by RR Haywood
Without mentioning anything for fear of Lilly or Andrew objecting, he leads the group towards it. Samantha wouldn’t say anything. He loves his daughter but she’s not blessed with deep intelligence. Neither is Andrew either, too meek and willing to be led. Lilly though, she’s a strong girl with a strong character. Another few years will see her blossom into a very capable young woman.
Norman’s imagination serves to impose a warped image of himself being a rugged survivalist. He has a short beard with a hard far-away look in his eyes, lean muscles and defined stomach. He stands outside a wooden shack, dressed in furs and holding a spear while a scantily clad Lilly stands behind him, still trembling from the emotion of their love making.
His own children don’t factor in the daydream. Maybe they have been packed off to live in the fort with Andrew and Billy, leaving a love struck Lilly to serve her master in isolation.
Turning round he smiles at her, noticing the shy way she looks down at the ground. Bless her, she doesn't want the others to know of their special relationship. But who can blame her? They only a met a few hours ago but true love is like that. It doesn't care about time or age and anyway, the times have all changed. This isn’t about dating and getting to know someone. This is a new world with new rules where the strong get the best girls, and by god, Lilly surely is one of the best girls he has seen in a long time.
A wave of revulsion passes through Lilly at the sly grin he throws her way. He is creepy and dirty with lank brown hair that clings to his scalp. His thin limbs remind her of twigs, and his soft belly strains against his shirt. She looks down, determined not to show him any attention as she struggles to hide her revulsion.
In a funny kind of way she agreed with him, that staying at the cottage would be a bad idea. It looked lovely now in the daytime but come night it would be pitch black and any light they use will be easily seen from miles around.
No, until they can find a car they are better off away from anyone else. Weird about there not being any car keys at that house. The thought that Norman might have taken them did flit through her mind but was just as quickly disregarded.
Why would he do that?
Nineteen
‘What’s up there?’
‘How the hell would I know?’
‘You’re from around here, ain’t ya?’
‘Nope, not really…few miles away. No sign of ‘em anywhere else so let’s give it a go.’
‘There’s a sign there, what’s it say?’
‘Why? Can’t you fucking read?’
‘It’s slanted towards you, I can’t fucking see it.’
‘Tilted not fucking slanted…’
‘Fuck off, it’s slanted…tilted is when it like, hangs facing down and shit.’
‘Is it bollocks.’
‘What does the fucking sign say?’
‘Oh, er...holiday cottage, primrose holiday cottage.’
‘Oh, right…worth a look I suppose.’
‘It’s on our patch and the doc will be pleased we found it.’
‘He’ll be even more pleased if we find those fuckers that been snooping through our houses.’
‘Well, they ain’t technically our houses are they.’
‘They’s on our fucking manor, ain’t they?’
‘Yeah yeah fair enough, ‘ere watch out!’
‘Sorry, didn’t see it, fucking pot holes everywhere.’
‘Break my spine in half if you keep driving into ‘em.’
‘Well it’s getting fucking dark and I can’t see anything.’
‘Use the lights then, no…actually don’t use the lights.’
‘You reckon?’
‘Alright you sarcastic twat, aye up there it is. Landrover outside, might be someone at home.’
‘Might be, fuck ‘em.’
‘Ha! Yeah, all the lights are off though.’
‘Move quick, go straight for the door.’
‘I’m on it. Back door is closest, I’ll go for that.’
‘Right behind you.’
‘It’s unlocked.’
‘I can see that for myself.’
‘Hello? Anyone home?’
‘Avon calling!’
‘Avon, ha! Nice one…’
‘You like that one?’
‘Yeah. My old dear always had Avon.’
‘They still about, well not now obviously, but you know what I mean.’
‘Think so, dunno really…guess no one here though.’
‘Powers off, you got your torch?’
‘Yeah hang on, hello! Someone’s been thirsty.’
‘Six glasses used, still wet too.’
‘They must be sticking to the fields then, avoiding the roads.’
