The Ties that Bind - RIVER CARTWRIGHT

Chapter 5

What appeared as twilight from the safety of the kitchen, was more like the depths of night outside. The air was cool and they’d both left the house in only the clothes they were wearing. Seren still had sneakers on, but David was in slippers. They ran into the nearest field, the grasses were as high as Seren’s shoulders in places and the ground uneven. The crops slapped her face and neck as she ran, feet pounding into the soft ground. Deep in the field, David pulled her down.

“I need to get hold of First Desk. Do you have your phone, did you call him?” He asked. Seren felt her pocket, her face ashen in the moonlight.

“Shit. Shit, it’s gone. Oh god, what the hell do they want? What the hell is First Desk?” She hissed. 

“They want me. I’m afraid River and I haven’t been entirely honest with you. But there’s no time for that, we need to keep going. You know the furthest barn?” Seren nodded. “Get there, don’t wait, just go.”

“I’m not leaving you behind.”

“You will if I damn well tell you to.” David instructed.

“I will not and you can’t make me. Let’s go.” Seren gripped the iron poker tighter in her hand and rose to her feet. They both moved off as fast as they could, the barn a few hundred meters away. As they ran further and deeper into the field, David struggled. His feet slipped inside his slippers and the ground got more boggy. She took his hand and pulled him with her. “Come on, come on,” she begged. “I've got you.” She could hear voices behind them, keeping their distance on the edges of the field. 

“You must go, get the First Desk and tell them we're compromised. Tell them to send that new chap, Lamb, I've heard he's handy in a sticky spot.” Seren's heart fell as she realised she'd lost him to the confines of his mind. 

“We can get there together,” she cringed as she attempted to play along, “First Desk are way out of my league.”

“True enough. You don't have clearance anyway.” Clearance ? Her mind ran, desperately unable to keep up with wherever David was and their actual situation. “We need dogs here as soon as they can, and likely a clean up team.” Seren felt her breathing shallow and her eyes filled with tears. She swallowed and tried to regain control, tried to inhale fully and steady herself. She could feel the creeping terror of a panic attack trying to edge its way into her mind but was determined to keep it at bay. 

“Let's keep going, we're nearly at the barn.” She half dragged him the last hundred metres and pulled at the door. The barn was filled with hay bales at various heights, Seren breathed a sigh of relief that there were no unruly farm animals. They pulled the door closed together and she tucked David safely behind a stack a few rows in. She went to check how closely they'd been followed. She hoped the thieves hadn't bothered giving chase, a ransacked house was one thing but she wasn't sure how she'd explain to River if David was injured - or worse. As she rounded the corner to see if there was a way to barricade the door, it swung open. Seren hid behind the nearest hay bale and held her breath. The man whistled as he entered, casually peering around the large barn as if he had all the time in the world. Seren held the poker tightly in her hands and she moved silently deeper into the barn. The man started to lunge around corners, trying to catch her out, make her jump. 

“No point dragging this out, get out here and bring the old bastard with you.” He taunted. Seren's blood ran cold. She could hear him closing in on the stack she hid behind and felt a desperate need to get him further away from David, as far away as she could. As he rounded the corner, she aimed the poker at his midsection, swinging it like a bat. The impact sent vibrations through her hands and up her arms. The poker dropped to the floor alongside the man who dropped to his knees. Seren ran for the door. If she could lead him out and away, she could keep David safe. Or safer. She flew past him, feet pounding on the dusty floor, he wasn't far behind though and as she reached the wide space in front of the open doors, he grabbed her ankle and she hit the ground face first. Winded by the fall, she groaned into the dirt. She rolled onto her back and scrambled to her feet, balling her hand into a fist, she threw a punch to his jaw. She quickly realised her error as pain shot through her hand and the thumb she'd captured between her palm and fingers. He shook off her punch and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her high enough that her tiptoes scraped the floor looking for purchase. Black started to creep into the edges of her vision as his hand tightened and her breathing was more constricted. She could feel her consciousness slipping away, and then she heard a female voice.