by R. A. Rock
“What colour is your bra?”
Shit. He couldn’t be serious.
I studied him.
He was.
“Oh hell no.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
YUMI
The autumn sunshine was warm at midday, though the air itself was cool. I shivered, thinking about how frozen Audrey and I were going to be after this. The stream in the forest where we had stopped was beautiful with the water trickling and burbling over the rocks. It was all very peaceful.
But not for long… if our plan worked.
“How did we get roped into this again?” Audrey whispered to me in Primary as we made our way across the stream and down a little ways from the guards and the guys.
“It’s the only way.”
“You’re sure it’s not just Chad’s way of getting a look at your boobs?”
“Shut up, Audrey. Can you think of a better idea?”
She was silent.
Yeah, me neither.
“It won’t be for long. Just enough for Chad and Shiv to catch them off guard.”
I kept an eye on the guys who were moving slowly into position, trying not to make it obvious what they were doing. Chad bent and scooped a rock from the stream in his hand, hiding it in his palm. A moment later, Chad gave the signal and I looked at Audrey.
“This is it.”
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” she said, grabbing the bottom of her shirt with her loosely tied hands. Without much difficulty, she managed to get her shirt off. “I’ve flashed any number of guys but they were all way cleaner than these guards are.”
A few of the guards froze, staring at us. The ones who were watching, elbowed the others until we had all their undivided attention.
I wrinkled my nose in distaste as Audrey pulled my shirt off too. Then she splashed both of us with the freezing cold water, making sure to soak our white bras, which rendered them completely see through.
We pretended to wash as all of the guards gaped, totally distracted. I have to admit, Audrey and I are pretty hot. And I would be willing to bet that it had been a long time since any of these guys had been with a woman.
One of the guards took a few steps in our direction but a moment later, he was lying on the ground, bleeding. The next guy hit the ground about the same time as him.
That’s when the other men realized that something was happening and went for their guns. Shiv and Chad went into fight mode and I had to admit, I liked to see them kicking those guys asses. And with their hands tied, too. Shots rang out and men fell as Chad and Shiv showed that I wasn’t the only fighter in our group.
Audrey and I ran to help.
One of the guards grabbed me and I gave him a sharp head butt to the nose. There was a satisfying cracking sound and he bent over, moaning. Audrey and I jumped into the fray and soon we had them down to only a handful of guards left standing.
We almost had them until one guy stopped the entire fight by getting ahold of Audrey and holding a gun to her delicate blonde head.
“Aw, fuck.” We had been so close to getting away, too.
“Stop,” he ordered. “Unless you want me to shoot your pretty little friend here. And don’t think I won’t. I’d rather shoot the four of you and leave you to bleed out here than deal with any more trouble from you.”
The three of us immediately stopped fighting. No way would we risk Audrey’s life. There would be other chances to escape.
“Actually, I think your punishment should start with her. I’ll just take her into the bushes and give her a good talking to.” The sexual innuendo was so thick it made me want to puke. And the thought of him attacking Audrey, after what she had already been through in her life, made me want to kill him.
He must have seen it in my eyes because he spoke to me.
“You. Chinese bitch,” he gave me a menacing stare. What was with the racial slurs? These guys certainly weren’t very imaginative. “Don’t even think about interrupting us.”
“Yumi,” Audrey said with a shake of her head.
I knew what she was saying. That it wasn’t worth me getting killed to save her honour. But that was bullshit. There was no way I was letting that creep take her away somewhere. She was my friend and she had put up with way more crap from men than any woman should have to.
I took a step towards them and the guy’s trigger hand shook a little. Fuck. I couldn’t risk her life. I stopped dead.
He saw my capitulation and smiled a nasty smile, dragging Audrey into the bushes.
“Nobody come back here,” he said to the other guards. “Even if you hear her screa-“
A second later, he fell to the ground, blood staining his shirt, an arrow through his shoulder.
All of us stared at each other as another guard bent over him, then scrambled up, looking around with scared eyes.
“We don’t want any trouble, Sipwesk,” the guard shouted. He fell a moment later, an arrow in his back.
I looked at Chad.
What the fuck?
“They’re taking them out,” Shiv said, also glancing around at the treetops.
“Who is?” I asked.
“Who cares?” Audrey said, already moving. “This is our chance. Let’s get the fuck out of here.”
We took off running and I hoped that whoever was gunning down our guards wouldn’t come for us next.
But when a shot hit the ground to my right, I didn’t have much hope.
There were snipers in those trees.
And they were shooting at us too.
CHAPTER NINE
CHAD
We ran away from the clearing where Brett’s people were being taken out one by one. The bright light of the noonday sun dappled the ground, cutting through the orange and yellow leaves that still fluttered on the trees. The sweet smell of sun warmed earth filled my nose but there was no time to enjoy such small pleasures. This was our chance. And I was pretty sure we wouldn’t get another.
