by Ryan Gawley
‘Don’t worry, she heard Arthur and me loading the truck and she’s happily getting in his way. He makes out he’s grumpy about it but he loves having a dog around so she’s in good company. How are you?’
‘Stiff and cold,’ said Sam standing and arching his back to work out a kink before he took a long sip of the warming beverage. Alice was still standing with him, patiently waiting but not saying anything. He realised it had been years since he had company other than Molly and wasn’t much of a morning person at the best of times. ‘Thanks for the tea,’ he said, trying to make an effort and genuinely appreciative of the gesture.
‘No problem, it’s only tea. Thanks for getting us this far Sam.’
‘I didn’t do anything, you got yourselves here. It’s the next part we’ll do together.’
‘Well, if you hadn’t helped Arthur that day he might not be with us at all now and I would be alone in that old house, stuck in that horrible city. Thanks to you we’re drinking tea in the forest and have the open road ahead. I just wanted to thank you Sam.’
‘I’m not really sure I did anything but you’re welcome,’ said Sam feeling a bit awkward. ‘We’ve a way to go yet, let’s just agree that we’ll all look after each other eh?’
‘Okay Sam, it’s a deal,’ replied Alice, her eyes smiling as she patted his arm.
They were interrupted as Molly ran up to Sam and butted her head against his leg wagging her tail and looking up as excited to see him as if he had been away for a month.
‘Are you two going to stand around chatting all day or are we going to find this girl of yours?’ said Arthur loudly as he followed Molly from the truck. ‘We’re all packed and loaded Sam, if you want to stow your gear we can get going.
CHAPTER 14
As the sun broke over the horizon the tired diesel engine pulled the truck back up onto the main road and the four friends continued their journey west. Sam drove as Arthur dozed in the passenger seat with Alice perched between them on the cramped middle seat and Molly enjoyed the ride in the back of the pickup under the canvas cover amid the assorted supplies and equipment.
The weak morning sun shimmered in the damp patches of road where the last of the previous night’s rain had yet to dry off and the tyres splashed through the deeper ruts and potholes making for an uncomfortable ride but everyone was happy to be increasing the gap between them and their old lives. Alice chatted about how she used to travel up and down the coast as a girl and about friends she knew and times her and Arthur had shared together while Sam politely followed the conversation but didn’t contribute much. He was concentrating on his driving since it had been several years since he’d last driven a car and the most recent vehicle he’d owned was an old Triumph motorcycle belonging to his uncle but that had been destroyed in an accident before he’d went travelling.
He was glad for Alice talking away without concern that she was the only one really saying anything. Sam was still getting used to having company and with Arthur half asleep in the cab it left Sam to hold the conversation and he felt it was much too early in the morning for it. He knew if Lucy was here she’d be jabbing him in the ribs trying to encourage him to get more involved but no rush, one step at a time he thought.
At this early hour there was little traffic but they did pass a few supply lorries heading east for Rook City, probably delivering raw materials for the factories. A little later three big rigs hauling forty foot containers sped past, all escorted front and rear by Enforcer patrol trucks and were most likely transporting new stock for the exclusive Elite sector stores. Deliveries to the island country were getting fewer and the goods shipped in were therefore all the more valuable to the gangs who hijacked and sold stolen merchandise to Dreg traders to support the thriving black market economy.
Thankfully none seemed to pay any attention to the small band and their old truck as it rattled and smoked its way along the motorway. They were making steady progress and Sam calculated they could make half the journey before evening. He planned to scout for somewhere off the road to camp for the night then complete the journey in the morning. They would arrive a day early to meet Lucy but could hide the truck under the cover of the woods by the lake and wait for her. When the fuel gauge was reading low Sam pulled over and woke Arthur. The two men jumped out and Sam set about tending to the truck while Arthur kept lookout for patrols or bandits or any other trouble they could expect to meet on the open road beyond the city walls.
