Mina mulled over the words, deep in thought as the reporter continued to talk on in depth about certain suppositions and speculations. She ate her breakfast at the kitchen counter, standing and gazing out into the garden, the radio drowned out only by thoughts of her daughter. She wondered if she was safe. Then she wondered if she was safe herself. Her life had run away from her, or she had run from it. maybe there wasn’t anything she could have kept hold of from her old life that could have benefited her or her daughter. She willed safety to her little girl. She told herself she must send more flowers.
Mina gradually zoned back in to the conversation happening on the radio. “Well we are looking at a miniaturised warhead and that takes much more scientific engineering that could just be cobbled together by a rabble of extremist fighters working out of partly destroyed buildings and tents in the desert. The chances that they could stumble across the technology to create a weapon of this type are just so small that the vastly more likely option is that it was stolen ready-built or provided to them by a country – such as the United States or Britain as is being alleged – simply a much more believable story, as much as the population of Britain and the majority of America wishes to believe that the former is true.
“Our and your sources have documented the blast as something that would be hard to propose came from anything but a uranium-enriched warhead and as much as I would hate to be-”
The speaker cut out before a few moments of silence. Mina waited patiently for it to return, assuming that her radio signal was to blame for a dip in reception. Eventually a woman’s voice returned. “Hi, this is Irene Blanche. I apologise for the loss of signal. Our technical team are doing everything they can to rectify the issues we are experiencing and we hope to return to that interview very soon. Meanwhile, a recap of today’s shocking headlines.”
Mina listened again through the headlines while she washed her dishes. She hadn’t followed enough of the current affairs to understand how it could escalate the way it had done. She lingered on her thoughts with the voice of the interviewee running through her head. It was impossible to comprehend that the British army could be responsible for a nuclear explosion over Russia, an incident that whether an accident or not could be directly responsible for a new type of war. The feeling in the pit of her stomach became even stronger as she pined for her daughter. A tear ran down her cheek. She scrubbed it away hastily and reached for her tobacco.
Leighton and Shannon were changed and ready to walk out. The idea to drive had quickly been struck off when the cul-de-sac became jammed in almost an instant. Leighton had changed into heavy jeans, falling awkwardly over his army surplus black boots. He wore his grandfather's old RAF shirt 'because of the extra pockets' and over the top, a brown with red trimmed Russian conscript jacket he had picked up cheaply at a music festival in his youth. On his back, he wore the largest of the rucksacks and on his front Zeke looked out over the top of the red and black baby carrier, blissfully unaware of what might have been happening and still maintaining a wide-mouthed smile whenever his mother came into view. Shannon was dressed similarly with her matching boots, but wore a t-shirt and a puffed, hooded jacket. She wore a smaller rucksack, Zeke's changing bag over one shoulder and the air rifle on its strap over the other.
Shannon reached over and pulled the axe from Leighton's hand. “I'm not having you carry weapons with Zeke on you like that. What if you fall?” Her other hand pushed Zeke's messy, curly hair out of his eyes. He reacted with a single syllable babble and an adorable smile.
“He's such a happy baby. I hope he stays that way.”
On that, they locked up the house and walked, as prearranged, along the road towards the edge of the forest park.
They had talked jokingly and seriously about what they were going to do and they had always agreed that the first priority was to get as far away from the town as possible, as quickly as possible, by foot. The forest park entrance was the closest way out of town and it led, after a way, into an evergreen forest and eventually into rolling hills. They would be safely away from town lights, dense population and uncovered land within half an hour and shortly after, they would also have the benefit of elevation from which they could make the best decision, but that was as far as their plan went.
That was exactly what they did. They passed cars with drivers offering cursory glances towards the trio, led by a man carrying a baby and followed by a woman seemingly armed to the teeth. Those that didn't notice them, continued to thump their palms at the steering wheels and dashboards and eagerly closed the gaps as each car inched forward. The only effect being that the cars became slowly more condensed. As they reached the main road, the expansiveness of the traffic jam – created in panic – became apparent. Both lanes on both sides of the dual carriageway were gridlocked.
As Leighton and Shannon moved sideways between bonnet and bumper a driver jumped in her seat, startled to see the sharp blade in Shannon's hand reflecting the sunlight. Shannon laughed and continued to follow her husband and baby winding through the stationary traffic towards the fenced edge of the forest park. Some people that were already out of their cars were trying desperately to see what was causing the blockage, steering their bodies away from the couple, the effect apparent gun ownership would usually cause.
“Time to create a shortcut,” Leighton announced, deftly pulling out a multi-tool and opening its wire cutters.
While Leighton got to work on making a new opening in the fence, Shannon looked out in awe of the cars lined up on both sides of the road. The swarm of black specks in the distant sky continued to leave a tremor in the air, not a physical one, but palpable all the same. Some people towards the front of the queue had abandoned their cars already and were walking alongside the central barrier whilst others more hurriedly jogged in the direction of town, assumedly to try and get close to friends or family. Everyone was too focused to notice Leighton cutting through the fence and no-one looked anywhere near as prepared as the couple and their baby did.