There were some expert archers in those trees. I only wished I knew if they were going to turn to killing us once they were done with Brett’s people. If Yumi and I had our bow and arrows we could defend ourselves. We were crack shots. Practising archery had been one of our favourite things to do together. Of course, that was before. And we didn’t have our bows. Also our hands were still tied.
I focused my mind on what we needed to do.
Get away.
I ran headlong through the forest, with Shiv and Audrey ahead of me. I could see Yumi in my peripheral vision to my left and slightly behind me, struggling to move as fast as she could with the shackles. I slowed down, so as not to leave her behind. The women must both be freezing, half soaked and in only their bras. But we would deal with that once we were safe.
I suddenly skidded to a stop so fast that I slid to the ground. A guy had dropped down from a large poplar with big low limbs to land right in my way. I scrambled to my feet as Shiv, Audrey, and Yumi closed in behind me. We stood facing the guy, who looked at us appraisingly.
He was tall and good looking, with slightly messy brown hair and a coat that looked like he had been wearing it for a lot of years. His face had a weather beaten look like he spent a lot of time outside.
He held a bow in his hands with an arrow ready. His hands were loose but I had a feeling, he could have it pulled back and flying through the air before we could blink.
“Hey,” he said.
I skated my eyes over to Yumi and she gave me a what the fuck look. I sure as hell didn’t know what was going on but I decided being polite was always the best way to start. If it descended once more into outright hostility and yet another fight, so be it. But I would begin with manners.
“Hey,” I responded.
He got a half-smile on his face and pulled out a long knife from a scabbard hanging from his belt.
Yumi stepped forward, ready to fight and I moved in front of her immediately. Had she forgotten that she was tied so tightly she could barely walk, never mind fig
ht? I got a dirty look for my efforts, but I didn’t care.
“Hold out your hands,” he said. I didn’t move. “So I can cut the ropes.”
I hesitated a moment longer but then held out my hands. If this guy had wanted to hurt us, he could have had us all taken out with arrows a long time ago. In fact, he hadn’t had to come down from his tree. He could have killed us all in a matter of minutes from his vantage point.
“Red,” Yumi muttered, her tone filled with irritation and, underneath that, fear for me.
“It’s okay,” I said, attempting to ignore how pleased I felt that she had called me by my old nickname.
The man stepped forward and I watched him warily. But all he did was cut through the bonds on my hands. Then he did Audrey, Shiv, and last of all he cut the ropes at Yumi’s hands and at her feet, too.
When he had finished freeing us, he reached his hand out to me.
“The name’s Matt,” he said. I extended my own hand, seeing Yumi tense beside me, ready to attack if necessary.
“Chad. Thanks for helping us escape from those guys. And for freeing us.”
“Nice to meet you, Chad,” he said. “And you’re welcome. We always help Brett’s prisoners escape if we can. I wouldn’t leave a dog as his prisoner if I could help it.”
Matt glanced over at the others, looking a little embarrassed at the fact that Audrey and Yumi weren’t wearing shirts. Oh shit, I had forgotten about that. I took off my coat, handing it to Yumi. She took it without comment. Shiv did the same for Audrey.
“This is Audrey, Shiv, and Yumi,” I said, introducing them. Audrey gave a little noncommittal wave from the depths of Shiv’s huge coat. Shiv nodded, his face serious and considering — no doubt his huge brain was thinking a million things about this guy who had just dropped down out of the treetops. Yumi made no response but only stared at him steadily, using her intimidating face.
Matt didn’t seem intimidated.
He seemed friendly.
And though it was a mistake to not be intimidated by Yumi, I thought the friendly look on his face was a good sign.
“Are you a part of the group that just killed five people?” Yumi said, folding her arms across her chest.
Matt’s face got serious, then, but he looked neither guilty nor gleeful.
“I am,” he said, also folding his arms across his chest.
She pressed him when he didn’t elaborate.
“You have an explanation for what just went down? That was way too coordinated. Are you trying to tell me that you just happened to come across us in the forest?”
He shook his head.
“Brett’s group is constantly harassing us, stealing from us, destroying our property… among other things.” Matt paused, his face hard. “He has one of our people. We’ve been looking for her for some time. We thought for a minute that you were her and we attacked, hoping to finally get her back.”
Yumi frowned at me and I knew that she was thinking the same thing I was. Was he talking about the woman that Brett had been beating up in front of everyone? I don’t know why we should think it was her, except that she had dark brown hair that might be mistaken for black — like Yumi’s — at a distance.
I suddenly remembered what the guard had shouted before he had been shot.
“We don’t want any trouble, Sipwesk.” He had yelled.
These people must be from this Sipwesk that they kept mentioning. And apparently they were deadly serious about getting their friend back. I made a mental note to keep on their good side, if possible. Obviously, Brett wasn’t the only one with power in this place.
“What do you want with us?” Shiv said, cutting right to the heart of the matter, as usual.
Had we only escaped Brett’s people to be made prisoner by another group?
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend?” Matt said, with a shrug.
“So, we’re not your prisoners?” Yumi said.
