A New England

Chapter One- Gabriel

The summer sun was low in the sky, casting long shadows across the grass from the small cluster of white buildings at the foot of the hill. The rolling expanses of long wild grass stretched on up the hills to the sky where two larks tumbled acrobatically against the pink sky, calling to each other of the joys of another perfect day in the English countryside. It would have been a flawless and idillic representation of an approaching rural sun set had it not been for the tight coils of razor wire that topped the perimeter wall of the detention centre, their fine edges catching the dying rays of the sun, glowing blood red in the departing light.

 Gabriel's eyes caught the two wheeling larks overhead and the sight of their unbridled show of freedom made him choke on the unexplained mass that suddenly seemed to clog the back of his throat and restrict his air ways. How he wished they where up there, Hannah and himself, two birds in the perfect pink sky, happy and free. Instead, he was walking across the grass towards the hill, away from the detention centre and the horrors he had endured there over the last few days. He was painfully aware of the four armed guards who marched behind him, ready to jab him with their rifles should he stop walking. Behind them Hannah followed, brave and faithful to the end. He had not been allowed to see her during his time in the detention centre but she had been allowed to accompany them on this final walk and he had to fight the urge to look over his shoulder at her for to do so would be to loose it completely.

They had began the ascent now; the ground under his feet was now banking up sharply and Gabriel found himself wondering, as the wild grasses brushed his legs, why they had not built a road. It was an absurd and irrelevant thought to have at such a time. What did it matter why there was no road? Maybe they thought it would spoil the landscape, as if the razor wire and the watch towers had not already done so. 

It was a steep climb and Gabriel could already feel his heart pounding and his breath growing short from the effort. The back pack was heavy and dragged painfully at his shoulders. His shirt was beginning to cling to his body as the perspiration soaked through the fabric. Time seemed to be moving at half its usual speed and it seemed the small party would never reach the top of the hill and the single, innocent looking white building that crouched on the summit.  He had the absurd notion that maybe they could just go on climbing forever until they reached the sky and the larks that played there. He wished they would. He did not want this last walk ever to end.

But it did. They where bearing down on the summit now. The little white building was growing nearer. It looked so unassuming and common place; just a tiny white washed cube with a flat roof and a metal door. No razor wire or guard towers here. Nothing to hint at the horrors that lay beyond the inoffensive grey door.  

The sun was almost gone now. From up here you could see for miles; a vast expanse of green fields swaying in the orange light rolling all the way to the horizon and the sinking half circle of blinding red that was gradually, imperceptibly, slipping lower and lower. Gabriel paused. He was struck by the sudden notion that if he started to run now that he could get away. He could simply bolt across the fields into the sunset and waiting freedom.

The guards had raised their rifles and where now retreating, all four muzzles were trained on him as they stepped backwards, it was happening just as they had said it would in the briefing in the detention centre that morning. His mind tried to skim back over the days events; the briefing, the last meal, the...

...No. He stopped his thoughts there. He would not think of that, not now, not ever. He turned away from the sunset and saw Hannah coming towards him. The soft, warm breeze moved her hair and the light material of her summer dress was caught up also in the caressing current. As she approached the blazing sunset ringed her form in a fiery halo so that she looked like some kind of heavenly creature. As she drew nearer, the pain on her face became apparent. Although she did her best to hide it she could not mask the grief that swan in the pools of her eyes and tugged at the corners of her lips.

"Oh Gabriel," she said pitifully as she fell into his arms.

He held her for a few moments, trying desperately to seer the memory of how she felt against him and how she smelled into his tired, over stressed brain. Never before had she felt so small and fragile, so vulnerable, and he thought that he could not possibly leave her alone in this hateful world. Who would protect her now? Who would hold her when she slept at night? Who would be there to listen when she cried and smile when she laughed? He pulled back and looked into her sad eyes. She was holding back the tears but there was no doubt that they where there, he could see them threatening to spill over her lids at any moment.

"Hannah," his voice was a dry croak, "Hannah, listen to me."

She put a hand on his face, her fingers were trembling.

"I want you to forget about me when I'm gone."

"But Gabriel, I could never..."

"No, this is important," he cut her off, "I don't want your life to be over just because mine is. I want you to find someone else, someone you can grow old with, someone who makes you happy."

The dam cracked and a single tear escaped and tumbled over her lashes and down her cheek. In the red light it looked as though she was crying blood.

"No Gabriel," she protested feebly.

"Promise me Hannah," he took her face in his hands.

She kissed him long and hard and then she broke down in tears, the dam finally rupturing as they clung to each other as if they were standing on the brink of the World's end. Then she was being pulled away. One of the guards had grabbed her by the arms and as tugging her away form him. It seemed they had decided their time was up.

He watched them haul her backwards, her feet dragging on the ground, one arm still out stretched and reaching in his direction, red reflective tears coursing down her cheeks. It seemed that twilight had descended all at once. The sky had changed from pink to dark purple, the clouds where now the colour of bruises and the song of the larks had died and been replaced by the harsh cackle of a crow.

In that moment Gabriel knew what he had to do. He could not bare the knowledge that he would never see any of this again. He could not let it happen. Then there was Hannah. She had refused to give him the promise that she would forget about him and he could not have that. At least this was she would know. He could take away any uncertainty so at least then she would have to mourn and eventually move on. He could save her from a life time of wondering, of nursing feeble hopes of a reunion that would only hold her back from ever finding happiness again. He suddenly felt brave, this was his moment to do something courageous. He took one last look at Hannah. The guard was still restraining her despite the fact that she had stopped struggling. The remaining three guards were advancing. No, he wouldn't let it end like this, it was time to take charge.

Gabriel turned away. In the dusk there was still a thin red line of light on the horizon. He began to run, tearing across the grass toward the red light like a rabbit running from the hunters. There was a crazy moment when he thought that he was going to make it, that he could simply keep running forever, leave this whole situation behind and never look back. There was a rush of euphoria as the adrenaline kicked in and he spread his arms and laughed as he ran. He was going to be ok. They had seen sense and decided to let him go. Justice had prevailed and somehow through the mire of corruption and twisted politics a light had shone. Or maybe this whole thing had just been a cruel joke and now, at the very last second, the curtain would fall and it would be revealed that he was the victim of some sick reality TV show. After all, there were worse things than this out there that passed as entertainment for the depraved masses.

Then a loud shot snapped and sent echoes across the countryside. Two startled pheasants fluttered from the grass and took to the sky, screaming in alarm. Gabriel stumbled, his feet becoming tangled, before he fell to the ground. He rolled over as he landed and felt the cool grass brushing his skin. There was a sharp, searing sting in his ribs. He had often wondered what a gunshot felt like and was surprised to find that it was not as painful as he had imagined it would be. There was a smile on his face as he looked up at the sky where the first star of the evening had just appeared. Gabriel thought it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.