A couple of days ago, they had searched every caravan on site.
Fortunately there were no Runners.
It appeared that everybody had fled and there wasn't a soul left behind. They managed to find scraps of food, drinks and some clothes, but most people that had left the site had packed up and tried to take everything, food and clothing, with them. However, Gordon and Joan’s caravan seemed to have clothes.
Lloyd cleared his throat and said, “Junior, I need to talk to you about something.”
“Oh?” The teenager looked over at his dad. “What is it?”
Lloyd flashed Marvin a look and gave a flick of the head, telling Marvin to leave the caravan so that he could speak to Junior in private. He needed to explain why he and Marvin needed to go out.
Marvin slowly stood up and went for the door.
He shut the door behind him and sat on the step, smiling as he heard the raised and protesting voice of his nephew.
Marvin giggled as he could hear Junior almost in tears. Marvin shook his head at his nephew’s behaviour. “Fucking pussy,” Marvin snickered to himself. “I swear if that was my son I’d fucking disown the cunt.”
Chapter Four
After eating some scraps from the cupboard, including crisps and a few chocolate biscuits, washed down with tea, Gordon and Joan decided to sit outside on the steps that led up to the caravan. They spent minutes talking about their past, and Joan admitted that she was kind of glad that her partner wasn't around anymore to see the world, or at least the UK, the way it was.
“So what's your plans after they get this thing under control?” Gordon asked her.
“Plans?” Joan tittered. “After what I've witnessed over the last couple of weeks, I'm not making any plans. Is there a point?”
“I suppose you have to try and keep positive,” said Gordon. “I'd like to go back to Gretna once this thing is all done and dusted. Not too sure my job will still be there when I return,” Gordon tried to joke, turned to Joan and could see she was a little emotional. He continued to speak, “I don't know how it'll work, you know, the government trying to get businesses up and running again. Sometimes I think about the hospitals and other emergency services and—”
“Gordon,” Joan interrupted. “Please ... shut the fuck up.”
Gordon Burns smiled and took no offence from his telling off. Joan was upset and he was waffling. No wonder she snapped.
Gordon looked around the site and could see it was the way it had been for the last few days: barren and quiet.
He took a side-glance at Joan and could see water forming in her eyes. He decided to stand up, make himself scarce and give her some time to herself, but the three Dickinsons stepping out of their place and heading towards Gordon and Joan put a stop to this.
Joan wiped her eyes as she had now clocked the three males making the short walk over, and cleared her throat.
“Morning, losers,” was Marvin's greeting.
Neither Gordon nor Joan responded.
“Hey, guys,” Lloyd spoke up. He had his arm around his teenage boy. “How're we doing?”
“Good.” Gordon nodded. “We're doing good.”
“Me and Marvin were talking. That trip we talked about... We're gonna do it right now.”
“Okay. Is it still you and Marvin that are going?” Gordon gulped. “I'm definitely up for it, if you want me on board.”
“I think two's enough, man. And I’m sticking with the plan that it’s just me and Marvin. I hope that’s okay.”
“So me and Joan are on babysitting duty?”
“Hey, fuck you,” Junior stepped in. “I don't need a babysitter.”
“Yes, you fucking do!” Gordon snapped, taking Junior by surprise.
A squabble broke out between Gordon and Junior and Lloyd asked for calm, whilst Marvin stood back and watched with a wide smile on his face, enjoying the show.
The quarrelling died down and Lloyd said with exasperation in his tone, “Right, now that you both have shut the fuck up, I'm gonna tell you what’s going to happen. You guys are going to stay put.” Lloyd pointed at Gordon and Joan. “Not because you're both useless, but because of a few reasons.”
Gordon sighed, “And what reasons would they be?”
“Firstly, we need as much room as we can get with the jeep to put potential supplies in there, so the less passengers the better. I’m taking Marvin with me because if I leave him here with either you two,” again he pointed at Gordon and Joan, “I dread to think what could happen.” Lloyd glared at both Gordon and Joan. “You hate him, I get it. I know he hasn’t done himself any favours the way he has behaved, but we need to work together to survive, man.”
