He went into his work shop, checked the chains and padlocks, they would do fine, he walked the five minute walk to Hawthorne with the chains and padlocks in a holdall, his pace was fast, the adrenalin flowed.
Peter answered the door and saw Tony stood there, his heart went into his mouth.
‘I think its tonight’ said Tony ‘let’s go check the place and hide these somewhere’ he added as he held up his bag, he had a big grin on his face, Peter could tell he was enjoying this.
Peter just nodded, said his goodbyes to his wife and children and the two of them walked to the top of the town towards the army huts with a determination to succeed, failure was not an option, and they soon arrived to the place where Peter said he entered Underwood.
Delyn Brown lived just a mile from the M4 motorway and despite the torrential rain she got on it quite easily, she drove cautiously but it appeared that so was everyone else, the skies were a mass of grey and looked threatening, the dark skies seemed to go on forever, she hoped it was clearer in Bristol, her adrenalin was high but she wasn’t sure that was because she had never driven in conditions like she was experiencing, or the excitement of the evening ahead, she crawled along at a snail’s pace, she had phoned her friends telling them she would be late, she wished at least one of them had offered to stay and travel with her and was quite upset when they hadn’t, she couldn’t miss out on this, Judith was her best friend, she would be there no matter how late it got, that’s what best friends do.
The overhead signs were displaying “accident” the next exit was at the Coldra roundabout, she would get off there and connect to the Severn Bridge at Magor, it would be easy, she was reasonably familiar with the area, she would get there, no matter what.
Peter and Tony stood at the top of the estate, the chains and padlocks hidden deep inside a bush on the waste ground beside the old army huts, which were to their left, no one was going to go up there, especially with a storm brewing.
‘So you say the road to Underwood is behind these trees’ said Tony pointing straight ahead into the trees,
‘This is where we were picked up, whatever is the other side of those trees can’t change, the road was here, I’m sure of it’ he paused for thought, licked his lips and then bit his tongue, he looked around, Tony’s eyes followed the same direction as his,
‘So if someone’s going to come tonight, they’re going to come here’ said Tony, he tried to recall where the entrance road to Underwood was before it changed, but the landscape had changed so many times it just boiled his mind.
‘You got any better ideas’ asked Peter, secretly wishing he had, because Peter was now thinking this was more like a childish prank.
Tony had no better ideas, in fact he thought Peters theory was quite plausible, tonight was going to be a tester, like a stake out and if they saw an opportunity to break out then they would wait for another storm and take whoever they could with them, but first somehow they would have to maim the thing in the woods and hopefully halt the three warlords of Underwood, that’s where Tony came in, they both hoped it would be long and painful deaths.
As they walked back Peter noticed that Tony had grown quiet, he normally had so much to say for himself, his silence felt uneasy to Peter, he needed someone he could trust, if he couldn’t trust Tony then where the hell would he be, he began to have a feeling of being set up and that all the people in Underwood were just the same, they were just approaching the car lot when Peter felt he had to say something,
‘You’re not going to let me down on this are you Tony’ he asked, their eyes met and Tony gave a nervous grin, Peter didn’t like it, he recognise the grin for what it was, nervousness, it didn’t show a lot of trust, he began to feel worried.
‘I’ve got something to show you’ Tony answered and made his way into the car lot, Peter followed, not expecting the answer he got but it was better than the one he feared he was going to get.
Tony opened the workshop shutter and invited Peter in, Peter was surprised to see how big the workshop was, he had never really been inside and leading off the main workshop was two smaller rooms, he led Peter into one of the smaller rooms, which was full of bookcases with old car manuals on one and on the other side, was a workbench and shelves housing hundreds of tools, Tony grabbed one end of the bookcase, he nodded to Peter to do the same, they eased the bookcase away from the wall, underneath it, on the floor was a small trap door. Peter looked at Tony questionably, Tony never said a word, he just lifted the trap door, Peter could see a thin metal ladder leading down, it reminded him of a sewer, then he thought of the drains, maybe the drains were the answer, Tony nodded for him to go down,
‘you first’ said Peter, Tony laughed, he knew Peter was not fully trusting him, he nodded to Peter and descended down the ladder, Peter followed, not liking the uncertainty of this particular journey, 10 feet later he stood on sound flooring in the pitch darkness, that was until Tony switched on the lights, Peter was expecting something dark and sinister, but it was nothing like that, for what he saw was an underground home, the room he saw was a living room, with a sofa, a chair book cases crammed with books and magazines, off that was a kitchen with a stove and cupboards and a two seater dining table, there was a further 2 rooms with double beds in and a bathroom, Peter looked astounded.
‘What is this place?’
