Dark Sky

31 - Tracked

Chapter Thirty One

Joe moved slowly in the darkness making a grab for a knife out of the draw below the sink.

The door knocked again.

Leila remained glued to the corner seat behind the table, her eyes fixed to the dark outline of the rear door. Her mind was running with ideas of who was outside wanting to get into them.

Why did they want to get in?

Every fibre in her body told her they should not open that door but she remembered what had happened last time she had taken that view. The person she had turned her back on was Joe. The person outside might need help and she thought of how she might feel if it was her out there. Then as she reasoned with herself she also knew there was a good chance the person might be there to take what they had.

Joe crept slowly towards the door with the knife raised out in front of him, watched closely by Leila as he moved to within inches of the handle. Slowly he moved his head towards the square plastic window in the door and spied warily out, knowing the person on the other side could be waiting to put a bullet through into his skull.

He saw nobody.

He peered for a few seconds longer before turning around to Leila.

"There's no one there," he shrugged. "They must have left."

The door banged hard this time almost rocking the camper van, causing Leila to scream out impulsively and Joe to almost drop the knife. Spinning around he unlocked the door and swung it open violently. Lunging forward he drove the knife towards the unsuspecting figure that stood immediately outside.

He managed to stop himself stabbing the victim just in time as the outline of a small child like person came into view, their arms raised in defence.

"No please don't hurt me sir!" The silhouette called out in terror backing away.

Suddenly the interior lights shone out from behind Joe as Leila sprang from her seat and switched them on. The orange glow lit up the boys face as he coward below the blade of Joe's knife, his eyes etched with fear.

His face was was dirty and dusty, and Joe assumed this boy hadn't washed since the bombs had gone off. It was also clear from his body language that he was no threat to them, barely 13 years of age and very frightened.

"Easy," Joe said calmly lowering the knife, "no need to be scared, I thought you were someone else."

"Please sir," the boys voice trembled still cowering. "I saw you arrive and thought you might be here to help."

Joe looked around the darkness outside just incase the boy was some kind of trap, but saw no one.

"Come on in." He beckoned with a calm hand, "you'll be safe in here."

The boy lowered his guard and stepped cautiously into the warmth of the camper, Joe closing it up behind him.

"I'll turn the lights out again," Leila announced, "if he was out there, there will be others and they may not be so friendly."

The boy looked sadly at her and then hung his head. "There is no one else, it's just me."

"How can you be so sure?" Leila asked with an element of doubt.

"Because after I dug myself out of the rubble of my home," the boy explained sadly, "everyone was either dead or gone. You are the first people I have seen in almost two weeks."

"Your parents?" Joe almost didn't want to ask.

"Dead." The boy looked at him, a tear in his eye. "Everyone is."