Escape To Survive

by Ryan Gawley

  ‘Hey, hey, there won’t be any problem. If you can show me where to bed down I’ll keep out of the way and we’ll be gone before we’re a burden,’ said Sam understanding that Linda could and would keep her promise although he’d never give her reason to.

  ‘I told Sam here that he and the old man could set up out back,’ Linda explained to her partner.

  ‘Maybe we could roll out our sleeping bags in the barn?’ Sam asked deciding it worth trying his luck a little farther.

  Ronnie shot Sam a cold stare but said nothing so Linda answered back. ‘Well they’re not staying in the house with me and the girls and the old woman can’t be moved for at least tonight.’

  ‘Listen, we don’t want to cause any problem here, if the barn is off limits we can set up camp on some of your land, it won’t be an issue, seriously, we’re just grateful for your help with Alice. Anywhere we can pitch a tarp and sleeping bag will be fine,’ said Sam realising he was caught in the middle of something and wanting to get himself out of it before his hosts changed their mind about how welcome their new guests were.

  Ronnie smoothed his hair back and appeared to relax a little. ‘There’s some shelter out the back of the house under an old sycamore tree. It’s near the house if you want to use the kitchen. You can fill up your water tanks too; the water is clean here, comes from a natural underground reservoir or something. There’s an electric pump to run water to the house and we’ve hooked it up to an old petrol generator. Just don’t run the pump after dark okay?’

  ‘Sure, that’s very generous of you. Well, thanks for the food and coffee. If it’s alright with you I’ll take Molly for a walk up the lane then set up camp by the tree. Maybe you can tell Arthur I’m out there when he comes down?’ said Sam feeling uncomfortable since the atmosphere changed at mention of the barn.

  ‘Yeah, that’s fine, just don’t wander too far up the lane and be sure to knock the kitchen door here if you need anything,’ said Ronnie, suddenly back to his easy going friendly self again.

  ‘Will do, thanks,’ said Sam as he made his way into the little hallway where he was greeted by an excited Molly. He took her lead from his jacket, clipped it on her collar then stepped out into the fresh air of the farmyard before walking off toward the lane down which they had driven earlier, Molly panting and tugging the lead, eager to explore as usual.

  ‘Let’s go Molly, anywhere but the barn,’ he said quietly and glanced toward the heavy sliding door which was firmly shut. He was glad to be on his own again.

  The open air and feeling of security even among the group of strangers gave Sam a chance to relax and breathe a sigh of relief. He was still anxious with thoughts of Lucy but for now he knew he would be staying in one place for at least a night without having to stand watch or worry about the old couple who were sharing his journey. Surrendering to the situation allowed him to enjoy a sense of ease he hadn’t known in many years. Molly had quietened down after the rough ride in the back of the truck and was enjoying the walk along the dusty broken laneway.

  Just to look across green fields, feel the wind on his face and smell the clean air was a relief after the ordeals of the past several days and Sam felt some of the tension leave his body as he let go of past events. These people were cautious, didn’t trust the strangers in their house and Sam understood. He had been burned too many times in the past to remember, it was one reason for his own reclusive nature, but now, here in this place someone had shown some compassion and trust. First Arthur and Alice and now this group, Sam thought perhaps the world hadn’t completely gone to hell after all.

  When he returned from his walk he saw Arthur standing by the door of the farmhouse and the biker who had been guarding him cross the yard and enter the barn through a smaller panel cut into the main sliding door. The bearded and long-haired man looked at Sam and nodded his head smiling in a friendly gesture before closing the door behind him.

  ‘Well, how is she?’ asked Sam.

  Arthur looked terrible, the strain of the past few days had taken its toll on the older man but he also had a look of relief in his eyes. ‘She’s going to be okay Sam, she just needs her rest now. I’d say things would be different if we hadn’t met these folks but she opened her eyes for a moment and I could see she’s alright, just weak.’

  ‘Ah that’s great Arthur; I tell you I thought we’d had it. Aren’t you staying with her a while?’

  ‘No, the women said they’ll keep an eye on Alice through the night. She should be able to sit up and eat something in the morning but until then they don’t want me hanging around the house. The hairy fella you saw there threw me out.’

