by Peter Repton
Moving through to the changing area, now silent and deserted, David checked to make sure he was alone. Then he tried one of the locker doors. It was locked shut. He tried several more with the same result then left the building. He returned a few minutes later with a two-foot length of steel piping. On a large industrial plant, you don’t have to look far to find some scrap metal.
Forcing open the small padlock that secured a locker door, David rummaged inside. He realised this was the second criminal act he committed in the space of just two hours, both involving the use of a lever to force a lock.
He found a pale blue denim jacket and a shirt inside this locker that fit him pretty good. But the trousers it contained were much too big around the waist. The guy who owned them must have been eating too many of the canteens delicious meat pies. David took an electric razor from the top of this locker, forcing open the next one. He took a pair of black-rimmed protective safety glasses. Some rubber soled boots that fit him well from this second locker, David then forced open a third. He got the knack of this now this one provided the desired pair of trousers. They fit him around the waist but were a little long in the legs. He turned them up, finishing off with a peaked baseball cap.
Stripping off his clothes, now dried out a little, David stepped in front of a large mirror fixed over a washbasin, looking at his appearance. He first noticed the haunted, mad look that was prevalent in his pale green eyes. Heavy dark shadows were present due to a lack of sleep. David’s light brown, thick wavy hair looked darker than normal, as it was still damp from the rain. He used the trimmer attachment on the electric razor running the buzzing machine right up to the side of his head, over the top removing a mass of hair. He continued this exercise until he shaved his head completely bald.
David then moved into the shower block after shaving off all his stubble. Now feeling safe and secure in the middle of the massive steel making complex, David treated himself to a long soak in the steaming hot shower. After towelling himself dry, he wrapped the damp towel around his waist.
After snapping off the protective clear plastic side plates on the pair of safety glasses he put them on, followed by the baseball cap. Looking at his altered image in the mirror, David allowed himself a slight smile. Even his wife Sarah would not recognise him now. He moved away from the mirror getting dressed in his stolen clothes. The only item he still possessed from his arrival was his wallet. Then he finally left the workers welfare just after midnight.
David headed north past two noisy rolling mills coming across some busy railway sidings. A variety of trains arrived then departed to unknown destinations with their different cargoes. David discovered some large rail wagons with huge sliding doors on the front. Opening one of them, he found they contained large coils of steel wire rod. Slipping into the waggon, he closed the door behind him. Sitting in one corner, he just settled down when the carriage lurched forward, moving off to the East. It contained a secret stowaway now embarking on a journey into the unknown.
Tuesday morning at 4.30 am the freight train slowed as it approached its destination. It clattered over many sets of points that guided it towards the docks. There its cargo of steel wire rod would get unloaded being shipped over to distant continents. This commotion roused David from a deep dreamless sleep. The fatigue he endured over the previous few days now taking its toll. The combination of a good meal combined with the rhythmic rocking of the train made his eyelids droop. He fell fast asleep.
Hours passed, waking up with a start in the darkness of the freight train. Not knowing the location, David broke out into a cold sweat. His befuddled, sleep drunk mind, remembered the chase of the previous evening. The train halted, David stood up, noting as he did so, how much his leg muscles ached from all the hard running.
Sliding open one of the heavy steel doors a fraction. He peered out of the carriage to see where the train was now. Then two feet from his face another train rumbled past. When it passed, laden with its cargo of coal in open-topped wagons, David could see the loading terminal of a large unknown port.
Huge dockyard cranes moved alongside large ocean-going ships. These ships moored up against massive concrete docks transferred all manner of goods. Far off to the left, David saw one of these giant cranes lift a huge metal container off a parked heavy goods vehicle. It was rolling along rails running parallel to the dock, with its noisy diesel engine roaring, belching out thick black smoke.
The crane deposited its load with precision on the deck of a container ship. David noted that this ship with seventy or so similar containers stacked on its deck. This ship sat deep in the water. Almost down to the red line that was prominent along its dark blue hull. This line denoted the maximum permissible safe load it could carry under navigation law.
Even from this distance in the thin, pale light of a grey dawn. David could see the crane driver aloft in his cab suspended under the huge boom gripping the container below him. When the crane driver started another run to unload the next truck in the line, David jumped out of the waggon, his refuge for the night. Moving alongside the train, in what he assumed was an easterly direction as this was where the sky was brightening in anticipation of the rising sun.
David came upon stack after stack of the red painted containers in storage areas. They filled his field of vision in all directions but one. Over to the West about six or seven miles away, David could see a huge flare stack belching out flames. It burnt off excess gas from a massive oil refinery dominating part of the horizon. He also saw a gigantic oil tanker sat deep in the water moving up the river to the refineries Wharf beyond. There another giant ship was already unloading its precious cargo of crude oil.
David slept for about four hours yet was only about twenty-five miles away from where he boarded. He assumed the train must have stopped somewhere in sidings during the night while he slept. The distant complex of pipes and storage tanks he recognised as Killingholme oil refinery, one of the largest in Europe.
