After The Turn: Redemption

by Daniels, Melvin

  “We will have to go back, find another way” said Drew.

  Paul shook his head

  “This is the only way” he informed them “Sam’s place isn’t far from here; we could walk it”

  Dieter was not keen on the idea.

  “No way you crazy pom” Dieter spoke quickly in worry.

  Drew could not help but agree with them both.

  “It’s not ideal but it’s probably our best bet” Drew concluded, resting his hands on both of their shoulders still looking out the window, not addressing anyone. “Nightfall will be upon us soon”

  They got out of the van, leaving Connor and the hostage inside as they surveyed the scene. Marcus clambered up onto the green John Deere tractor, he checked the cab, of course there was no key in the ignition, even if there was, there was no way they would be getting it moved, it was wedged in so tightly. He jumped down the other side onto the tarmac. He stood hands on hips looking up the road, pondering the next move. Drew climbed up after him.

  Drew sat down on the seat, pulled the doors shut, the chair bouncing as the springs adjusted for his weight. He held the steering wheel, and smiled, he, like a lot of English children had at one point been fascinated by tractors, memories came flooding back to him, when his parents used to take Drew and his older brother Richard to their local farm park,. They would go up to see the animals but spend most of their time playing on the old tractors, specifically a blue Ford 9600 tractor, they loved it so much so that there was a photo on the fridge of their childhood home of Richard and Drew playing and having fun together on it. Suddenly this memory turned into a sad and painful reminder that he would never see his parents or his brother again, and he had nothing to remember them by.

  “BOSS!” Marcus shouted back up at Drew “You’ll want to come and see this”

  Drew, Paul and Dieter stared at it. Written in blood on the door of the tractor, was a message, Marcus hadn’t seen it at first as he left the door open when he had climbed through, but when Drew shut the door he turned back to see the message.

  OUT OF BOUNDS

  “This is some screwed up shit” Dieter declared “We must get back to the camp”

  “You can” Drew said compassionately “But I’m pressing on, I’m not forcing you to come along” Drew was frightened but he had to do this, he hadn’t gotten any closer to finding Sarah in weeks, maybe getting the hostage to Sam might help unearth information on her whereabouts too, it would definitely take steps into keeping the campers safe by sharing this information, and at the very least it could potentially increase the pool of friendly acquaintances, something that is invaluable in this day and age.

  “I’ll come” Dieter said hesitantly

  “You can stay with the van?” Marcus suggested

  “Screw that”

  Marcus opened the catch on the fuel tank as Connor began pushing the hostage out of the van, Glock to the back, as Paul pulled on the rope that was bound to the hostage’s hands, leading him like a stubborn mule getting pulled from its stable. The hostage grunted and resisted, blood had already soaked through the bandage that Hannah hastily had thrown together, whilst being subject to a torrent of abuse from her fellow campers.

  “Let him die! don’t waste the supplies on that scum! You dumb bitch he just killed a kid!”

  Paul looked at Drew as if to say this is not going to work, the hostage was still thrashing and pulling back from the restraints, hopping on the spot as his legs were still tied together.

  “We aren’t going to be able to make him walk, his leg is injured as well remember” Paul finally said.

  Drew was trying to think of an answer, but by the time he could, Marcus had punched the man in the ribcage,

  “Sit down!” he spat as the hostage crumbled onto the floor, Connor sniggering behind, “Give me that” Marcus snatched the rope from Paul and pulled the hostage out of the back of the van smacking his head onto the road “If he won’t walk I’ll drag him”

  They struggled their way past the tractor, all five of them plus the hostage. Marcus crawled under the vehicle pulling the hostage along behind, making good on his comments, they stuck to the road, with Paul leading the way, Drew following close behind trying to memorise their surroundings, before darkness had fully set in. Drew felt uneasy, the fear in his gut was wrenching at him, he fought with himself to keep from being sick. They had crossed over someone’s line, someone’s territory, someone’s boundary. He had the feeling they were being watched, he tried to tell himself it’s all in his head, it’s all paranoia. He looked back at the people behind him, he could see Dieter was also feeling the same, he kept looking round, seemingly jumping at the sight of his own shadow, that had grown long as the sun sank down. Drew hung back, he was satisfied that Paul was heading them in the right direction, he let Connor go ahead of him with Marcus still dragging the hostage along. His back scraping across the tarmac.

  “What do you see Deets?” Drew asked the South African

  “Nothing” he replied “That’s the problem”

  “I know what you mean, just stay alert”

  Suddenly to their right lots of birds took flight from a single tree that stood at the top of a hill, the sound of dozens of wings flapping simultaneously startled the group. They all looked up. What they saw stopped them in their tracks. Stood beneath the tree, they could see a tall dark figure, with what looked like a pickaxe over his shoulder. They stood and stared for a few seconds, as the sun was setting right behind the hill. They were not sure which way the figure was facing; had they been seen? But more silhouettes appeared, carrying pitchforks, axes, knifes all whooping and hollering, violently raising and shaking their weapons as if in some tribal battle cry.

  They had been seen.

