Fallback (The Adventures of Eric and Ursula Book 3)

by A. D. Winch

  Breakfast was good, and Eric made sure he ate it all. He had a feeling that he would not get any more food for the rest of the day.

  The corridor was not the most comfortable place to spend time, but Eric decided he needed to see what would happen if he stayed beside the door leading out of the cellblock.

  During the morning, the door remained shut. Over lunch, no one entered and during the afternoon he continued to be left alone. Daylight shone from his room’s window through the open doorway and into the corridor. As the day dragged on, Eric watched the sunlight move across the corridor wall and get thinner and thinner. When it eventually disappeared, he knew that evening had come. The time had also come for him to leave the corridor. He needed the toilet and didn’t think going where he stood would be a good idea.

  Eric walked away feeling pleased with himself and went into the toilet. When he came out, he was fully expecting to have company and was not disappointed.

  Doctor Noel was waiting outside his room with a tray of food.

  “I brought you your dinner,” said Doctor Noel warmly. “How about we go into your room?”

  Eric opened the door and went in. He sat at a wheeled table near to his bed, and Doctor Noel put his food down.

  “Meatloaf, and it smells delicious,” Doctor Noel said and sat on Eric’s bed.

  The meatloaf did smell good, and Eric began to eat. He was starving from his day patrolling the corridor.

  “You’re hungry, have you been working out in the gym?”

  Eric shook his head. Mémé appeared in his thoughts, and he waited for his mouth to be empty before replying, “No one came to give me lunch today.”

  Doctor Noel’s look of surprise was too quick in Eric’s opinion.

  “I’m shocked, Eric. I know the base is busy at the moment, but you are recovering, and you need your food to get back to full health. I am very sorry,” he paused briefly and then asked, “how are you feeling?”

  The meatloaf was tasty, and Eric did not reply immediately. It also gave him time to think of the best response.

  “I am feeling much better. I am just starting to feel a bit bored in here.”

  Doctor Noel looked pleased, “That’s great news. It means that you must almost be recovered, and we can discharge you soon.”

  The reply surprised Eric, but he tried not to show it.

  “Why do you say that?” he asked.

  “Once someone is fed up with being in hospital that usually means they are well enough to leave. Tomorrow afternoon, I will come back and run some tests on you to see how you are doing. If they are positive, we’ll move you out. No one wants to keep you locked up down here.”

  Eric could not work out if ‘locked up’ was the wrong choice of words or if Doctor Noel had used them deliberately.

  Before he had time to ask, Doctor Noel wished Eric good night and left him to finish his meal. Their conversation had surprised Eric but had left him feeling more optimistic and made him doubt that he was a prisoner after all.

  The next day, Doctor Noel returned. He made Eric undress to his underwear and gave him a thorough examination. Electrodes were attached to his chest, blood samples were taken, his breathing was monitored and his brain activity was recorded.

  “I’ll take all these into the lab and come back tomorrow with the results.”

  Tomorrow came and went, but Eric did not see Doctor Noel. Nurse Gomez explained that there had been an emergency and Doctor Noel would be away for a few days. When Eric asked if someone else could bring his results, Nurse Gomez replied that it wasn’t possible.

  While Eric had been on the medication, he knew he had been more patient, more polite and happier. He also knew that it wasn’t him. The drugs had turned him into some softer version of himself and, now he was able to see that, he hated it.

  This version of himself would have greeted Nurse Gomez’s news without complaint. The soft Eric would have smiled and then made a comment about how hard Doctor Noel works. This was not the real Eric. The real Eric took the news silently, nodded and seethed inside.

  When he had first arrived at the Prague Anglo-International School, other children had invited Eric to their houses to play.

  “You can come tomorrow,” they had said, but tomorrow never came.

  His feelings had been hurt, but instead of showing this he had asked them if they wanted to come to his house.

  “Next week,” they replied, but when the next week came they were always too busy or had other things to do.

