Journeyman

by Heather Atkinson

  He ground his palms together when his hands started to shake, almost as though they were tormenting him. One of his biggest fears was the tremor moving into other parts of his body. If that happened he wasn’t quite sure what he’d do. At the moment he still had his inventions he could tinker with and make money from and he could still go on his beloved wanderings but without those what else was there? Of course there was his family but he’d rather die than become a burden to them.

  One Eye sighed miserably. He might have beaten Silas and his men and caught a murderer but he still felt old and useless.

  A whisper on the air dragged him from his miserable thoughts. He looked up and down the road but no one was in sight. The ravens were hovering over the copse of trees to his left, which marked the start of the forest.

  Frowning, he got to his feet and limped over to the tree line. The voices became more coherent.

  “Just stick to the story and everything will be fine,” said a male voice.

  “But I’m going to get all the blame,” replied a female voice. “What’s going to happen to you? Nothing.”

  “You’re doing this for me, remember?” said the man, his voice soft and caressing.

  “Maybe I don’t want to. Why should I take all the rap?”

  One Eye took out the phone Raven had given him that had recorded Helen’s confession, brought up the camera and pressed record.

  “Because you love me,” replied the man.

  One Eye took a step into the trees, keeping low, watching where he put his feet.

  “Maybe that’s not enough reason to spend the rest of my life in prison.”

  “But we agreed…”

  “No, you agreed.”

  “Helen,” barked the voice, getting angry. “You can’t do this, not now. We’ve come too far and it’s not over yet…”

  One Eye’s ankle went out from under him and he toppled to the ground, landing on all fours. “Shit,” he whispered.

  The voices stopped, replaced by approaching footsteps. He stuffed the phone into a hollow at the base of a tree and dragged himself behind the tree, unable to make a quick escape because of his ankle. How was it lately that he’d ended up hiding behind so many trees?

  “I heard someone,” said the male voice.

  “It was probably just a fox or something,” replied Helen. “You’re getting paranoid.”

  “Shhh.”

  One Eye remained still as they got closer, right by the tree he was crouched behind.

  “Nik, we know you’re there,” said Helen, appearing from around the tree, her hands freed from the cuffs.

  “Busted,” he smiled.

  His jaw dropped when the second figure appeared.

  “Campbell?” he exclaimed.

  Raven raced into the centre of the village with Aidan and Saskia.

  “Where does Connell live?” Aidan asked Saskia.

  “Don’t know,” she replied. “We ask in pub, yes?”

  Raven skidded to a halt when the man from her mescaline trip suddenly appeared on the road up ahead, glowering at her, head slightly bowed but his demeanour wasn’t threatening. Rather she got the feeling he was trying to tell her something.

  “What is it?” said Aidan as he and Saskia came to a halt beside her. Both looked to where she was staring but could see nothing.

  “We’re going the wrong way,” she replied, still gazing at the mysterious dark haired stranger.

  “How do you know?”

  “I just know.”

  At that moment her phone burst into life and she dragged it out of her pocket, Aidan and Saskia patiently waiting until she’d hung up. “We need to go to the forest,” she told them before pelting back the way they’d come. As she ran she looked back over her shoulder at the stranger, who was still there, watching her.

  Aidan glanced back too, wishing he could see what his wife was seeing. He’d seen her when she was under the influence of mescaline many times, they often journeyed together and she had the same look in her eyes as she did when she was looking at a cactus-induced vision, only now he knew her to be stone cold sober. What the hell was she seeing? Something inside encouraged him not to ask.

  “Let me guess,” Campbell asked One Eye. “You thought Connell was in on it with Helen? You old fool.”

  “Yes, I admit I did. And I’m only fifty five for God’s sake. I am not old,” he exclaimed.

  “Yes you are with your shaky hands and lame leg. Pathetic.”

  “I’m not the one inciting young girls to commit murder.” He wondered if he was being a hypocrite seeing how he was the one who’d given Raven all her skills.