Not knowing the best way to get out of the docks complex. David watched which direction the unloaded trucks left. Reasoning that they must be leaving the port to go to collect new cargo from somewhere, he made his way out of the port by following the trucks.
He found the exit and noticed that the security guards on duty. They seemed interested in people and vehicles entering the site. They checked these thoroughly, but only glanced at any vehicles leaving, only then if they were laden with goods. He reasoned they were vigilant for would-be terrorists or thieves up to no good. So David just sauntered out of the main gates.
He gave a cheery wave to one of the guards who glanced over at him out of the security office window. This uniformed man gave him the nod in response and resumed reading his morning newspaper. The headline was about the dreadful murder of a young pregnant nurse, committed in another part of the same county. It contained a photograph of a man the police wanted to interview in connection with their investigation. The security guard was oblivious this man just passed through his checkpoint moments before.
Leaving the deep-water port of Immingham behind, David walked along the coast road towards the small town of Immingham itself. There on the roadside he found a cafe which opened early in the morning. They captured trade from workers who visited the nearby newsagent shop to buy newspapers and cigarettes on the way to and from work on the docks. This cafe sold cooked breakfasts plus a range of fresh sandwiches.
David purchased a hot toasted bacon sandwich and a cup of tea. He sat down to eat on one of a pair of wooden tables covered with bright tablecloths. He was in a corner amongst some large potted Yucca plants. Soon afterwards a tall, beefy lorry driver wearing a stained white flat cap came into the cafe. He ordered a cup of coffee. The new arrival sat down at the next table to David, giving him a friendly grin as he did so. Sipping his steaming mug of coffee, the driver tried to strike up a conversation by saying,
‘It’s a lovely morning, nice and bright for a change.’ David noticed his broad Geordie dialect. The man wa
s from the North East.
‘It is, and very pleasant too after all this bloody rain!’ David agreed with him.
‘I know it makes you wonder when it’s going to stop. I came down the A1 yesterday from Newcastle I’ve never seen driving conditions like it. I dropped my load off at the docks then got my head for a few hours. Now I am going to pick a return load up from the nearby docks in Grimsby then get myself away back home.’
David immediately warmed to the big man from the north-east. David liked the sweet twang to his voice, and he responded.
‘Yes, it must be difficult driving long distances in this weather. I do a fair amount of mileage myself; it’s tiring.’
‘Aye, you can say that again. The bosses don’t care, though. We still get paid the same if we are knackered or not. I reckon we should get some danger money for driving in weather like this. Sure I do.’
‘You say you are going into Grimsby?’ David inquired with interest, quickly changing the subject.
‘Aye, that’s right. Just one load to pick up then that’s it for me today,’ the driver affirmed.
‘Could you give me a lift? You see the guy I usually get a lift home with stayed on working overtime. I have just missed the docks bus into Grimsby.’ David made up the lie feeling a twinge of guilt about doing so.
‘Of course I can mate no problem at all. I’ll just finish my coffee then we’ll be off.’ The friendly driver dropped David off at a roundabout. It was near the Grimsby docks on the outskirts of the North East Lincolnshire fishing town. David decided to walk down to the docks and looking across the harbour he saw a rusty trawler moored up not far from an orange powerful tug. The Grimsby fishing industry had suffered so much since entering the European Union with them imposing ridiculously low quotas on how much fish could be landed and the town had suffered ever since. The trawler was preparing to tow out some wind farm components into the North Sea. David, looking up saw a strange aircraft flying overhead with a big disk looking like a mushroom mounted on its fuselage.
The aircraft passed over noisily and flew south. David the enjoyed the long stroll into the centre over the marina bridge on this bright sunny May morning. The walk gave him the opportunity to think about what he would have to do next. After much deliberation, he decided to find lodgings in the vicinity of the Town. Then he could implement the next stage of his plans.
David walked for a couple of miles along the main road, past the old local football ground. He came into Cleethorpes, a small but popular east coast holiday resort. David reasoned at this early time of the season; he would have no trouble in finding vacancies. There were many guest houses and small cheap hotels that lined the seafront.
David was correct in his assumptions. Looking at several guest houses, he finally chose one run by a sweet old widow with a bright twinkle in her eyes. He assumed must be well into her seventies. This old lady employed two other staff for the summer months to assist her with the cooking and the cleaning. The cleaner was a young nineteen-year-old blonde female university student. She seemed grateful for the break in her studies, keen to spend a few months at the seaside. The other a redhead aged twenty-seven who did the cooking, most of the shopping and other errands. It was a simple bed and breakfast arrangement, nothing fancy. It suited David’s needs adequately.
The sweet old lady told him that her name was Dorothy, but he should call her Dot. She showed him to his room then asked him with some curiosity where his luggage was. This query caught him off balance for a moment. Once again his lightning quick mind came to the rescue. He told her he was visiting an old friend who lived nearby. He said they just had their third child in four years. Space at their home was limited, so he decided to stay at a boarding house. Padding his story out a little more, he said he had left all his clothes at their house while he found some accommodation. He would fetch them later in the day. The old dear seemed satisfied with this. She hobbled away back downstairs leaving him in his cramped surroundings.
