It had been a difficult couple of weeks since he parted from the girls. It was the wrong decision not to go with them he reluctantly confessed, unable to get the SUV fixed. He wished them well but was not too confident of their plans. A land ship; no way! he had thought. In the meantime, he was forced to travel on foot, just to survive. He had dug up dirt with his bare hands, from deep below the prairie surface where the Sun had not reached, and squeezed from it what little water it had. There were some mushrooms and berries, but they were withered, and he was losing weight quickly. He could barely summon the strength to keep going anymore. He looked ravenously at the pasty on the dashboard, grabbed it, and quickly dug his teeth into it. It tasted so good, he thought; baked dry, but good, nevertheless. In a matter of seconds, it was gone, Daniel feeling a painful lump of indigestion in his chest. It didn't dissuade him as he looked around for more food, but there was none.
“Fat, greedy bastard!” he shouted, slamming his hands down on the steering wheel in frustration.
Who ate all the pies? Well, the fat, greedy bastard, of course, lying in the road! Him, and him only!
He looked along the road before him, all the way to the horizon. There was nothing, except for dead bushes and sand. He continued his monotonous journey, onwards up the road and northbound, his bones and muscles aching, his hunger foreboding. Soon the dust clouds descended upon him quickly, turning day into night. There were flashes of lightning and cracks of thunder as the clouds swirled in ever thicker. How can someone get so fat in a post-apocalyptic world? There's nothing to eat! Even when you find something, it's stale and useless! Very peculiar indeed! He sighed as he tried to figure it out. Wait a minute, hells bells! Who is that, over there? He braked hard as he saw a lone figure walking up the highway before him. He cruised up slowly with care beside the hiker, aware that they could be dangerous, and wound the window down. It was a woman, oblivious to his presence.
“Excuse me!” Daniel shouted. The woman looked across at him startled, holding her hood stretched outwards to protect her eyes from the swirling grit. Strands of blonde hair billowed out from underneath the hood as she tried to tuck them neatly back in. Her coat looked too big for her as it hung on her emaciated figure, Daniel thought. She looked scared as she tried to walk quickly onwards, hiding her face from him.
“Don’t worry, I’m harmless, get in!” Daniel shouted through the howling wind. She stopped, still holding the hood over her face. Daniel reached across and opened the door for her. The woman paused for a brief moment as if deliberating what to do, then got in. She struggled to shut the door behind her as the wind caught it, Daniel leaning over again, helping her pull it shut. The boisterous storm became muffled as the electric window wound itself back up, only the grit lashing against the window of any bother.
“Thank you, my dear,” the woman said, her voice unsteady, “it's a blinder, literally.” She pulled down her hood and ruffled her hair.
“No problem,” Daniel replied, looking out at the storm with a frown as if agreeing with the lady.
“Your accent, it's from the East, yes?” the old woman asked.
Daniel nodded, “With a hint of this and that.” The woman paused again, looking down worriedly at her blistered hands.
“Oh, sorry,” she suddenly said, “my name is Patricia, but please don't call me Pat. I’ve been fighting that one all my life. Patricia, please.”
“It's good to meet you, Patricia. I’m Daniel. “
“Lovely name, it fits your face. Your parents must have thought long and hard for that, and they chose well.
“Oh, thank you,” Daniel replied, feeling pleased and more relaxed with her kind comments.
“So what brings you out on this lonely road, my dear?” Patricia asked.
“Good question. The honest answer; this is where I’ve ended up. To cut a long and tortuous story brutally short; my car died, I got lost, wandered the desert for a few weeks, found a dead, fat guy in his car, and here I am, in it.”
Patricia giggled between fits of coughs, “Nicely put.”
“And you?” Daniel asked.
“Oh, I was born a gypsy, and I walk the roads post-apocalypse or not.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. Is it so hard to believe?”
Daniel shrugged.
“You see a lot of things on the road, learn a lot about life,” Patricia continued. “And I get to meet nice people like you.” Daniel looked across at Patricia, feigning a little smile.
And some horrible people? You tried to walk away, then paused before getting in, Daniel thought.
Patricia could see the questions on Daniel's face.
