by Paul Kane
Robert rubbed his neck. “I need time to think.”
As he walked off, pulling the hood over his head, Bill called out after him, “Time’s summat we don’t have. You heard what that there Mills said: the weekend. We need a plan, bloody quick.”
But Robert was already disappearing into the foliage. Bill looked like he was going to go after him, but Jack stopped him. “Ease up on him, eh, fella? Let the guy do his thinking.” Bill didn’t argue, just gave him a stern look and tramped off.
Mary watched Robert go. She’d heard Jack’s words, too, but something was nagging at her to follow. As the rest of the group went back to the fire, in preparation for the night ahead of them, they left her gazing out into the forest.
Then, once she was alone, she disappeared into it herself.
MARY SOON REGRETTED her decision. The further into the forest she went, and the darker it became, the more her imagination began to play tricks.
There was no sign of Robert. He was like a spirit who’d suddenly decided to leave this plane of existence. Mary blundered onwards, pushing back leaves and banging into tree trunks. Though she’d spent much of her life outdoors, these surroundings were alien to her – nothing like the open fields she was used to.
There was a strange noise off to her left. She looked down and found that she’d instinctively drawn her Peacekeeper.
Another sound, and Mary turned again – her gun hand shaking. She had absolutely no idea where the camp was now, and couldn’t find it again even if she tried. The light was waning and the shadows the trees cast in the moonlight made her shiver.
Crack! – off to her right, this time. She cocked the pistol, but stopped herself from firing. What if it was someone from the camp, someone who’d had the same idea? It might even be Robert, for all she knew.
Or someone else, Moo-Moo. Could be one of De Falaise’s men.
They wouldn’t be that stupid, she told him. Mary had been told about the times they’d been totally humiliated by Robert. Now that he had more men on his side – some of them the very soldiers that were sent in to catch him – they wouldn’t dare enter. Especially at night.
But are you sure? Better be sure, sis.
Mary headed in the direction of the noise. David was right. What if it was one of their enemies creeping through the forest, on a mission to kill them all? She couldn’t just let them get on with it.
“Reckon you’re part a the team, now, eh? Only bin ’ere five minutes...” Bill’s offhand comment came back to her. She barely knew these madmen living out in the back of beyond. Yet she’d felt a kinship with them from very early on; even Bill. They were banding together to fight a common foe, one that she’d had a run-in with herself. She felt a loyalty to them, even if this place was yet to feel like any sort of home.
Mary tried to be as quiet as she could, heading in the direction of a clearing. The trees were parting, offering her a view of something ahead: the thing that had been making all the noise. It looked like something out of a horror movie, dark horns, a snout: demon-like in its appearance.
She let out a gasp, startled by the shape no more than a few metres away. Her gun hand was shaking as she brought it up to aim.
There was someone beside her, at her ear – someone she hadn’t heard approaching. Someone raising her gun arm into the air and snatching the Peacekeeper from her in one quick movement. Mary looked sideways, terrified, seeing only another dark shape there.
“Ssshhh. Watch.”
The same hand that had taken the pistol from her pointed towards the clearing, at the creature now illuminated by the moonlight. It bathed the animal in its rays, uncovering it as it did so. Another gasp issued from her as she saw the stag in all its wonderful glory.
It looked towards her, fixing Mary with its ebony eyes. Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, it was gone. Still shaken, she looked again at the shadowy figure beside her. A hooded man.
“Robert?” she whispered.
“Yes.” He raised the hood and his features caught the moonlight too. “Why did you follow me, Mary?”
She shook her head, at a loss to explain it to herself, let alone him. In the end she decided to just change the subject. “What... what just happened here?”
“Couldn’t you feel it?” Robert replied.
She had felt something; the seconds slowing down to match her heartbeat, the fear of the beast and a stranger beside her, giving way to a sense of supreme tranquillity. “It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
“You almost killed it.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I almost killed it myself, once.” Robert handed her back the pistol. Then he left her side and walked into the clearing.
She watched him standing there, as he looked up at the moon. Unlike her, he was totally at home here. This was where he drew his energy from, where he felt at peace. She understood now why he’d come so deep into the forest to think.
“Who are you, Robert?” she said.
“I’ve asked myself that question a lot recently. I used to know, implicitly, who and what I was. Now...”
Mary walked over.
“Sometimes I...”
“Go on,” she encouraged.
Robert let his head fall, shaking it. “It sounds ridiculous when I say it out loud.”
“Tell me.”
“Sometimes I feel as if the forest is speaking to me. Like just now, and in my dreams.” He let out a weary laugh. “Does that make me a lunatic? Lord knows I’ve been through enough to send me crazy.”
Mary laughed herself. “I’m afraid I can’t really judge. I hear the voice of my dead brother in times of stress. Now you think I’m crazy.”
Robert turned. She could feel his gaze on her and looked away, though only for a moment.
“I guess Tate is right when he says we’ve all been through our own personal tragedies.”
“And what did you go through, Robert? What made you run away?” Mary stepped closer to him. “Joanne and Stevie, right?”