After he’d checked on Molly and found she was her usual excited self Sam poured a dish of water for her then grabbed a jerry can of diesel to refuel the truck. With four full cans of fuel plus the full tank they had left with he knew they’d make it to Raven City and on to Arthur’s cousin’s place farther south along the coast. He figured however there wouldn’t be enough to reach the mountains and Sam grew increasingly concerned about the logistics for the journey north with Lucy. They could make it on foot if necessary but food and water would be a problem unless they could scavenge and forage along the way so using the truck would be ideal if Arthur would part with it and if they could find more fuel. Sam reckoned he’d deal with that when the time came and knew he was lucky just to have gotten this far.
Alice took a turn behind the wheel and now the day had warmed Sam said he’d rearrange a few things and sit in the back with Molly for a while to keep her settled but really it was just because he wanted some time away from Alice’s friendly but incessant chatter. He enjoyed riding in the back staring out from under the canvas as the road stretched out behind them and Molly lay contentedly across his legs with her head in his lap.
It was mid-afternoon and only shortly after their second fuel stop when Sam still riding in the back felt the truck slow down and pull to the left. He heard the crunch of loose dirt under the tyres as the truck left the tarmac and then saw an old delivery van parked with the bonnet up and two men waving as Alice pulled the truck to a stop along the shoulder about forty metres ahead of them. It seemed the men had broken down and the husband and wife team had decided to be good Samaritans and help. Although Sam was apprehensive and pulled his baseball bat from the side of his pack leaving it easy to grab if needed before dropping out of the back of the truck he knew he wouldn’t have driven past someone in trouble without at least checking if they needed assistance.
He heard the door of the truck open and Arthur stepping out from the passenger side.
‘Keep the engine running Alice and wait here,’ he said and slammed the door shut before joining Sam at the tailgate. ‘What do you think Sam, we saw them up ahead and figured they could use some help.’
Sam looked up and down the road and couldn’t see any signs of trouble or other vehicles and the land all around was flat and open. About a quarter mile back up the road they had crossed an old stone bridge over abandoned railway tracks but that was the only structure of any kind in sight.
‘Well, I guess we should see what their trouble is; I know I’d appreciate it if we were in some kind of bother. Molly, stay,’ he spoke into the back of the truck and then walked with Arthur a few paces toward the stranded van before stopping again.
‘Having some trouble there fellas?’ shouted Sam without approaching any farther.
‘Yeah, we blew a radiator hose and the motor overheated. We’ve got water to top up the coolant but it just sprays out again when we start her up,’ replied one of the strangers as his partner had returned to working under the raised bonnet.
Arthur looked at Sam and shrugged his shoulders. ‘Seems believable enough but with no spare parts I don’t know what we can do for them.
‘Hang on, I’ve an idea,’ said Sam returning to the truck and disappearing up into the back before jumping back down a moment later with a thick black roll in his hand.
‘Good old duct tape, better than nothing eh?’ he said to Arthur then shouted to the men at the van as he approached. ‘Hey, we can offer you some duct tape. It’s decent stuff and might be enough to patch your hose for a while, m
aybe get you where you’re going?’
Arthur followed closely behind Sam keeping an eye on the two strangers as Alice sat nervously in the front of the truck watching all four of them in the side mirror.
When Sam and Arthur had passed half way between the two vehicles the biggest of the strangers shouted out. ‘That’s far enough,’ he said threateningly as his companion spun around from the van’s engine bay with a wicked grin on his face and brandishing an Enforcer riot shotgun.
Sam stopped dead in his tracks and Arthur stopped closely behind leaving Sam fully exposed.
‘Whoa, hang on now,’ said Sam raising his hands slowly and gesturing he meant no harm. ‘We’re just three people on the road trying to get across country without any trouble. We’ve nothing but a few basic supplies and an old beat up Land Rover that’s worth less than that van you have there.’
‘We’ll take whatever you’ve got,’ sneered the man with the shotgun as Sam and Arthur began slowly backing away in the direction of their own vehicle.
‘Hold it, turn around, hands in the air, both of you,’ shouted the first man.
Sam turned slowly and found he was facing Arthur who had stood his ground.
