Survivors of the Sun

by Kingslie, Mia

  Unbelievably Ruby was suddenly next to her, standing to her full height, her eyes blazing. ‘My good man, this is unacceptable, you…,’ but Ruby did not finish what she was going to say, because without wavering his gun, the lieutenant yelled, ‘get that old woman out of here,’ and Corporal Davidson had grabbed her roughly and was pushing her out of the door. Georgia saw her go down on the gravel pathway and as she began to struggle to her feet, the Corporal shoved her down again, shouting at her to stay down, and this time Ruby lay still.

  Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Jamie, his eyes wide and round with terror and shock, his shoulders flexing unconsciously. Josh did not make a sound, nor did not struggle, his expression totally passive. He seemed to have shut down, his eyes staring blankly into space. Georgia stared in horror as they dragged him to his feet, not believing what she was seeing, this was not happening.

  Suddenly Lola made to grab at Corporal Stevens, clutching at his sleeve, trying to pull him off Josh. ‘You can’t do this,’ she screamed, ‘this is lynching!’

  Without a word he backhanded her across the face, Lola staggered in shock and Deedee began to cry.

  ‘Stop it,’ Georgia screamed at Wilson, ‘you can’t just hang someone because you think they might be guilty. What about his civil rights?’

  ‘Don’t you talk to me about his civil rights,’ Wilson said, rounding on her. His face twisted with fury. ‘This bastard,’ he said, aiming a kick at him, ‘helped murder a child, then cooked and ate him. What about the civil rights of that child?’

  ‘But he didn’t do it, I can vouch for him, we all can,’ she said trying to keep her voice calm, when you have to scream you’ve already lost the argument. Pleading now, she went on, ‘I admit he is not my son, but he has been with us nearly two weeks now. The men you are looking for attacked him as well and…,’

  ‘You can vouch for nothing ma’am,’ Wilson said coldly, ‘you have already shown yourself to be a very convincing liar. Just count yourself lucky that I am a lenient man. Anyone else would have shot the lot of you for harboring a criminal. But you are not getting away with it, soon as we are done here, you are coming with us.’

  ‘Do you really think we would protect someone that murdered children, that….’

  ‘You can’t do that,’ Rebecca screamed suddenly,

  Georgia dragged her eyes away from Wilson’s face and found to her horror that they already had a noose around Josh’s neck, and now they were forcing him up onto the dresser. Then Corporal Stevens had the rope sailing through the air and over the rafter, the other man catching the end easily. They must have brought the rope with them, Georgia thought dully, as together they began pulling in the slack. It was all done with a speed and proficiency that was as terrifying as it was telling.

  Georgia turned to Wilson, ‘I’m begging you, please, please don’t do this. Her voice was shrill and desperate. Time was running out. ‘Oh my God, this can’t be happening,’ she screamed. ‘What sort of monsters are you?’ Any moment now, they would tie the rope down and then drag the dresser away and Josh would…,

  ‘Please don’t do this,’ she was sobbing now, despair tearing through her. Ant was squirming in her bag, barking. Behind her Deedee was crying, Lola and Rebecca were both screaming, ‘don’t do this, don’t do this.’

  ‘Shut up, all of you, or I’ll hang the lot of you.’ The lieutenant roared. Then Millie was leaping up between her and Wilson, doing her silly Millie dance. For a moment Wilson lost his concentration, kicking out at Millie. Weirdly, not savage kicks that you would expect from a man in the midst of overseeing the hanging of an innocent youth, but one just trying to keep her from jumping up on him. And in the same moment Georgia registered that both the Corporals had their weapons slung over their shoulders.

  She was obviously not the only one that had noticed this, because all of a sudden, Rebecca was running at Stevens, an unearthly sound coming from her mouth. Her arms raised above her head, with what looked like a four by two in her hands, her hair streaming out behind her. Stevens still had his back turned to her, but hearing the ungodly sound began to turn, just as the four by two struck him with a furious force across the forehead, sending blood spattering in all directions. There was a sound like an eggshell breaking and then Lola was on him, her skinning knife glinting in her hand, and then Georgia saw the knife no more, as Lola buried it into his throat.