‘I reckon you could be right.’
‘Can’t be that far away, they ain’t gone down that lane so there must be another way.’
‘Footpath or something? Let’s have a look.’
‘Hold on then, wait up…aren’t we checking for food first?’
‘Nah, we got loads. Doc’ll be chuffed to bits if we get track ‘em down.’
‘Fair enough mate, is that a footpath sign there?’
‘Bloody hell, you’re a clever one aren’t you?’
‘And you’re a sarcastic fucker.’
‘Yeah, footpath. Must have gone that way.’
‘No doubt, come on then.’
‘Oh this is gonna be fun, I can feel it. You reckon there might be girls with ‘em?’
‘Might be with a bit of luck. You got the shotgun shells this time?’
‘Yes smart arse, I have the fucking shotgun shells.’
‘Just checking…’
Twenty
‘Something isn’t right, Clarence and Nick should be back by now and where is Mr Howie and Dave? This isn’t right, I’m telling you…’ Blowers shakes his head, ‘we’ve been here for a couple of hours now, we can’t just keep waiting.’
‘We can’t just leave either,’ Lani cuts in, ‘they’ll turn up as soon as we leave, then they’ll be here for ages looking for us.’
‘Mr Howie and Dave though,’ Blowers continues, ‘Maddox’s lot are all coming back here,’ he says with a nod to the group of youths gathered nearby, their numbers continually growing as they drift back from wherever they sought refuge after running off. ‘If they can make it back here then the boss and Dave should have too.’
‘I agree,’ Lani says quickly, ‘I really do but what else can we do? Clarence and Nick will know we’ll wait here, Howie and Dave too.’ She shrugs and looks down, thinking frantically of what to do next.
‘Me and Blowers will go look for them, you stay here and wait for Clarence and Nick,’ Cookey suggests.
‘We should stay together.’
‘I get that Lani, but what if they’re surrounded or something?’ Cookey asks.
‘Dave? Surrounded? Behave,’ Blowers scoffs, ‘nah it won’t be anything like that. Something must have happened if they’re not here. Maybe the boss is sick or something, we all know that Dave would never leave him.’
‘He could be injured and hurt,’ Lani bites her bottom lip, ‘if they hurt him last night and Dave got him out…’
‘So we should go look,’ Cookey urges, ‘you stay here with this lot.’
‘Take Meredith then.’
‘Meredith? Why?’
‘She found you in that house, didn’t she.’
‘Not a bad idea, but that leaves you here alone,’ Blowers cuts in.
‘Well, I’m not exactly alone am I,’ she peers round at the children standing in the one area next to the car park not covered in bodies.
‘Yeah, well…maybe you should keep the dog,’ Blowers suggests tactfully.
‘Or maybe I go looking for them with the dog, and you two stay here,’ she retorts with a flash of temper.
‘Alright, take it easy we’ll go…’ Cookey mutters softly.
Sighing deeply, Lani massages her forehead and takes a deep breath. ‘Sorry, it’s so hot and I
’m worried sick now.’
‘We’ll find them, just stay here until we get back,’ Blowers urges.
‘Er, maybe we should like set a time limit or something. Like, stay here and if we’re not back by whatever time then make for the fort. Just a suggestion,’ Cookey looks to both of them.
‘Okay, what about five then? That gives you several hours to find them and get back. If Clarence and Nick get here, they can either hang on or do a run back to the fort while I wait.’
Frowning and with pursed lips, Blowers stares first at the ground, then up at Lani. ‘No,’ shaking his head firmly as he changes his mind. ‘Mr Howie would want us to stay together, there must be a reason they haven’t got back to us. We have to just stay here and wait.’
‘Blowers we just agreed…’ Lani mutters.
‘No, no it’s not the right thing,’ he replies, ‘Cookey, he’d want us to stay together, we’re weaker when we’re apart. Dave is with him and Dave can handle anything…’
‘See your point,’ Cookey rolls his eyes with frustration, ‘maybe…yeah maybe your right.’