  The memories angered Eric, and he could feel his fists clenching. The thought of growing up without any real friends, made him more determined to get out and find Ursula, Andrea, Alexander and the Benjamins. It saddened him to admit it, but they were the only 'friends' he had, and he wanted to start afresh with all of them.

  Eric spent the rest of the day in the gym working off his anger and formulating a plan. By the evening, he was covered in sweat but he knew what he was going to do. After he had showered, Nurse Gomez arrived with his dinner. They talked briefly but when she looked as if she was about to leave, Eric jumped up.

  “Let me get the door for you,” Eric offered kindly and pulled it open for her.

  Nurse Gomez thanked him and walked down the corridor towards the cellblock door.

  Eric stayed in his doorway. He waved Nurse Gomez down the corridor.

  “See you tomorrow,” he said, but he stayed in his doorway. This was the first time he had not been in a room when someone had left him.

  The cellblock door did not open. Nurse Gomez stood in front of it and waited.

  “Bye,” said Eric jovially but did not move.

  The door remained closed, and Nurse Gomez shifted on her feet uncomfortably.

  “Looks like the door is broken,” laughed Eric. “You can sleep in my bed. I’ll sleep in my chair.”

  Nurse Gomez smiled at him nervously and turned back to face the door. She banged on it with her fist, but it remained closed.

  “Eric,” she began, “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me. I’m sure that they have just been distracted by something. You go into your room and eat your chicken stew before it gets cold.”

  “Are you sure?” asked Eric.

  “Yes, go, go, go!”

  Eric walked back into his room but kept his door ajar. The sound of the cellblock door opening echoed down the corridor. Eric stepped out of his room just as Nurse Gomez disappeared.

  Another victory, thought Eric. What were the words Nurse Gomez had foolishly used, ‘I’m sure they have just been distracted.’

  So, he was being watched. This wasn’t a surprise, but it was good to have confirmation. Things were coming together.

  He glanced at the air vents above his head before returning to his dinner

  After he had finished his stew, he sat back in his chair and said out loud, “That was delicious. I do miss pork though. I don’t think I’ve had it since being here. I wonder if I’ll get bacon for breakfast one morning.”

  Back to Contents

  ***

  Chapter 3 – Escape

  The next morning, Eric woke up feeling refreshed and excited. Today was not going to be like every other day since he had arrived here.

  Wherever 'here' is, he thought to himself and smiled. Today he would find out.

  Eric got up and put on his clothes. He moved towards his table; sat down and waited like a model patient.

  A few minutes later, Nurse Gomez arrived. She set the food down on his table and sat on his bed.

  “Bacon!” exclaimed Eric, looking at his plate, “and pork sausages and fried eggs. What a surprise and what a great start to the day!”

  “I’m glad you like it,” said Nurse Gomez.

  They chatted while Eric ate. He was animated, and Nurse Gomez was genuinely enjoying his company. Just before Eric placed the last morsel in his mouth, he pointed at the window and said, “Beautiful day.”

  When Nurse Gomez turned away from him, Eric slid the metal fork up h
is sleeve.

  “Yes,” she replied.

  “I’d love to go outside,” he added and moved towards the bed.

  “When Doctor Noel returns and gives you the all clear, he’ll let you.”

  Eric sat down beside Nurse Gomez, put his arm around her and rested his head on her shoulder.

  “But, I’d love to go outside today.”

  “Well, I don’t have permission to let that happen, sweetie,” replied Nurse Gomez, stroking his head.

  Eric slid the fork out from under his sleeve and held it under Nurse Gomez’s armpit.

  “You are nice to me,” Eric began, “and I am sorry.”

  Nurse Gomez looked confused, “Sorry for what?”

  Eric softly took hold of the hand she had placed on his head and put it on his knee. He placed his hand on top and then gripped her fingers so she couldn’t free it.

  “Eric, you’re hurting me,” winced Nurse Gomez as she struggled.

  It was then that Eric pushed the fork into her armpit. He increased the pressure until he felt that he could puncture her skin if he pushed anymore.

  “I really am sorry,” apologised Eric, “but I have to get out of here, and you are going to help me.”

