The End of Everything | Book 8 | The End of Everything

by Artinian, Christopher

  “We’re going to have to start thinking about the next stage of our plan.”

  “I told you, we’re going to head to the farm, get—”

  “I don’t mean that. We’re going to have to find a vehicle.”

  Wren thought for a while. “Well, we do what we did when we were with Lizzy.”

  Robyn stopped walking. “We’re way past all the villages, and I’m pretty certain they’d been stripped of everything useful anyway. The only thing ahead of us is Inverness.”

  “It’s not like we’ve got a lot of options, is it? We either go cross-country, avoid Inverness completely, and hope we can pick something up on the other side or we head to the outskirts and find ourselves a vehicle.”

  “No way are we going into that city. That is mental. It was bad enough when I had to drive over the bridge flat out in a van. If you think I’m heading in there on foot, even to the outskirts, you’re crazy.”

  “Okay, okay, calm down. We’ll do it the hard way.”

  They continued along the road until finally the long bridge leading to Inverness centre appeared in front of them.

  “I can’t believe you were seriously talking about us heading into that place.”

  “I used to go in there all the time by myself.”

  Robyn pointed to a hill on the other side of the city. “Me and Mila used to camp there. We’d play cards and look for any signs of life. She never let me give up, but all we saw was dead people … lots and lots of dead people.”

  “I left for Safe Haven that first winter.”

  “Yeah, well, Mila and me were locked up that winter. It was only after the thaw that we managed to get up here.”

  “Lousy timing, I suppose.”

  “Yeah.”

  They walked for a couple of hundred metres more, and Wren veered off the road. “We’re here.”

  “Here, where?”

  “This is the way to the farm,” Wren said, squeezing through a gap in the overgrown hedge at the top.

  “Err … I was expecting it to have a road or a track at least. What kind of a farm is this?”

  “It’s got a track; it’s just more direct this way if you’re on foot.” Wolf followed her, and finally Robyn slid through as well, careful not to get her bow and quivers snagged.

  They cut across the field, then through another hedge, until the huge equipment shed came into sight. Beyond that lay the white farmhouse.

  “And you were here for how long by yourself?”

  “A while, and I wasn’t by myself, I had Wolf to keep me company, didn’t I, boy?” Wren said, bending down and stroking his head.

  They carried on further towards the farmyard, and, on cue, Robyn’s stomach rumbled loudly in anticipation of breakfast.

  “S’cuse us.”

  “I made sure there was enough for a few days in the bug-out bag, so no scoffing it all at once.”

  “What you got in there?”

  “Baked beans, kidney beans, peas—”

  “Oh God. Forget a car, we can sew a couple of curtains together and make our own hot air balloon if that’s what we’re going to be eating.”

  “Yeah well, if you don’t like it, you know what you can do, don’t you? And FYI, if you’re going to stick your middle finger up at me, make sure you’re not casting a shadow that I can see, dimwit.”

  “Screw—”

  “Well, well, well, what have we got here?” asked a man in his early twenties, stepping out of the house with a scythe resting on his shoulder.

  chapter 5

  Wren immediately grabbed hold of Wolf’s collar as he started growling. More men and women filed out behind the scythe man. “Run, Bobbi!” Wren screamed, turning to flee, but it was too late. Each exit from the small farmyard was cut off. They had obviously seen Wren and Robyn from a distance then just waited to spring the trap. “Oh God, what have I done?” she muttered underneath her breath.

  “You brought my dog back,” the man said with a wide grin on his face.

  It was only then that Wren understood who these people were. “You … you were the ones in that block of flats on the outskirts of the city. You were the ones who burnt the library down, who kidnapped Wolf.” She raised her crossbow.

  “Now that wouldn’t be very smart, would it?” Wolf started barking. “Brick! Brick! Get out here.”

  Two thugs who were standing in the doorway parted as a teenager with a bowl haircut stepped out into the yard. He had a collar and lead around his neck, and he walked straight up to the pretty young red-haired woman by the side of the gang leader. As Wren looked, she could see the boy had all sorts of facial tics; in addition, his hands contorted and his fingers tapped invisible keyboards. “It’s okay, Tommy, don’t worry,” the young woman said.