  “Believe me, she didn’t take much inciting,” said Campbell.

  “I heard talk of love.” One Eye turned his attention to Helen. “What do you see in this balding, podgy, middle-aged plod?”

  “Plod?” spluttered Campbell.

  “There’s a lot more to him than you think,” said Helen.

  “So it seems,” replied One Eye. “He enjoys putting the blame for things he’s done on young women.”

  “Don’t get sanctimonious with me you cretin,” snarled Campbell, revealing a thoroughly nasty side. “You know fuck all.”

  “You’re right, I don’t. Like why kill Bess?” He looked to Helen. “Despite what you’ve already said, I don’t believe you. Obviously Frederick found out what you’d done and tried to blackmail you, which is why you killed him. It was clever Helen making out he was already dead before the murder had even taken place. You said Simon had gone to fetch Connell, which he did, ensuring he was distracted while you Campbell snuck into the woods to kill Frederick. Then you hid while Simon took Connell to the body, only making an appearance when he called you to report the murder. How on earth did you two meet?” He smiled as it occurred to him. “You’re from Flodigarry and so is Simon. You met when Helen went there to see Simon. And that’s why you elected to stay at Connell’s house rather than the B&B, so no one would spot there was something between you and Helen.”

  “And that bitch Bess was going to take it from me,” she screeched.

  “Finally the truth. You’re referring to the B&B?”

  She nodded. “Mum and Dad were going to sell up, they’d had enough but it’s my home. Did any of them care that I didn’t want to leave? Mum and Dad always promised that one day they’d hand it over to me to run, that I’d never have to leave and they took that away from me.”

  “But you said you wanted to go to the big city?”

  “A little lie. I thought if I didn’t have a reason to kill Bess, except wanting to, I’d get away with not being in my right mind and be deemed not responsible for my actions.”

  One Eye thought that explained why Alan was so down after Bess’s death, because the plans he’d made had fallen through. “You killed her for that?”

  “It’s my home,” she screamed, eyeballs popping out of her head.

  Although Helen had finally given a reason as to why she’d killed Bess - other than that she’d wanted to know what murder was like - she seemed no less insane. “Those nightmares about werewolves you spoke about, I assumed you meant you were being chased by them when in fact you were one of the werewolves, weren’t you? A predator?”

  “You should have been a psychologist Nik,” she hissed at him.

  One Eye looked to Campbell. “You saw this young girl was unhappy and unstable…”

  “Hey,” scowled Helen.

  One Eye ignored her. “And you took advantage of her. You killed Frederick because he had something on you too. He’d photographed Helen leaving Bess’s the night of the murder and blackmailed her with sex, which is why he was in the woods in the first place. She couldn’t pay up in the B&B with so many people around. But he had something on you as well. What was it?”

  “If you think I’m going to stand here and explain everything like those dicks on the telly then you’re wrong,” said Campbell, lunging for him, hands extended. “You’re going to take a little dive off the
cliff.”

  No one was more astonished than Campbell when his arm was grabbed and twisted and he found himself being shoved to the ground.

  One Eye was forced to release him when Helen picked up a fallen tree branch and attempted to bash him in the side of the head. He rolled, avoiding the branch, snatched up a handful of leaves and dirt and hurled it into her face. Helen squealed when the dirt went in her eyes.

  One Eye got to his feet, balancing on his good leg as Campbell charged at him. He was spent after the fight with Silas but after surviving that maniac he was damned if he was going to let this pair kill him. As Campbell reached him, One Eye dropped onto his good knee and drove his fist up into his stomach. The detective crumpled in two and dropped to the ground.

  “You bastard,” hissed Helen.

  At first One Eye thought she was racing to her fallen lover’s side, until she pulled the knife from his belt that had already killed three people.

  One Eye ducked and rolled when she lashed out at him.

  “I knew there was more to you than met the eye Nik,” she said. “You look experienced at avoiding knives.”

  “You have no idea my dear what you’re dealing with. So just put down the knife. Let’s call Connell and he can take you to the station.”