Tony didn’t answer, he took him into the kitchen, there was a metal hatch on the wall, and Tony opened it revealing a compartment about 2 foot square,
‘There’s a false drain in the road about ten yards from the car lot’ he said ‘it’s a chute, this is their supply route, we chuck things down the drain and they pick it up here, if it’s raining, they pull this lever’ Tony demonstrated by pulling a lever in the compartment, they heard a clunking noise, ‘this diverts the rain’ he continued ‘but of course they won’t get any provisions’
Peter looked on in wonderment,
‘How did you do this ‘asked Peter?
‘It’s an old air raid shelter that I converted, I built the car lot on top of it, and you’re the only one who knows about it, so now do you think you can trust me, he gave Peter a quizzical look,
‘And who are you referring as they?’ asked Peter,
Tony closed the door and made his way towards the exit,
‘Your daughter and her friend’ he said, they closed the hatch and put the case back in its place,
‘You would do that ‘Peter asked,
‘There’s been enough butchery in this place, they stay down there until we think of a way’
They shook hands forming a bond built on mutual respect and trust.
Peter left for home on the understanding that as soon as the storm started they would meet again, both not forgetting that if this idea worked it would probably mean a new resident for Underwood, Tony just hoped that they were male and strong, that was the best chance of surviving in Underwood.
It all seemed to be going well until she got off the motorway, the Langstone road was heaving with traffic as the rain poured down and the thunder clapped, it was getting dark and Delyn thought about turning around, and missing her best friends hen do after all, but the clubs were open until 3 am, she imagined getting there at around eleven, that would still leave her four hours of partying, she could drink plenty in four hours and perhaps even more at the hotel, providing everyone wasn’t to drunk, she didn’t want to drink on her own, she smiles at herself as she thought that there was usually one or two who would be drinking all night and sleep on the way home the next day, she took the road to Magor that’s where she wanted to go, that’s where the Severn bridge was, a mile down the road and the fear was settling in, the road had turned into a lane, she swore it never done that, she thought this was always a road, never a lane, it felt dark and threatening, there was no lighting, at that time if she could have done a three point turn she would have, but the lane was to narrow, the trees frightened her as they swayed in the wind, even though the skies were dark she could see t
hey stood tall, she tried ringing her friends that she wasn’t going to get there, she knew there was a services with a travel lodge just a few miles away, she would get to there and park up for the night, no partying for her, she was crawling along thinking that soon she would be safe and warm until she saw what looked like a small river in front of her, the road was flooded and it was getting worse, she froze with fear she felt trapped, where could she go, she wanted her dad.
Both Tony and Peter met just outside the Underwood Social, it was dark and both were sure they were not seen, most of the residents were indoors, fearful of the storm, not so much the weather that it brought but most residents were wondering what scenery they would be looking at in the morning, and what was worse, would they have any new residents the next day, the creature in the woods lay hidden in its den, it could be hard for him to keep his footings sometimes when the woods spun, it was best just to lay still and see what the night brought, the three officers of Underwood, were never out on a storm night, they lay in hiding just like their creator, the rain was pouring now and despite both men having heavy raincoats they were soon soaked, they walked towards the top of the town with a determination to see it through, it might be a long night, they hoped not but they were prepared to wait and as they chained themselves to the chain link fence, with the padlocks and chains they had hidden earlier, that’s exactly what they did, wait.
There was nothing Delyn could do, she had to turn right as the water was rising at a good speed, she tried to turn on the corner to go back, but the water seemed too deep, she didn’t want to get stuck in that river that appeared to be forming, so she turned right hoping to be able to turn around and head back the way she came, or at least find some high ground so she could sit and wait the storm out, the church spooked her, the torrential downpour frightened her, the sound of thunder shook her bones and the flash of lightening lit up things she didn’t really want to see, the trees and they looked alive, she tried her phone, there was no signal but she tried to ring her dad anyway, there was no connection, she tried 999, nothing, tears streamed down her eyes as she slowly crawled up the hill, thankful that at least she was going upwards hopefully towards high ground where she could sit it out, maybe even get a signal for her phone.
It was pitch black as she drove into the lane deeper into the woods, her heart in her mouth, her hands shaking on the wheel, the rain still poured but at least the ground didn’t seem so sodden, it wasn’t cascading like a river, she couldn’t see ahead of her now, the road seemed to have disappeared, she stopped the car, her headlights appeared to be shining into the trees, she thought she might be safe here, she killed the engine, took a sip of the bottle of water that she had brought, she would have to wait, sit out the storm and access the situation when daylight came, she cursed and with a tear in her eye she settled down in her drivers seat for what was going to be a long evening.
Chapter 14
‘Why is dad out in this weather’ asked Lily as she looked out of the window watching the storm, as she said it the sky lit up and the thunder clapped, Nathan was sat on the sofa, trying to drown the noise of the storm by putting his hands over his ears, it brought back to many memories for all of them.
Eileen didn’t answer instead she went into the kitchen and clicked the kettle on, Nathan curled on the sofa, still with his hands over his ears, Eileen felt for him, Lily wanted him to man up.