“Never become an actor, my dear. You're more like a book, every page easy to read.” Daniel wasn’t sure how to take that as the old woman continued, “Of course the road has its problems, so you have to know when to travel and when not to.”
“But how can you know that; when to travel?” Daniel asked.
Patricia smiled, a deep dimple appearing on her cheek, “Well it's just like life, you soon learn the easy from the hard.”
“Sorry?” Daniel asked confused as a swirl of sand lashed across the windscreen. He switched on the wipers, watching them strain and judder across the dusty glass. Patricia waited until the wipers had cleaned a good view through the glass so that Daniel could give her his full attention again.
“Easy is given; the rest you have to work for. It's like travelling through life.”
“Ok, I will dwell on that one,” Daniel said.
“Good! You're meant to.” Patricia smiled.
“Let's leave this philosophical nonsense for now and get to the practicalities,” Patricia said with a smile. Daniel smiled back.
“Water, then food, and when you're satisfied and your belly is full, you can think up any bullshit you like!” Patricia continued, ending with a wheezy cough as she gasped for air. She waved her hand at Daniel as if to say don’t worry. “It's a drag getting old so quickly,” she finally said between gasps. “Time is something we don’t have anymore.”
“Food would be good. There's a bottle of water under your seat,” Daniel replied. “Help yourself.”
“Keep it for now,” Patricia said, “just in case we really need it later.”
“And food? We must eat, and soon,” Daniel complained. “Before we surely run out of time.”
“Keep moving. I’m sure something will turn up,” Patricia replied. David looked across at her with suspicion at her confident comment. He drove on, the lightning flickering across his eyes beginning to tire them.
“So, what's the story, Patricia? Why are you travelling alone?”
“Oh, you know, searching, just like everyone else,” she replied. “What for? Who knows? Maybe I will know it when I see it.” Daniel glanced across at her, saying nothing, growing more suspicious of his passenger. Patricia could see it in his eyes, his mistrust of her was growing stronger with every moment.
“Do you meet many people on your travels, Daniel?” she asked.
“Not really,” he replied, looking whacked.
“Not really?”
“There were some girls a few weeks back, but apart from them, no one, apart from bandits, of course.”
“Some girls?” she asked, looking interested.
“Yes, tough little nuggets they were.” He frowned, too embarrassed to mention that they had captured him in a net, prepared to kill him for the sake of his van.
“Did they have nice names?” she asked, the curiosity on her face deepening.
“Oh, I don't know, what were they?” Daniel replied, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel as he tried to recall them with frustration.
“Let them come, don't try and force them,” Patricia said, “just think of their faces and tell me what they looked like.”
“You know,” he began, as if he was eager to tell her, “there was a peculiar one.”
“Yes, go on,” she said impatiently, putting her hand around his wrist.
She closed her eyes as he began.
“She was so young and strong, but her face.”
“Yes…?
“Her face; she looked so troubled as if there was too much going on in her head, her mind unable to cope, her emotions trying to burst through all at once.”
She tightened her grip around his wrist, “What do you mean, Daniel?”
“There was just so much energy there, rippling through her skin as if her mind was frying; ticks, quivers, I don't know. She was very strange but in a nice way. Maybe she was schizophrenic or something?”
“Was she pretty?”
Daniel blushed, shrugging his shoulders, “Oh, now, I don’t know. She looked a bit rough, with tangled, blonde hair, and deep green eyes.” Daniel slowed a little as the wind buffeted the car from the side, causing it to swerve across the road. He counter steered as he looked apologetically across to Patricia. “Wait! No! One was blue, and one was green. That's it! I remember now because I had never seen eyes like that before. They were mesmerising. Two eyes of different colour, must be rare, yes?” He heard Patricia's breathing deepen. “Yes, that’s it, that’s it! Kyla! Her name was Kyla!” he slammed his hands down on the steering wheel in triumph. Patricia suddenly let go of her grip on Daniel’s arm. “Kyla, with sapphire and emerald eyes!” he continued.
Kyla, you’re alive! I knew it. I see you in my dreams when you speak to me! She felt a gentle nudge from Daniel.
“You ok?” he asked, looking concerned.