  The scythe man viciously grabbed the woman by the hair and Tommy’s face creased into one of tortured anguish as a nasal moan started to rise from the back of his throat. “I told you, his name is Brick. If you go calling him Tommy all the time, he’s just going to get confused, isn’t he?” Some of the others laughed.

  “I’m sorry, Jax. Please, I’m sorry,” she cried as he gradually pulled her hair tighter before relinquishing his rough grip, nearly making her lose her balance.

  “Now get his lead off, and go put it on my dog,” the man said, looking towards Wren. “You don’t listen too good, do you? I told you to put your bow down.”

  “Actually, you didn’t. You told me shooting you wouldn’t be very smart, but given my choices, what have I got to lose?”

  The cocksure smile left his face for a moment, but then it was back, wider than ever. “That night you came to steel my dog, you caused me a lot of problems. You put two of my people out of action for over a week. Now we’re going to need some compensation. We’re going to start with taking my dog back.” The young woman unhooked the leash from around Tommy’s neck and slowly the distressed moan from the back of his throat abated. She offered it to Jax. “What do you expect me to do with that? Go put it on the dog and bring him over here.”

  Robyn remained silent as she stood back to back with her sister. When Wren had told her to run, she’d turned, only to see half a dozen figures sprinting from around the back of the house, and taking up positions with various weapons to block any escape. Another seven had done the same thing on the other side, and with Jax were five more, including the boy, Tommy, and the girl, judging by the similar complexion and eye colour, Tommy’s sister. Robyn carefully surveyed Jax’s army. Most carried knives or bludgeons of some description. One had a machete, but the armaments were meagre at best. “Keep cool,” Robyn whispered to her sister.

  “Anybody comes near my dog, and you’re getting a bolt right through your fun stick. I know it will be like aiming at a baby snail, but trust me, I’m a good shot.”

  “Nice … nice work. Way to keep it cool,” Robyn whispered.

  Jax reached across and pulled Tommy in front of him as a human shield. “Nooo!” screamed the girl, running towards them both. Jax lashed out with the back of his hand, smashing her on the side of the head before grabbing the scruff of Tommy’s neck once more. The young woman let out a pained yelp and staggered back, holding the side of her face. Tommy immediately started moaning again. His fingers began moving faster and faster and his face twitched and spasmed more than ever.

  “Now, this is what’s going to happen. You’re going to give me my dog. You’re going to lay your weapons down. Nice swords, by the way,” he said, looking towards Robyn properly for the first time. “My guys could do with some quality weapons. Then you’re going to—”

  “What happened to your guns? The last time I saw you, you had all sorts of—”

  “You don’t get to ask any questions. You get to do as I say, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll live through this.” He let go of Tommy, and his arm shot out, grabbing hold of the young woman he had struck. He pulled her towards him, then in front, using her as a shield now. “Y’see, Ruby here. She caused us problems at first, but now we
all live together like one big happy family. Her, me, Brick, all of us. Now, two good-looking girls like you, I’m sure lots of my lads, and who knows, maybe even some of my ladies, will be fighting for your attention. But first things first. You put your weapons down, you give me my dog, and we’ll take it from there.”

  Wren had the crossbow trained on Jax’s forehead, but he was moving a lot and it would be easy for her shot to go astray and hit Ruby instead. “Some man you are, hiding behind a girl.”

  “Just a little insurance to make sure you don’t do anything stupid.”

  Wolf’s growl had been constant ever since the confrontation had begun, and now he was tugging on his collar with real force. He did not understand the words, but he understood these people meant them harm. “Man, I’ve heard some men who love the sound of their own voice, but you’re in a league of your own,” Robyn said, turning a little so she could see Jax but not too much that the guards could rush her without warning.

  “Now, I know your little girlfriend here, we’ve had dealings in the past, but I’ve not had the pleasure of meeting you. What, are you like the guy in this relationship? You carry the swords in place of something else, do you?” Jax laughed, and sniggers rippled all around the farmyard.