  The hairs on the back of Drew’s neck stood on end as he watched on, as even more gazed down on them from their vantage point, still hollering, and howling like a pack of wolves.

  “What do we do?” Dieter whispered to Drew.

  No answer

  “What do we do?” he asked again.

  In truth Drew did not know what to do, they were outnumbered. They had guns, two handguns and a hunting rifle, they could shoot them? But other than Marcus were any of them able of hitting the target? And how many more were there? They would run out of bullets eventually. Maybe they could talk? Diplomacy? The people on the hill started to descend, still howling, still hollering, they approached slowly, but threateningly.

  “What shall we do boss?” Marcus was readying his rifle that was over his shoulder.

  “No put it down”

  The noises continued. They got closer.

  The group were all looking at each other for an answer. No one was forthcoming.

  Was this it was this how it would all end? Thoughts flew through Drew’s mind. He was going to die, everyone here was going to die, Marcus, Connor, Paul and Dieter. All who had followed him blindly.

  The hostage howled.

  The oncoming figures briefly stopped. Drew was astounded, had the hostage saved them? Then what happened next was beyond belief. The hostage and the figures began communicating, through a series of yelps and howls and growls. Like a secret language only they knew of. The tone of the noises seemed to be getting more and more aggressive. As if the hostage was telling the others what had happened, to him.

  “They know each other” Drew thought out loud.

  The figures started moving again a little more swiftly now.

  “What do we do?” Dieter asked again

  “I. I. I Do not’ know” Drew failed to calm him; he had no idea how he could get them all out of here.

  “We are going to die, oh my god we are going to die” Dieter repeated

  Marcus put his rifle over his shoulder and pulled the Kimber out of its holster on his belt, clicked the safety off.

  “There’s a thin line between life and death” He said “And I know what side I want to be on”

  Marcus stood on the hostage’s side as he lay on
the road and pressed the Kimber against his head

  “MARCUS NO!!” Drew yelled

  He pulled the trigger, the bullet entered the left-hand side of the hostage’s skull and exited out the right, and into the tarmac. Blood spraying out of the hood as the hostage lay still, executed.

  The people on the hill stopped, as the noise from the gunshot echoed around them, what had occurred settling in, computing in their minds. Then they ran, not away, but head on, at the group.

  “What do we do?” Asked Dieter

  “RUN!!!!!”

  17

  They sprinted as fast as they could, they had come too far to go back towards the van, they would undoubtedly be cut off, instead they ran up the roads, hoping and praying for a gap in the hedge, or a side path or road, away from danger, maybe they could hide out and lose them. But the dark was coming in so quickly, they needed some luck and they needed it now.

  Drew was getting tired, he didn’t know what would give up on him first, his legs or his lungs, he could hardly breathe, he had never been so scared for his life, he couldn’t see them chasing him, but he could hear them, and how close they were, the howls felt as if they were only yards away, as if they were beside him, from all directions.

  From all directions? Drew had a terrible thought, what if they were being pushed into more of them, like maybe they were being lured into a trap? He looked around at the others, to make sure they were all still together, Paul was leading the way, he was the only one who kind of knew the way around these parts, but at night? That was something completely different.

  “Come on keep up, follow me” Paul instructed.

  Drew followed him with trustingly, he did not have any of his own ideas, so he was relieved that someone else was taking lead of the situation. Dieter jumped at every noise, he appeared more terrified than everyone else.

  It felt like they had been running for miles, and that they weren’t getting anywhere, their shadows were growing longer as the sun was setting to the west behind the hills, visibility diminishing, the howling intensified, like a wolf pack sensing the kill.

  Suddenly from out of nowhere, Paul darted left, over a footpath stile, which ramblers would have used, whilst exploring the countryside. It was an exceptionally good spot from Paul, as it was starting to become overgrown, and it was hardly visible. He must have known about it from a previous voyage into these parts.

  They all clamber over the stile, onto a single muddy path, barbed wire one side and the hedgerow the other, separating two fields. Hopefully, the people pursuing them would miss them and just go by. Dieter had stopped to take a breath, doubled over hands on his knees.

  “You go on, I’ll catch up” he struggled to say between breaths. “I’ll wait for Marcus”

  Marcus was last over, quite a way behind the others, keeping an eye out behind them. Making sure they had some space between themselves and the chasing pack. He saw Dieter sat down by the side of the path, struggling. Marcus stopped.

  “What are you doing?” he asked

  “Dying” was Dieters response. Marcus chuckled, “Got any water?”

  No one thought to pick up the bag from the van in it were bottles of water, and food.

  Marcus and Dieter walked down the path slowly, they noticed that the howling had stopped. Had they lost them? They guessed so. It was dark now, they figured they would not be able to be seen anyway. If they kept quiet and moved slowly, they should be ok, But Marcus handed Dieter the rifle, nonetheless.

  Paul, Drew and Connor, found an old barn. The doors had been left open, they made their way in and pulled a bar across to lock themselves in, the door had huge bolts on the top and the bottom, to keep it in place, they were secure. For now, although they were in quite an obvious place, for the people searching for them. A barn in the middle of nowhere. They moved some empty fuel barrels and crates around, to try to hide themselves if they were found. They backed themselves into a corner, eyes on the only entrance.

