by Maggie Mundy
The car stopped.
“We’re at a gas station,” Joe called back. “We’ll fill up and go and have breakfast. The keys are in the ignition. We truly hope to see you again. Good luck, friends.”
The car door slammed, and there was silence. Neither of them moved, and he didn’t have a clue what to say. Too much had happened and a part of him expected to get a beating if he moved. Could the two of them really be free of Cameron and his men? He hadn’t been out in the real world enough to know what to do.
“As much as I like you hugging me, I think we should make a move,” Anne said.
Soren took a deep breath to try to remove the fear coursing through his body. He threw back the blanket and got into the front seat. He turned the key in the ignition and the car chugged forward. It had obviously seen better days.
Soren glanced across and saw Anne smile now they were on the move again. He still wasn’t sure the vehicle would make it to Sydney. It didn’t matter for now as they were both free. A freedom he was going to hold on to at any cost as they headed down the open road.
There were hardly any cars and only a few big trucks on the road. The other drivers he passed had no clue who or what they were and he intended to keep it so. For a short while, he could drive and hope Cameron didn’t have a clue where he and Anne were. Soren gazed at the long straight road ahead. Everything seemed so vast out here. He had spent his seven years on Earth trapped in a house, and now he was driving through the outback to Sydney. He shook his head at the craziness of their situation.
“What do you know about this Edric guy?” Anne asked. “More importantly, what are we going to do when we get to Sydney? How do we find him?”
Her question drew him out of his thoughts, and in truth, he had no answer for her.
“I don’t know very much. He was the only Angelic Midworlder I heard them mention by name, and might I add with contempt in their voice. The fact they hate him so much makes me like him already.”
“I like him too then. Let’s hope he can kick Virgil in the balls.”
Soren laughed. “I got the impression Edric and Cameron fought over something. Most Midworlders can heal, but as you may have noticed, Cameron has a scar down his face. One of the men at the house said Edric did it. The rumor was the fight took place in Pergor and neither side back on Homeworld was too happy about it.”
“It sounds as if Edric is powerful and we could do with some strength on our side.”
“You forget one thing, Anne. I’m a Demonic. He won’t want anything to do with me. I just hope if I get you to him he can save you and not hold your connection with me against you.’
Anne crossed her arms over her chest and pursed her lips. He had not known her long but could see she wasn’t happy. He had bonded with a very stubborn lady.
“If you think you’re going to dump me on someone’s doorstep and go, you have another thing coming. We’re in this crap together. I didn’t ask for it, but you did the bonding thing, and I’m not going anywhere without you.”
Soren kept a straight face, but his heart burst with pride because she wanted to stay with him.
“I heard mention of a place called Calamarra, and Penrith. It’s all I know. I got the impression it was a retreat of some sort. Hopefully, when we get to Sydney, someone will have heard of him.”
Anne tuned in the radio and the next few hours were spent singing loudly to old songs. Soren discovered the two of them had something in common. Neither of them could sing in tune. It didn’t stop their enthusiasm and made them both laugh. For a brief moment, life was on hold and he would enjoy it.
There was another small town up ahead, and Soren drove into the gas station to fill up. Anne went inside, grabbed some coffee, and came back out. He couldn’t help noticing how she kept looking around to see if they were being followed. He wanted to get back on the road and away from people again. Sydney would be another matter. He wouldn’t be able to avoid anything there, including his future.
Anne walked to the driver’s side of the car and put her hand out for the keys.
“I’ll drive. You have a break for a bit,” Anne said, making it clear he didn’t have a choice. “By the way, I want to ask a question. Where did you get the wad of cash from? If you’re a bank robber as well as an alien, I’d like to know.”
Soren got into the car but didn’t say anything as she started the engine up. What would she think of him when she knew the truth?
“When I lived at the Enclave, Cameron would bring people for entertainment.” Soren gulped before he went on. “Clients would fly in from around the country to attend one of his gatherings. Sex, drugs, and the bizarre, with no questions asked. Cameron would sell me to the highest bidder. Some of the women and men gave me money when I had sex with them.”
Anne remained quiet for a moment before she said, “An angel and a sex worker. Seems a strange combination. You wouldn’t think the two would go together. I’ve always thought sex work was underrated in its benefit for keeping the community safe. Well, I’m glad. It saves us from using my credit card, which I think your friends might trace.”
Anne had surprised him. Yet again. He thought she would be repulsed he had been used for sex. This human female was winding her way into his heart and he loved every second of it. For a moment he contemplated saying so to Anne but stopped short. Love was for humans, and he wasn’t one. Anne was, and she needed a person who could give her love.
“They paid Cameron, but some of them wanted to give me extra. I never thought I would need money because I was dying so I threw it in a drawer.”
“It seems you are a man of many talents. I hope you’re not expecting me to pay for this morning. I don’t think I could afford you, so I would need to pay in kind.” Anne winked at him and then turned back and concentrated on the road ahead.