  ‘Well then you can help me set up camp over by that big sycamore. Ronnie said we are free to come and go, just respect the house and stay clear of the barn.’

  ‘What do you suppose they’ve got going on in there?’

  ‘Arthur, I don’t care. I don’t want to piss these people off. They’ve taken us in for now but I get the feeling we’ll wear out our welcome fairly quickly. Come on; give me a hand getting the gear from the back of the truck.’

  Sam let Molly off her lead and she sniffed around the yard while the two men unloaded what they needed and walked to the cover of the big tree behind the house to begin setting up their temporary home.

  With their camp prepared Sam and Arthur sat on rolled up sleeping bags with their backs to the wide tree trunk and Molly lay dozing beside Sam now as both men silently worried about the women in their lives.

  ‘Here, have a drink,’ said Arthur unscrewing the top of a dented steel hipflask and passing it to Sam. ‘There’s nothing more we can do now, might as well just try and relax and enjoy some rest.’

  ‘Thanks Arthur,’ said Sam taking the flask and knocking back a shot from the narrow neck.

  As the men sat and talked idly passing the time they saw the small panel in the barn door open again and Ronnie stepped out. He looked around then saw Sam and Arthur and walked casually toward them, the sound of the wooden heels of his black boots amplified by an echo from the barn and house walls.

  ‘I see you’re settled in okay and I’m glad to hear that your wife will pull through,’ he said genuinely as he approached and stooped under the tarp and squatted down to speak with his guests.

  ‘Yes, she’s a tough old girl my Alice. She’ll be okay thanks to you. Here, would you like a drink?’ said Arthur offering the flask.

  Ronnie took the steel container and tipped his head back taking a long swig and holding it in his mouth to taste before swallowing. ‘Not bad at all, thanks,’ he said passing back the liquor.

  ‘Just a little hobby of mine,’ said Arthur happy to receive praise. ‘I have a couple of jugs left in the truck; I’d like you to have one. It’s the least I can do to say thanks for what you’ve done for Alice.’

  ‘I appreciate your offer but there’s no need, really. Besides, maybe you’d like to try some of mine,’ and Ronnie reached into his back pocket and pulled out a narrow hipflask sheathed in a worn black leather case.

  Arthur took the flask and tried a drink. ‘That’s a fine dram there,’ he said and passed it to Sam who also took the offered drink enjoying the warmth in his belly and allowing his muscles relax a little further.

  Ronnie smiled before taking a gulp himself. ‘Well, I can’t take the credit myself actually, one of my men is the alchemist behind this but I thought you’d appreciate it.’

  ‘So is that what you do in the barn?’ asked Arthur and Sam’s stomach tightened.

  ‘Well, you’ve a great set up here,’ Sam said changing the subject.

  Ronnie hesitated before answering but quickly relaxed. ‘Yeah, we’ve worked hard to fix this place up and build something of a life here. We’re well off the main road, we’ve land to grow food and we don’t get too many visitors so it fits our needs very nicely.’

  ‘How’d you end up here?’ asked Sam. ‘Nearly everyone who didn’t leave before the final boats sailed fled to the city for protection but y
ou all seem to be doing okay.’

  ‘Don’t believe everything you hear,’ said Ronnie laughing. ‘Sure a lot of people headed for the city but only after teams of Enforcers went through every small town and village looting any resource or thing of value. Anyone who was left had little choice but to take their chances behind the barricades in the big cities. The real bandits out here are the Enforcers, at least they were but now they just escort the supply transports across the country. Think about it, everyone packed into a couple of crowded cities where they can be watched makes it much easier for the Elites to exercise control.’

  ‘And here you are right in the middle of the two cities and close to the main supply routes. Seems like a perfect strategy to me,’ said Arthur staring Ronnie in eye.

  Ronnie stared hard at Arthur who matched his gaze and wouldn’t back off. Sam knew Arthur was getting at something but aggravating their host wouldn’t do them any good and they could be made to disappear if Ronnie decided they were a threat to his operation.