‘I said turn around,’ repeated the stranger.
Before Sam knew what was happening Arthur had darted forward and right pushing Sam back with his left hand while in the same fluid motion he pulled a Glock 22 .40 calibre pistol from the back of his waistband and fired two rounds at the man holding the shotgun. Arthur’s shots missed their target but were enough to ensure a blast from the shotgun went wide also missing the mark.
‘Run Sam!’ shouted Arthur who had turned and shoved Sam in the same direction, both men now running for their life.
‘What the hell was that?’ shouted Sam sprinting to find cover.
‘Just run!’
Alice watched it all in the truck’s mirror and held her nerve, ready to speed off as soon as the men were on board. Arthur fired a couple more rounds behind him to cover their retreat causing the raiders to drop to the ground providing a few vital seconds. Sam ran to the passenger side to jump in and called to Molly in the bed of the truck to lie down. Arthur ran to the driver’s door and shouted for Alice to move over. Before either of them had closed their doors a hail of shrapnel from a shotgun blast ripped into the light aluminium body of the truck sending a shower of coloured taillight glass into the air and punching holes through the bodywork. Molly barked and growled but didn’t seem to be hit and Sam was in the truck now helping Alice buckle into the middle seat as Arthur slammed the engine into gear.
Just as they were pulling away Alice cried out in pain as an explosion of glass and blood hit the inside of the windscreen. Another blast from the shotgun had passed through the pickup’s canvas cover and blown out the rear window of the cab seriously wounding Alice’s right shoulder.
‘Shit! Alice, hang on. Sam, do something,’ shouted Arthur as he pushed the old diesel motor to its limits trying to get away from the men who were now running back to their van and closing the bonnet to give chase. ‘Ah Alice, I’m sorry love. Stay with me, stay with me Alice.’
Alice slumped over onto Sam and groaned but she hadn’t lost consciousness. He tore a large section from the bottom of her dress and working as best as he could in the cramped cab he held Alice upright with one arm while leaning her forward and tended to the wound on her back applying pressure with the wad of fabric.
‘That’s it Alice, you’re doing great.’ He heard Molly whine in the back as she must have been terrified. ‘It’s okay Molly,’ shouted Sam through the broken rear window.’
‘Never mind the bloody dog, what about my wife,’ snarled Arthur.
Sam glared at Arthur but said nothing. Molly was family too but he knew Arthur could think only of Alice at this moment. ‘She’s doing okay Arthur, she’s taken a bad hit to the back of her shoulder and it’s bleeding heavily but apart from the blood I don’t see any head injury. There’s likely some shot and broken glass in the wound and we need to get her patched up soon but I think I can slow the bleeding for now. What about the men in the van?’
‘They’re not giving up, the breakdown was a rouse and they’re not far behind us. This old wagon wasn’t built for speed and she’s seen better days, we’ll not get far at this rate. How’s Alice doing?’
Sam had leaned back into the corner of the cab as much as he could and was trying to hold the wound and feed a little water to Alice at the same time. ‘She’s conscious but weak, hasn’t lost too much blood yet but the shock is probably not doing her any good. The window took a lot of the force but she’s still hurt bad. Between us we probably have enough bandage and gauze to patch her up, I’ve some painkillers, they’re a few years out of date but probably still okay. I don’t know Arthur; she needs to get proper help. Anyway, where the hell did that gun come from?’
‘Yeah, the bastard must have hidden it in the engine bay waiting for us to get close,’
‘I figured that much, I mean where did you get the gun from?’
‘Oh, yeah, well that’s my old service pistol. I’m not supposed to have it but when I knew my discharge was coming up I reported it stolen and hid it. I just kept it in case I’d ever need it but it’s been wrapped in an oily rag in an old biscuit tin for about twenty years now. I checked and cleaned it before taking it along; surprisingly it’s still works like new. More than I can say for myself, I missed by a mile. Still, it gave us an edge.’
‘It nearly got us killed. They’d probably just have taken the truck and left us by the road until you started shooting at them, now they’re really pissed off.’