“Me and Joan could go instead,” Gordon suggested. “If anything happens to you, then Junior will be an orphan.”
“No, I'm going.” Lloyd was adamant and appeared to be grinding his teeth with anger.
“So you're saying that you and Marvin would do a better job than me and Joan, is that it?”
“Look, man, I don't wanna start an argument, okay?” Lloyd rubbed his hands up and down his face, growing tired of the discussion. “But me and Marvin have bigger balls than the pair of you.”
“Charming.” Gordon walked away and went back to the caravan, hearing Marvin sniggering in the background, leaving Joan alone to face the three Dickinsons.
“Sorry, Joan.” Lloyd held his hands up. “That didn't come out the way I wanted it to.”
“Maybe you should go and see how he is,” Marvin snickered at Joan and put his hands in his pocket. “Maybe a quick gobble or even a quick knee trembler will calm him down.”
“You're so sad, aren't you?” Joan sighed.
“What’s going on?” asked Lloyd.
“Those two are fucking,” said Marvin. “She's opening her legs for that weedy cunt and doesn't have the decency to share it about.”
“Fuck off!”
“Yep. While we're in our caravan on a night, those two are at it like rabbits. She's probably already sucked him dry, dirty cunt.”
“Pathetic little man,” she mumbled.
Joan should have walked away but didn't. Walking away would have meant that he had got to her and she didn't want to give him the satisfaction.
“Just leave it, man,” Lloyd said, trying to keep control of his older brother without having to physically touch him. “We need to go soon.”
Marvin ignored his brother and glared at Joan. “I bet you take it up the arse as well, don't you? I bet Gordon has already got his brownie badge.”
“At least it's better than fucking a female Runner.” Joan smiled and could see Marvin's face turn to anger.
“What's she talking about?” said Lloyd.
“Nothing,” Marvin huffed. “She's just a cunt.”
Joan remained tight-lipped. Even if she did tell Lloyd about what Gordon had seen, he probably wouldn't believe her and Marvin would no doubt deny it. It’s the reason why Gordon had kept his mouth shut.
Marvin stepped forward, towards Joan, but she never flinched when he approached her. Ignoring protests from Lloyd, Marvin leaned over and whispered in Joan's ear, “Last night I heard you both at it. I was standing outside your bedroom window, wanking off. I think I actually came when he did.”
Joan took a step back, face aghast, and palmed Marvin under the chin. He fell to the floor, shocked, blood running down his chin. He had bitten his bottom lip, but luckily nothing was broken, and Lloyd and Junior stayed quiet and stared in shock.
Clearly embarrassed and angry, he turned and spat to the floor. “You fucking slag!”
“You asked for it,” she said calmly. “Now that's two women that have put you on your arse in a week. Not great for your reputation.”
Marvin knew she was referring to Kelly who had put Marvin down when they were in the woods, when they first met.
“Kelly got lucky,” he scoffed.
“Bollocks.”
“And just look what happened to her afterwards.�
�
“You are such a sad and pathetic man,” Joan laughed, riling up Marvin.
“You're on borrowed time, whore.” Marvin scrambled to his feet and stood up straight, checking out the damage to his mouth.
Joan walked away, back to the caravan. “We all are, Marvin. We all are.”
Chapter Five
“So what do we do when they're away?” Gordon asked Joan.
She had returned to the caravan, cussing under her breath about Marvin ten minutes ago. She had told Gordon that she had words with Marvin, but was vague about it, and had struck him. She was beginning to calm down.
She finally answered Gordon by hunching her shoulders. She didn’t know.
Joan Burnley was sitting on the couch of the place. The curtains were open and it was a grey day outside, but at least it wasn't raining.
Gordon was standing over Joan and gave off a sympathetic smile. She looked up at him and asked what was the matter.