“I look forward to it.” Soren yawned, as the car trundled along what seemed to be an unending straight road. Dry yellow paddocks surrounded them with a few scattered trees with the odd hill in the distance.
Soren drifted off to sleep as Anne drove on. His head banged against the window as he came awake with a start. The car trailed off the road onto the verge, and he braced himself for the crash.
Anne gripped the steering wheel and was doing the best she could stop the car from toppling over. It travelled over a bump in the dirt and came to a stop. The engine spluttered and went quiet, and neither of them moved. The only sounds were their rapid breathing.
Adrenaline sent his heartrate into overdrive. Soren realized that Anne might have died in an accident even if he healed. He needed to do more to keep her safe.
Anne stared through the windscreen. Then she peeked at him, and he saw her eyes were watering. He didn’t want her to be sad.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “One minute I was on the road, and then the car started making funny sounds. I must have drifted off, and then we were on the dirt. I could’ve killed us both.”
Anne’s knuckles were white where she held on to the steering wheel. He peeled her fingers away. She kept shaking and staring at her hands as if they didn’t belong to her. He took her hands in his, bent down, and kissed her knuckles. It made her cry more. He wasn’t doing very well at calming her.
“We’re not good at this whole crazy-person-on-the-run thing, are we?” she asked and then bit her bottom lip. “To be honest, I’m surprised it made it this far. Do you know anything about fixing cars?”
Soren didn’t have a clue, but the pair of them went around the front of the car and lifted the bonnet and stared blankly at the engine.
“Being an alien isn’t much use when I can’t fix a car, is it?”
She shrugged her shoulders and started to laugh. It started off as a chuckle and then both of them were almost crying with laughter. All the tension was gone, if only for a short time.
<
br /> A car pulled in behind them. Anne gripped the front of the car as Soren braced himself for a member of the Enclave to step out.
The vehicle was another four-wheel-drive but one that had seen much better days than theirs. An older man wearing a wide-brimmed hat got out. The hat hadn’t done much to protect the man’s skin from the harsh outback sun. His wrinkled skin showed lines where he’d smiled a lot. His clothes were covered in dust and Soren assumed he was a local farmer.
“Need some help?” he asked.
“The car stopped working, but we don’t know why.” Soren moved aside as the man peered at the engine and fiddled with leads and hoses. He told Soren to try starting the engine up but to no avail.
“I reckon your carb’s stuffed. I’ll tow you up to the farm and fix it for you if you like. Barry’s the name.”
“I’m Soren, and this is Anne. We’re on our way to Sydney.”
The man laughed. “These old Jeeps are good, but this one is past her ‘use by’ date, I reckon. We’ll see what we can do for you. I don’t make any promises. I’m not a miracle worker.”
Soren helped Barry attach the rope to the front of their car. Then Soren jumped back in the driver’s seat with Anne beside him. Barry pulled their vehicle off the dirt and down the main road. A few miles on, Barry stopped in front of some old metal gates. Once inside, Barry got out and shut the gates behind them. Soren hoped they weren’t driving into a trap.
Their car bumped along the dirt track up to the farm. Anne shut her window so they didn’t end up covered with dust.
He considered how lucky both he and Anne were to have people helping them. Soren got the impression from the members of the Enclave all humans were out for themselves and what they could get. He had nothing to offer Barry and yet he was assisting them to repair the Jeep.
Soren could see the farmhouse as they made their way up the dirt track. It had a big veranda around it and a small dam nearby. Dogs ran from around the back of the house and barked at their car as Barry pulled up out the front. A large woman came out through the front door and waved to Barry. Soren noticed a petite woman hiding behind her, peeping around like a naughty child. Both women looked as if they were in their sixties and the sun had taken its toll on their skin with wrinkles the same as Barry.
“Well, I suppose we should get out and say hello to Barry’s family,” Anne said.
The large woman came down the front steps, but the little one hid behind a pillar on the porch.
“This is my wife, Jeanette, and her sister, Fiona,” Barry said. “These two stragglers, Soren and Anne, need some help to fix their car. In return, they’re going to help me fix the roof on the hen shed.” Barry leaned across. “Fiona’s not quite right in the head but harmless enough,” Barry whispered to them.
So much for doing something for nothing. It would be a fair trade. That was if Barry could get the car going again. The important thing was to get to Sydney.
“I’ll have dinner ready soon. I’ll add a couple of extra plates on the table,” Jeanette said and turned back toward the house.
“They’re pretty. Can I touch them?” Fiona said as she pointed at Soren and then moved back behind her pillar.
“Come on, Fi. You can help me peel some more potatoes. Leave the nice young people to help Barry. Then you can go and collect the eggs later.”
“They sparkle,” Fiona said as she followed her sister back inside.
Soren jumped into the front of the utility truck with Anne as they headed off. Barry stopped off for them to pick up some aluminum sheeting. Then he paused by a small shed with a rusted roof with large holes in it.
“Poor old chooks are getting wet when it rains. Shouldn’t take long to do this and then I’ll fix your car.”