  “Hey, you’re really funny. I’m guessing you kept everyone laughing in your remedial reading class,” Robyn said.

  “Funny bitch, aren’t you?” he said as the smile vanished from his face.

  “This is my sister, you little stain, and you’re going to get your pathetic bunch of wannabe gangbangers to stand down and let us walk out of here, otherwise this is going to be the worst day of your life.”

  “Bobbi!” Wren hissed. “What the hell are you doing?”

  Jax started laughing again, and this time it was not a ripple of polite laughs that travelled around the farmyard but echoing belly laughs. “Stupid me,” he eventually replied as he regained control. “There I was thinking we had the upper hand, it being seventeen to two and all, but all this time, it was you.”

  Seventeen—the girl’s definitely out of the equation, she’s probably going to take Tommy and run when it all kicks off. So, that leaves seven one way, six another and just four in front of the house. The front door was still wide open behind Jax. There was one tough-looking woman to his right who was carrying what looked like a piece of lead piping and two weedy sycophants either side of the door. One was holding a cricket bat, another carried a hunting knife.

  “Let go of Wolf,” Robyn whispered.

  “What?”

  “NOW!” By the time Robyn shouted, she was already one stride into her run. Wren let go of Wolf’s collar more from shock than intent. The German Shepherd tore towards Jax, who, like everyone else, for the moment was frozen in a state of bewilderment. He had intended to enjoy himself a little longer, lording it over his captives, before getting his henchmen and women to seize them. An attack was not something he had even thought possible. What kind of mental cases would even think about attacking?

  Robyn withdrew both swords from the crisscrossed scabbards on her back as she ran. The blades flashed in the sun, finally dragging Wren from her mesmerised languor. She started her charge too, raising her pistol crossbow and firing at the butch woman wielding the lead pipe. The bolt disappeared into the woman’s stomach, and the look of surprise on her face almost matched Wren’s. When it had begun, Wren had not known how this confrontation was going to conclude, but she didn’t think they would be the ones making the first move. As Wren’s victim collapsed forward, Ruby rallied, pulling herself free from Jax’s grip and grabbing hold of Tommy. For a second, Jax thought about trying to drag her back, but thought better of it, instead focussing his attention on the sword-wielding maniac making a beeline towards him.

  Wren could hear feet start to pound as the rest of Jax’s gang commenced their charge, but they were not important. One thing at a time. She plucked another bolt from her pocket as Jax brought the scythe up, ready to impale Robyn. Wren pulled back the self-cocking lever and was about to load, all the while running as fast as she could, when a howl that made Tommy’s seem like nothing more than a lullaby echoed around the farmyard. Everyone hit the pause button for just a frame as Wolf clamped his jaws around Jax’s crotch. The ferocious canine jerked his head back with a mouth full of bloody denim, and God only knew what else.

  The scythe dropped to the floor as did Jax. He continued to yowl and cry as he cupped both hands around his groin. Robyn adjusted her course slightly; she had been heading towards the kingpin, but now that he’d been neutralised, and very possibly neutered into the bargain, she turned her attention to his two right-hand men who were advancing unenthusiastically towards her. Ruby continued to drag Tommy towards the door. All the shocked teenager could say now, over and over, was, “He’ll need ointment on that; he’ll need ointment on that.”

  It would have been funny if the terrifying and very real threat of capture was not looming ever closer. Jax’s two sidekicks lunged at Robyn in unison. The cricket bat came down towards her, but she deftly parried it with her left sword while thrusting towards the knifeman with her right. Her blade disappeared into his stomach just below the ribcage, and the cricketer, now completely off balance due to the momentum of the swing, almost stumbled into Robyn head first. With his nose just inches away from her face, she brought her head back then banged it forward as if she was in the mosh pit at an AC/DC gig. There was a sudden explosion of blood, and her face and his became covered in an instant. His cry of shock and pain did not drown out that of his leader, who was still rolling around on the floor in disbelief, agony and horror. The cricketer dropped the bat and brought his hands up to his face, but his broken and bloody nose was the last of his worries, literally. He did not feel the blade enter his heart, and a split second later, his skull cracked open on the concrete.