Like the stag, she was expecting him to bolt. She felt him tense, but he didn’t move. Finally, he spoke. Opened up to her, told her all about what had happened: having to watch his wife and child die, powerless to help them. Waiting to die alongside them, but being denied even that. Then he told her about the men in yellow suits, what they’d done to the house, to Max. How it had driven him almost over the edge, driven him into the heart of this place so he could wait out his life alone and be with them again. It hadn’t quite worked out that way.
Tears tracked down her face as Mary listened to Robert’s story – a tale he’d kept from the closest of his men, but which he was now revealing to her.
When he was done, she put an arm around his shoulder, pulled his head down and held him to her. He didn’t resist, but she felt him shaking as the tears came.
“It’s okay... it’s okay,” she repeated over and over. The words sounded so hollow. It wasn’t okay, nothing about what Robert had been through was. But destiny, or whatever you wanted to call it, had given him a new identity, a new purpose. Where he hadn’t been able to protect his family, he could still protect the people of this region from De Falaise. It was what he’d been doing these past few months, and it was what he had to do now as they faced their toughest challenge.
Slowly, Mary eased him back when she felt the sobbing subside. “You didn’t come out here to think at all, did you?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know exactly what to do – and your men know it too. We just have to figure out a way of doing it that’ll work.”
“Mary,” he said, wiping his cheeks, “if I didn’t think you were crazy before – I do now.”
“Then we make a good team, don’t we?” she said, quickly adding, “we all make a good team. In fact, no, we’re not a team at all...”
“No?” said Robert.
Mary shook her head. “Uh-uh. We’re a family. All right, maybe we’re a little heavy on the testosterone.” She laughed.
“But still a family. And a member of that family is missing.”
“Then there’s only one thing to do,” said Robert, pursing his lips, “isn’t there?”
She nodded.
“Yes. Mark is...” Robert paused, as if he’d just thought of something. Then, suddenly, he was taking her by the hand. “Come on, let’s get back to the camp. I have to talk to the rest of my... family.”
Mary grinned. “Lead the way, then; I wouldn’t be able to find it if I fell over it.”
He began to march off back into the forest, pulling her with him. She thought then how much stronger he looked than earlier on that day. Invigorated was the word she was looking for.
“Oh, and Mary,” he said, glancing back. “Don’t tell any of the men you saw me crying, okay?”
She laughed again, and this time Robert laughed with her.
“FUNNY KIND A thinkin’, that,” Bill said to no one in particular as Mary and Robert arrived back at the camp together. Robert looked down, realised he still had hold of Mary’s hand, and released it.
“What did I say about ridin’ Robbie?” Jack warned Bill, stomping up alongside him.
“I’m not the dirty bugger doing the ridin’,” he replied.
Mary ignored the comments as Robert called for his men to gather around. “I’ve reached a decision.”
All the men leaned forward so they could hear, with Mills on the front row.
“As you pointed out yourselves, it would be foolish to give in to the Sheriff when all he would do is carry on as he has been doing, taking what he wants from the people, ruling through fear, spreading like a disease through...” Robert stopped when the significance of what he was saying struck him. Mary placed a hand on his back to steady him and he turned to look at her. She stepped back again when she felt he was okay to speak. “The point is,” Robert went on, his voice gaining strength again, “he must be stopped. And stopped for good.”
“What are you suggesting?” asked one of the group at the back.
“He’s talking about a full-frontal assault,” Jack answered before waiting to hear what Robert had to say. “Aren’t you?”
“Not exactly. Attacking the castle head on would be suicide.” There were definite mumbles of agreement from the camp. “It’s been attempted in the past and a lot of people have died in the process. That’s why De Falaise chose the place, because it can be defended so easily.”
“Anyone entering the city would be spotted right away by lookouts,” Granger chirped up. “Then there’s that sniper on the rooftop.”
“Yes,” said Robert, “I know. That’s why I’m going to give them the one thing they want. Me.” He went on to outline his plan.
He finished, “Now, you all have your reasons for wanting De Falaise brought down. But this isn’t going to be easy, and it’s going to be extremely dangerous. So I wouldn’t force anyone to join me. That’s not my way, it’s the Sheriff’s way. But I am going in there to put a stop to this, once and for all, so any help would definitely be appreciated.” Robert looked around at his men, the people Mary had called family. He waited for someone, anyone, to say something.
“That’s probably one of the craziest, most cockamamie notions I’ve ever heard in my life.” This was Jack, who pushed the cap back on his head as he spoke. “But you can count me in, Robbie. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
“You know my feelings on the matter,” Tate then said. “I will be by your side, Robert. And I feel sure God will, too, if that means anything to you.”
Bill raised his hand. “I’ve come this far,” he said. “An’ there’s Mark to think about.”
“I’m not mad about the first bit,” Mary told him honestly, and in fact she hated it with a passion. Robert was just going to hand himself over to them, with no guarantees of his survival. When she could see he was waiting for her to say something else, she tacked on: “But you know I’ll stand by you.”
