The Passing Bell Tolls for Thee

36 The Bell Tolls for Thee

Ben took two thermoses from the buggy. Both held coffee; the larger one had a bit of sedative in it, enough to make them too groggy to fight back.

"How are the lambs, Geoff?" he asked.

"Fine, I think. Let's get them back to the barn." An owl hooted as it flew over the clearing. It hoots faded in the distance.

"Can they go in the buggy?"

"If April holds the lambs, and I take the ewe in the back, I think we can make it," Geoff said.

"Right," said Ben. He sat down on the flat stone and motioned then to sit beside him. "First, let's have some hot coffee before we go back. It's a cold night." He took the cup off the larger thermos, and filled it and handed the cup thermos to Geoff. He opened the other thermos and filled its cup. He raised it to them and said, "Cheers. Drink up and get warm." He swallowed his cup and refilled it.

Geoff handed the cup to April and took a deep swig from the flask. The warm coffee was sickly sweet, and he swallowed some before he spit the rest out, discretely behind the flat stone. He shook his head at April and whispered, "Too sweet."

She took a tiny sip, and nodded.

"Drink up," said Ben, pouring a little more in her cup. "It's cold. We've got to get the sheep back."

"He's the one holding us up," April whispered to Geoff. Geoff shrugged and swallowed some of the sweet, sweet, coffee.

"This is quite sweet," he said.

"We need energy," said Ben. Sugar hides any taste of the drug, he thought.

April shrugged and took a few sips. She liked sweet, but she had learned she didn't like British coffee. She took one last sip, and when Ben looked away, she poured the drink on the ground.

Geoff yawned, his head drooping. He jerked upright. "I must be more tired than I thought," he said. He started to get up, then staggered and sat back down. "Whoa."

"Have more coffee," Ben said. "Wake you up."

"I-I don't think so. Give me a minute." He rubbed his forehead.

April yawned, her eyes shut and she blinked them open.

Geoff's head drooped against April's shoulder. The ewe called to her lambs and they baa'd.

Ben assessed them carefully. Not as drowsy as he wanted, but the drug was showing some affect. "Let him sleep for a few minutes," he said.

April yawned. "We. We got to get sheep back. Lambs."

"The sheep are needed here."

"Mmm?"

Ben went to Hydd's bell and swung it hard. The clapper clanged against the side.

April started at the clang of the bell. The druids didn't allow bells by King's Oak unless they were holding a grove or a meeting. She saw Ben in the shadows of the Oak, as he swung the clapper the second time.

The bell rang against the other side. April was sure she heard it echo somewhere in some far-off distance, but she couldn't tell where. She shook Geoff, and he opened his eyes. "I think we have to get out of here. Get in the buggy. Leave the sheep."

"Wha?" Geoff asked. He looked around. "I'm so sleepy."

The owl's hooting grew louder as it circled back to the circle, searching for its dinner. The wind rustled the branches.

April trembled at the thought Ben had drugged the coffee. More importantly, why? They would be incapable of resisting. "Wake up, wake up." She patted Geoff's face, then pulled her hand back and slapped him hard.