“Prisoners?” Matt said, looking taken aback. “No. We don’t take prisoners. But if you want to come back to the cabin, you can have supper with us.”
Yumi blinked. I knew she was completely surprised by this offer but that was the only reaction she would show. She was on her guard and so should we all be. We didn’t know these people any better than we did Brett’s people.
Still. I was getting a good vibe from this guy.
“Okay,” I said. “We haven’t had a decent meal in a while and we’d be glad to accept your hospitality.”
Matt smiled.
“Great. Then I suggest we get out of here before any of Brett’s group regains consciousness and decides to retaliate.”
“No, wait,” Yumi said, holding up her hand. “Why are you helping us?”
Matt paused for a moment before he spoke.
“Well, if I’m being honest, it’s partly because it’s going to piss Brett off to lose such valuable prisoners…”
“How do you know we’re valuable?” Shiv said.
Matt smiled at him.
“Brett must think you are to have so many guards on you. And it’s partly because I am intrigued by you strangers.”
Well, I would give him that. We hadn’t exactly been blending in very well with the locals.
“And mostly, I’m helping you because it’s the right thing to do. You guys seem like you’re a little down on your luck and I’ve been there. I appreciated the help I got when I needed it and I try to pay that kind of thing forward.”
Ah, now this was my kind of guy.
Yumi saw the look on my face and rolled her eyes.
“I think we’re going to get along just fine, Matt,” I said, falling into step beside him. I could feel Yumi’s eyes on us — watching, wary, not trusting.
And that was fine. We would be careful.
But I was tired of fighting and having to distrust everyone we met. Matt seemed like a genuinely good person.
And I was going to trust him.
For now.
CHAPTER TEN
YUMI
A couple hour’s walk through a beautiful fall afternoon had brought us to the Sipwesk community. The gorgeous palette of colours — yellows, oranges, reds, and browns — of the changing leaves and lovely warm weather was almost enough to make me let my guard down.
Almost. But not quite.
Matt and his wife, Nessa’s house was the hub of activity. It was a good sized, two story structure that had been added on to a few times. Vertical wooden siding covered the building and two windows blinked at me, looking like eyes in a surprised face.
Then there were the cabins on either side and various outbuildings that made up the little commune. Matt had said that about fifty people lived here. And most of the other people who lived along the lake were part of their group, too.
They all worked together to gather and prepare food to share. And they also split the labour of working the three huge gardens where they grew enough food to last through the winter. It was very co-operative and friendly. And when I had pointed that out, Matt had told us that it was the only way any of them had been able to survive.
Survive what? We weren’t sure.
Matt had shown us the wash station where we could get cleaned up and told us that supper would be soon and not to wander off because Brett often had people in the woods.
I had washed as much of the dirt off me as I could and felt a bit better. I was hanging out in the kitchen with Shiv, watching Nessa and her mother-in-law, Cynthia, finishing up making supper. We had offered to help but they had told us everything was done.
“Hey, Nessa,” I said, probably a little too casually.
“Yeah?”
“Can I see the insides of your forearms?” I went on.
Nessa looked at me like I was a little crazy but turned her arms over to show me the inside.
Nothing.
Shit.
I had guessed it. We all had. But this made it real.
“No tattoo,” I said with a smile, covering my shock and di
smay at what I didn’t see.
Nessa was a pretty brunette with a sweet little three year old daughter who looked exactly like her, except the little girl’s hair was curly. I was insanely jealous of the woman immediately, which I knew was horrible because she was one of the nicest people I had ever met.
But I couldn’t help it. She had nearly everything I had ever wanted. A great husband. A darling daughter.
And a home.
Sure, it was a little rustic but it was their home.
And she had a family.
A real family of my own is the only thing I have ever wanted. How could I not be jealous of her?
It didn’t help that I had basically thrown it all away with no help from anyone else, either. The only one I had to blame for my unhappiness was me. Well, and Chad. I liked to blame him too.
“Nah. No tattoo,” Nessa said, picking up her little girl — Penny — and rocking back and forth from one foot to the other. “I’m kind of a coward.”
She gave a quick glance at me and Shiv.
“I’d never be brave enough to get a tattoo.”
“A coward?” Matt said, frowning as he entered the kitchen, only catching the end of the conversation. “After you gave birth to Penny by yourself? I wouldn’t call you a coward.”
He came and kissed both Nessa and Penny on their cheeks, making them both smile at him.
Sometimes I wished I was someone like Nessa.
Sometimes, though, I like myself just the way I am.
Hard.
Tough.
Mean, if necessary.
I felt a lump in my throat.
And lonely.
Fuck I was lonely.
If only Chad hadn’t…
But it was too late for that.
What was done could not be undone.
I felt the familiar old trapped feeling fluttering inside me and I knew I needed to get outside.
“Hey,” I said, with the fakest smile I had ever mustered. “I need some air. I’m going to go outside for a little walk.”
“You okay?” Shiv said, grabbing my arm. I nodded. He wasn’t convinced but he let go.