  She sniggered. “Do you really think I’m going to prison?”

  “I have absolutely no doubt about it.”

  “Not going to happen. Derek’s going to get me away.”

  “I assume he’s Derek,” said One Eye as Campbell pushed himself to his feet, struggling to catch his breath.

  “Prick,” growled Campbell before running at him again.

  One Eye blocked the punch to his jaw and hit Campbell in the side of the face. Without giving him time to recover he grabbed his arm and threw him into a tree. He hit it hard before slumping back to the ground.

  While he was fighting Campbell, Helen kicked One Eye in his injured leg, making him yelp. He waded through the pain, fighting off the encroaching nausea long enough to shove her in the chest, sending her flying into the undergrowth. Unfortunately the kick she’d given him had damaged his already injured leg. Realising he was in no fit state to fight, especially as Campbell was dragging himself back to his feet, he decided to retreat and fight another day.

  Shoving his hand into his coat pocket, he was relieved to find one more flash device. He thought he’d used them all up in the fight with Silas and his men. He closed his eyes and hurled it to the ground, Helen and Campbell screaming and clamping their hands down over their eyes. While they were incapacitated he snatched up the phone he’d hidden and retreated into the trees, knowing he wouldn’t be able to reach the village before the effects of the flash device wore off.

  “Raven,” he panted into the phone, practically staggering forwards, clinging onto the trees he passed to keep him upright. “I’m in the forest. It’s Campbell, not Connell. Him and Helen are trying to kill me.”

  “On our way,” she replied, her breathing indicating she was running. “Find a way to let us know where you are in the forest.”

  He glanced up at a caw from above. “The ravens will show you.”

  One Eye hung up, feeling better knowing help was on its way. Now he just needed to stay alive until it arrived.

  A crashing behind him had him lunging for the next tree but the pain in his ankle was becoming too much even for his high tolerance and he knew he couldn’t go much further. So he decided not to.

  Crouching down, he snatched up a stick and hurled it to the right. The pursuing footsteps came to a confused halt.

  “That way,” he heard Helen’s voice say.

  “No, it’s a distraction,” said Campbell’s voice. “The bastard’s straight ahead of us.”

  One Eye remained where he was as they got closer. What was the point in trying to run anymore? With a bit of luck they’d walk right past him. He pulled his knees into his chest, attempting to remain hidden behind the thick tree trunk, holding his breath.

  Suddenly the land around them was lit up bright white, revealing One Eye in his hiding place.

  Fortunately Helen and Campbell didn’t see him as they were too busy looking anxiously around them.

  “Jesus, searchlights,” exclaimed Campbell. “They’ve found us, they know what we’ve done.”

  “Pull yourself together,” said Helen, once again sounding her calm and in control self. “It’s just the aurora borealis.”

  “Oh aye, sorry,” he said, panic subsiding.

  “There’s Nik,” said Helen, indicating One Eye hobbling through the trees.

  They charged up to him as he clumsily splashed his way through a small stream cutting through the forest. His ankle was utter agony now, unable to bear any more strain and he was desperate to sit down. But he was damned if this was how it was going to end. So he took the only course open to him. He slumped onto the far bank of the stream, picked out rocks from it and threw them at Campbell and Helen. All he had to do was keep them at bay until Raven and the others arrived.

  “Ow,” cried Campbell when a stone struck him on the forehead.

  One Eye chuckled as Helen cooed over her lover, making sure he was okay.

  “So why did you kill Simon?” One Eye called to them while he continued to pelt them with stones. “You might as well tell me if you’re going to kill me.” He laughed when another stone hit Campbell squarely in the nuts and he doubled over.

  “Because he was weak,” hissed Helen. “He was going to spill the beans, he couldn’t take being a part of Frederick’s death. He wasn’t a real man.”

  “Unlike that I suppose,” he said, nodding at a gasping Campbell.

  “Bastard,” snarled Campbell, managing to unfurl himself.