  ‘Look, we’re glad to be here.’ Sam interjected ‘You’ve taken us in when you could have turned us away. Whatever you do to support yourselves here is okay with us, no one is judging anyone and we’ve no love for the Elites or anyone connected to them. We’ll be on our way and out of yours as soon as Alice is able to move. Okay? Arthur, isn’t that right? We’re leaving soon.’

  Arthur answered Sam first then broke his stare. ‘Yes, we’ll be on our way soon. We’ll be just fine.’

  ‘We take care of our own,’ said Ronnie easing down now Arthur had backed off first. ‘That’s how we got this far, that’s how we’re gonna keep going too.’

  ‘You have a great place here Ronnie; we understand you want to keep it that way. Thanks for your hospitality. Here’s to surviving and thriving,’ said Sam raising Arthur’s hipflask gesturing a toast with Ronnie who clinked his flask and they both drank as Arthur held his hand out toward Ronnie to shake.

  ‘No offence meant Ronnie.’

  Ronnie shook Arthur’s offered hand. ‘None taken,’ he responded tersely.

  ‘Well, I’ll leave you two to get some rest. If there’s any update on your wife’s condition during the night Sarah will let you know. Otherwise you can come into the house and see how she is in the morning,’ said Ronnie getting to his feet and stepping out from under the tarpaulin leaving Sam and Arthur as he walked toward the farmhouse to spend the night with Linda while the two men rolled out their sleeping bags.

  ‘What the hell was that about?’ asked Sam when he figured Ronnie was out of earshot.

  Arthur looked indignant. ‘Well, I want to be sure who we’re dealing with here. They’ve got my wife in there while I’m sleeping out under a tree with you.’

  ‘Seemed to me more like you were trying to get a rise out of him, besides, they’ve given no reason to think they mean us harm.’

  ‘It’s that barn that has me curious.’

  ‘Forget about it. Get some sleep and hopefully Alice will be up and about tomorrow then we can get going again,’ said Sam becoming increasing concerned about the delay and the potential for yet more trouble before they even got back on the road.

  The next morning Sam woke to his shoulder being rocked sharply and he opened his eyes to see a scuffed leather boot and the frayed hem of faded blue jeans just inches from his face. He sat bolt upright and wrestled his arms out of his sleeping bag, throwing off the hood and feeling the cold morning air on his shaved head.

  ‘What the hell?’ he exclaimed, fully awake now but Ronnie held his finger to his lips indicating he should keep quiet and not wake Arthur who had stirred but not woken.

  ‘Get the keys,’ said Ronnie pointing to the truck keys that were just visible from under Arthur’s boots to the side of his sleeping bag.

  Quickly pulling on his jeans and boots Sam stealthily removed the keys from beside Arthur as he slept and then scrambled to his feet and followed Ronnie toward the barn as Molly tagged along behind eager to play now that Sam was awake.

  ‘What’s going on?’ asked Sam rubbing his face to try and clear his head.

  ‘You’re going to earn your keep.’

  ‘What about Arthur, we should tell him where we’re going,’ said Sam hoping to alert his partner and also to learn more of what he had gotten himself into now.

  ‘Can you ride?’ asked Ronnie.

  ‘Yeah, I’ve not been in the saddle for years but I can ride. I had an old Triumph Speedmaster but I’ve not ridden since I ploughed the tarmac,’ replied Sam feeling a twinge of pain in his knee as he remembered the crash.

  ‘Good to know, for now though I need you to follow us in your truck. Here, take this,’ said Ronnie handing Sam a Sig Sauer P226 nine millimetre pistol.

  ‘Hey, hang on Ronnie, what the hell are you expecting me to do here. I’m not going to shoot anyone.’

  ‘Yeah, I figured that much when you didn’t shoot at me when you all arrived. Your friend knows what he’s doing but I reckon he’s too old for this. Look, do you know how to use that or not?’

  ‘Arthur showed me but I’ve not fired a gun before,’ said Sam wishing he could back out of this somehow but knowing he was already in over his head.

  ‘Right, you’ll probably not need it but all the same its better you have it in case. Don’t get any ideas of running, that truck won’t outrun our slowest bike and we’ve more firepower than you so just follow along and do what I tell you and this will all be over soon.’

