Broken Strings

Helen

“What time do you think it is?”

“It’s getting late, I would say about five?” he answered. Even though he’d die rather than admit it, I can tell Peter is tired. I wouldn’t blame him. Carrying me in the beginning and doing all this without a blink of sleep. The sky overhead is beginning to get that pinkish tinge meaning the sun is setting.

“Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight. Red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning,” he muttered.

“What was all that?” I ask with an entertained grin.

“My Uncle’s best mate, he’s a property owner. He taught me that. It basically means that if there is red sky at night tomorrow will be a nice day, if there is red sky in the morning it means it’ll be a bad day,” fair enough. The more I think it over the higher I class the saying.

“Peter?”

“Yes?”

“What are you singing?” he ponders along just meters from me, completely and utterly in a world of his own.

“I don’t really know. I made up the tune, it’s been stuck in my head for hours.”

“I suppose this is the beginning of madness, right?” he chuckles.

“Right.”

“Oh goodie,” I chuckle. Cars have been non-existent. I’m beginning to loose grip of reality when Peter puts his arm around me.

“’Lee did you hear that?”

“Hear what?” I ask, hopeful.

“I could have sworn I heard an engine!” he gasped.

“Peter, I’m sorry if this offends you but I’ve heard of cases where people hallucinate because they’ve been driven to believe it, whatever it may be, is actually there. In your case, you think you can hear a car.”

“Didn’t you hear that?” he gasped. I shut my mouth and stretched my hearing. “’Lee! There it is again! I’m not lying about this!”

“I know you aren’t,” I listened again. A low muffled roar was getting closer and closer with every passing second. “Peter! Get off the road!” I yelled as it became louder. Together we stood on the roadside swinging our arms in the air like maniacs. A car! It is an actual car. The red commodore rounds the corner and I catch the eye of the driver. Screaming and waving frantically Peter and I jump up and down.

“It’s stopping!” Peter screamed. “’Lee! C’mon!” Peter grabbed my hand and pulled me in the direction of the stationary car.

“Are you kids alright?” asked the driver. She was a young lady, I guessed in her mid-twenties. She didn’t hesitate to let us in. A newborn baby lay fast asleep in the backseat. I take the front seat with the woman whilst Peter is too happy to take a seat by the baby.

“Thank you so much for this,” Peter gasps, never taking his eyes from the baby.

“It’s my pleasure but what has happened? You two look horrible!” the look on her face said it all. This woman was scared. Either for her and her babies lives or for ours.

“It’s a long story but in short we’re being chased,” I answered her.

“By who? The police?”

“No, course not. My Ex-girlfriend,” Peter chuckled. I could see him relaxed. We weren’t out of the firing line by a long shot but it was a good start.

“That’s taking a ‘crazy Ex-girlfriend’ to another level isn’t it?” joked the driver. “I’m Helen by the way.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” I say. I looked back to Peter who shot me a sympathetic look. Helen, the name of my Mother. I returned his look and turned back to Helen.

“She means it’s really, really good to meet you,” Peter laughed.

“I bet. How long have you guys been out here?” honestly, I’ve lost count of the days but it feels like weeks.

“About three, four days,” Peter answered her, saving me… again.

“Oh my gosh! You guys will want food then, and water!” she struggled in her seat before pointing under the seat and to a black baby bag, filled to the brim with clean nappies.

“Thank you,” Peter shoved a bottle of water into my hand and took a sip after me. He threw me a banana and I peeled it, my hands shaking.

“Peter, slow down. You’ll be sick after not eating for so long,” I whispered. “There is a bowl under my seat if you feel unwell. Just tell me and I’ll stop the car,” she said, a worried look painting her face.

“You’re an angel,” I mumbled, a mouthful of food.

“Where are you two headed? The hospital I am guessing?”

“Yes, if you can,” Peter answered. I looked back to him, he still hadn’t taken his eyes from the baby.

“What’s his name?” I’d hoped I was right with the sex of the baby. All I had to go off was his clothing, and his yellow jumpsuit wasn’t much help.

“Jeremy,” she answered. Phew!

“He’s beautiful,” Peter mumbled. “Where are you both headed? If you don’t mind me asking?”

“No, no. It’s fine. We were actually coming for a check-up with the doctor. So we’re headed to the hospital too.”

“How convenient,” I smile.

“Yeah. His Father has pissed off. God knows where. He’s left me with Jeremy, I don’t have a problem with that but who does that? What kind of Father?”

“Mine,” Peter mumbled to himself. I shot him a sympathetic look.

“How old his Jeremy?” I ask, trying my best to change the subject.

“Just a few months old, sorry if I’m driving too slowly. I don’t want to risk an accident,” she said.

“Please don’t apologise, without you Peter and I would be dead tonight,” she smiled, satisfied with herself.

“Well I suppose this could be my good deed for the day,” she smiled.

“Your good deed for the rest of your life,” I replied. “It’s Amelia by the way.”

“Peter,” he called from the back.

“We shouldn’t be too long, about ten minutes now. I’ll get there as fast as I can. Those cuts look nasty.”

“You are a saint,” Peter answered her. “You’ve saved us.”