  Georgia turned back to Wilson just as he was bringing his gun up, aiming at Rebecca. She threw herself at him, knocking him backwards against the wall, and then they were on the floor, fighting; each of them fighting for their life, fighting for possession of the gun. She was vaguely aware of Jamie screaming ‘now, now, now.’ Then Wilson began to gain the upper hand on the gun, and Georgia knew this was one fight she was losing.

  ‘Fuck,’ she screamed, ‘keep still,’ she did not even realize she had said this aloud, but that was what she was thinking. Then gambling everything, she abruptly let go of her grip on the metal barrel of the gun. In one movement, using all the strength she could muster she curled her fingers into a fist, thinking, ‘thumb out, thumb out,’ and with the weight of her upper body behind it, she smashed it into his jaw.

  His head flew backwards upon the impact and made a satisfying sound as it slammed against the door frame, and her fingers seemed to crumple into his face. Blood and spittle flew from his mouth and she screamed in agony, unbearable pain shooting through her hand. Pain that made her furious beyond, bringing a white mist of rage upon her that she had never experienced before and she smashed her agonized fist into him again and again, and then she had her hands on the gun and she smashed that too into his face, so enraged that she didn’t even realize that he was no longer moving.

  There were hands upon her shoulders pulling her back. ‘He’s dead,’ Jamie said. ‘You don’t have to hit him anymore,’ and then Deedee was taking the bloodied gun from her bloodied hands and the screaming that had been in her head seemed to fade away.

  She reached down to grab Wilson’s legs to pull him away from the wall, but he appeared stuck. His shirt or something caught on a nail only it wasn’t his shirt. She understood now why he hadn’t fought back after her first punch. His head had gone back onto an exposed nail.

  She staggered backwards, staring round the room, Lola and Rebecca had cut the rope and were helping Josh down. Stevens lay face down, making horrible gurgling noises, clearly he was still alive, but not for long judging by the blood that pooled across the floor, oddly black in the lamplight. The other man, David or Davidson, she couldn’t remember, it had been something like that anyway, was dead as well, pinned upright against the barn wall, by the arrows that had killed him. Stevens stopped gurgling and now the only sound in the room was a quiet pat, pat, pat, as blood, already beginning to congeal oozed along the arrows and dripped onto the floor.

  Josh was coughing, his hands at his throat as he staggered away from Lola and Rebecca and threw up in a corner.

  ‘Oh Mother of God,’ Georgia whispered as she scooped Ant into her arms, holding her close as she stared at the scene before her, her face felt numb with shock. She couldn’t even remember dropping her. She became aware of her racing pulse. There was so much blood. It looked like a slaughter house. Rebecca stood, breathing heavily, her hands limp by her side, her glasses, face and arms spattered with blood. Lola had gone over to Josh, her hand on his back as he bent over retching, murmuring something to him.

  In the midst of all this a small voice called out to them. ‘Would it be alright if I got up now?’ It was Ruby. Jamie hurried over to her.

  Then Georgia found her voice. ‘Guys,’ Georgia said, ‘we have to get out of here.’ For a moment no one moved, they all seemed to be taking in the carnage that lay around the room, as though only just noticing it, as though they had no part in it; the expression on their faces, changing from blankness to stark shock, to realization of the gravity of their situation.

  ‘We have to hide the bodies,’ Lola said, her tone
that of someone coming out of a deep sleep.

  For a moment Georgia considered this. How long were these men expected to be away for. How long did a hanging normally take? Were they expected back shortly, were men even now being dispatched to see what was taking them so long?

  ‘I don’t know, we don’t have time. We need to go now, no matter how well we hide them, we can’t clean up this…, this…,’ she couldn’t go on.

  ‘We could take the bodies with us,’ Deedee suggested,

  ‘No way,’ Rebecca said.

  ‘Well, we could,’ she continued, ‘and put them in the boot of a car on the freeway. They’d never find them.’

  ‘That might actually be a good idea,’ Lola said, ‘and if we kick the dirt up around here, they just might not…,’

  ‘No,’ Jamie said, ‘Georgia’s right, we don’t have time.’

  ‘And there’s no way we can load up the Spyder with anymore,’ Josh added.

  Georgia stared out into the darkness, as the others argued behind her. ‘Shit!’ she exclaimed.

