The Huvark Experiment

Chapter 5

We ate a bit more cake to 'get our energy up' before taking our knives, ditching the car and continuing on foot.

The knife felt wrong in my hand. The thought of actually stabbing someone, withdrawing a bloody knife and watching the life going out of them made me physically shudder.

We, as Steve would say, stealth-walked to the Huvark camp.

"Steve, how do you think we should do this?"
"Wait. Steve. How are we going to get back to the car...?"
"Uh... Leg it?"
Maybe we should have thought this through.
"I wonder what makes me think that we're doomed?"

Steve didn't answer.

* * *

We approached the first trailer. Steve angrily whispered (it was 8 o'clock),"Damn! Padlock!".
He drew his knife and started cutting the padlock.

An aardvark quietly bleated (they do that when they're scared). Steve and I exchanged a terrified glance.
"Shhh!" we scolded it.
Steve continued.
A police car drove past. I excitedly said,"Police!! We're saved!".

I spoke too soon. A rumble of gunfire shook the ground, and a hail of bullets engulfed the car, undoubtedly killing everyone inside.

Steve seemed confused. "Um... oh dear?"
"It actually does makes sense. A police car could bring attention to the area if it stops. That tells us that no one else knows about this."
"Wouldn't destroying it bring even more attention though?"
"Do you see anyone around?"
"Good point."

Steve began cutting. Again. It lasted 5 minutes this time. He had almost finished when a voice behind us said, "Hello."

I spun round to see a stubbly man with a Roman-looking nose in jeans and a purple shirt pointing a pistol at Steve.
"Put the knives down. Or else I'll shoot."
In a surprisingly calm voice, Steve demanded, "Who are you, and what do you want?"
I was surprised to hear him answer. "I am Simon Brown. I lead the Huvark Experiment, and you seem to be freeing the aardvarks." His eyes shifted to mine. "Before you ask, yes, I did kidnap 'your' aardvarks." He cocked his gun. "Knives. Down. Now."

I put my knife down, but where I could reach it. After chucking his away, Steve asked," Why the Citroëns? Why not have relatively modern cars?"
Simon replied,"Low budget. We spent most of our money on building the Lab and buying trailers."

This allowed me to inconspicuously pick up my knife. Not stealthily enough, though. Simon aimed his pistol at my chest, and pulled the trigger three times.

Click. Click. Click.

"Damn! I used my bullets on the car!"
Simon Brown threw himself at me.

When Simon was flying through the air, he looked like a vegetarian flying thing being chased by malicious burgers. I tried to move my knife to an angle where it would stab him, but I couldn't. He struck with the force of a freight train, felling me and sending my knife spinning away like an overexcited evil frisbee.

Simon was on top of me. He drew his gun hand back, and struck my side. I cried out, but we'd been backing up ever since Simon arrived, so no-one heard.

He had much, much more muscle than was visible.
Just as he was about to strike again, Steve crashed into Simon, driving him off me. I clutched my side and groaned for a second before going and punching Simon in the stomach, who was under Steve.

Simon recoiled, causing him to drop his gun. Steve took the chance to kick him in the groin as hard as possible.

Steve made the mistake of momentarily showing mercy. Simon catapulted Steve off him and stood. Steve made no sound, which led me to believe that he had been knocked out.

Simon was facing me, holding the gun in his hand with a look of absolute hatred on his face.

Oh dear.

Simon charged at me like a buffalo in a human suit. I jumped to the side, but he still hit my thigh. I collapsed because of the pain of both strikes put together.

Steadily, I got back up. Simon charged a second time. I rugby tackled him and started repetitively punching him in the stomach.

I felt victorious. I had won!

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a small flash from the top of a tree about 200 metres away.

Pain exploded in a small area in my back, and then nothing.