‘I am right,’ Blowers continues, ‘we stay together. When Clarence and Nick get back we can send this lot off and search together, but we have to stay together.’
‘Okay,’ Lani nods slowly, fighting to urge to do something, to do anything other than just stand here surrounded by corpses and the acrid stench of the blazing high street. A desolate scene of carnage that saps any positive energy they have. But Blowers is right. Howie has always been adamant about staying together, and to separate again now goes against everything they have evolved to be. ‘Okay,’ she repeats, more for herself than the others.
‘They’ll be okay,’ Blowers says softly.
‘They will,’ Cookey agrees, moving one hand out to touch her shoulder, ‘like Blowers said, Dave can handle anything and the boss is fucking indestructible.’
Twenty One
How far can a little girl run?
Turns out it’s bloody far. Very bloody far. She’s like a Duracell bunny, just going on and on. The heat and constant running has me drained, sweating and gasping for air. Even Dave has broken out into a sweat, albeit a light one, but there is still moisture on his brow.
‘Where?’ Gasping the word out, I round the corner to see Dave standing there looking left and right. I know what the answer will be and I’m already regretting asking it.
‘Lost her.’
‘Again!? Fucking hell Dave, she’s running rings round us. I thought you were Special Forces and trained to…’
‘She’s got skills,’ he interrupts me.
‘Skills?’ Bent over with my hands on my knees I glance up at him, wondering how a little girl can have Special Forces skills.
‘Not taking a straight path, but weaving left and right. It makes her much harder to track. Plus she’s using her small stature to her advantage by going through obstacles that pose problems to us.’
‘Oh right yeah, that’s the new commando training they’re doing in pre-school these days, I read about it in the paper.’
‘Really?’
‘No Dave, how the hell is a little girl going to know all that stuff?’
‘Natural instinct,’ he shrugs.
‘Natural instinct? Jesus, she’s only what seven or eight…imagine her grown up. She’ll be like you. God help us.’
He stares at me, clearly unsure how to respond. ‘I meant that nicely,’ I add quickly.
‘Okay,’ the calm look reappears instantly.
‘MILLY,’ he bellows without warning me first, causing my heart to thud faster than the GPMG, ‘GET SOME WATER, WE’LL WAIT HERE FOR A MINUTE…DRINK SOME WATER.’
‘What the fuck?’
‘It’s hot Mr Howie, she could dehydrate.’
‘Yeah but…it’s just…okay, no good idea…fair enough.’
‘Up there,’ he points to the small figure stepping out of a driveway much further up the street, clearly visible holding a glass which she lifts to her mouth.
‘Do we get a water break too?’
‘No Mr Howie, she’ll be off again in a minute.’
‘Have you got any?’
‘What?’
‘Fuck Dave, have you got any water?’
‘No Mr Howie.’
‘Bollocks, yeah you drink that nice cold glass of water you little shi…’
‘Mr Howie!’
‘What?’
‘You can’t call a little girl a little shit.’
‘Sorry Dave,’ I blush with the shame of being told off, ‘hang on a minute, you were going to shoot those kids in Portsmouth…’
‘Yeah but…’
‘And when we met Maddox! You wanted to get out the van and attack them.’
‘Yeah but I wouldn’t call a girl a little shit.’
‘Oh so it’s fine to slaughter them willy nilly but we can’t call them little shits?’
‘Well…’
‘Fucking hang on,’ I say, standing up to rest my hands on my hips, the axe and assault rifle on the floor next to my feet, ‘you’re always shouting stuff, I AM DAVE…I WILL KILL YOU,’ I mimic his voice, he goes to speak but I keep going, ‘I WILL BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN AND MURDER YOUR GOLDFISH…’
‘That is different Mr Howie,’ he says pointedly, ‘that is a tactic designed to induce fear and thereby cause the enemy to make mistakes which I can then use to my advantage…’
‘Oh that’s what it is,’ I ask with a raised eyebrow.