The fence was cut in a clean line and pulled apart from the top as pages in an open book. Leighton put his hand out to help Shannon climb through. Just after they had set down onto the other side, they both ducked as two jet planes raced from the horizon seemingly touching distance above their heads. Leighton shielded Zeke as the disturbed air pulled violently at his clothes and the leaves and branches around them and Shannon hunkered close to the ground to not lose footing in the shock wave. Zeke started to cry and Leighton belatedly covered his son’s ears during the roar of engines that followed on. Screams from the road followed them as they walked with good pace perpendicular to the road. A path separated two lines of tree shade and they kept to it, carefully treading around bared roots close to the cover’s edge. Once the sound of the jet engines subsided the sound of the incoming mass of planes crossed the threshold of audibility.
They crossed into the full tree cover and kept up their pace as much as they could over the rougher ground, laden down as they were. More jet engines roared in the sky, but they kept their eyes down and forward. Silenced and dumbstruck, left foot led right foot led left foot. The hair prickled the backs of their necks, expecting explosion or fire to overwhelm them at any moment. Ten minutes passed, and another ten after. They each made vain attempts to see the oncoming planes, but could not easily do so through the thickening tree cover.
“We are nearly at the barrows, from there we can see over the town and get an idea of what is happening,” Shannon began. “If you want to see, of course.”
“One of us must, knowledge is power and sometimes you have to see to be sure.”
“Smartarse. He can't see though, turn him around to face you.” Shannon urged.
Chapter 15
She tentatively picked up the phone. “Hello, Mina.”
A deep, wavering, male voice came from the other end. “I am glad you are in.” The man took a couple of breaths, Mina could hear them stopping high in his lungs. “How are you?”
&nb
sp; “I’m fine. Sorry, who is this?”
“Oh right, yea. I forgot that you don’t have caller ID. It’s pretty cool you know. You can see who’s calling before you answer. Do you remember that? I am a little upset you don’t recognise my voice.”
“Andrew,” she replied.
“You are correct,” Drew said. His voice gaining a touch of strength.
“What’s that noise? Are you walking past building work?”
“No, ah- Well. I guess that’s why I called. You can see it right?”
“See what?” Mina replied curtly.
“No? No planes?”
“No, you remember I moved away from you by over a hundred miles, right? That whole thing. Why are you even calling?” She asked with exasperation.
“I made a mistake.” He stopped and breathed heavily for a moment.
“Are you crying?” Mina asked.
He hesitated, “Uh, no. I wanted to say that I have made mistakes. You are my biggest. No that came out wrong. I mean, losing you was a huge mistake. I still miss you every day, Mina. I think of you every day. I suppose it sometimes takes something a little out of the ordinary – a big event – to make you realise. Damn, Mina, those fierce wolf-like eyes of yours still visit my dreams so often.”
Mina interrupted. “What’s happening there? What fucking planes‽ Are you high again, Drew?”
“Not high. I can’t believe you can’t see them. All over the skyline to the south and the east. So many damn planes, Mina. Everyone is panicking and running out on to the street to look up at them. It’s not an air show. It’s real.”
“Real, what?” She was getting infuriated. “What sort of planes? Fuck.” Her mind reeled around his riddles. “Where’s Rebecca? Is she with you?” Her voice rose to a shout, partly from frustration and partly the rising volume on the other end of the line.
“She’s not with me right now. I think that is probably for the best.”
“Well,” Mina said, “Where the fuck is she, if she isn’t with you?”
“She’s up north with your- with her cousins.”
“Well, don’t you fucking sugar coat it? Just say ‘she is with your sister’. Why the hell is she with her? What are they doing?” She paused a moment, but started again before he could answer. “You’re still banging her, aren’t you? That’s why she got divorced. You dog. You’re still fucking my sister. You get high and start hallucinating all these planes and call me up to say you made a mistake and that you miss me and all this bull-shit!”
“Wait. We aren’t sleeping together anymore.”
“Anymore!” Mina blew out her cheeks. Her face was flushed with rage.
“She still helps out with Rebecca. Life has not been the same since you left. Not since that whole saga started.”
“Um, the whole saga you started.” A large rumble distorted Mina’s phone line. “Drew?” she asked. For a moment, intermittent snippets of something loud threatened to blow out the speaker in the phone and she quickly pulled it away from her ear. It subsided. “Drew,” she said again.
“Mina, I thought this was going to happen.” Mina thought that she could hear him sob.
“What is that?” she asked.
“They are bombing the city. The next wave is stretching right overhead now. There was no way I could have avoided this. I can see south of the river from here and most of it is flat or on fire already.”
“What are you bull-shitting about now? Do you need me to call a doctor? I think you are overdosing, you sound insane.”
“Mina, please don’t leave the line. Don’t call a doctor, it will do no good. I need you here with me. In spirit, at least. I still love you. I love you, Mina,” he said sincerely.
