the man's knife as it swung down, shoving it off. The man came in close, Joedan dropped his shovel and grabbed at the man's arm holding the knife. The two locked together as they tussled to the ground. Rolling over the ground, Joedan tried to slam the man's hand against the ground, hoping to break loose his grip on the knife. The man kicked up his knees causing Joedan to gasp as his wind was momentarily knocked out of him. Joedan began to panic as the brother rolled them once again and was pressing the knife down towards Joedan. He struggled as the knife pressed closer. Joedan looked briefly to his right at the shovel that lay discarded on the ground beside them. Joedan pushed the man's knife hand to the left causing it to go into the ground by his neck.
Bringing his hands around, Joedan swung bringing the man's head to the right down towards the edge of the shovel. The man groaned as blood began to pour. Joedan got out from under the man. Grabbing the knife from the ground, Joedan caught the man in his side. The man stopped struggling. Joedan's hands shook as he realized what he'd just done. Not having the time to panic, he unsteadily stood to his feet.
The woman who had been whimpering before, started to panic more. Not knowing what was going on around her, she tried to scream, but it only came out muffled. Joedan rushed over to the woman's side.
"I'm not here to hurt you, I saw the men grab ya, and I'm trying to get you out of here."
Joedan proceeded to remove the blindfold from the woman's face. Holding a finger in front of his lips, the universal sign for "shhh." The woman looked around and noticed the other man bleeding on the ground. "Is he..?"
"I don't know." Joedan said, quickly. "We gotta go before the other one comes back."
Joedan helped the woman to her feet, pointing her towards the door. He scooped up the knife from the man who was still not moving on the ground and tucked it into his own boot. Heading for the door, he grabbed his shovel and he ushered her off to the side.
"My family's field is just over that way," he said. "We gotta hurry."
Shuffling together, Joedan and the "mystery" woman headed towards the fence and Joedan helped her climb over it. Jumping over it himself, he said "not too much further, about an acre that way."
They made it back closer to the equipment shed and Joedan shoved the woman inside. "Wait in here, I'm gonna try to buy you some time. Be quiet and stay low."
Joedan wandered back to the part of the field he had been working in before and started to dig again. Grabbing some seed from the sack by his feet, he scattered it in the row. Keeping his eyes vigilant, Joedan continued to work the field. Afternoon turned into evening and Joedan had seen or heard nothing strange while he finished his work for the day. 'No sign of the other guy yet.' Joedan thought as he turned to walk back towards the equipment shed.
Opening the door and stepping inside, Joedan didn't see the woman. He put his shovel back and lowered the canteen from his neck. Looking around in the shed, he said, "psst..are you in here?" He heard a shuffle in the back and watched as the small woman stepped forward from the dark corner of the shed.
"Did you seriously leave me in this shed all afternoon?" the woman said.
"Do you have any idea who I am? Or what my father would do to you if he knew where I was?"
Joedan was shocked. He had done his best to try and help this woman and this was how she chose to respond? He couldn't believe it.
"You a princess or somethin'? The way you're actin' seems like you think mighty highly of yourself." Joedan shot back.
"For your information, I was waiting to see if the other one would come back or not." Joedan shook his head.
"In all my life.."
He was gonna offer her some of his canteen, but thought better of it after her "warm" welcome.
"If you like, the door is right here, and you can go." Joedan pointed at the door.
The woman couldn't believe it. No one had ever talked to her that way before. She would not stand for it.
"You can't expect me to just leave. I don't know where I am. I'm ordering you to help me." She said stubbornly, and stomped her foot for good measure.
That'll show him, she thought to herself. Instead, Joedan just turned around, did an about face, and walked out the door.