‘And I never said I would murder a goldfish.’
‘I was joking Dave.’
‘Dogs, Cats and I’ve done a ferret but not a…’
‘What?’
‘What?’
‘A ferret?’
‘What about it?’
‘Dave, did you just say you murdered a ferret?’
‘No, I said I threatened to murder a ferret.’
‘Oh right, why? Why would you threaten to murder a ferret?’
‘The man I was after loved his ferret,’ he shrugs.
‘Not his wife or…mum or brother…’
‘Oh I tried those, he didn’t react so I went for the ferret.’
‘Did it work?’
‘Straight away,’ he nods eagerly, ‘he rolled over instantly.’
‘What? The ferret rolled over?’
‘No, the man rolled over.’
‘Why would he roll over? Was he doing tricks?’
‘It means he gave us the information we wanted.’
‘So he didn’t actually roll over?’
‘No Mr Howie.’
‘Did the ferret roll over?’
‘I didn’t ever see it roll over. Maybe it could have done, I couldn’t say it had never rolled over.’
‘So what happened?’
‘To who?’
‘The man! What happened to the man?’
‘Nothing, we let him go.’
‘The ferret?’
‘We gave it back, we weren’t heartless animals Mr Howie.’
‘No mate, clearly not. Bloody hell, she’s taking her time with that water.’
‘Probably thirsty Mr Howie.’
‘Yeah I know Dave I was…oh never mind…what she waving at?’
‘Us I think.’
I wave back, extending my arm high to sweep it back and forth. This is surreal, like a giant game of hide and seek.
‘Milly?’ I call out, ‘can we stop now please? We’re both knackered.’ She doesn't respond to my pleas but walks slowly back towards the house she came out off. Cursing, swearing, muttering foul oaths we start jogging again. Determined to try and catch her again.
‘Morals Dave, that’s what it comes down to.’
‘What does?’
‘This, chasing her… we could just sod off and leave her but we won’t because we have morals.’
‘Oh,’ he replies like he knows what I’m talking about.
‘We’d never forgive ourselves if we just gave up now.’
‘Okay Mr Howie.’
‘I mean she’s tiny. I can see how she’s survived this long running like that, but she can’t stay here.’
‘Okay Mr Howie.’
‘Bloody hell, look at that,’ we stop dead at the garden gate leading to the house she ran inside. There, on the doorstep are two big glasses of water. She obviously struggled to carry them as half the contents have sloshed over the ground. Dave goes forward, grabbing them both to sniff and taste before he hands one to me.
‘What was that?’ I ask him, ‘you checking for poison?’
‘You never know.’
‘By a little girl? Where she going to get poison from? Or know what poison is…maybe she did the poisoning assassination course with the commando training.’
‘Very funny Mr Howie.’
‘Thanks Dave.’ We down the water in a couple of thirsty gulps before proceeding inside and heading straight to the kitchen sink for more water. Both of us deciding to forget the chase for a second and grab more fluids.
‘Thank you Milly,’ I call out, ‘very nice water, thank you very much.’
‘THANK YOU,’ Dave roars scaring the shit out of me again and making me spray water over the kitchen window. How he makes the words thank-you sound like I want to kill you is beyond me.
‘Back?’ I ask, nodding at the open back door.
‘Yes,’ he replies and I swear there is a glint in his eye. If I didn’t know better I would start to think he was enjoying this.
Twenty Two
Blowers, Cookey and Lani wait at the car park, fretting and worried.
Howie and Dave chase a little girl through the sun parched streets in a desperate attempt to get her somewhere safe.
Clarence seeks a van, something big enough to carry all the kit from the broken down Saxon and still be used to ferry the remaining children and team from the burning town.
Maddox, Paula and Roy remain outside the fort, locked out with no response from those inside.
One member of the team remains blissfully asleep. Flat on his back in a king size double bed, snoring peacefully. The increasing heat of the morning raises the temperature in the room. Sweat trickles down the side of his face to soak into the pillow.