Flight and Fancy

Chapter 11

Magnus and his companions started asking around the first village that they came to and found the villagers very cordial but none had heard anything of Simon and Amelia. The men continued through towns and villages until they were coming close to the Whiteroad Manor with similar greetings, however, at the town they had just arrived at the people seemed not to want to speak to them let alone be seen near them. The town's people disappeared into the nearest buildings as they approached. Fear seemed to be in the air here. Doors were closed up tight and windows fastened. Within minutes the streets were deserted. No amount of knocking on doors and windows could get the men anyone's attention.

"I don't like this," stated Jacob.

"What's going on here?" Magnus questioned generally.

"Strange, isn't it?" added Tobias, "I've been here before but never have I been greeted like this! Something is not right here."

The eeriness of a ghost town seemed to have settled in. The men climbed aboard their carriage and made a steady pace to the other end of the town. No-one was to be seen in the length and breadth of the town. The only sound was the clip-clopping of their horses and the grind of the wheels on the  roadway, even their own breathing seemed fully audible.

Once through the town Jacob snapped the reins and the horses lifted their pace. They were now heading to the largest town of the Riversdale Estate, maybe they would have better luck there.

Magnus remembered the instructions his father had given him and felt now was the time to make sure each of them knew of the directions in case anyone was injured or separated from the group. He related the words to his friends which his father had spoken before he left home so that each knew how to find their proposed place of sheltering.

The carriage arrived at the edge of town. Magnus felt his jacket to ensure he had his pistol on his person. A similar eeriness seemed to have fallen upon this town as the one before. The townsfolk hurried away in panic. Not one would stop and speak with Magnus and his friends. Jacob pulled the horses to a halt at the centre of town. All three men stepped down from the carriage and looked around them. Once again, not a single soul could be seen in any direction.

"Surely the Tavern would be open," Magnus said to the others.

"If you look over there," said Jacob pointing in the direction of the Tavern, " I think you'll find the door has been bolted shut."

"There's another carriage outside the Lodging House maybe we can find someone there who will speak with us." Tobias started heading in the direction he was looking.

A shot rang out through the street, echoing off the buildings. Tobias fell to the ground. Jacob and Magnus ducked behind their carriage and carefully peered around the corner at where their friend was laying on the ground. Another shot rang out and clipped their carriage.

"Get out of town!" a voice roared from the other carriage.

Magnus drew his pistol.

"I'll retrieve Tobias, can you watch the other carriage and prepare to shoot if you need to." offered Jacob. Magnus nodded.

Jacob went to the other side of the carriage and crept along its length and carefully stepped to the side of the horses. Magnus saw a pistol visible at the window of the other carriage. He cocked his own and aimed to where he estimated the hand holding the pistol would be. Magnus fired just as a shot was fired from the other pistol. The shot clipped him on his left shoulder. As he looked toward the other carriage while preparing his pistol for another firing he noticed the pistol that had been sticking out of the window was now laying on the road beside the carriage.