  ‘What?’ Lola asked, anxiety in her voice.

  ‘The barn door is open.’

  ‘Yeah it is and what of it?’

  Georgia turned slowly towards the others. ‘The barn door is open, and it is lit up in here, like Macy’s at Christmas, the soldiers probably have binoculars and…,’

  Lola’s face seemed to go slack as she realized what Georgia was saying. The others would have been able to see exactly what was happening up here!

  As one they moved then, grabbing the bedding and their weapons, and running to the workshop door, yanking it along its oiled runners and sliding it fully open. Then they were inside.

  Thank God they still had it loaded up. ‘Thank God, Thank God,’ Georgia kept repeating as dogs were thrust willy-nilly onto the trailer and Josh hoisted Ruby unceremoniously up onto the swing seat.

  Frantically they steered the Spyder outside and up the track, everyone pushing. Then they were on the road, barely visible in the pitch blackness of the night. They heard shouts behind them. Lola, Rebecca and Deedee were scrambling aboard and Jamie practically threw himself onto his seat.

  ‘Jesus hurry,’ Josh yelled, as he leapt onto one of the bikes. Georgia ran round to the other bike. Her foot slipping as she began to peddle, she cursed and then her feet were firm and they were moving. Ever so slowly it seemed, but they were moving. Behind them the shouts had grown loader, and whistles were being blown and they heard the sound of many boots pounding up the hill.

  ‘They have nearly reached the workshop,’ Rebecca yelled, absolute terror in her voice.

  ‘Stop or we will shoot,’ came a cry behind them.

  ‘Like hell we will,’ Georgia screamed in her mind, as they picked up speed, peddling as fast as their legs would allow. Every sense alert as they reached the top of the hill and then, oh thank God, they were over. Behind them, they heard a volley of fire, echoing wildly across the valley.

  ‘Don’t brake whatever you do,’ Josh shouted as the wind whistled in her ears and her stomach suddenly seemed to be floating in space and they went tearing down the hill at seemingly terrifying speeds.

  All of a sudden there was a dark shadow on the road ahead of them.

  ‘Car!’ Georgia screamed, and somehow, she never understood how, they missed it and went round it and on into the night, away from the Jenkins place.

  Chapter Seventy Two

  Georgia had no idea how long they kept up that terrifying pace, swerving past abandoned vehicles, with the rising half-moon constantly disappearing behind passing clouds. The three of them struggling to see which way the road twisted and turned ahead of them. Their hearts racing from fear and exertion as they pumped their legs up and down, hoping that as the pedals whirled round they were putting more distance between themselves and the Ozark Free Army.

  As they neared each intersection they had to quickly decide which way to go, not daring to slow down. No time to stop and find the map. In her agitated state, Georgia could not remember any of the road names, and the others had never known them. In fact, none of them had the slightest idea where they were, or which direction to take. So it was no small miracle that they actually found the freeway, and did so in one piece.

  As they zoomed up and onto the overpass, Josh, still peddling furiously, cried out, ‘which way, which way do we go?’ panic clear in his voice. On both sides of the overpass, roads curled downwards, connecting to the freeway and offering so many alternatives.

  ‘I haven’t a clue,’ Georgia panted, but we’ve got no choice, we are going to have to stop and find out where the hell we are, and get the directions from my back pack.’

  ‘You don’t have them handy?’ Josh asked, panic now mingled with disbelief.

  ‘I didn’t think we were leaving until….’

  ‘There’s a sign,’ Jamie interrupted urgently, tapping Georgia’s shoulder and pointing a little way ahead of them to where it loomed out of the darkness.

  They drew up next to it and came to a stop and it was as though a switch had been thrown. Everyone started talking at once. Rebecca was asking why they had stopped, Ruby wanted to know if her curlers had been left behind, Deedee was insisting she be allowed to go and pee and Lola was holding out water bottles, asking if any of them wanted a drink. Even the Bostons were making a racket, wanting to be picked up and let down to explore.

  Georgia climbed off the bike with legs that trembled, trying to ignore the bruised feeling of her inner thighs and buttocks as she reached out for a proffered water bottle. She badly needed a drink. Her t-shirt was clammy, soaked through with sweat, and her throat was as dry as a dead dingo. ‘Everyone be quiet,’ she hissed. Then as they fell silent, the dogs included, she said, ‘just listen.’

