Escape To Survive

by Ryan Gawley

  ‘By the look of this lane I’d say it’s still in use or it would be much more filled in by now,’ said Arthur studying the road ahead for any further sign of trouble.

  ‘Well let’s hope nobody’s home,’ said Sam. ‘We can maybe stay the night in the barn and hide the truck there too until Alice is feeling stronger, maybe even find some fresh water to fill our reserves.’

  ‘I think we used up the last of our luck getting out of the city. Here, take this,’ Arthur said as he passed his pistol to Sam. ‘Just keep it handy and be ready to use it if I have to get us away again quickly.

  ‘I don’t know how to use this,’ said Sam taking the pistol and surprised by the weight of the cold steel. ‘I’ve never fired a gun in my life Arthur, seriously.’

  ‘It’s easy Sam; you know which is the dangerous end so keep that pointed away from anything you don’t want to shoot and when you need to, slide that little switch with your thumb to take the safety off. Then you’re ready to fire, just point and squeeze gently, you’ve eleven rounds left in the clip.’

  The way Arthur spoke Sam knew there was no point arguing and instead put the gun on the seat behind his back being sure to point the barrel down and out toward the door since he was nervous about handling it.

  ‘You okay Molly?’ asked Sam through the shattered rear glass. He was greeted with a little bark and excited panting as Molly lifted her head toward the broken window in response to hearing her name. She seemed in better spirits again and the relatively smooth ride now that they were back on a road meant she wasn’t being jostled around so much.

  ‘Good girl, nearly there Molly, nearly there,’ soothed Sam as he worried about his dearest friend.

  The narrow track straightened out now and only about a quarter mile remained on the approach to the farm buildings. They could see the bottom windows and doors had been boarded up but the upper floor remained in good condition with even the small window panes appearing intact. Closer now to the house they could see that some of the overgrown land had been cleared and rows of crops had been planted and were being regularly tended to. There were smaller temporary buildings behind the main house like large sheds and parts of the main barn seemed to have been recently repaired. What looked from a distance to be just another abandoned farm in the middle of a forgotten countryside appeared to have been reclaimed and in use.

  ‘Looks like we might expect some company after all,’ said Sam exchanging a worried look with Arthur and reaching behind his back again surprised to be comforted by feel of the gun despite his reluctance to use it. Arthur slowed the truck to a crawl as they approached the barn and studied the top floor windows of the house which was a hundred metres or so further along the lane. Some movement had alerted him but his eyesight wasn’t as keen as it used to be.

  ‘Sam, did you see...,’ but before he could say any more the heavy barn door slid sideways on its rollers and four cruiser motorcycles roared out from the dark interior quickly turning toward the old pickup and accelerating hard toward them. The two lead bikes had female pillions, neither wearing a helmet, their long dark hair flowing back with the wind and speed, both holding pistols trained on the windscreen of the truck. Arthur immediately stopped and shifted into reverse but before he had a chance to back up the lane the two rear bikes overtook the leaders and shot past the side of the truck in the narrow gap coming to a stop twenty metres or so behind blocking the exit, the riders swinging automatic rifles from their shoulders training them on the truck as Molly barked and snarled from under the canvas cover. One of the pillions from the lead bikes had dismounted and the rider casually dropped the kickstand then swung his leg over the saddle and walked confidently to the front of the idling truck as several more bikers emerged from the barn, some with pistols and shotguns, others just standing back in a show of force, each one of them intimidating and mean looking.

  ‘I guess we’ve had it now Sam, there’s no way we’re going to be able to outrun those bikes even if I backup up over the ones behind us,’ Arthur said despondently and turned to look at Alice, gently brushing the hair back from her face. ‘I’m sorry my love, this looks like the end of the road for us. Whatever happens I won’t let anyone hurt you anymore.’

  ‘You’re just giving up? Just like that after we’ve come this far?’ asked Sam incredulously as he kept an eye on the gunmen in the mirror and watched the approaching biker.

  ‘I’m not quitting on you Sam but Alice is in no shape to run and we’re old remember. If you get a chance to make a run for it, go. You need to find Lucy.’

