by JM HART
“What the fuck? Shut up or you’re going to wake everyone in the house.” Then headlights probed the blackness of the room. “Oh, shit! Jade, go wake Kevin and Tim.”
“Kath, get your mom and meet us in Kevin’s room. You’ve got about thirty seconds.”
His bare feet slapped the wooden floor as he ran down the empty hallway. He ducked into his room, lifted Alex out of bed and carried him as best he could, although the boy’s dangling feet kicked him in the groin. He struggled with the door handle. Alex seemed to weigh a ton, but finally the knob turned and he entered Daniel and Callie’s room. Shaun gently tossed Alex in the middle of the bed.
“What’s going on?” Daniel said, trying to open his eyes, reaching for the side lamp.
“Don’t turn it on, we have company. I just saw their headlights coming up the road.”
“Shit, go wake everyone.”
“I already have and told them to meet us in Kevin’s room.”
Alex nestled into Callie, peacefully drifting in and out of sleep. She soothed him, keeping him calm. She moved him aside to climb out of bed, quickly dress and slip into her sneakers. Shaun ran back down the hall to Kevin’s room. Daniel carried Alex, and Callie had Molly in her arms. Shaun reached out for Kevin’s doorknob. He hesitated, listening to the sound of tyres moving along the dirt and stone driveway. It was getting closer and stopped somewhere out front.
Quickly, he slipped into Kevin’s room. Alex started to whimper in Daniel’s arms. Molly was asleep and Callie gently rocked her willing her to stay that way. The car doors opened … they all held their breaths.
“Shh, you have to stop crying,” Shaun said to Alex. “If they hear you crying they will come and hurt us.”
“Don't talk like that to my brother. We don’t know who they are,” Kevin said.
“Yes, we do. It’s those guys we saw pop a cap into that dude by the river yesterday. They are also the same guys who chased you and Tim.”
“What, no way. Shouldn’t we do something? We can’t just hide in here,” Kevin whispered.
“You saw what they did to that guy?” Now an inch away from Kevin’s nose he said. “Didn’t you?”
*
At six in the evening Casey was slouched in the armchair and started to toss and turn as he dozed. He was burning up. He called out Sophia’s name.
“What’s happening, is he sick? Why won’t he wake up?” said Amy.
“He’s okay. I could go into a trance and help him, but this — he has to do this one on his own. If I was meant to be with him, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
Casey’s head hung over the side of the chair at an odd angle. Joe picked him up and laid him on the sofa.
Sophia held Casey’s hand and the room around them started to change. “Relax, Casey, just relax. We’re with you. Don’t be afraid, you are here with us.” There was a circle of light forming around them and she saw Amy become alarmed and agitated. Sophia wasn’t shocked, she knew what was happening. The ghosts of the past started to appear and the apparitions and emotional memories began to play themselves out for all to see. Sophia couldn’t help feeling excited; she was thrilled and touched by the display of memories, and the reality of the promise of the afterlife. She had always felt the gentle touch of a world beyond her sight. Father McDonald pulled out his Bible, and started praying for Casey’s protection, just as he had done for Sophia throughout her life.
Amy brushed back Casey’s hair and blew a cool breeze onto his brow. The apparitions took stronger physical form than previously. She became afraid for Casey. “My book,” Amy said, “my grandfather’s book.”
Sophia saw Amy’s fear. “Don’t be afraid. No matter what happens he will be okay, even if he dies.”
“How can you say that?” Amy said.
“Because it’s true. There is an angel that only answers to God that keeps watch over Casey. But he won’t die again, not today.”
Amy knelt on the floor by the sofa and knocked her knee on something; she pulled a book from under the couch. Sophia was in awe of the light radiating from it. Amy opened the book and the letters glittered and danced off the page. Sophia felt jubilant, astonished and totally amazed.
“Amy, you are holding a book of splendor, a channel to the creator. You are blessed.” Tears pooled in her eyes as she looked at Amy, who looked as innocent as a child sitting on the floor. The letters circled and expanded to include everyone. It was a spectacular sight.
“How can I be blessed when I am surrounded by such turmoil, and I am filled with anguish for the pain of humanity? I have no family. I have lost children before they were born. I am terrified I will lose Casey and he will fall victim, like so many, to the darkness.”