  Robyn brought up one of her swords to finish off Jax but then thought better of it. She waited until Wren had guided Wolf through the open front door then almost dived in behind them, slamming it shut and sliding the bolt across. Within a couple of seconds, thunderous clattering began, and Robyn saw fast-moving shadows dance across the walls.

  “Wren, I’ll cover these windows, you take the rest,” Robyn ordered.

  Wren slipped the rucksack from her shoulders, pulled out the second crossbow and loaded that too, then waited for the next wave of the attack. This place had once been her home, but virtually all the furniture had been taken back to Safe Haven. The thick oak kitchen cupboards, the sink and the black range remained, but other than that, it was little more than a shell.

  A nasal moan began at the back of Tommy’s throat again, and he started to rock back and forth as the tension in the cottage intensified. Two kitchen windows were smashed as someone else continued to boot at the door. Four figures, two at each window, piled through the openings and for a brief second Robyn was torn by indecision. The familiar whistle of a pair of bolts removed choice from the equation, and the two figures closest to her collapsed forward. She leapt across to the other opening as the sound of breaking windows at the rear of the house rang out.

  Wolf barked loudly and started down the hallway. “No, boy!” Wren ordered as she reloaded her weapons. Before the other two home invaders could even place their feet on the carpet, Robyn whipped down her blades; one man went silent and flopped forward. The second let out a wall-trembling cry, and a third pair of arms appeared, dragging the dead gang member out of the way. Robyn stabbed the screamer again then raised her other sword and sliced it across the third man’s face.

  “Aaaggghhh!” Blood sprayed, and he staggered backwards out of the picture as quickly as he had appeared.

  “Nooo!” Ruby cried. Another pair of figures had begun to climb through the window nearest to her and she had started to pound at them with her fists, jumping back each time they flashed a knife in her direction.

  Further bolts flew, but these were down the hall as more gang members made their entry into the house. A st
ifled cry followed by loud thuds told Robyn that her sister had chalked up another two bad guys. Suddenly, Ruby fell backwards as the assailants she was battling finally gained entry. One lunged, clumsily falling onto the ground, and before he knew what had happened, Wolf was on top of him, viciously taking chunks out of his arm, but the other made a more adept arrival, landing on his feet and upright too. He grabbed Tommy, whose nasal scream soared to new heights. Robyn paused for a second, unsure how to proceed. She heard someone else trying to access the window behind her, and she knew any decision she made had to come quick, or it would all be over.

  “Aaarrrggghhh!” She charged, screaming at the top of her voice. In that instant, it was hard to tell who looked more terrified, Tommy or his captor, but it worked. Tommy’s wild, jerky movements became so exaggerated that the man holding him lost his grip. Tommy curled into a ball right there, and the man just stood, not quite sure what to do. Robyn kicked out hard with her left leg. The sole of her boot landed squarely in the man’s chest, and he was catapulted backwards. Wolf unclenched his jaws and ran to the side as the human cannonball landed squarely on top of his bloody counterpart.

  Robyn sidestepped the flinching, figure on the ground and before the invaders had the chance to gather themselves, she finished them off with ugly but efficient stabs. She turned to see Wren firing two more bolts down the hallway, and the other gang member who had scrambled through the window, leaping towards her with a spiteful look in his eyes.

  The sound of tyres screeching as a car sped away made the attacker pause for just long enough for Wren to catch sight of his threatening shadow. She sidestepped, and he went crashing into the wall. She dropped her bows, immediately realising there was no chance to reload. Instead she retrieved the hunting knife from her belt, only then noticing that her assailant was wielding a machete. It made her blade look like a toy in comparison. He turned to her, clutching the handle of the weapon tightly in his fist. A searing intensity and hatred adorned his face, and a sudden chill ran down Wren’s spine. She could hear her sister coming towards them; she could hear Wolf’s angry barks but knew she didn’t have that long. Wren thrust her knife towards his stomach, hoping her sheer speed would be the thing to win the battle, but as his left hand clamped around her wrist, stopping her attack before it had begun, she knew this fight was already over.