Mr. Touchdown

The roar came closer. Headlights turned the corner from the highway onto the street where Lakeesha and Nancy stood. They looked at each other and then turned in unison to look toward the headlights. Nancy saw a long stick emerge from the window of the oncoming car. The engine roared, and the car leaped forward. Nancy froze in space and time. Her mind floated somewhere just above her motionless body. "Broom handle," Nancy thought calmly, watching it move in exquisite slow motion toward Lakeesha. That second stretched out like a rubber band, hours long. A brilliant flash of light made Nancy duck and blink. Then the broom handle hit Lakeesha with an awful crack. Nancy heard it even over the growling car that sped toward her and the ugly shouting from inside it. The stick disappeared inside the window. Another flash of light came from somewhere behind her. The car swerved. Nancy came back to life and jumped away as it shot past her