Sophia didn’t answer. She had no words to express the love Amy amplified with her words.
“Tell me, how can I possibly be blessed?” Amy asked again.
*
The windows were closed, the white blinds were drawn. Shaun saw Callie look at Kevin and Tim sitting on the bottom bunk with Jade in between them. Nobody was doing anything. What are they waiting for? Shaun thought. Why are they just sitting around, don’t they get it? Alex was bravely holding back his sobs and buried his face into Daniel’s neck and wrapped his legs tight around his waist. Daniel paced the floor. Molly continued to sleep in Callie’s arms, unaware of the commotion. “She’s always been a good sleeper. Once darkness falls, she dependably sleeps till sunrise,” Callie said to Kath.
“We can sneak out the back to the car, or we could make a run for it into the hills,” Daniel said.
“Can’t we just hide?” Sally said, pulling Kath close to her.
“They will eventually find us,” Callie said. They heard the car doors opening and closing.
“I’m not hiding anywhere,” Shaun said. “Those guys won’t think twice about offing us.”
Callie held Molly close to her chest. “I know, follow me!” She left no room for protests. She opened the door, checked the corridor, and was out of the room and rushing down the hallway.
“What the hell, Callie?”
“Daniel, hurry up,” she whispered.
The kids jumped up and squeezed past Daniel and Alex. Shaun, Kevin, Tim and Jade ran down the back stairs after her. She went out the back and onto the veranda. Quietly, in the dark, they slithered along the side wall of the house towards the hangar. There was only fifteen feet between the house and the hangar’s side door, but it might as well have been a mile. Callie had stopped. Shaun heard the front door splintering as it yielded to the pressure of heavy boots. He felt a chill rush up his spine. He saw Callie clutch Molly even tighter. Suddenly she ran into the opening making a dash for the hangar. Kevin raced past Callie and he reefed the side door open and they all piled in.
Lastly, Daniel ushered Sally and Kath into the hangar. The door quietly clicked closed behind them. “What are you thinking, Cal?” Daniel whispered.
“We can fly out of here. Isn’t it obvious?”
“The plane hasn’t been started for over a year — and what about those things in the sky? It’s filled with them.”
“These guys are going to —”
Before she could finish there was a flash of light streaming from the house. The hangar’s only window lit up. Suddenly there was a loud bang. Gunfire, Shaun thought.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are.” The stranger’s voice was loud and sinister.
Callie reached for the plane’s keys. Daniel moved Alex onto his hip and stepped up onto the wing. With one hand he held the door open. “Come on, everyone. Quick. It is going to be a tight squeeze,” he said.
Callie stopped Kevin before they climbed up onto the wing. “You have to help me. You’re the only person who has flown this plane.”
“What? Me!” Kevin protested. “Pop only gave me a couple of lessons.”
“Just about the same as me,” Callie said. “You remember the walk-around checks? Remove the tie-downs, check the fuel, tyres, remove the cove
r from … what’s it called?”
“The Pitot tube. Shit, Ma.”
“I’m not getting in there if he’s flying,” Shaun said.
Callie raised her eyebrows. “You have to.”
“Kevin! Stop underestimating yourself. Now move.”
He stood smiling at her positive words, which didn’t elude him.
“Why are you smiling? Move.”
Kevin hurried to begin the external procedures. Callie jumped up into the cockpit. Shaun climbed in after her and watched her start the pre-flight checklist. This is going to take forever.
*
Kevin searched the empty bench drawers for the clear flask to do the fuel check. “Top drawer, K,” he imagined his pop saying. The Piper Cherokee 6-300 had been sitting unused in the hangar for over a year. Kevin wasn’t sure that it would even start, but first there had to be fuel and it had to be un-spoilt. He could hear gunshots as the men searched through the house, randomly firing like idiots. He had to relax, he had to concentrate. There was a lot of ifs in front of them. Relax, Kevin told himself, and the image of his first night flight six years ago when he was eight came into his mind. The yellow and white streetlights below had been beautiful. It had looked as if the city was wrapped up in glittery gold and silver tinsel. He fell in love with flying that night. The gunfire brought him back to the present. What the hell? Daydreaming now, K, is going get you killed.