  ‘We’re in this together Arthur, I’m not leaving,’ replied Sam more concerned for Alice than himself but thinking also of Lucy, worried he may not see her again after all and hoping somehow she’d understand.

  ‘Here take this back,’ said Sam reaching behind his back for the pistol but as Arthur reached across to grab it a sharp tap on the driver’s side window made them both look up to see one of the bikers standing there pointing a rifle at them and slowly shaking his head. It was too late to take any action and now the door opened and Arthur was pulled out by the arm at gunpoint.

  ‘You bastards better not touch my wife, if anyone lays so much as a finger on her,’ but he couldn’t finish his threat as the butt of the rifle was rammed into his stomach knocking the breath from his lungs.

  Sam saw in his mirror another of the gang was coming up the side of the pickup from the rear to drag him out too. He wound down the window and threw the pistol on the ground then held his free hand out. ‘I’m not armed but I have an injured woman here,’ he shouted as the door was abruptly pulled open. The man held a pistol to Sam’s head but said nothing then gestured with the gun for Sam to step out of the truck.

  ‘This woman is injured, she’s been shot and she’s weak. Just give me a minute, I’m not going to try anything, just let me get her propped up, okay,’ said Sam looking the gunman in the eye and with slow deliberate movements slid Alice’s frail body off his right arm and gently rested her head against the rear bulkhead trying to keep the saturated wad of material wedged between her shoulder and the seat.

  The biker paused when he saw Sam’s blood stained hand and the blood on his jacket and looked to his leader for direction as Molly growled low and snapped a few sharp barks from the back of the truck.

  ‘She needs help, she’s lost a lot of blood, we need to get her some medical attention,’ pleaded Sam as Arthur fought to regain his breath.

  ‘Take it easy men,’ said the leader as he came to the front of the truck. He was a tall thin man with long thinning black hair pulled back tight in a ponytail. He wore a thick black leather jacket covered with various threadbare club patches, scuffed leather trousers and heavy boots. He wasn’t pointing a weapon but a large knife hung in a leather sheath from his belt. ‘These people don’t look like raiders. Bring the men to the house and park their pickup round the back. Get the old lady out of there too, we’ll figure out what to do with them later.’

  ‘No, leave her alone,’ coughed Arthur still catching his breath.

  Sam stepped toward the truck again but a gun muzzle was brought to his temple and he froze. ‘She’s in bad shape, please, let me help,’ said Sam again.

  The leader nodded at the man holding the gun to Sam’s head and the pistol was lowered.

  ‘Alright, give me a hand with her,’ said the biker as he tucked the pistol into the waistband of his jeans.

  Sam helped ease Alice out of the truck and Arthur, now recovered came around and picked her up and carried her in his arms.

  ‘Wait, let me get Molly, my dog, she’s in the back.’

  ‘Okay but don’t get any stupid ideas.’

  Sam threw open a flap on the pickup cover and stepped up to greet Molly who whimpered and nuzzled his leg, happy to see him and reassured by his touch.

  While in the back Sam was tempted to grab his bat but thought against it, after all what good could it do him against semi-automatic rifles and handguns? He had his own campi
ng knife on his belt and it hadn’t been taken off him yet for all the help it would be but just having a weapon of any sort gave Sam some reassurance.

  ‘It’s okay Molly, it’s okay,’ he told her gathering her up in his arms and helping her to ground level where she began barking and snarling at the aggressive looking strangers. ‘Shh, Molly, it’s okay,’ Sam repeated while petting her head and calming her down before taking her by the leash and following beside Arthur as he carried Alice toward the farm buildings.

  They were led to the old farmhouse amid the thunder of bike exhausts and fumes of petrol and oil as the bikers rode their pristine machines back up the lane and into the barn and Sam kept an eye on the Land Rover as it was carefully reversed behind the barn and out of sight. He noticed nobody had made an attempt to loot their belongings or force them to turn over anything of value. Maybe they’d just be shot and disposed, out here in this secluded farmland what was the rush he supposed.