He said, “I know it's hard, but try not to let that prick get to you.”
“Easy for you to say,” she huffed. “Anyway, you've snapped at him a few times.”
“I know I have, but you have a sharper temper than me and he knows it. That's why he picks on you more. Plus...”
“Plus?”
“Well,” Gordon was unsure whether to finish off his sentence, “I think he fancies you as well.”
“Don't make me sick.”
Gordon sat down next to her. She knew he meant well, but she wanted him to go away and leave her alone for a few minutes.
She said, “Marvin said that he heard us having sex last night.”
Gordon's eyes went wide with surprise. “So they know?”
She nodded.
“Okay.” He rubbed his chin in thought. “Not really a big deal, is it?”
She continued, “He said that while we were doing it, he was masturbating outside our window.”
“Sick bastard.” Gordon tucked in his bottom lip and shook his head. “He's probably saying that to make us paranoid. From now on, every time we do it, we’ll think that he's outside, listening. Ruining it for us. That's what he wants.”
“Maybe. But he definitely heard us last night. Otherwise … how does he know we're doing it? Anyway, that’s when I put him on his arse.”
“You don't wanna piss that guy off too much, Joan.”
“Fuck him.”
Gordon heard a door slam outside and could see Marvin getting in the passenger side of the jeep. “I hope that prick doesn't make it back.” Gordon could see that Lloyd was walking over to their caravan with Junior by his side. “Lloyd and Junior are on their way over,” Gordon announced.
“Right.” Joan stood up and went to the door. She opened it and greeted the two males.
“Sorry about before,” Lloyd said as soon he saw Joan. His head was dipped and he looked genuinely sorry for what his brother had said to her. “That’s me and Marvin about to head out.”
“Forget it.” Joan smiled thinly. “I should never have hit him.”
“He probably deserved it.” Lloyd said with a wry smile. “But that's between us.”
Lloyd then turned to Junior and placed his hands on his shoulders. Junior had his head lowered and was becoming teary, but trying hard to fight it because Joan and Gordon were present.
“Son, look at me,” said Lloyd.
Junior slowly raised his head and sniffed, “What?” He spoke with attitude, trying to save face because of his little breakdown. But nobody thought any less of him because of this. He was only fourteen for Christ's sake!
“Me and your Uncle Marv are gonna go out now and see if there's anything we can bring back. We've got plenty of gas for the caravans, and that's great, but if we've got no food to cook, or any food at all for that matter...”
“How long are you gonna be?”
“Dunno. We could be out all day.” Lloyd thinned his lips and his heart numbed when he saw how upset Junior was becoming. “We'll come back with something. Whether it's gas, food, drink or medicine ... well come back with something.”
Junior said, “If you come across any chickens at that farm, don't kill them. Try and bring them back here. Then we'd have an endless supply of eggs. I could make a pen and...”
Junior's tears fell freely and now didn't even try to stop himself from crying. There was no point now.
Lloyd embraced his son and rubbed his back. It felt like he was a little boy all over again. He would sometimes forget how frightened his son must be with this new world thrust upon them.
“If I lose you...” Junior sobbed on his dad's shoulder.
“You won't lose me.” Lloyd tried to appease his boy.
“You can't say that for sure.”
“We're in the middle of the country. This area isn't as populated as major cities or large towns. There's nothing here for them.”
“But ... Blanchland.”
“Sure, we might come across a few, but if me and Marvin thought that this was a suicide mission, we wouldn't be going in the first place. If we see a horde of those things, we're turning the jeep around and heading back.”
“Just try not to bring any back here,” Joan joked, trying to lighten the situation.
“We won't.” Lloyd smiled at Joan and broke away from his son. “On our way back, I'll make sure I'll come back with my foot hard on the gas pedal.”
Lloyd leaned over to his son and kissed him on his forehead. “Make sure you don't play up Gordon and Joan.”
“Dad.” Junior wiped his eyes and now looked embarrassed. “I'm not a baby anymore.”
