Desolation Game

by Greg McLean

  Once she had regained her footing, Jewel looked over at Mick, hoping to see him sprawled on the ground with his head torn apart. Instead he remained crouched by Cindy.

  ‘Better luck next time, hey?’

  Fuck! She threw down the rifle, turned and ran.

  ‘I’ll be seeing you soon,’ he shouted. ‘I found you once, I’ll find you again.’

  Jewel raced to the tunnel, lungs tight, and when she arrived at the large square opening, she got down on her knees and climbed inside the narrow channel. Darkness encased her.

  Cindy’s cries followed her into the tunnel, her garbled screams like knives scraping down Jewel’s spine. I’m sorry, Cindy, oh God, I’m so sorry.

  The cries continued until she was no longer sure if they were real or just her mind replaying them, over and over. She feared the sound would never leave.

  She moved as quickly as she could, taking no notice of her bruised and scratched palms and knees. Her muscles strained against the slight but lengthy incline, and she didn’t realise she had reached the end of the tunnel until the ground fell away and she plunged down into the dead pit. She got a mouthful of muck.

  The taste was worse than anything she could have ever imagined. Rancid meat and rotten eggs were like strawberry cheesecake compared to the taste of this putrid slop. She dry-heaved as she pushed herself up and hurried towards the circle of light above.

  Jewel gripped the bottom rung of the ladder and started climbing. She may have been exhausted but she was running on adrenaline, and she scaled the ladder with surprising speed. Once she was up and out of the manhole, she scrambled over to Amber. ‘Amber, we have to get out of here. Now!’

  Amber sat up and gazed at Jewel as she approached. She was pale and looked in mild shock. One side of her face was a red swollen lump.

  ‘Why, what’s happening?’ Amber drawled. ‘Where’s Cindy?’

  ‘Mick shot her. I’ll explain everything later. But he’ll be here soon. So we have to leave.’

  Jewel glanced back at the manhole. Mick wouldn’t have had time to reach the pit, but it wouldn’t be long before he did. And the more obstacles in his way, the better for them.

  She dashed back over and hauled the heavy concrete cover back over the opening. Then she braced herself against the solid wooden bench and heaved. It wouldn’t budge.

  ‘Amber, are you able to help?’ she called.

  ‘I’ll try.’ Amber struggled to her feet and then hobbled over.

  Side by side, they braced their hands against one end of the bench and began to push. Jewel’s muscles strained. She put all her moderate weight behind the bench. Although Amber looked weak and didn’t seem to be able to push very hard, the bench started to shift.

  ‘That’s it. Just a little more.’

  The bench scraped against the hard floor. Sweat slid down Jewel’s back, tickling her skin. Finally they managed to get the bench onto the cover.

  ‘Okay. That should hold him off for a while. Come on!’

  Jewel hooked Amber’s right arm around her shoulders and they shuffled out of the shed.

  Outside, the rain trickled down in a light haze. It was a welcome relief from the constant downpouring. The clouds had thinned out and the moon glowed gloomily behind them.

  ‘Where are we going to go?’ Amber said, huffing. ‘We can’t leave.’

  Jewel’s eyes fell on Mick’s truck and she remembered the keys in her pocket. ‘I have his keys. We can drive out.’

  ‘How did —?’ Amber started to say, but Jewel cut her off.

  ‘Later. Come on!’ Jewel said, and together they trudged over to Mick’s pale blue truck.

  Jewel opened the front passenger side door and helped Amber up. When Amber was seated, Jewel slammed the door and dashed around to the driver’s side. She pulled out the keys, flung open the door and jumped in.

  ‘We’ll ram the damn barbed-wire fence and keep on driving till we hit the nearest town,’ Jewel said, hands shaking. There were three keys on the key ring. She tried the first, but it didn’t fit.

  ‘What about Sam?’

  Jewel paused with the second key over the ignition.

  He’d be dead by now, wouldn’t he? The thought of ploughing into Sam’s dead body was horrible, but her levels of squeamishness had been exploded by the events she’d just endured. It would have to be done; a necessary evil.

  But if Sam was still alive and they ran into him . . . well, that didn’t bear thinking about. Maybe they’d be doing the poor guy a favour.