  “What about the others?” Drew asked Paul.

  “They will find us” he said “If not at least we are safe”

  Marcus pushed Dieter to the floor, as he jumped down himself, face first into some long grass. Catching his right shoulder on the barbed wire fence as he did so, he bit his lip stifling the pain. Dieter looked over to him confused. Marcus whispered him to be quiet.

  At first, he thought it was just crickets, or some other insects that become active in the night, but then it grew louder, and different tones. He could hear clicking noises. Not made by someone’s fingers but by their mouths, he crawled along on his stomach. Edging further up the path. Ahead of him two figures appeared from an adjoining path to the right. Marcus wondered if it was the others, but why was there only two of them? He was about to call out to them. Until one of them turned in his direction, the moonlight illuminating his face. It was shaped strange, had long hair, and what looked like a snout, like a pig. It was a mask. Marcus’s mind raced back to the fuel station, and the guy who tried carjacking them.

  “You know? them freaks? Those freaks in the masks, they are after me”

  The guy was telling the truth, these people were after him.

  What have I done? Marcus said to himself.

  Connor was shivering it was getting cold. Their bodies were transition from running to waiting their core temperatures were subsiding. The three of them huddled behind the barrels.

  “I need to go find them” Drew whispered

  “Not worth the risk, we stay here they will find us” Paul said calmly

  Drew hated this, he already lost the closest person to him and he did not want to think about losing Marcus. Suddenly Drew thought he saw something run past the barn, through the gaps in the timber, the moonlight was briefly blocked out. His heart rate increased dramatically, it felt as if it were about to burst through his chest, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He pressed his eye up to the slats. He could not really see much through his limited field of vision.

  “What you looking for?” Connor asked.

  Drew kept his back to him raising his hand to signal for him to wait. He could not see anything out there. He breathed a sigh of relief, took his face away from the barn wall. He closed his eyes, and tried to relax, he was exhausted they all were, he could feel his body winding down, needing to sleep.

  He sat bolt upright; eyes wide open. He heard it, they all heard it. They looked at each other in terror. It sounded close, as if it were right outside.

  Marcus and Dieter heard a howl, the two people in the masks turned and sprinted in that direction, howling back in return, remarkably not noticing them sprawled out in the grass. This could not be good; they must have found them.

  Marcus followed them, keeping a safe distance but not letting them get away, they did not have to follow them far before they could see they had met up with the rest of their people. There were eight of them in total, all with an impressive array of bladed weapons, all drawn at the ready. One of them had an item in their hand, the others were inspecting it, sniffing it as if they were trying to get a scent they could follow, like a bloodhound on a foxhunt. Marcus scrunched his eyes up trying to focus on what the item was.

  “I think it’s a baseball cap?” Dieter spoke quietly.

  Marcus had a feeling of dread; it was quite likely that was Connor’s cap. His Charlton Athletic one. They must have come this way they cannot be far away.

  He looked down at his weapons, he could probably take them all out, but not without getting closer. But the noise could prove to be costly. There was still no guarantee if there was anyone else lurking around them. For now, they figured they would just follow them.

  Drew listened on, and could hear more and more howls, more regularly. He was not sure how they could defend themselves. It was only a matter of time until they were discovered, and they only had the Glock between them. He jerked his head to the side; he was convinced he had seen the shadow again. Paul saw it too; this time Paul pressed his face up to th
e wooden structure. He a heard a rustling as if something were in the barn with them. But no one or nothing had come through the door. Connor readied the Glock.

  Marcus and Dieter followed them, to a tall barn, it was the only building in the vicinity. His heart sunk. They must be in there, where else would they be? The masked figures began breaking off and flanking around the building. Clicking to each other as they got into the correct positions. Marcus took the rifle back from Dieter.

  “Marcus?” Drew asked Nervously “Dieter? Is that you guys?”

  No reply

  “Marcus?” he asked again. His body trembling. They were going to die; he was sure of it.

  “Friendlies!” came a new voice, Drew thought he recognised it.

  Drew moved around to get a better look. In the opposite corner a hay bale had been moved and a figure had appeared carrying an assault rifle.

  “It’s me” Said the new arrival in the barn “It’s Fletch”

  Drew was mightily relieved to see Alex, although he only met him briefly, at least it was a familiar and friendly face. More importantly he was carrying an assault rifle. He and another man came further into the barn.

  “They have been hanging around here for days” Alex explained, Motioning to the other man in the room “Seth and I have been watching them, they appeared to be hunting something or someone, before you showed up, I think you wandered into a game their playing”

  “A game?” Drew scoffed “It’s a bit more sinister than that don’t you think, they have blades”

  Alex nodded and the other man named Seth spoke.

  “Whatever you want to call it, you ended up wrong place at the wrong time”

  “What brings you out here?” Alex added

  Paul explained about the man at the camp, the attack of the dead, the murder of William all the way up to how they ended up at the barn.

  “Two of our guys are still out there” Drew informed Alex who nodded in acknowledgment pondering what to do.