“Of course, sorry, it's your voice, so gentle and kind. I must have drifted off to sleep. Daniel smiled.
“It's been a tiring day, for us both,” he said.
“What were these little nuggets up to?” she asked.
“Oh, they were going north,” he answered, “like me.” It's what they said that inspired me to do the same.”
“North?” Patricia asked.
“Yes?”
“You know exactly where in the North, Daniel?” she asked, putting her hand on his arm again. There was anxiousness mixed with a strange joy in her face, he thought.
He shook his head, “Sorry,” he shrugged, “we went our separate ways.”
“Kyla,” she whispered as she stared out into the storm.
Lightning flashed across the sky, behind the car, illuminating the windscreen and turning it into a flickering mirror. His jaw dropped, a cold shiver running down his spine as he saw the reflection of Patricia’s face, clear as day before him. He looked into her eyes; one green and one blue, staring joyously back at him.
Then There Were Two
It was a moonless night as they walked through the forest in search of food. It felt that the darkness had a secret to tell. The ground was damp with autumnal leaves that had freshly fallen onto a layer of thick, dusty snow from the day's storm. It was eerily silent apart from the sound of the leaves squelching into the snow under their feet. The air was still but cold on their faces and harsh on their lungs, all three aware of the sound of their laboured breathing as they inhaled the damp air.
“How are we supposed to catch anything?” Demelza whispered. “I can’t see fuck all.”
“Why are you whispering?” Hayley replied, also whispering.
“The same reason you’re whispering.”
“And what reason is that?” Demelza put her finger to her mouth, signalling the others to be quiet.
“I don’t know why you’re doing that, I can barely see you,” Hayley complained, not whispering anymore.
“Jesus!” Demelza exclaimed as something ran over her foot, scuttling noisily off through the undergrowth.
“Jesus, indeed!” Kyla added startled, listening to whatever was bolting from them, standing still with fear.
“Just a mouse,” Hayley giggled.
“And how do you know that?” Demelza asked, still catching her breath.
“I’ve just switched on one of my superpowers,” Hayley joked.
“Which one?” Demelza asked drolly.
“Night vision.”
“Ok then,” Demelza added, “you lead the hunting party,” pushing Hayley to the front of them unapologetically.
“No, you go first, Demelza; find us some tasty morsels to eat as I am on my last legs for sure,” Hayley said, grabbing Demelza by the arm and pushing her to the front. Demelza looked through the trees, wishing she had kept her mouth shut, straining to see through the grainy darkness, the trees looking strange and somehow alive as their dark branches searched outwards into the suspicious shadows. She thought how strained their friendships had become lately. The cottage and the caves were a godsend, but without adequate food, their tolerance of each other was quickly deteriorating.
Are we losing our humanity; little by little, day by day, she pondered. We’re just like the animals now; no time for contemplation, just unadorned reality staring us in the face, waking us from our comfortable slumber into the terrifying arena of the wilderness. She suddenly jumped as Kyla grabbed her by the shoulder.
“Anything out there my beautiful scout?” Kyla asked.
Demelza huffed as she shook her head, “Don’t ask that,” she complained, “as I have already pointed out, I cannot see fuck all in this darkness, unlike some.”
Hayley giggled, “Ok, ok, but seriously we need to find something fast. “I am, in the words of a poor orphaned child, fucking starving; so is there anything out there, Demelza?”
“We're all in the same damn boat!” Demelza cried out. No one said anything further to Demelza's sudden outburst. They must be as tired as me, Demelza thought. Too tired to be civil, too tired to argue. Jesus, it takes so much energy just to be nice, never mind horrible!
The trees got denser as they continued deeper into the forest, the darkness more foreboding, eating into their quickly dwindling hopes. There was a quick muffled cry and the sound of breaking branches. Kyla gasped, trying not to scream as she felt a hand viciously clamp over her mouth. She winced as something sharp entered her thigh, losing consciousness almost immediately.
“What! What was that?” Demelza asked, panting fitfully with fear, looking around frantically in all directions. Hayley stood frozen, staring into the forest as she caught a fleeting glimpse of Kyla's legs being dragged through the fallen leaves and into the darkness between the trees. Hayley held her hand over her mouth, her face contorting as she felt waves of horror coldly shiver down her body. Demelza grabbed Hayley's shoulders, shaking them.