  ‘We’ll check if he’s dead before we go through,’ she said.

  Amber remained quiet.

  ‘There’s nothing else we can do, Amber. If he’s dead . . . we have to get out of here.’

  ‘I know,’ she said, softly.

  Jewel tried the second key. It wouldn’t fit into the ignition either. She fumbled for the third and last key, and pushed it in.

  It got halfway before it stopped.

  She jiggled it and pushed again, but the key wouldn’t slot in.

  ‘Fuck!’ she screamed. She slammed her fist against the dashboard. ‘He gave us the wrong keys. I should have known he wouldn’t have simply handed them over.’

  ‘We’re stuck here,’ Amber whined.

  ‘Maybe not. Maybe his keys are still in the back room. I’ll grab the spare gun from the Kombi and have a look. You wait here.’

  Jewel hopped out of the truck and ran to the Kombi. Just like Cindy had said, the front passenger door was unlocked. She threw it open and searched the small space behind the passenger seats. When her fingers touched metal, she pulled out the small revolver. The silver gun with the dark brown handle looked like a baby version of the large revolver Cindy had used to fire at Mick.

  Jewel knew from the movies to make sure that the cylinder was loaded with cartridges – it was. She was pretty sure all she had to do was cock the hammer, point and fire.

  Hopefully it wouldn’t come to that.

  With the gun in hand, she raced back to the shed. She was relieved to see the workbench still in place over the manhole, and she sped into the back room office. There were no more keys dangling on the key rack. She scanned the small, stuffy room. There were plenty of places Mick might have kept the keys for the truck.

  She checked under cupboards, in the fridge, even under the table, in case he had taped the keys underneath.

  She found nothing. He must have them on him. Dammit!

  Her mind ticked over. What were the keys she’d got from him for, then?

  When the bag of guns had been stolen – and they had blamed Steve – the back door of the Kombi hadn’t been broken into, but unlocked.Bruce had the keys to the Kombi last. And the last time she saw Bruce he was . . .

  A knot tightened in her gut.

  Bruce. She hadn’t thought about him since everything had gone to hell. Hadn’t had time to. All this time they had thought he was in a hospital, having been mauled by a dog. But that was what Mick had told them. It hardly seemed likely he’d decided to tell them the truth just that one time. She knew he must have done something to Bruce. Mick didn’t drive him into town to get a spare part for the Kombi. Christ, the Kombi probably didn’t even need the spare part. Mick probably made up the whole thing, everything that had happened since they’d met him.

  These realisations hit her hard. But she couldn’t lose it now. She had to stay calm – calm enough to get out of this place with Amber. She couldn’t give up while they were still in with a chance.

  If Mick had taken the keys from Bruce and used them to unlock the back of the Kombi and steal the guns, then that meant . . . the keys they had belonged to the Kombi? If they did, then they could still drive out of here, broken axle or not.

  She tore out of the shed and back to the truck, flinging open the driver’s side door.

  ‘Any luck?’ Amber said.

  ‘Didn’t find any other keys, but I think these ones may be the keys to the Kombi.’

  Amber frowned. ‘Huh?’ />
  ‘If I’m right, I’ll come and get you and we can finally leave.’

  Jewel plucked the keys from the truck’s ignition and returned to the Kombi. She jumped into the driver’s seat, took a deep breath, and inserted the first key.

  It didn’t fit – but the second one did. A wave of relief swept over her. And when she turned the ignition and the car grumbled to life, she burst into tears.

  Leaving the car idling, she hopped out and hurried back to Amber.

  ‘We’re good to go!’

  Amber started weeping. Jewel helped her out of the truck and, hand in hand, they ran towards the waiting Kombi, which puttered in readiness.

  They got halfway when the shots rang out.

  Amber screamed. Jewel ducked her head, wondering how Mick had managed to shift the bench and get out of the manhole so quickly and easily. More shots, sounding like muffled firecrackers. The ground nearby exploded in sprays of mud.

  They got to the Kombi and ducked behind its broad, flat front.

  Jewel peered back at the main shed, gun extended, finger curled around the trigger. In that moment, she wondered whether she could actually pull the trigger and fire at another human being.