Soren climbed up the ladder and wrenched off the old sheeting. He lowered it down, and Anne and moved it across the yard. An hour later, most of the new sheets were nailed into place. It felt good to be doing something to assist someone. Good honest work with a meal and a fixed car as payment. For a while, he could forget they were on the run.
Anne jumped in the car, and he sat beside her as Barry headed back to the farmhouse. Soren watched as Barry took some of the car’s engine apart and replaced them with bits from the enormous pile of car parts in his garage. Anne nodded as if she understood some of things Barry did. Soren didn’t have a clue.
“Soren, get in and turn the ignition on, will you? I reckon it should work now,” Barry said as he wiped his oily hands on a cloth.
The engine burst into life and Soren relaxed, knowing they could move on again. These people were kind to them, and he didn’t want to put them in danger any more than Peta and Gavin.
“We should get a move on as it's getting dark,” Anne said. Their bags were still in the back of the car.
“No, you must stop for tea or my wife will give me what for,” Barry said. “Unless you’re in a great hurry, you’re more than welcome to stay the night. We don’t get many visitors. Jeanette would love it. She’s not been too well lately and it would get her mind off things. She cooks a great roast as well.”
“We would love to,” Anne answered.
Soren was surprised she didn’t want to move on.
She leaned in and whispered, “I like the idea of just being a pair of normal people for a night before we head on into what’s to come. We can drive off first thing in the morning and still make Sydney tomorrow.”
Soren smirked. “I don’t think we’ll ever classify as normal, but if it’s what you want, I can’t refuse you.”
Back at the farmhouse, Jeannette showed them to a bedroom at the back of the house. She flitted about tidying the bedspread and fluffing up the pillows.
“The bathroom’s down the corridor. I’ll leave you both to freshen up then.” Jeanette bustled off back to the kitchen.
Soren stared at the old cast-iron bed. He would have been more than happy to skip dinner and dive under the sheets with Anne now. He gazed across at her, and she blushed. Was she thinking the same?
“I’ll go and wash first,” Anne offered, breaking the moment. “We don’t want to keep them waiting. Also, the sooner we eat, the sooner we can go to bed.” Anne grabbed some clean clothes from her bag and winked at him before she headed off.
Barry hadn’t lied about his wife’s cooking. The roast lamb was tender and the vegetables were cooked to perfection. At the Enclave, chefs would come in when Cameron had guests but rest of the time the food was basic. Tonight, with the flavors moving across his tongue, Soren realized he had never let himself enjoy such things.
“So do you have family in Sydney then?” Barry asked as he sliced some more lamb off the roast and Jeanette passed it around. Soren reckoned his stomach would be twice its normal size by the end of the night. How much would he tell them and still keep them safe? Anne squeezed his hand, and he let her take the lead.
“We’re looking for a friend we haven’t seen for a while. It was a spur-of-the-moment kind of trip. We should’ve chosen a better vehicle but thought it would get us through. We needed to get our minds off life and its little ups and downs. We thought the trip would help. I lost my aunt recently, and it seemed like a good time to reconnect with people from our past.”
Jeanette placed some wine in front of Soren, and he said thanks.
“Barry will tell you I never liked Sydney or any big city much, did I? It felt claustrophobic. I’ve always liked me big open spaces. By the way, I want to thank you for helping with the shed. Fi likes her chickens. She loves hunting around the place for the eggs.”
“So you two been together long then?” Barry asked.
Anne nearly choked on her drink as she spluttered. Soren patted her on the back.
“Not long, but we have been through a lot together,” Soren said, hoping Anne would agree. “I thi
nk it’s how you cope with adversity together shows how well suited you are.”
“Tough times can either make you stronger or pull you apart.” Barry reached across the table and took Jeanette’s hand.
Anne helped clear away the dishes as Barry poured port into beautiful little glasses for all of them. Fiona hadn’t spoken during their meal but now she came and stood next to Soren. He looked at her, and she smiled at him.
“Can I touch them?” she whispered to him.
“Touch what?” Soren asked.
“Your wings. They’re so pretty and big.”
Fiona bit her fingernail and rocked from side to side as she ran her fingers in the air above his shoulders.
“Don’t bother the young man, Fiona,” Barry said. “He doesn’t have wings. She talks about seeing angels sometimes. Means no harm.”
“I wish I had wings you could touch, Fiona. If you can see them, then go ahead.”
Fiona clapped her hands with glee and touched the air next to his left shoulder. Soren wondered if Fiona was one of the people who could see Guardians and it had sent her insane.
“Thank you, Soren,” Fiona said. “The little ones are soft feathers, but the big ones are hard as steel. Anne doesn’t have wings so don’t hurt her with yours.” Fiona yawned.
“If you go and get changed for bed, I’ll bring you a hot chocolate,” Jeannette said as she guided Fiona from the room.
“Sorry about that,” Barry said. “People said we should have put her in home years ago, but she isn’t any trouble. When I’m out on the property, she keeps Jeanette company.”