He found a torch and a tube and walked over to the plane, draining about an inch of fuel out of each wing. He first smelt it; the potency smacked him in the face. He then checked the color and clarity of the mix and, to his surprise, it was perfect. He checked the tanks: the left wing was full, the right side not so much. He continued the procedure, remembering how much he loved flying. He nearly jumped out of his skin when gunfire echoed through the house. He kicked the tyre blocks out of the way and climbed up onto the wing. It all took no more than couple of minutes, but it felt like an eternity.
“Left wing’s up to taps,” he said to his mom.
He looked into the back of the small plane; it only had four passenger seats. Next to Jade, Alex was sitting on his dad’s lap. Sally was cradling Molly, sitting beside Kath. Tim climbed over the white leather seats into the baggage space and nestled in the rear fuselage behind Jade. Shaun sat on the floor between the four seats. Kevin suddenly felt his eyes well up and his throat tighten with tears, then realized they weren’t his tears, weren’t his emotions, they were Jade’s. He smiled at Jade, then looked at his mom. “There’s no room in the back for me,” he said.
She patted the co-pilot seat. “I reserved it for you.” She resumed going through the pre-flight checklist; he could see the aileron and the flaps on the wings going up and down. He moved to his seat and put on his headset. Callie handed him the laminated checklist and he read out the next instruction.
“Carburetor heat — off.”
“Check.” His mom’s voice came through his speakers loud and clear.
“Annunciator panel — check lights.”
“Check.”
“Circuit breakers — check in.”
“Throttle — ¼ inch open.”
“Check.”
“Mixture — rich.”
“Check.”
“Fuel pump — on.”
“Check.”
“Primer —”
“Callie,” Kath said, her face butted up against the small side panel posing as a window. Her voice was quivering. “How much longer is this going to take? I can see them. Do you think they know we are here? The house is lit up like a power plant. They are going to kill us, aren’t they? They’re going through every room. Three of the men are heading onto the veranda.”
Daniel placed his hand on Callie’s shoulder, his voice controlled, totally monotone. “I don’t think we have time for this, Cal.”
Kevin and Callie ignored them, concentrating on the procedures.
“Okay, I don’t want to open the hangar until we have started the engine,” she said. “We are going for a cold engine start. Sorry for stating the obvious.”
Kevin nodded and kept reading the pre-flight checks.
“Magnetos — both.”
“CLEAR PROP,” Kevin shouted, looking out the side panel window.
“Start engine — set 1000 rpm and confirm oil pressure.”
And Callie started the engine. The plane coughed and went silent. Callie started the engine again. It coughed — and pulsed into life.
Kevin checked the oil pressure. “Okay, handbrake off,” Kevin said and the plane began to move.
“The door! The hangar door!” Daniel yelled.
“Where’s the remote?” Callie fumbled in the side pocket of the door where the pre-flight checklist was kept, and blindly searched with her fingers for the remote control. “Got it.” She pushed the button. The hangar door groaned, slowly moving and clunking as it folded back into the roof. She lifted her toes off the brakes and onto the rudder.
“Damn, I forgot the specimens.” Callie braked hard. “Handing over control,” she said into the mike, “You got it, Kevin?” and started to undo her seat belt.
“I have control,” he said robotically just like his pop taught him. But he didn’t want control, he wanted his mom to take it back. “Where are you going?”
“Taxi out of here and pick me up at the back paddock fence,” she said.
“But, Mom —”
“No buts!” In a softer tone, she said, “You can do this, Kevin.” Callie climbed onto the wing and slid off the plane.
Daniel yelled at Callie over the sound of the engine. “Where the hell are you going? What could be more important than your family? For Christ’s sake… Cal!”
Kevin saw her shoot out from behind the plane, out the side door and she was gone. The hangar door was wide open, and Kevin steered the plane with his feet. Three men suddenly appeared in front of the aircraft and Kevin slammed on the brakes. He idled just before the threshold.
“Get out of the plane,” one of them demanded. Their rifles were raised, ready to fire.
“Dad?”
“Floor it, K,” Daniel said.
“But, Dad, what if they don’t move?”