“Tell me; what the fuck was that? Where’s Kyla?” Demelza demanded.
“I don’t know,” Hayley spluttered back as she dribbled saliva onto her hand. They could hear rustling ahead of them, until that to faded away into the shadowy distance. Then there was complete silence, except for the sound of their own terrified heartbeats.
“What shall we do?” Demelza finally asked, looking around full circle, paranoid to the point of totality, her mind breaking down.
“Dial 911 and ask what, why and how?” Hayley replied, sounding dazed. This time, Hayley shook Demelza’s shoulders, a lot more vigorously than she had done to her. She moved her face closer to Demelza’s, seeing her large black pupils dilated as far as they could go, reflecting the grimness of the forest. She shook her again.
“Don’t do that!” Demelza protested, throwing off Hayley's hands. Hayley huffed and began to walk forward, towards where Kyla was taken.
“Is this a good idea?” I mean…” Demelza began, before breaking off, her mouth trembling too much to continue. Hayley continued walking through the trees, seeing the smooth snaking trail that Kyla's body had left in the carpet of leaves. She turned, grabbing Demelza’s hand, feeling it shake in her trembling hands.
“We must do something. Kyla our friend. Where did she go?” Demelza stammered.
“Who took her, you mean?” Hayley added.
“Taken?” Demelza simply said in a slow whisper, Hayley unsure whether Demelza was replying or just talking to herself. As they walked further, they could see a glimmer of light in the dista
nce through the dense branches. They watched in silence as its orange hue flickered. Demelza looked around, still paranoid with fear that there were others. She could feel her cold, clammy hand on Hayley's as they gripped each other tightly. She let go, silently ashamed as she dried her hands on her own skirt, only to tightly hold her hand again for comfort.
“Can't be too far away,” Hayley whispered.
“Maybe there's more, like a gang,” Demelza whispered back.
“Something is not right, though,” Hayley replied, “Something fucking weird is going on.”
“It's off the Richter scale,” Demelza agreed. “That was too quick, too clean, and too damn good an abduction.”
Hayley nodded, “It couldn't have been human what took her.” Demelza turned to look at Hayley, Hayley feeling her stare. “I mean in its execution, dragging away Kyla like that. She was gone in a flash,” Hayley continued. Demelza dared to comment, knowing too well what Hayley meant, too scared to pursue the idea.
“Probably just a wild animal,” Hayley finally said, knowing it wasn’t.
“She's gone isn’t she,” Demelza suddenly cried out, almost hysterical.
“Calm down,” Hayley said. “We need to stay on top of ourselves, remain alert.”
“Remain alert.”
“Just in case.”
“Just in case?” There was a sudden rustle behind them, both girls too scared to scream or turn their heads. Then silence, apart from the deafening sound of blood pumping through their heads in tune with pulsating, dark blotches before their eyes. It seemed like an eternity passed before they heard the rustle again. Whatever it was, it wasn’t a mouse, this time, something much bigger. Demelza looked over her shoulders, convinced she saw a shadowy figure through the trees behind them, then doubting herself immediately, not able to trust her frozen, paranoid mind. She tapped on Hayley's shoulder, pointing behind them, Hayley turning her fearful face to confront God knows what. Their breathing deepened as they searched through the trees and branches, their throats parched with fear. There was nothing.
“Sorry,” Demelza said, “I thought I saw something.” No sooner had she said that she turned to look forward again. Hayley suddenly screamed, and the crows cawed, fluttering frantically as they scarpered upwards hysterically through the tree branches. She gazed with horror into piercing, blue eyes, the face so close her skin tingled with the anticipation of it touching hers. Her feet slipped a little as she quickly turned on the sodden ground, pulling hard on Demelza's skirt, feeling the full weight of her frozen fear until she too turned to run, running as hard as they could, blindly through the trees from whence they came, already shattered and hungry, looking for the last they had in them, perhaps their final chance for life.
The Sands of Borrowed Time Page 38
