The Runaways

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I woke up to Clare shaking me.

“Sam I want food, I’m hungry.”

I nodded still groggy and looked at my surroundings. Vanessa with huddled up into James’ chest and was still fast asleep. Slowly I sat up and got out of bed. The morning air was cold and crisp and the sun hadn’t risen yet. Overnight the dew had frozen and now nearly everything was covered in a thin layer of ice. Folding my arms against my chest I shuffled over to Jack’s motorbike which had the food pack on it. I pulled out a pack of dry noodles and slowly shuffled back into the warmth of the tent. By the time I had gotten back James and Vanessa were up and I could hear Tom and Jack talking in the other tent. Clare walked over to me and grabbed half of the noddles that I was holding out for her.

“It’s one pack between two and no we can’t cook it we have no pots so you are just going to have to have them dry.” I said to James knowing the first thing he would ask is what was for breakfast.

“Well good morning to you too.” He replied back, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “Shall I tell the others?”

I nodded and he walked out of the tent. Soon everyone was in our tent munching on dry noodles. I looked at my watch. It read 4:37am. I wanted to leave this area by 5:30am. After breakfast we all got to work packing everything up and getting ready for the day. To test out the radios I made James ride 2 miles away in the bush on the motorbike and got him to try and contact us using the radios. I chucked one to Vanessa before he left as well.

“Vanessa can you hear me? Out”

“Loud and clear bro. Why are you saying out?”

“Cause it makes it sound like a movie. Out”

“Well stop you sound stupid.”

“Make me. Over and out.”

By the time he had come back everyone was ready. We couldn’t really tell who was who since everyone had motorbike helmets and clothes on. Just as the sun was beginning to rise we all rode out onto the road. I looked around at everyone. James at the back his tanned muscular body all covered up by the gear, I imagined his dark blue eyes scanning the road searching for danger. Occasionally he would flick his head to the side and I knew he was probably trying to get his scruffy brown hair out of his face. I looked at Vanessa behind him holding on tightly to his stomach and wondered how many other 6 year olds could say they have fired a gun and been chased around the  country trying to be killed. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jack looking around on his side. The twins were identical except that Jack had slightly lighter eyes than James and his hair was slightly darker but from afar they looked exactly the same it was only if you had lived with them for 15 years that you learned the difference even now sometimes I still have trouble. I had let my mind wonder for a while before my thoughts were interrupted by the crackling of my radio. I checked the time on my watch. 11:30.

“Hello?”

“Sam this is Tom here. Out”

“What is it Tom?”

“We seem to have another bikie gang following us. Out”

I turned around and saw that they were telling the truth with the closest member about 70m behind us.

“Can you see if they have any guns? And will you stop saying out!”

“Fine, I don’t know if they have any guns I’ll ask Bec.” Static then Bec’s voice broke through the radio.

“I’m not sure if they have any guns but… TOM LOOK OUT!” At that bullets came flying at us from the gang. I tried to turn around to shoot but I soon realised that if I did I couldn’t see where I was going so I had to leave the shooting to the others and hope that I wouldn’t get shot because of it. More shots fired from both sides and I prayed that none of my family had been hit. I turned around trying to see if anyone had been shot. Bec had flipped around on Tom’s lap so she was facing the bikies Vanessa had done the same. But where was James? I looked again waiting to see his dead body lying on side of the road.  But there was nothing. I didn’t know whether to be relieved or even more worried. Thinking it might be some elaborate plan that the twins might have made up I called Jack over the radio.