  ‘Listen Ronnie, I need to know what I’m getting involved in here. I see that I don’t have much choice but if I’m risking my life you need to tell me what for.’

  ‘Alright, I suppose that’s fair enough. We need to get supplies but in case you haven’t noticed we’re a few miles from the nearest supermarket. That means we have to take what we need. We lost our own truck in the last supply run so we need yours. Simple enough for you?’

  ‘Well why do you need me? Just take the keys, we’re not going anywhere without it and there’s nothing we can do to stop you taking it.’

  ‘I need a full crew and we’re a man down since our truck got destroyed so that’s why I need you. Now come on.’

  Reluctantly Sam climbed into the cab of Arthur’s Land Rover and wedged the pistol into the gap between the base and backrest of the passenger seat as he looked down to Molly who whimpered, wanting to come along.

  ‘Go to Arthur, Molly. Arthur, go to Arthur.’

  He closed the door and cranked the tired engine. While it warmed up the clattering of the old diesel was engulfed by the thunder from large bore V-twin engines roaring through open pipe exhausts as several bikes were coaxed into life. Ronnie pulled out of the barn at the head of the pack and pointed a gloved finger at Sam then pointed toward the lane leading from the farmyard.

  As the bikes were started Arthur had been woken by the noise and lifted his head watching a streak of shining chrome, black leather and blue denim spewing from the barn. All the men wore full face helmets and had shotguns or rifles which were held securely in line with their bike’s forks by a fabricated bracket custom made for the purpose.

  As the noise continued to build he watched his own truck begin to move and saw a cough of black smoke as the old diesel cleared its throat while being driven hard after the group of motorcycles. Another six or so bikes followed in close formation behind the truck as it chased the first group.

  He saw Molly barking after the truck and for a second didn’t believe his eyes when it appeared that Sam was driving.

  He turned to check for Sam but he had indeed gone, his sleeping bag unzipped and empty on the ground beside his own.

  ‘My truck, the bastard’s have taken my truck,’ shouted Arthur shaking off the fog of sleep and realising the full extent of the situation but knowing it was already too late to do anything about it.

  He squirmed around desperately trying to find the zip on his sleeping bag as Molly came bounding over to him and excitedly wagged her tail and pushed her wet snout int
o his face enjoying the sudden flurry of activity.

  ‘Not now Molly,’ he said pulling on his boots.

  Up and running now Arthur sprinted toward the lane as quickly as his stiff joints would allow and was overtaken by Molly as they both ran after the truck and convoy of bikes but as he drew nearer the yard he saw Sarah, the young girl who had patched up Alice, pulling the large sliding barn door closed.

  Realising he had no chance of catching his truck he changed direction for the barn. Sarah saw him dashing toward her and desperately pulled with all her might on the heavy door but she couldn’t make it move any faster. With a few inches still open Arthur had nearly reached the door but he was too late to stop her from securing the latch and still breathing hard, without saying a word, he punched the corrugated iron in anger and frustration.

  ‘Where the hell are they taking my truck,’ demanded Arthur who had just about caught his breath and grabbed Sarah by the shoulder to turn her to face him. ‘Where are they taking it?’

  ‘Get you’re shrivelled hands of me you old pervert,’ screamed Sarah, prepared to give as good as she got if it came to that.

  Arthur raised his hand to backslap her cheek but caught himself, controlling his anger.

  ‘You can’t just steal my truck, why was Sam with them. What the hell is going on?’ Arthur heard a metallic click behind him and froze.

  ‘Leave her alone you crabby old bastard.’

  It was Linda. She had come from the farmhouse and was aiming a hunting rifle at his head.

  ‘I don’t want to use this but you can be damn sure I know how if you give me a reason.’

  ‘Alright, take it easy,’ said Arthur backing away and slowly raising his hands. ‘Just tell me what’s going on. Is Alice okay? Where is Sam going with my truck?’

  ‘You okay Sarah?’ asked Linda.

  ‘Yeah, he didn’t touch me, its fine,’ she replied more calmly.

  Linda relaxed a little but kept the rifle pointed at Arthur.