  The rear door to the farmhouse was opened before they had reached it and an attractive woman in her early forties, standing tall on black high heeled calf length boots, long brunette hair and dark mascara spoke to the leader. ‘Ah, hell Ronnie, what have you brought home this time?’ she said, leaning on one hip taking a long drag from a cigarette.

  ‘Just a few lonely travellers by the look of them, they’ll be on their way soon enough Linda. Clear off the table and get Sarah, we’ve a gunshot wound to clean up.’

  Linda led the way as Arthur carried Alice into the house and Sam looked around noticing the bikes had all disappeared and the heavy sliding door on the barn was being closed again. A couple of bikers were following behind them into the house which he assumed was for security but no one had tried to hurt them since Arthur had been struck in the gut.

  Inside the house Sam passed through a small entrance hall littered with heavy armoured leather and cut up denim jackets decorated with assorted patches and a large rack resembling a shoe rack but bigger holding various types and sizes of helmet.

  Linda turned looking down at Molly. ‘Keep the dog out here okay.’

  ‘Stay Molly, stay,’ said Sam and Molly whined a little then sniffed the sleeves of a few of the leather jackets before laying down on a straw mat under the coat rack, disappointed not to be able to investigate the rest of the new scents she could detect around her.

  The hall led immediately to a large farmyard kitchen which although quite dark due to the boarded over windows and dim flickering light from sputtering oil lamps was surprisingly homely and he could smell a rich broth or stew as it bubbled and steamed on an old wood-fired stove. The kitchen table had been cleared off and a white plastic backed table cloth was spread across it. Arthur was instructed to lay Alice down on her side so the injured shoulder could be examined. Arthur held her head until someone handed him a few rolled up towels as a makeshift pillow.

  ‘She’ll be fine, we’ve patched up worse than this for some of the boys,’ said the Linda extinguishing the end of her cigarette in a mug of cold coffee by the sink.

  Sam and Arthur shuffled around nervously looking to one another for a cue but neither really knew what to think except that instead of being robbed and beaten these people seemed to want to help so they both just kept their mouths shut and tried to stay out of the way. A young girl aged about nineteen entered the room, dressed in similar garb to the others but carrying a bulky shoulder bag loaded with medical supplies and instruments. She confidently assessed Alice’s wound and began giving orders to everyone to hold this and pass her that.

  ‘Here, put this between her teeth,’ said the girl. ‘We’ve only whiskey to numb the pain and I’d say she’s a bit weak to be filling her with booze.’

  The girl was helped by Linda who Sam figured to be her mother and the pair worked efficiently to remove debris and shot from Alice’s shoulder and then stitched up the wound and bandaged it for support and to prevent infection. Alice grimaced a few times during the procedure but suffered the pain well.

  When the work was done Sarah set about cleaning and sterilising her equipment while Arthur and Linda helped Alice to a spare bedroom upstairs in the farmhouse followed by one of the male bikers. Sam tagged along at the rear carrying water and a blanket Sarah had given him. While the ground floor of the old house was dark and gloomy with only thin shafts of dim light streaming through the boards on the windows the upstairs rooms although very rundown were bright and airy by comparison. The threadbare carpets scarcely covered the creaking timber on the floor and layers of ancient wallpaper were peeling revealing damp patches in the crumbling plaster but each room they passed looked comfortable and inviting all the same thanks to the efforts of the new inhabitants. This abandoned house was more of a home than any Sam had lived in for a long time.

  Alice’s quarters were a little box room in a similar state of disrepair and judging by the cartoon aeroplanes on the wallpaper it was previously occupied by a young child but the sheets were freshly laundered and the wool blanket Sarah had given to Sam was soft and warm.

  ‘She’s still very weak but with some rest and fluids she should pull through okay, this room isn’t being used now so she can stay until she’s fit to move again. You two men will have to stay outside but there’s plenty of room at the back of the house if you want to set up your tent or whatever you have,’ said Linda, her tone softening but still she made it clear she preferred not to have guests.

  ‘Listen, I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done for my wife,’ said Arthur, genuinely relieved to see a little colour returning to Alice’s ghostly complexion. ‘If there’s anything we can do?’