Within minutes of the old widow’s departure, David felt alone. During the severe stress of the last few days, there was no time to relax. Apart from when he ate in the steelworks canteen. Now he was completely alone once more in this strange environment. David thought about his lovely wife Sarah, worried sick and alone. David moaned out aloud. ‘What the hell has happened to me?’
14
Of all the great gifts bestowed upon him so far in his life. The sweet love of his beautiful wife Sarah was by far the most treasured. He adored her more now after twelve years of marriage than he did when they first met in medical school. David’s greatest joy was also the profound knowledge, beyond any doubts, that she also loved him in the same way.
They always shared the same interests, the same wacky sense of humour. They possessed the precious ability to sail through the difficult times that all couples face in a prolonged, successful, and happy marriage.
The only problem in their marriage was Sarah’s inability to have children due to a problem with her uterus. She suffered two early miscarriages. They considered adoption at length before dismissing the idea, resigning to cherishing each other’s company.
Another thorn in David’s side over the years was the continuous stream of admiring men. The type that could never seem to be able to resist making a pass at his gorgeous wife, this sometimes happened even when he was present.
David got into more than a few fights in the early days of their courtship. Then he was quite possessive and jealous of these unwanted attentions. He remembered now, in the solitude of his room, how in a bold bid to capture Sarah’s love just for himself. He proposed to her one evening when they were speaking on the telephone to each other.
‘Hey Sarah, do you fancy being a missus?’ he asked in an attempt at sounding casual.
‘Being missus what?’ Sarah replied.
‘Being missus David Kempston that’s what! Will you marry me, Sarah?’ David asked, hoping that she would not laugh at his impassioned request. He knew on the face of it must seem ridiculous to her as they were dating for a little over six weeks.
‘Have you been drinking David?’ Sarah replied, taken aback by his question wondering if he was serious.
‘No, I haven’t been drinking,’ he said.
‘I mean it, Sarah. I want you to be my wife forever.’ David chose these words of love, reciting them with heartfelt sincerity. Then tension filled his entire chest making him feel as if his lungs would burst any second. There followed a deadly silence that seemed to last for an eternity at the other end of the phone. He convinced himself that he might just have blown his chances big time. She was now surely trying to think of a gentle way of turning him down.
‘Yes, I would like to be missus David Kempston I love you so much too!’ Sarah’s soft, tearful response came at long last. David felt a sudden rush of adrenaline such as he never experienced before. His whole body charged with a million volts of electricity, a wave of euphoria consumed him.
‘Well thank God for that! I thought I would have to get that lousy bus home from your house every night forever!’ Joking now, feeling blissful with absolute delight at her acceptance. Sarah laughed too at his light-hearted excuse for getting married. She knew that he was a sensitive man and just how difficult it was to ask her to be his wife.
They got engaged the next week, without any engagement party or fuss whatsoever. Travelling by train to the city of Leeds they chose engagement and wedding rings at the same time. They set a date for their big day in early January. Some relatives made malicious remarks to anyone who would listen, including;
“That marriage is doomed to failure.”
“I bet it won’t last for more than six months.”
“Marry in haste, repent at your leisure,” the old bitches predicted.
David reflected now, all alone in his bed-sit, upon just how wrong they were. Their marriage turned out to be the envy of everyone. He knew no other couple sharing a closer, more loving relationship than he enjoyed with his Sarah.
That was why David took the extreme risk of trying to see her the previous night. He knew that the police were looking for him. But he wanted so much to see her to assure her that he still loved her. David understood how upset she would be after he failed to return last Thursday night. Despite the risks of capture that faced him. He felt the intense desire to tell her exactly what happened to him. He always confided his innermost thoughts and deepest secrets to her in the past. David did feel the need for his wife Sarah’s company much more now than at any other time. He longed to have his lovely life back. To the time before this unending nightmare first started. He remembered kissing her as came home last week.
David arrived home from a typical outpatient’s appointments day at the hospital clinic. He consulted a variety of people with different degrees of kidney failure. Some had yet to develop any symptoms at all. But if they showed a family history of renal problems they were monitored each year for signs of deterioration. Some already manifested the first signs that included raised blood pressure. They were prescribed anti-hypertension tablets to lower their blood pressure. The medication would slow down the damage caused to their kidneys.
Many others were already receiving some form of dialysis. Two of David’s patients recently received a successful transplant. They made good progress, enjoying their new lease of life. He was content with his work as his passion was in helping others. On a personal note, he had recently bought himself a new Mercedes-Benz.
He was also planning a trip to China with his lovely wife as an adventure holiday soon. Later that evening they watched some television. They enjoyed a pleasant supper with a nice bottle of white Oyster Bay wine, made love and fell asleep.
In his dreams that night he saw rolling surf crashing onto black sand beaches. The setting displayed a spectacular backdrop of a beautiful mountain. The summit obscured by clouds. He watched several attractive young women with long black hair adorned with flowers. They were wearing grass skirts, bright blouses and garlands of flowers around their necks. They danced their way across the dark sandy beach.