Dark Sky

13 - If He Comes

Chapter Thirteen

Day 3

The room had been pitch black for hours but a small beam of light had appeared through the window in the last hour or so.

She had managed a little sleep but not much. It was hard to sleep when you were being held against your will in a locked room.

Leila couldn't get the image of Joe laying on the kitchen floor with a blood covered face out of her head.

They had killed him.

Leila had been sure of it, as her kidnappers dragged her out of the farmhouse.

In the short time since the bombs, she had only met a couple of survivors. The first had wanted to do despicable things to her and the latest had kidnapped her. The only one who had proved to be worth anything was Joe.

He was dead.

But why had they killed him and not her? Why was she now locked in this room whilst Joe lay lifeless on some kitchen floor? She didn't dare think about it, who knew what was running through people's minds since the bombs. It seemed to have sent everyone crazy.

She lay on a single bed with a pink duvet. This room had once belonged to someone's daughter. Everything was pink and had a princess theme to it. The room was dull and uninviting now, but once had been a place of joy and happiness. What had become of the child that had owned this room?

It was a thought that turned Leila's stomach.

It had been three days since the world had ended, but as she lay staring at the discoloured ceiling, it felt like an eternity since things had been normal.

All she could think about was Joe.

He had rescued her from the man at the supermarket. He had taken her under his wing for the short time they had been together and now she was alone again.

She had no idea what her kidnappers wanted with her. They had taken her from the farmhouse by force. She had been dragged to Dinford, locked in this room and her kidnapper never uttered a word to her.

There had been one called Travis. As far as she could tell he was the leader, he had been dishing out most of the orders to the second man who she learned was called Jeb. They didn't seem all that professional at what they were doing and she guessed that they were seizing on the end of the world scenario to gain some kind of power.

But how dare they force their plans upon her.

She began to search the room for anything she could use as a weapon. She owed it to Joe not to become a victim of this new world. He had saved her once and she decided not to let anyone put her in danger again.

This was a child's room however and there was not much in the way of items that could be used in self defence. The best she could find was the child sized chair that lay upturned under a miniature dressing table. She doubted it would inflict that much damage upon her kidnappers but it was all she had and it would have to do.

Next time they entered the room, one of them would feel what this chair felt like when it was swung at their head.

She moved to the window now that it was daylight.

The days seemed to get darker and darker and she knew it was the effects of the nuclear bombs that Joe had told her about. The sun was being blocked out by earth and debris that had been kicked into the atmosphere and she became aware again of how chilly it was.

She looked down into the street, rubbing the goose bumps from her arms. Nobody was around, debris and parts of building littered the area below. The all too familiar effects of the bombs.

This town had faired better than all the others she had seen. Most building were badly damaged but remained mainly intact and still standing.

There must be survivors here and Leila refused to believe they were all villains, But where were they?

If they had any sense they would have left.

That was most likely she thought to herself. If there was a mad man running the place that's what she would do. Get out and as far away as possible.

She looked from the window to the door, to the chair. Her only hope now was that this chair was enough to get her out of here.

She didn't know what they wanted, but she knew was that if they kidnapped her for it, it was for nothing good.

***

"So why exactly did we take the woman?" Jeb asked biting into a dry piece of bread.

"Because she's a woman." Travis replied without looking up.

He sat with his feet up on the counter and was balancing in the chair he was sitting on. He was trying to nod off but Jeb kept talking.

"We probably shouldn't of killed her man," Jeb chomped on the bread. "Could make her a handful."

"He ain't dead dumb ass." Travis spat, " takes more than a gun to the face to kill a man."

Jeb swallowed the mouthful of bread with a gulp, "Well then he might be a handful."

Travis rolled his eyes at his accomplices constant rambling, "If he even knows where to come, he is one man and we are a village. People here will do as I say now, I have an army."

"Because you killed the mayor?" Jeb asked taking another bite from the loaf.

"Yes." Travis replied with a sigh. "They all know now what will happen if the don't follow the rules."

Jeb chewed the bread noisily as he thought about Travis's comments. "Well there's only thirty or so survivors here. Not really an army."

"Really?" Travis huffed.

"Most of them are old too." Jeb added.

"Your point?"

Jeb swallowed again. "Nothing. But if this man does come for the woman I don't think the old folk will that much help."

Travis was fed up with his rambling now. "If he comes he will be signing his own death warrant."

"Hmm." Jeb sounded through his nose as he stuffed the last of the bread into his mouth.

"I can deal with one man myself." Travis told him confidently laying his head back, "now do me a favour and shut the hell up."

Jeb finally fell silent.

Travis closed his eyes as he rocked on the two back legs of his chair. It was true this village didn't offer much in the way of an army or loyal fighters.

He had managed to round up some men who saw things his way. A small gang that could keep the towns folk under control. But the vast majority of Dinfords survivors were old as Jeb had pointed out. They would obey him, but only because he had scared them and not because they were loyal.

Travis wasn't interested in the old folk anyway, he needed younger stronger soldiers and they would come in time. Right now he had a gang of eight or so people he could use to get what he needed, that was a start.

He had just started to doze when Jeb broke the silence again.

"Hey Travis."

"For fuck sake Jeb!" Travis scowled being jolted back awake. "What now!"

Jeb rose and went and stared through the window. "There's someone approaching town."

Travis jumped from his seat and joined his accomplice at the window. From here they could see right down the road that led out of town.

In the distance a lone figure approached.

Travis frowned as he realised the man out on the road was armed and heading their way.

"Jeb." He began ordering as he turned from the window. "Go and get the girl!"