  ‘Just keep out of the way and move along when she’s ready, okay.’

  ‘No problem,’ said Sam. ‘We have to meet someone near Raven City in three days’ time so we’ll be leaving tomorrow.’

  ‘I don’t know if she’ll be fit for travel that soon,’ warned Linda as Arthur looked from Alice to her.

  ‘Sam, I know you’ve to meet Lucy but Alice needs rest. She’s a tough old girl but she’s not as young as she used to be you know.’

  Seeing how both Linda and Arthur looked at him Sam knew he was asking too much to expect Alice to be on the road again as quickly as he hoped. ‘I suppose you’re right, thank you for helping us, we’ll be on our way as soon as you think she’s ready,’ agreed Sam but he was used to being by himself, going where he liked when he liked. It was hard for him to adjust to being around people again but he accepted he was part of a group on this journey and whatever happened they would stick together. He just hoped Lucy was doing okay and that she’d wait for him.

  Arthur stayed with Alice and a male biker stationed himself on a chair just down the hall from her room to keep guard on the strangers in his house as Linda led Sam back to the kitchen where Ronnie the club leader was waiting for them.

  ‘Well, since you’re here now would you like some stew? You can work it off later but I can offer my guests something at least,’ said Ronnie gesturing for Linda to get Sam something from the pot on the hob.

  Sam took the steaming bowl and saw it was filled with a rich meaty stew with fresh vegetables and herbs. ‘This is amazing, thanks. I haven’t tasted real food in so long I forgot what it can be like.’

  ‘Yeah, well, we look after ourselves out here, got to, no one else will. We have all the land we need here and grow vegetables out the front of the house,’ said Ronnie showing a little pride.

  ‘What about the meat, it’s really good?’ asked Sam.

  Linda answered quickly. ‘The boys set wire snares to catch rabbits and Ronnie here is a good shot with a crossbow so sometimes we get pheasant or duck for a change. That’s rabbit you’re eating now though,’ she said tiredly looking at Ronnie suggesting he could perhaps go hunting again soon.

  ‘Well, it’s delicious, thank you,’ Sam said interrupting the silent exchange.

  ‘You’re welcome; I’ll send some up for your friend. The old lady needs rest but when she’s awake she might be f
it to eat something. It’ll help her get her strength back,’ said Linda.

  ‘Can I ask you something Ronnie?’ said Sam.

  ‘Fire away,’ replied Ronnie casually.

  ‘Why are you helping us? You could have shot us or at least took our truck and sent us on our way but so far you’ve patched up Alice and gave her a bed and now you’re feeding me at your own table. I really appreciate it but, well, why?’

  ‘Maybe you’ve been in the city too long pal. We like to keep to ourselves out here, strangers don’t often come this far from the main road but when they do we either help them or bury them. Lucky for you that you checked out okay or you’d never have stepped out of that truck but since you did, consider yourself our guest.’

  ‘Well, I’m glad you took the time to think about it before shooting’.

  ‘Ah, it’s nothing personal but the road gangs around here often pose as civilians and hook a sucker or two, take them for what they’ve got and then kill them. We have to defend what’s ours and we’ve built a home here. We’ll not let anyone take that from us.’

  ‘Yeah, you’re talking to a sucker here. We got ambushed by two bastards faking a breakdown, that’s how Alice got shot. If it wasn’t for the four wheel drive we’d be cooling off in a ditch by now.’

  ‘I didn’t want to ask about how the old girl got shot up, seemed like that was your business so long as you didn’t bring the trouble with you. Well, you know why we take precautions then.’

  ‘I guess we do,’ agreed Sam.

  Linda set down three mugs on the table and poured out fresh ground coffee for her, Ronnie and Sam. ‘I guess you’re alright,’ she said. ‘I don’t take too well to new people these days but Ronnie is a good judge of character and I suppose you all seem okay. Just so you know though, you try anything funny with me, Sarah or the other girls and I won’t need to call the boys to take care of things. I’ll take your balls off myself, you got that?’