  The northern lights started to dance above them, casting an odd flickering light until the scene resembled something out of a fairytale. Campbell was the grumpy old troll, Helen the screaming banshee. Idly One Eye considered what his role was as he continued to pelt them both with stones.

  “Get him,” bellowed Campbell, infuriated.

  “Ah,” said One Eye as he noted the shadows racing towards them. “Here comes the cavalry.”

  This comment caused Helen and Campbell to look back over their shoulders.

  “Oh God,” cried Helen, clinging onto her lover’s arm. “What are we going to do?”

  “Get off me you mad bitch,” he said, shoving her away.

  Helen toppled into the stream, gasping as the ice cold water washed over her.

  “No,” cried Campbell. “You’re not taking me.”

  He lunged towards One Eye, intent on taking him as a hostage, clumsily splashing through the water, stomping on Helen’s leg in his haste, making her scream. He pulled the knife he’d confiscated from her out of his pocket, both infuriated and puzzled by the way his intended victim appeared to be amused.

  Something hit him in the back and he toppled onto the opposite side of the stream, landing face down in the leaves beside One Eye.

  “Once again Raven you have wonderful timing,” said One Eye as she wrenched Campbell’s arms up his back. Saskia dragged Helen out of the stream, rolled her onto her front and sat on her back, pinning down the shrieking woman.

  Campbell kicked out at Raven, knocking her backwards, forcing her to duck when he lashed out with the knife, catching the top of her hand.

  “You bastard,” yelled Aidan, infuriated by the sight of his wife’s blood. He knocked the knife from Campbell’s hand, grabbed him by the throat and dragged him out of the stream and through the trees.

  “No, get off me,” cried Campbell, writhing ineffectively in his grip when he realised Aidan was pulling him towards the edge of the cliff he’d intended to throw Nik off.

  Raven raced after her husband, terrified by the mayhem shining out of his eyes. She’d begun to hope that he was gaining more control, he’d kept himself so tightly reined in, even during the fight with Silas and his men. Now that control had snapped.

  Aidan wrap
ped a hand around Campbell’s throat and pushed him towards the edge of the cliff. Campbell had his back to the edge but he could still hear the roar of the ocean, feel the wind buffeting him. However those forces of nature weren’t as terrifying as the wild fury in Aidan Gallagher’s eyes.

  “Jesus Christ Aidan,” cried Raven. “Put him down.”

  He glared into Campbell’s terrified eyes and tightened his grip on his neck. “No.”

  “Help me,” cried Campbell, arms pin-wheeling as Aidan pushed him further back towards the cliff edge, only his heels maintaining contact with the ground.

  Raven grabbed her husband’s arm, digging her fingers into his flesh to try and get through to him. The lights of the aurora borealis when into overdrive, the white light frantically blinking around them, the ravens gliding through the beams. At this latitude it was very rare for the aurora borealis to display any colour.

  “Aidan, listen to me,” she said. “You kill a copper, even a crooked one and there is no going back.”

  “He hurt you,” he growled, gaze fixed on Campbell.

  “It’s just a graze. I hardly felt it. No, Aidan,” she cried when he shoved Campbell back even further, so there was nothing behind him except air.

  Campbell for his part had screwed his eyes tight shut, tears running down his cheeks.

  “If you do this,” she continued. “That life we see together is gone.”

  Aidan turned his head to look at his wife, barely registering Campbell struggling in his grip.

  “Please babe,” she said softly. “Let him go.”

  Aidan took in a deep breath before flinging Campbell to the ground where he remained at his feet, softly sobbing. He drew back his fist and punched him hard in the side of the head, knocking him out before spitting on him. Then he pulled Raven into his arms. “You okay?”

  She smiled up at him. “Fine, thanks to you.”

  “Well done Aidan,” said One Eye, limping up to him and patting his shoulder. “That was very…restrained of you.”

  Saskia had dragged Helen along with her, who screamed and thrashed in her grip. Saskia drew back her hand, there was a loud crack and Helen was much more quiet, her left cheek bright red.