‘Okay Sam,’ snapped Arthur angrily. ‘Say they did just leave us at the roadside which is very unlikely, how long do you think we’d last before some of their friends or a supply escort patrol picked us up? We’d be sure as dead by tonight on this main road.’
‘Yeah, you’re right, sorry. Thanks I suppose,’ said Sam looking in the side mirror and watching the van closing the gap. ‘Look Arthur, we’re not going to outrun them and they still have us out-gunned. I reckon our advantage is we can go off road but that van can’t get far, take the next gate you see and cross the fields; maybe we can make a track overland and lose them then join the road again later.’
About a half mile further Arthur stepped heavily on the brakes and swung the pickup off the road crashing through an old galvanized gate into a disused field. The heavy steel bumper of the truck made light work of such a flimsy obstacle and the old machine forged on over the rough ground, slowing down but taking the change of terrain in its stride. Molly whimpered as the cargo bounced around while she tried to keep her footing. Alice groaned as the uneven surface pounded the harsh suspension and Sam did his best to keep her held securely while Arthur stared ahead with steely determination.
The pursuing van narrowed the gap when Arthur had slowed down to swing into the field and the driver pulled hard on the wheel fishtailing the rear of the vehicle as it left the road and followed the trail left by the old Land Rover through the overgrown field. The man with the shotgun leaned out of the window and aimed at the pickup but the rough ground prevented a clean shot and he hesitated as his companion tried to follow in the wake of the fleeing truck.
Farther into the field the ground became marshy and more rutted. The truck slowed further as the tyres sunk deeper into the soft ground but Arthur shoved the throttle pedal to the floor and the tired old diesel dug deep for power sending it to the permanent four wheel drive transmission which pulled the pickup through the mire with seemingly little effort. Behind them the van was still closing, rattling and jumping its way over the rough ground as the bandits kept up their pursuit. Sam monitored the van’s progress in the mirror as Arthur coaxed the heavy truck toward a gap in a stone-built boundary wall where a section had partially collapsed.
Even though the driver must have seen the Land Rover’s wheel tracks lead to the soft mud he didn’t lift off the accelerator. Sam watched as the va
n advanced several feet into the bog carried by its own momentum then quickly slowed before coming to a complete stop as the front wheels bogged down and spun rapidly spraying liquid mud up and back across the body panels infuriating the men riding inside.
‘Looks like we’ve lost them Arthur,’ said Sam as another shotgun blast was discharged in frustration but missed.
Arthur eased back on the throttle and allowed the engine to slow before something broke and left them vulnerable. ‘How’s she doing Sam?’ he asked looking over at the ashen face of his wife.
‘I’m fine,’ a weak croaking voice came from between Alice’s grey lips. ‘Don’t worry boys, I’m fine.’
‘We’ll get you fixed up soon, love,’ said Arthur throwing a worried look at Sam who still cradled Alice as best he could in the cramped cab.
For another half hour Arthur pushed the pickup on over disused farm land and Sam helped to navigate by spotting for gaps in the rubble of fallen and forgotten stone walls or areas of hedge thin enough to be sure there was no deep ditch beyond and allowing the truck to pass through.
‘Over there,’ said Sam pointing to what seemed to be an old farm house and barn in the distance set in a shallow valley. ‘Looks like somewhere we could pull in and let Alice lie down and rest.’
Arthur scanned from right to left checking for any other detail that might indicate reason for concern around the buildings.
‘I can see a laneway leading to the house and we should be able to pick it up after the next field,’ he said as he plotted a course to intercept the point where he expected to find the narrow road. ‘From here it looks as if the house is in good shape, the roof is still on and the barn seems intact, we might be in luck.’
Sure enough before long the pickup rolled out of the tall grass through an overgrown gap where a gate once stood and turned left onto a single vehicle lane with weeds and grass growing in a wide strip down the centre and two clear tracks of cracked tarmac either side where passing vehicles had prevented the growth of new vegetation.