McFly July Day 25: Doc's Revolver
technically i think this is a continuation of. like. day 14? and also day 21?? anyway they're on a train and i am so tired (as per usual lets be honest)
Ever since a boy in a life preserver had nearly broken down their door claiming to be from the future, Lizzy's life had devolved into a series of rapid-paced, continuous, unending shenanigans. What this meant was that her capacity for capital-N Nonsense was probably higher than the average person.
However, even she had her limit.
Resisting the urge to look down (or, better yet, get back on the horse), she stared straight ahead at Dad and threatened through gritted teeth, "If I die, I'm coming back to haunt you." Then, bracing her feet against Galileo's side, she dropped the reins and leapt forward blindly-
"I've got you! I've got you."
Lizzy helped her father up and let out a shaky breath. "Never ask me to do that again."
Wincing sympathetically, he admitted, "We've still got to get to the front of the train."
Jumping train carriages, as it turned out, was something that became easier with practice. Not exactly a skill she'd planned on cultivating, but it probably couldn't hurt.
They'd fashioned bandanas from the remains of their 2015 clothing. In the event that something went wrong, might protect their identities. For now, though, they were just annoying and hard to breathe through.
"Reach!" Dad barked, pointing his revolver straight at the conductor's head.
I guess Clara decided not to come after all, she thought vaguely, as she watched the rest of the holdup- sorry, science experiment- play out. I thought I'd feel more relieved.
Wait. Did I even tell her where to find us?
As the engine chugged towards the DeLorean, Lizzy leaned out and scanned the passengers filing out of the cars. I don't see Clara anywhere. Does that mean she didn't get on the train? Where is she?
Should I say something?
That was the million-dollar question. For a few minutes, she didn't even have the chance- the plan required speed and efficiency, especially since the train engineers would probably be reporting them to the sheriff. We've only got one shot at this. If I say something; if I tell him what happened- what if he turns back? What if we can't go to 1985? Lizzy bit her lip and let her dad's explanation of the Presto Logs wash over her. He seems fine- like he's already over her. Would- would it even matter?
"Ready to roll!" Marty cried, climbing into the DeLorean. Realistically, only one person needed to be in the train to throw the logs in, and Dad had point-blank refused to let her go with him. "Lizzy, I'm going to have to climb out onto the DeLorean while the train is going anywhere from 40-80 miles per hour! It'll only be riskier if there's two of us." So she'd begrudgingly relented and now sat in the passenger seat, bracing herself for impact. She may have decided to leave. Maybe I just didn't see her. If I just stay quiet, everything will be...
I have to say something. I can't- I'm the only one who knows! I can't just stay silent!
"Are the time circuits on?" Dad yelled through the walkie-talkie.
I should've said something earlier before we started. Swearing inwardly, she glanced out the window. I'll grab the walkie-talkie and-
Oh my God. That's- holy crap, that's Clara! On a horse! She- Lizzy pressed her face to the glass. I can't believe it. She actually came, and now she's chasing down the train??
"I'm throwing in the Presto Logs!"
"WAIT!" She lunged for the walkie-talkie, but it was too late.
"Lizzy, what the hell is going on? What's-"
"It's Clara! She's-" The train was undeniably picking up speed. "She's outside, on a horse! I- I told her we had to go, and that- that Dad still, y'know, loved her." Her face was uncomfortably warm, but she pressed on. "I thought I got through to her, but then I had to get back to town for the duel, but she's here and Dad doesn't know!"
Marty's face drained of color. "DOC-"
"Marty! The new gauge on the dashboard will tell us the boiler temperature! It's color-coded to indicate when each log will fire!"
"Yeah, but Doc-"
"Green, yellow, and red! Each detonation will be accompanied by a sudden burst of acceleration!"
"Doc, listen-!"
"Hopefully we'll reach 88 miles per hour before the needle hits much past 2000!"
"Doc-wait, what happens after it hits 2000?"
"The whole boiler explodes!"
Lizzy's eyes were glued to the window. Clara had managed to keep pace with the train and grabbed on to one of the bars. Come on, come on-
BANG! The train leapt forward, pulling Clara out of the saddle. Lizzy screamed. "Marty, get him to listen to you!"
"Doc, we-" Marty's words were drowned out by the DeLorean plowing through a sign that said TRACK ENDING SOON.
"I can't hear you, Marty! I'm coming aboard!"
"Dammit!" Lizzy popped one of the gull-wing doors open to get a better view. Clara was on the train- thank God- but Dad still didn't see her. "Marty, can't you-"
"He put the walkie-talkie in his coat pocket! Even if he heard me, I don't wanna make him fall!"
"So what do we do?!"
"I don't know!" Marty grabbed the gauge and swore. "Both of them better hold on to something, 'cause the yellow log's about to blow!"
She wasn't sure who she was more scared for- Dad or Clara, and wasn't that strange? Since when did she care about Clara? Well, it's not like she ever wanted the woman to die, and that's what would happen if her dad didn't pay attention to them!!!
Dad inched his way along the train and Clara- wow this woman is actually really impressive- managed to haul herself into the train cabin, but he still didn't notice!
Fuck it. Lizzy snatched the walkie-talkie out of Marty's hands and screamed, "Dad, TURN AROUND! LOOK!"
Baffled, he turned to face the cabin just as Clara pulled on the train's whistle. "CLARA?!"
"FINALLY!" Nearly collapsing in her seat, she yelled, "Dad, we just passed the windmill! Whatever you're gonna do, do it quick!"
"She'll have to come with us! I'll go back for her!"
Huh. That...is actually a really good compromise. Why didn't we think of- never mind. Breathless, she leaned out of the DeLorean as far as she could, watching as Clara climbed out of the train cabin.
"60 MILES AN HOUR, DOC!"
She couldn't hear anything, she could barely even see, but it didn't seem like they were making much progress. Come on, Clara, come on...if you get my Dad killed...
"70!!"
The pair inched closer and closer, but it wasn't fast enough, they wouldn't have time to get to the car before-
"DOC, THE RED LOG'S ABOUT TO BLOW!"
Blow it did, and with it went the entire train boiler and any trace of hope Lizzy still had for this goddamned plan. Once the DeLorean stopped jostling them around like peas in a pod, she pulled herself halfway out the door and felt her blood freeze.
No no no no no no no
She stopped. A calm, laser-focused terror was guiding her actions. I cannot lose him. "Marty, give me the hoverboard."
"The what?"
"The hover-" He shoved it into her hands before she could finish repeating herself. "I have to go get them. Get back to 1985 safe, okay?"
"Wh- Lizzy, no, you can't just-"
"I can." Slipping the hoverboard under her feet, she lowered herself out of the car so that she was facing the train. "Good luck."
"You too," Marty whispered, voice breaking.
Her hands were white-knuckled, clutching the door of the DeLorean. I cannot lose him. The hoverboard will hold me. Let. Go.
She let go.
No matter how hard she tried later, Lizzy couldn't remember much of the next few minutes other than a blur of sound and color. She remembered colliding with someone and clutching onto someone else, she remembered toppling to the ground while going much too fast, and she remembered the aftermath: staggering to her feet and watching as the train careened over the side of the ravine.
"Lizzy- Lizzy, Great Scott, are you alright?" Dad was there- that was good. "That was a nasty fall, you-"
"Emmett, she's bleeding!" Clara was somehow behind her (when had that happened?) and was examining the back of her head. "She must have hit her head- oh-"
The world was tilting sideways and turning several different shades of grey. How inconsiderate.
"It's okay," she heard Dad say distantly as her vision faded out. "I've got you. You're alright."