  But the doorway was empty.

  She grimaced and looked everywhere around the site, but Mick was nowhere to be seen. Where in the hell could he have —

  ‘Hello ladies,’ his voice called.

  Mick sounded some distance away behind the van, and high up.

  Jewel leant over and peeked through the gap between the open driver’s door and the front of the Kombi. She saw a light above, which appeared to be perched on the cliffs overlooking the mine.

  How the fuck did he get up there? It didn’t make sense. But wait – didn’t Mick mention something about two tunnels?

  The glass in the door above her exploded, raining down tiny shards.

  Jewel shrieked, ducked back behind the Kombi’s front.

  ‘Where is he?’ Amber said.

  ‘Up on the cliffs, above the mine.

  ‘But we trapped him in the pit.’

  ‘I know. The other tunnel must lead outside. Christ, we can’t win.’

  ‘This reminds me of my time as a dogger,’ Mick shouted, his voice booming like a stage actor. ‘Huntin’ vermin was always lots of fun.’

  ‘We’ve gotta get into the Kombi,’ Jewel said.

  ‘But he’ll shoot us before we get around the doors.’

  ‘Maybe. But we’ve gotta try, Amber. We’re running out of options.’ Jewel paused to catch her breath. ‘I’ll shoot at him while you hop in the passenger side, okay? He’ll have to duck down, so he won’t get to fire. Then I’ll follow you.’

  Amber nodded, fear etched deeply into her wet, dirty face.

  Jewel crawled back to the driver’s side door. She took a deep breath. She rose and fired through the shattered window.

  ‘Jesus!’ Mick cried.

  She fired two more shots and then ducked back down. The Kombi rocked, suggesting Amber was in.

  ‘You gals got more guns?’ Mick called. ‘Cripes, you sure like to surprise, don’t you? Like blockin’ the manhole. Smart thinking. I mean, I coulda gotten out that way, but it don’t matter. I thought this’d be more fun and I was bloody right!’

  Mick fell silent, the idling Kombi the only sound.

  Jewel didn’t know what he was doing, whether he was reloading or getting another gun, but whatever he was up to, this could be her one and only chance.

  She made the sign of the cross (she hadn’t done that since she was a kid) and then made a dash around the door for the driver’s side. Her feet found lumps of glass amongst the squishy mud.

  There was no gunfire and she jumped into the driver’s seat. She slammed the door, put the gear into first, took off the handbrake and then planted her foot on the accelerator.

  The van revved, but didn’t move.

  ‘Come on!’ Jewel cried.

  ‘Hurry! Let’s get out of here!’ Amber screamed, hunkered in the middle of the bench.

  ‘You like surprises?’ Mick shouted. ‘Well, I’ve gotta doozy for ya!’

  Jewel pumped her right foot, but the van wouldn’t budge, its wheels spinning uselessly in the mud.

  Mick started shooting and a volley of bullets flew into the back of the Kombi.

  Jewel took her foot off the pedal and crashed down to the floor. Amber did the same, crying out in pain from her injured ankle.

  The shots came rapidly. The van jolted every time a bullet smacked into its metal skin.

  Finally the shooting stopped, leaving the echoes of gunfire in the air, as well as the smell of petrol. The engine spluttered to a stop.

  ‘Now you really ain’t going anywhere,’ Mick called, laughing.

  Fucker, Jewel thought. Beside her, Amber was curled in a fetal position, sobbing. They had to find a way to get Mick. They couldn’t drive out – he’d made sure of that. Jewel thought her only choice was to aim straight and pray, and hope that she got him before he took her out. Even better if she could move to somewhere to hide, without him noticing.

  She only had three bullets left. There was only the slimmest chance she’d hit him – she didn’t even know exactly where he was up there. But she had to try.

  There was a sports bag on the floor, which Jewel assumed was the bag that had contained Bruce and Duncan’s handguns.

  ‘I’m gonna to try and make a run for it,’ she whispered to Amber. ‘Try to get to one of the trailers and shoot the bastard. You stay here, okay?’

  ‘No, don’t leave me,’ Amber pleaded.