He nodded, satisfied. “Granger, how about you?”
The young man looked unsure at first. “If you’d asked me that question not long ago, I’d have said no. But being here, being a part of this... It has to be a yes, don’t it? Besides, I have a score to settle with the Frenchman.”
A show of hands was called for, and though some of the men were reluctant at first, all of them supported Robert and his idea. Mary could see the pride in him, the way he’d inspired them, brought them together. He’d set an example, as every good leader should, whether he realised it or not.
“Thank you,” he said to them. “Thank you all.”
“Mills,” asked Jack of their guest, “do you think there might be support in the villages for this?”
“I’m sure there would be. We all want the people we care about back.”
It brought it home again to Mary when he said those words that while she’d been hiding herself away from everything in the farmhouse, the world had carried on turning, people had found each other, cultivated new relationships, tried to rebuild what they’d lost – for good or for bad. It was what had happened in the forest thanks to Robert: a small, but determined band who would not bow to dictatorship.
“Then it’s settled,” Tate said. “We have until the weekend, everyone.”
A few days. Not long to properly plan what Robert had in mind.
Are you sure about this, Moo-Moo? Are you sure about him?
Mary couldn’t answer, because she didn’t know.
But something had brought her here. One thing Mary was certain of was that she still had a part to play in this story.
A very important part.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
THE DREAMSCAPE, THE arena – and a challenge now accepted.
Here, Robert and De Falaise faced off against each other. No preamble this time. No symbolic nonsense or veiled meanings, just raw hatred and a sense that this was all building to a climactic head.
Though they had never met in the flesh, they felt like they knew each other inside out. Villain and hero, though each would disagree with those descriptions, they circled each other. Stripped of weapons, they had only their hands to attack with... which they did, De Falaise coming in fast and low, Robert blocking his punches.
They fought, growing closer and closer, arms and hands a tangle, until they were at each other’s throats. Each looked into the other’s eyes, recognising the fury there, reflected back. Could one exist without the other?
De Falaise tightened his grip on the Hooded Man’s throat, and Robert did the same. They were choking the life out of each other at the same time, with the same force. At this rate they would cancel each other out.
Still they continued, both hoping that their opponent would show a chink in their armour, offer up a hint of weakness.
Who would win? Who would lose?
It was a question that would soon be answered...
SHE COULD TELL by his breathing that he was asleep. In the darkness of the small hours she listened to the sound, guttural at times as he began to snore. The very noise caused her stomach to do somersaults. She felt like she was going to be sick, in fact. And not for the first time since she arrived here.
Like all those other times, however, Gwen had fought the sensation. Fought all sensation, all feeling, all awareness. She’d made the decision very early on that if she allowed herself to be conscious of what was happening to her, she might just go stark, staring mad. Like if she thought about what had happened to Clive back in Hope, when that murderer Javier had put a bullet in his head. Gwen felt the nausea rising again, and swallowed to try and halt its progress. It was little comfort to her that the man was now being held down in the caves after failing De Falaise; as far as she was concerned, if he’d been stripped of his skin and then made to roll around in vinegar it wouldn’t begin to make up for what he had done.
Javier had handed her over to the disgusting man with yellow teeth lying by her side.
“You had better not try anything like you did with me back there. He likes his women
to be seen and not heard. Compliant, if you know what I mean, señora,” Javier had explained on the drive back to the castle.
Oh, she’d complied all right. Not because she feared what might happen to her if she didn’t – though the thought of being handed over to that animal they called Tanek far from appealed to her – but because she was biding her time until she could have her revenge.
That time had almost come, necessitated by De Falaise becoming bored with his possession.
“She is beautiful, that is not in question – it is why I have kept her around for so long, non? But it is as though she is not really here at all,” she’d heard him tell Tanek one time. “She is somewhere else entirely.”
That was true. Gwen had shut herself off, retreating to the darkest corners of her mind when the Frenchman wanted his ‘fun.’ Switching off as he dressed her up in those ridiculous costumes, while he pretended to be some kind of time traveller, an historical conqueror who’d taken over this land and its women. She’d had to pretend herself while he did this; pretend she was some place safe – with Clive.
“I’ll avenge your death,” she’d tell him. “I promise.”
“I know you will, sweetheart, I know.”
Javier would get his in time, but she was closer to the man who’d given the orders right now, the man who’d orchestrated this whole affair. She’d begin at the top and work her way down. To that end she’d waited, patiently and silently – so silent he believed that her spirit was crushed. Little realising that she was lulling him into a false sense of security.
It happened bit by bit, leaving her alone in the room for ten minutes to begin with (possibly testing her at first to see what she would do), with no guard inside or even on the door. She’d done nothing, sometimes not even moved between the time he left and the time he got back. He’d begun to spend the night with her after doing what he needed to, the exhaustion of his efforts causing him to fall asleep. Again, at first he would doze very lightly, then when nothing untoward happened he’d eventually relaxed more fully.