  Turning back the way they had come, she cocked her head, cupping her ears and concentrating intently. But try as she might, she could not hear any of the sounds that she was dreading, that they were all dreading; sounds of horses being ridden hard, their rhythmic hoof beats, and low-pitched nickering, and the slapping of jean clad thighs on leather. No distant shriek of whistles carrying on the breeze, or muted murmur of male voices. Just silence. The night was still, eerily so, with just a light wind whispering amongst the leaves in the tree tops.

  ‘I can’t hear anything,’ Josh said, ‘how about you?’

  ‘No, nothing.’ Georgia agreed, uncapping her bottle of water, then adding, ‘we might have gained a little time then,’

  Badger made to jump out of the trailer and Georgia caught her mid leap, nearly spilling water as she handed her over to Rebecca.

  ‘Try to keep them under control,’ she said, ‘we might not have time to go looking for them if they take off.’

  ‘So can I go to the toilet now?’ Deedee asked, as Georgia pulled her backpack free from the pile, and unzipped the back pocket.

  ‘Yes, but go behind the Spyder,’ she said, somewhat distractedly as she desperately flicked through the pages of the map book looking for the carefully detailed route she had written out. It had to be here somewhere! But it was nowhere to be found. They didn’t have time to look for it now, all they needed was the route number and then they could go.

  Georgia burnt her fingers several times trying to read the map book by the aid of her lighter, everyone crowding around her, to prevent the tiny flickering light being seen.

  ‘Okay, I have it, we need to get onto US-54 W.’ She straightened up, sucking her burnt finger, as she handed the map book over to Lola for safe keeping. ‘So we need to go that way,’ she said, pointing to their right.

  ‘But I thought we had to go east?’ Lola said, as Georgia gave Ant a quick chuck under her chin, murmuring, ‘who’s my little squidgums?’

  ‘We do, but we have to stick to the freeway for now, and unfortunately, it is not a straight line.’

  ‘Well if you are sure,’ Lola said, sounding more than a little doubtful.

  ‘She’s sure,’ Jamie said.

  ‘Yeah, she
is,’ Josh agreed, as he climbed back onto his bike. ‘Come on, less chit chat, and more action, we got to go.’

  Georgia did a quick head count. All seven people and three dogs accounted for, and where they were meant to be. Then they were off once more. As tired as she, Jamie and Josh were, they were spurred on by the vision of as many as three hundred men on horseback riding up behind them.

  Georgia cursed herself for telling the lieutenant that they were headed for Marion. Yes it had been a deliberate lie, but Marion was still in the same direction that they were taking. She should have given the name of any other town, in the opposite direction. But he was dead now, and hopefully he hadn’t had time to pass on that salient piece of information to anyone else.

  Georgia concentrated on the road ahead, making sure she kept pace with Josh, ready to follow his every move, in steering, or braking or gear shifts. Not allowing tiredness to get in the way. Their lives were depending on it, but she had to admit to herself, that if it hadn’t been so absolutely terrifying, with the added fear of being overtaken, the ride would have been exhilarating. It had been so long since she had felt the rush of wind in her hair, that sense of speed as they ate up the miles.

  The freeway, once the lifeblood of a civilization was now dark, silent and empty. The ghostly ribbon of asphalt stretched before them, disappearing in the distance as it was swallowed up by the obscurity of ever changing shadows.

  They were doing this! The Spyder was holding up, and they had still not been caught. Despite her overwhelming relief, she felt an unexpected stab of desolation at the stillness and isolation of their surroundings. A feeling of emptiness seemed to engulf her, tightening her throat, and bringing tears to her eyes.

  She had a sudden flash of longing for the bright lights and loud music of a nightclub, or a trendy bar. The crush of humanity on a Friday night as people jostled and laughed, drank and danced, into the early hours. An urgent need for the smell of spilt beer and cigarette smoke, intermingled with expensive perfumes and aftershaves; for a time when amusement and entertainment had been foremost in everyone’s minds. She so wanted all that, and all that it represented, not this lonely stretch of road. Not this constant battle for survival.