  Nurse Gomez tried to struggle, but she was surprised at Eric’s strength and his apparent determination.

  “Please don’t fight me,” Eric asked calmly. “You could bleed to death from being stabbed in the armpit or I could puncture your lung. Please believe me, I don’t want to do either of these things.”

  “Then move the fork away,” Nurse Gomez urged. “We can talk about this.”

  “If I do that, I won’t get what I want and I want to go outside. We are going to stand up and walk towards the door. You will open it for me and then we will walk down the corridor to the cellblock door. Do you understand?”

  “You don’t want to do this, Eric, please,” said Nurse Gomez desperately.

  “You’re right. I don’t want to do it, but I have no choice.”

  “No,” said Nurse Gomez shaking her head. “You don’t understand. You don’t want to do this.”

  “No, you don’t understand,” he replied forcefully. “You’re not the one who has to spend every day down here; looking at the same walls, going into the same rooms and never once going outside. Today, that is going to change. Come on, let’s go.”

  They both stood up, and Eric held Nurse Gomez tightly against him, ramming the fork further into her until she opened the door. They walked down the corridor, and Eric noted that she looked up, pleadingly, at the air vents.

  I was right, he thought, that’s where the cameras are.

  They stopped in front of the cellblock door. It didn’t move. Eric had assumed this would happen. In a sudden movement, he pulled the fork from under her armpit and dug it into her neck where he thought the jugular vein would be. He tried to look mean and determined. It wasn’t difficult. The truth was that he was committed to escape, but he was not going to stab Nurse Gomez.

  He made sure that they were directly under an air vent and then he looked up. He hoped the people watching the camera footage would not call his bluff.

  Eric pushed the fork into her neck until the skin was about to break.

  “You have five seconds to open the door,” Eric shouted. “One, two, three, four,” he began to sweat. If they chose to keep the door shut, his plan was finished. “Five!”

  The door opened automatically, and Eric shuffled through it. He held Nurse Gomez close and made sure that she shielded him. They were in a corridor again, but the walls were not painted, there were no doorways and Eric shivered in the cold.

  “Show me where to go,” Eric ordered, “and I’ll let you go.”

  Nurse Gomez walked on, but Eric held the fork to her neck. Her shoes echoed in the corridor, but there was no other sound. They reached a heavy-looking door. This time a key could be heard turning in the lock and then the door opened. Eric pushed Nurse Gomez through first but kept his body against hers.

  A soldier stood to one side. He held a revolver in his hand and was pointing it at Eric.

  “You don’t want to do this,” the soldier told him.

  Eric ignored him and pushed Nurse Gomez forward towards some concrete steps.

  “I said, you don’t want to do this,” the soldier repeated and made sure Eric heard as he released the gun’s safety catch.

  He won’t shoot me, Eric thought. If they wanted to kill me, they would have done so already. They need me for something. He won’t shoot me, he won’t shoot me!

  The first bullet exploded into the roof, showering them with dust and plaster. The sudden noise was deafening.

  He won’t shoot me! He won’t shoot me!

  The second shot hit the top step. Cheap concrete flew into the air, and shards tore Eric’s jeans.

  He won’t shoot me! He won’t shoot me!

  At the top of the stairs was a wooden door.

  “Open it,” Eric said, growing in confidence.

  Nurse Gomez turned the door handle, and they walked outside. Eric looked up and relaxed for a second. It was a glorious sunny day, and the sky was icy blue with white clouds moving quickly across it. A chilly breeze blew around him, and he could smell the sea. For the first time in a long while, he felt alive again. He could have stood like this for hours, but a noise brought him back to earth. He pulled Nurse Gomez away from the doorway and made sure his back was against the cellblock’s outer wall. The soldier came out, looked at Eric and shook his head.

  “We have a situation down at the infirmary,” said the soldier into a radio on his shoulder. “Requesting assistance.”

  “We are aware of the situation. Assistance already on the way,” came the reply.

  “Give it up,” the soldier told Eric. “You don’t wanna hurt no one.”