“Floor it, K, full throttle.”
Kevin released the brake and the plane started rolling. Flashes of light ignited from the gun barrels. The bullets ricocheted off the propeller blades. The men didn’t budge. Kevin turned the plane as sharply as he could, trying to avoid them, hoping they would duck under the wing, but he felt the sudden shudder of the propeller. There was a yell from inside the house. Callie screamed. They could see her silhouette fighting, struggling with one of the men by the kitchen window.
“Callie!” Daniel screamed and held Alex’s head close to his chest blocking his ears.
Kevin screamed out his window for the men to leave her alone. It was impossible for him to be heard. The two men still standing in their way took off and went back into the house. Kevin rolled the plane out of the hangar, towards the front of the house and the two four-wheel drives.
*
Shaun wasn’t in the best position to see what was going on outside the plane, but his hearing was just fine. He was cramped, but he felt safe. It had been a long time since he had been on a plane and a long time since he felt safe, but now, hearing Callie’s screams, anxiety crawled over him. The anguish in Daniel’s voice as he shouted to Callie was like nails down a chalkboard.
“Oh, God, please, please no.” Daniel sat Alex on Jade’s lap and reached for the door.
Shaun watched Daniel. He was ready to jump onto the wing and off the plane, but he hesitated. He looked back at them all and Shaun could see, in his eyes, the pain. Shaun knew then that Daniel wouldn’t leave them. He sat back down and gripped the cold metal handle, while Kevin taxied in front of the house. Shaun looked up into Daniel’s face and saw the torment. He wriggled out of his tight spot and slipped through the partially open door. He felt Daniel grapple for his shirt before he fell ont
o the wing. Shaun landed hard, grazing himself on the gravel driveway. He jumped up and hid behind the side of the moving plane. Hunched over, he ran to the back of the house. He was out of sight. He no longer heard Daniel yelling at him to get back on board.
He saw Kevin speed down the drive, into the dark, towards the short runway. Shaun stayed down. He had the advantage of surprise and wanted to keep it that way.
“It’s the woman. Hold her still.”
Shaun snuck up the back steps. Then he stopped, and remembered the can of petrol under the workbench, below where Callie had found the keys. He crept back down the stairs and ran into the hangar and grabbed the can and some rags. Keeping quiet he headed to the front of the house and crouched beside the first four-wheel drive. He popped open the petrol cap and stuffed in the dripping rag, then did the same with the second four-wheel drive. He could hear Callie screaming and it actually bothered him. When did I start to care? It hurts too much to care. He couldn’t cut off the sound of her screams. Why did she go back, anyway? For what, a couple of specimen jars? The doubt was smothering him. I should just run and not look back. I don’t need them. Ignoring his thoughts he focused on the lighter in his hand and the soaked rags. This was familiar, making petrol bombs, and the feeling of confidence returned. He knew how to blow shit up. Shaun set each rag alight and ran down the side of the house. The explosion threw him off his feet and he could feel the heat over his back and head. He could smell it singeing his hair. He scrambled to his feet as the men ran out the front door.
Shaun ran up the back stairs and through the back door. He stopped in the hallway and peered into the kitchen. Callie was being held by the neck up against the far wall. There was only one man in the room. Shaun picked up the brick that was acting as a doorstopper and rushed at the man, whacking him hard in the back of the head. It took Callie a few seconds to register Shaun, but as soon as she did she was moving, pulling open the refrigerator for her little blue esky.
Shaun gripped her wrist. “Leave it. We have to get out. Come on.”
Callie had what she was looking for and was first out the back, the screen door’s spring slowly retracting as the door closed gently behind them. They hurdled over the veranda railing and headed across the paddock. Shaun could just make out the flashing red and green lights on the wings of the plane as it turned off the road speeding across the paddock towards them. It slowed, but didn’t stop. The cabin door flung open and Daniel grabbed the esky from Callie. She ran next to the plane, stumbled. Daniel leant out and reached for her hand as bullets whistled past their heads. Daniel lifted Callie up into the plane. The men ran across the paddock closing the gap between them. A bullet hit the tail wing. Shaun heard it first pass his ear and he instinctively ducked. The plane was pulling away. They were going to leave him.
