Just Another Job Read Online Free PDF Page B

here. ”
    “Or Wonder
Woman. ”
    Frank punched
Chris in the arm with a smirk. “ You perv. I
won ’ t tell Sadie, but I ’ m sure
that ’ s what she would ’ ve
done. ”
    “I meant equal
opportunity. ”
    “I
wouldn ’ t mind being wrapped up in Wonder
Woman ’ s lasso of truth. You better not let that slip to
Gail. ”
    “I
don ’ t slip, I just forget. You ’ re the
perv … I was just … I
don ’ t know what I was saying. ”
    The traffic
lightened and they made their way onto the Altamont. Wind turbines
churned across the yellowing grass hills. Frank sped past the
scattered cars chugging up the freeway. The air conditioner blasted
on full and Chris couldn ’ t keep his eyes off
the temperature gauge. He was thankful for the cool air inside
because it was already high into the eighties outside, but Chris
didn ’ t want the stress of calling and waiting for a tow
service. Nothing stressed Frank out; at least Chris had never seen
him in such a situation.
    “Quit freaking
out over there. I can see it all over you, ” said
Frank.
    “Just
nervous. ”
    “Don ’ t be.
It ’ s going to be fine. Shit! ”
    With
Frank ’ s curse, a semi jackknifed five car lengths in front
of them. Frank smashed the brake pedal sending his pickup swerving
dangerously in the lane next to other panicked drivers doing the
same. To make it all worse, the trailer of the semi lifted off its
wheels and tipped the entire thing on its side blocking the five
lanes completely. All of this took place on an incline of the
Altamont mountain pass. To add on top of everything, the semi and
trailer ’ s weight proved too much for gravity and sent the
metal obstacle skidding down toward the hastily parked
cars.
    “Oh shit,
look, ” said Chris.
    Their safety
at stopping in time leapt out the window as the
semi ’ s skid picked up speed and collided with the first
cars. Glass and metal gave way for the bigger hunk of rampaging
metal. Frank turned his head to look out the rear window and only
saw other cars stopped behind them, blocking an escape path. The
passengers that realized what was happening ran from their vehicles
and up the hills on the side of the road. More cars compacted
against the side of the semi with no signs of slowing down. Frank
clenched his hands around the steering wheel while his eyes darted
in every direction. No plan involving staying in the pickup seemed
reasonable so he let go of the wheel and pushed Chris into the
passenger door with one arm while opening his own door with the
other. They raced across the pavement, weaving around stopped cars
to the safety of the golden hills. With a comforting distance set
between them and the sliding semi, Frank and Chris turned to watch
the slow destruction. Frank ’ s pickup sat only a
few feet away from the semi. Chris put his hand on
Frank ’ s shoulder for conciliation. Frank loved his truck,
but did his best to hide that with an angry shout, “ Bastard! ”
    Inches
separated Frank ’ s beloved from an
irreparable accident when the semi stopped. The onlookers looked
around at each other confused. A few clapped slowly in
appreciation. Frank moved forward, but Chris held his shoulder to
wait. There was still a steep grade and the semi should have kept
sliding for a while. Cell phones went up next to
everyone ’ s ears to call insurance companies, police, and
loved ones. Sirens wined now in the distance. No one was hurt, but
the cleanup would take a lot of man power.
    “What the hell
is that? ” asked Frank, pointing to the semi that was now
shaking.
    “Oh no, what
do you think ’ s in the cargo? Could
it explode? ” said Chris.
    “Look
out! ” shouted someone on the hill.
    The semi
creaked and groaned as the shaking continued, but it
wasn ’ t just shaking. It was being lifted off the ground.
Chris looked for a crane or a helicopter with wires pulling up the
massive weight, and then more shouts came.
    “He ’ s doing
it! ”
    “Who? ”
    “Oh my
God!