  Eric did not reply. He had no desire to get into a discussion with someone and lose his focus. It was hard enough with Nurse Gomez wriggling in front of him. Even so, the soldier had been right about one thing. He did not want to hurt her.

  To settle Nurse Gomez down, he increased the pressure on the fork and whispered in her ear to stop moving. She obeyed, and Eric was able to concentrate on where he was.

  In front of him were a few trees, including palms. Beyond them, Eric could make out a tall wall with barbed wire strewn along the top. As he inched along, he felt rough sand under his trainers and on glancing down saw that it was the same dusty red as the wall he was pressed against.

  Eric looked away from the door to his left. A drainpipe hung haphazardly against the wall, and he edged towards it. Nurse Gomez reluctantly moved with him.

  Behind one of the buildings nearby, an angry voice barked an order, and Eric heard the sound of marching coming closer. A unit of six soldiers came round the corner and immediately fanned out in front of him. Each one was fully kitted up in desert fatigues and held a semi-automatic weapon. They were all pointing in his direction.

  Eric wondered why they would carry such guns for him. He had already proven that they would not shoot him - the guard in the cellblock with the revolver had shown that. However, these soldiers were giving the impression that they were not cut from the same cloth. He sensed that they were eager to shoot and were waiting for an order. As Eric looked around the arc, he felt as if he was facing a firing squad.

  I don’t understand how this is protecting me, Eric wondered. If I am a target for someone else, why aren’t they surrounding me and pointing their weapons the other way.

  “Wait!” shouted Doctor Noel breathlessly as he sprinted towards them. “Don’t shoot!”

  The soldiers did not lower their weapons, even when Doctor Noel stood between them and Eric.

  “Eric, what are you doing? You’ll get yourself killed!”

  “By whom?” shouted Eric. “Them or someone else?”

  Nurse Gomez tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but Eric pulled her closer.

  “Does it matter who?” asked Doctor Noel, trying to get his
breath back.

  “Yes. Am I a prisoner or am I being protected?” Eric shouted.

  “You’re being kept inside for your own protection.”

  “From whom? Them?”

  “No, not them,” replied Doctor Noel angrily.

  “Then tell them to drop their weapons!”

  Doctor Noel faced the soldier nearest to him, “Can you please order your men to lower their weapons, Sergeant?”

  The Sergeant kept his gaze firmly on Eric as he replied, “I can’t do that, Doctor. Lieutenant Gomez’s life is at risk.”

  He pointed his gun briefly towards Nurse Gomez in case Doctor Noel was unsure.

  “Eric, drop the fork and let Nurse Gomez go! Then they’ll lower their weapons.”

  “How about they lower their weapons, and I’ll let her go?”

  Doctor Noel faced the Sergeant again, but he knew it was pointless asking. He turned back towards Eric and walked towards him.

  “Eric, you’re putting Nurse Gomez’s life at risk, and your own. They aren’t going to lower their weapons. You are an intelligent, young man; you should understand this.” He was five metres from Eric. “Let her go and we can talk.” He was three metres away. “We can go back inside where we are safe and discuss this.”

  At one metre from Eric, he stopped. “I will count to three. On three, please let her go.”

  Eric nodded, “You know I wasn’t going to hurt her, don’t you?”

  “Yes, Eric, I know,” he held his arms wide as if waiting for a hug. “Now I’ll start counting – one, two…”

  On two, Eric threw Nurse Gomez at Doctor Noel and kicked at the sandy ground. Dust flew into the air as Nurse Gomez and Doctor Noel fell towards the arc of soldiers and collapsed in a heap. In the confusion, Eric shimmied up the drainpipe like a monkey. As he had expected, no one shot at him.

  The roof was three floors above the ground and gave him good views of his surroundings. This was exactly what he had hoped for. There was a forest of scrubby trees around the base and in the distance Eric could see a town. He could make out minarets and sandy coloured buildings but nothing more. Beyond the town was the dark blue of the sea. White rolling waves approached the land and crashed against the shore. Eric watched longingly.