Mina was stunned. She never thought she would hear him say it again. Her heart gave a reminiscent pang of reciprocation. It was, however, quickly replaced with images of her own sister covering her shame. “Are you about to die, Andrew? You sound panicked. Are you about to kill yourself? Overdose? Is that why you sent Rebecca away?”
“I am, Mina, but I am not high, I am not overdosing, nor do I plan to. I am serious. -And sober. Look out your window and watch the world burn, Mina. Know that I burn for you. I love you.”
Mina placed the phone on the kitchen counter and stomped out onto the porch in her bare feet. She looked to a sky that looked overcast above the walls of the valley. The only direction she could see in for any significant distance was west and it was clear all the way to the horizon. She returned to the kitchen, the last words that Drew had said only just sinking in with a wave of anger washing over her. ‘Burn for you...’ she mouthed.
“There’s nothing, Drew. The skies are clear. I am calling a doctor to come visit you now,” she said after she had picked up the handset again. “Andrew, stay where you are, please.” An unnerving silence responded. “Drew. Drew.” The line was dead, she hadn’t noticed. Her cheeks flushed and she hung the phone up, waited for a moment and picked it up again from the wall. She dialled his home number from memory.
An electronic voice told her, “The number you have dialled has not been recognised.” She fought her growing shudders as she tried his mobile number. They were shakes of anger. The same message greeted her and she put the phone down. Her heart was pounding. Shakes of anger turned to fear. She wondered why he wasn’t there when she returned. Only serious thoughts crossed her mind. She picked up the phone again ready to retype in the number in case her quivering hands had pressed the wrong keys, but after seven numbers she realised that her phone had not even given her a dial tone. She returned the receiver and tried again. No tone. She wiggled all the cables and connections on the phone and tried one last time. No tone. Her legs gave way and she met the floor heavily.
The trees were cut back leaving the barrow open to the sky and on enough elevation to see down to the church and sprawling town around. They looked out with Leighton holding Zeke's head close to his chest.
They saw the original clump of planes, now much larger in the sky and nearing the town. In tandem, other groupings were spaced across a sky that was crossed with contrails that merged at points behind where the planes were now. At the furthest to their left they could see a more massive group inching forward, clearly with the capital in its sights.
“I thought it would be long range missiles,” Leighton said mostly to himself.
“Same,” Shannon replied.
“Subsonic bombers seem a little old school. Don't you think?”
“Yes, perhaps it's not an attack after all. Could be some other reason behind it.”
“Like what? There are better ways to scare people than waste loads of air fuel flying across Europe. In my opinion, they must be Russian. There's tension there, it makes sense.”
“Does it?” Shannon said, “What about Germans, it could be their show of allegiance to the east.”
“No. The Germans wouldn't be that easily convinced. It's a serious thing. If they are German, they are pointlessly vindictive. I think it stems from something our government has done. Induced physical retribution for sure.”
Shannon had no answer, continuing to watch the darkness of the planes grow nearer.
The pair were rooted to the spot atop the highest barrow. The town spread out below them, the church tower near the closest edge and a few of the high-rise blocks sprouted out of the estates that made up most of the town. They could see the cinema clearly, the supportive red beams that would catch the eye on any day when all eyes weren't already captivated by the sky.
“How far are we from town?” Shannon asked.
“Around two miles, more or less.”
“I hope more.”
“Same.”
“Wait.”
The rumbling became almost unnoticeable in its consistency and rhythm.
The black swarm grew rapidly, stretching itself downwards towards the city like heavy rain clouds viewed from a distance. The dimension of time stretched itself such that the harrowing sight majestically seared their me
mory in a more distinct way than could be thought possible. Fires razed up in the centre of town, a high rise toppled slowly to the ground, the church tower seemed to be pulled down from within itself. A town decimated in an instant, they were glad they were not close enough to see people within the mess. They were blessed with that. And blessed with their lives intact.
Across the sky, the sight of bomb fall repeated itself over and over.
A flash caught their eye and they both turned their heads to the left. Shannon pulled Zeke in to her chest even closer. They were fixated on the horizon where the light had come from. Slowly a cloud of dark smoke rose from the horizon line. They watched as a massive grey dome rose up, refracting the sun’s light around its edges, giving it definition and accentuating its unnatural looming pattern in the sky.
Tariq’s muscles raged with lactic acid as he reached the top of the incline. The land had started rising about four miles behind him and was getting even steeper towards the top. It was made worse by the fact that his road bike was certainly not designed for riding on roads filled with potholes and expanses of gravel. He was grateful so far that he had not gained a flat tyre and instantly damned himself for thinking of it.
He passed a few people walking as he made his ascent. He didn’t pay much notice, for if he had, he would have realised that they were all stood stock still, all facing in a single direction the way he had come from. He had spent the entire journey looking forward, in hope that he would continue cycling through to lunch with nothing to note. Then he would eat and cycle until dark with nothing to note. Then he could spend a night under the stars, get cold and cycle back home the next day, wrong, but tired. He thought this over in his head as he slowly crept his bike forward and higher.
Ousted: A thrilling debut novel of survival and humanity Page 8