  ‘Hon, it’s the only way. If I get him from somewhere he’s not expecting it . . .’

  Jewel picked up the bag and tossed it out the door as hard as she could. It sailed through the air and before it landed on the ground, Mick opened fire. Bullets tore through the fabric.

  She jumped out and, keeping low, dashed over to the nearest trailer.

  No shots followed her.

  ‘You sly cunts,’ Mick shouted once the firing had ceased. ‘Oldest trick in the book, and I fell for it. Shit.’

  Inside the musty trailer, Jewel hurried over to a side window. She looked out between two bent and dusty plastic venetian blinds. Through the grimy glass, she could still make out the distant torchlight. It was moving – he was roaming from his position above the compound.

  The light swept over the bullet-ridden Kombi and as it moved towards the trailer, Jewel pressed her back flat against the wall. She watched the light briefly spill inside before trailing away.

  She turned back to the window. Gripped the handle and slid it open. Then she poked the barrel of the gun between two of the horizontal slats, out into the open night air.

  She aimed the muzzle roughly in line with the torch, then pulled back the hammer with her thumb. Remembering what Mick had said about using the doovalackies on the barrel, she closed her left eye, positioned the light directly inside the sights, wrapped her finger inside the trigger guard and squeezed.

  The gun kicked, there was a loud blast, but she held steady.

  The light up on the cliff swung rapidly towards her.

  She thumbed back the hammer again, lined up and fired.

  The light on the cliff was snuffed out and she heard a cry: ‘Fuck!’

  She got into position again, and just as she thumbed back the hammer a third time, a shot cracked through the night.

  Something that felt like an iron fist slammed into her chest. She was knocked backwards, gun flying from her hand. The revolver landed with a rattle, she with a heavy thud.

  She lay on the floor of the trailer, gasping for air. Hot wetness spread over her torso. He’d shot her . . . she was shot . . . she couldn’t believe it . . .

  Jewel lay there for what felt like a long time, unable to move, her mind drifting to her parents, and how she wished she was home, safe and snug in her bed.

  Dizziness was beginning to set in when she heard heavy footsteps stomping up the trailer s
teps.

  The door creaked open.

  She heard raspy breathing and the heady stench of body odour filled the trailer.

  The footsteps drew near and a shadow appeared above her.

  Mick wasn’t smiling. He was no longer wearing the skin, but his face was dirty with blood and there were scratches across his cheeks and forehead.

  ‘You’re lucky I didn’t get glass in me eyes, you bitch.’

  Jewel coughed, spraying blood in Mick’s face.

  He licked his lips and crouched. His eyes roamed her body.

  ‘Good shot. Missed your heart.’

  He ripped open her T-shirt.

  Jewel bucked as pain roared through her body.

  ‘Your right tit’s fucked, though. Pity. They were very nice.’

  Mick leaned down and licked her left breast. The feel of his hot tongue sickened her. She wanted to stop him, but she was too weak to fight – her arms lay still.

  He wrapped his lips around her nipple and sucked hard. Then he bit down, making her yelp. He straightened and spat blood, then yanked at her shorts till he got them free.

  ‘Very nice,’ he said, then leaned in and licked along her thigh.

  Get off me! she shouted in her mind. But she couldn’t move, couldn’t resist, couldn’t push him away or even shout.

  Mick straightened and pulled out his knife.

  ‘What a shame,’ Mick said, ‘but some things have to be done.’

  ‘No,’ she finally managed to gurgle. It was her last word.

  Mick nestled the tip of the blade between her legs.

  He showed no emotion as he drove the blade up and cut a path of fire through Jewel’s soul.

  Mick’s next stop was the Kombi.

  He doubted he would find the other girl inside – he was sure that by now she would have run off and was probably hiding in another mine shaft, or in one of the trailers. But he had to check. Had to cover all bases.

  Standing at the front passenger side, he popped open the door.

  Mick did a double-take at the sight of the blonde curled up on the floor of the van. She was shivering.

  The girl looked up and, through strands of grimy blonde hair, he saw her eyes bulge with fear. ‘No,’ she squeaked.

  Mick pointed the gun at her. ‘The cat has caught the mouse,’ he said, and cackled.