“You are to me,” Lloyd laughed. “And if I here you've been up to no good, you'll be on the naughty step when I return.”
“Hurry up!” Marvin yelled from the jeep. He had wound the passenger window down and had his head out of it. “You're wasting fucking time with this soppy shite.”
“Better go.” Lloyd looked at Junior, Joan and Gordon. “We don't want Marvin having a stroke now, do we?” He then revealed a cheeky grin. “Then again, it wouldn't be the end of the world if he did, would it?”
Gordon and Joan both laughed and said no. They wished Lloyd luck and then he left.
A minute later the jeep had left the site.
Chapter Six
The black Hyundai jeep exited the caravan site and turned right, now moving along the long country road. Neither Lloyd nor Marvin knew the name of the road, but they were aware that there was a farm not so far away.
The journey was made in silence and only words were spoken once the pair of them clocked the entrance of the farm up ahead, on the right. Lloyd had his crowbar on the back seat of the jeep and Marvin had decided to carry light and had a small knife in his pocket.
“Need to be careful,” Lloyd said and began to slow the vehicle down. “If people still stay here, then we could get attacked.”
“Every man for himself now,” Marvin sniffed. “If they look weak, we can kill these folk and take what we can.”
Lloyd gave his brother a glance and was taken aback at what had come out of Marvin's mouth. “We're not killing anyone. If a family live here, we'll apologise for trespassing and be on our way and off to the supermarket.”
“You're too soft, little brother.” Marvin laughed and teased further, “You always have been.”
“You don't even know me,” snapped Lloyd and brought the vehicle to a stop once he realised that there was a steel gate across the entrance.
“We're gonna have to do some pretty harsh things if we want to keep on surviving.” Marvin shook his head and added, “Just wait a few weeks when Junior’s starving…”
“It's only the third week! It hasn't come to that yet.”
“Yes it has.”
Lloyd grabbed his crowbar from the back and stepped out of the vehicle, leaving the engine running, with Marvin following suit. The two men opened the gate wide enough so the vehicle could creep through, and then returned to the jeep.
“I hope to God t
hat this place is empty, man, and full of food,” Lloyd sighed and slowly pulled the jeep forward. “If it is, then we might be able to fill the jeep and would have to go to the supermarket another day.”
“And if it's not?”
“Well, I'm certainly not doing what you suggested, if there are people inside. I am nervous, though.”
“What's there to be nervous about?”
“Marvin, what would you do if you lived on a farm and suddenly a vehicle pulls up and two men, one of them carrying a crowbar, steps out?”
“Fair point.” Marvin nodded. “One of the main problems with a farm is that they're more than likely to possess a shotgun.”
“Shit. I never thought about that.” Lloyd stopped the vehicle a few yards from the farmhouse and switched the engine off.
The two men remained in the vehicle and looked around where they were. Aside from the farmhouse, there was also a large opened shed port to the house's right where a tractor sat, and there was also a large barn to the left.
“Let's knock first,” Lloyd nodded over to the main door of the farmhouse, “before we do anything else.”
“I don't see a car or a jeep anywhere. Maybe they've fled.”
“Let's just knock anyway.”
Both men got out and approached the wooden door to the large house. Lloyd grasped his crowbar tightly in his right hand, and Marvin had now taken out his blade.
Lloyd didn’t want to frighten whoever could be inside, so he decided to say a few words immediately after knocking.
He reached the door, knocked three times and said, “We're sorry to bother you. We are staying at the caravan site up the road and we were wondering if you had any food you could give us.” Lloyd winced at his own speech and could see Marvin smiling, mocking his weedy approach. Marvin simply wanted to kick the door in and have a look around.
There was no response, and Lloyd raised his fist as if he was about to knock again, but Marvin released an impatient huff, reached for the handle and pushed the door wide open.
“Voila,” cackled Marvin. “The door’s open. Now, what are the chances of that, eh?”
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