‘Want a cup of tea’ Eileen asked Lily, Lily had followed her into the kitchen, ignoring the offer of tea,
‘Well’ she said ‘where is he?’ the look on her face was demanding, Eileen noticed it, put her hand on her shoulder, she glanced into the living room to make sure Nathan could not hear, he was still lying there with his ears covered, Eileen’s face frowned.
‘MAM!’
‘He’s gone with the car lot man to look at what happens to the woods during the storm’ the look on her face told Lily she was concerned,
Lily thought about it for a moment, she didn’t like her dad being out there, she wanted to be there with him, she felt safe with him,
‘He’s an idiot’ she said as the door knocked, Lily and Eileen looked at each other wondering who could be knocking at the door in this weather, they both walked to open the door,
‘Fancy some company’ said Rebecca, she was stood there with Ivy and Samuel, they had only come from next door but they looked soaked, Eileen was pleased to see them and to have some company instead of fretting about her husband on her own, she ushered them in, Samuel went into the living room to join Nathan, he seemed pleased to see him, Eileen grabbed the wine and held it up for Rebecca to see, she smiled and nodded in agreement, Lily and Ivy went upstairs to Lily’s bedroom, they sat on the bed, Lily came straight to the point,
‘My dad’s gone out to see what happens during the storm, he’s trying to find a way out’ she said in a disapproving manner,
Ivy’s eyes widened ‘it’s dangerous out there in the storm’
‘I know’ said Lily that’s why I’m sneaking out to see where he is, do you fancy it?’ she asked Ivy
‘You bet’ answered Ivy without giving it a moment’s thought’
‘It could be dangerous’ Lily told her,
Again without a moment’s thought Ivy answered,
‘Can’t be worse then what I’ve got coming for me’ and Lily thought she was probably right,
They grabbed some coats out of Lily’s wardrobe, 10 minutes later, with the two boys playing games in the living room and the two mothers sat at the kitchen table with a bottle of red, Lily and Ivy found themselves out on the streets in the pouring rain, fearless and determined.
The two men chained to the fence could feel the wind picking up and the trees shaking as if they were going to up root themselves, the two men glanced at each other and embraced themselves, hoping beyond hope they would find some sort of answer to the fate of Underwood, then they saw something that they never thought they would see, the landscape around Underwood, the landscape that consisted of only trees began to move, slowly at first, it reminded them of a merry go round, they were stood in the middle as the apparatus spun, but they weren’t in the middle, they were close to the edge, they just hoped the chains would keep them there.
The chains were around their waist and were strong and sturdy, but both Tony and Peter could feel the force behind them, as the storm tried to push them into the tree’s, the chains were digging into them, the keys were left in the padlocks in case they had to open them quickly, but neither man would do that, neither wanted to head into the trees, it was far more powerful than they ever imagined, it was then that Peter believed that this place was not of this earth, there was no feeling like this when he entered Underwood, they had just woken up and there it was, he prayed there was no one on the other side tonight.
Lily and Ivy were walking up Waltwood, at that moment a fair distance away from the trees, but they could feel the wind as they struggled to walk, they grasped each other’s hands tightly as they proceeded, then they could see the trees in the distance start to move and for a moment the two girls stood still in fear as the trees picked up speed and the wind grew stronger, pulling them, pulling them towards the trees, just ahead of them they could see a house with a brick wall at the side, they forced themselves against the wind and manage to snuggle up against the wall, it sheltered them considerably against the wind and both girls gasped a sigh of relief, they huddled together, there body’s soaked to the skin.
‘We wait for it to calm a bit, then we go on’ said Ivy,
‘Thank you’ replied Lily, they huddled closer together,
‘About time this place found a bit of bollacks’ Ivy said and both girls laughed until the tears mixed with the rain.
Meanwhile Steve Duce was sat in his home in Elm, his mini bus parked up outside his home, he would stay awake during the storm. For he knew as soon as it was over, it was his job to pick up whatever it was the storm may have brought, when he did pick people up, a lot of the time they were gl
ad to see him, but they had been caught in the storm and was not aware of their destiny, it was just his job to deliver them to that destiny, it was a good job, he sort of liked it, and he liked the No.64 bus that went with it, he hoped there would be a new resident today, it always made the new sheriff happy and he would always be well rewarded, he loved the summer storms, they were the best, there would be no homemade beer for him tonight, he had to remain sober and as he puffed on his cigarette he sat back in his armchair and thought of his rewards.
Delyn Brown closed her eyes and tried to doze, she had tried her phone again but the signal was completely lost, she didn’t want to look into the trees that surrounded her, she wondered if there any predators in there, she shivered as she quickly took the thought from her mind, she couldn’t remember being this scared before, she wasn’t sure whether she could reverse back down the road when it became daylight, if she couldn’t her plan was to walk down until she found a signal, then she would call her dad, her dad will help her.
Underwood Page 14