Ice-Age chapters 23 & 24

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ICE-AGE

By Andy Savage

http://www.andysav.free-online.co.uk/banner.htm

 

Previous chapters at:uniquethings/

 

Chapter 23

Dave was sitting silently in the dark with his back against the hard, grimy, wall. He was staring at the solid, locked wooden door that let in no light. He was waiting in dread for something to happen. He had been lingering like this for four, long days.

Dave’s mind could not rest. His filled his head with the far, distant past, when the most danger he was ever likely to face was crossing the road. Those days seemed no more than a dream now, and Dave knew that Mary could never have imagined that her husband and son would end up being subjected to the terrors that had befallen them. He felt angry, he felt afraid, he felt melancholic but he did not feel defeated. He sat and hummed an old tune defiantly to himself, " When the world outside is cold and blue, I get warm when I think of you. "

Dave had been imprisoned in this hot, narrow, bare, windowless, rectangular room since he was captured by Tina and her gang. It had only them taken half an hour to reach what they called the city. Dave was then immediately dumped in this cage with a ghastly promise to expect visits from Tina at any time. It was no consolation that Device had obviously been right when he guessed that the fly infested food hole connected to a much larger complex.

Dave no longer cared about the stench of his own clothes, but the air seemed to be getting more and more foul with noxious vapour. There was no toilet in his cell, not even a bucket, so he had been doing his business in a little alcove in the far left corner, and the reek from the vile pile was becoming nauseating. What was worse though was the almost constant scratching and gnawing of the rats round there. He felt like he had lost all his dignity. He did not even know the time of day. Jakey had jubilantly snatched his watch just before shoving him into this room. So Dave had to rely on picking shards of information from the gangly, apathetic, untalkative guard, who brought him meagre rations of beans and water at irregular intervals, to try and keep track of time.

Dave wondered what had been Device’s fate. He wondered what Linda was doing. He wondered what his strategy should be if and when Tina finally dropped by.

It was sometime on this fourth day that Dave heard footsteps tapping his way along the corridor outside. The steps sounded like they belonged to two people, but one was too nimble to be the slothful guard, and the other far too heavy. It instantly made him become alert and he listened sharply. The footsteps stopped right outside his door, and Dave sat upright and shielded his eyes. The key turned in the lock and the door swung violently open, drowning the gloomy room with painfully blinding, bright light. He squinted.

" Get on your feet! " shrieked a toxic voice. Dave immediately recognised it was Tina’s. His heart started missing beats. The moment he had been fearing had at last arrived. He could not yet see anything but he knew Tina was not alone. There was somebody with her, somebody who carried an aura of awful menace into the cell.

" Are you deaf as well as stupid! " thundered a second voice, deep and hoarse and awash with ire, " She commanded you on your feet! "

Dave instantly jumped up. Sweat was racing down his back. He made up his mind that he would not die quietly. His eyes were now getting used to the new conditions, but, at first, he only saw Tina’s scarred, grinning visage. Then, focusing on a tall figure standing behind Tina, Dave locked on to a long faced, shaven headed man with a short, black beard, and wearing green, army combat trousers and a brown, army jumper.

" That’s much better, " prowled the man’s raspy voice, in a much friendlier tone. He snaked slowly towards Dave and said, " You’ll find that co-operation is always more rewarding. "

There was an overpowering smell of alcohol on the man’s breath. It made Dave’s head feel hot and weightless, " What have you done with my son? " Dave asked.

" Don’t speak until you’re told to! " screamed Tina.

" How can you treat people like this? " responded Dave, " You should be ashamed of yourselves! "

" You’ve got a lot to learn! " Tina growled.

The shaven headed man smiled in agreement, and with one hand he grabbed Dave by the throat and lifted him clear off the floor. He pressed him like a doll against the wall and boomed, " I am Herod! And you are in my city! I own you, and I will treat you how I like! Is that clear? "

Dave could not speak or breath. The strength in Herod’s arm was alarming. Dave wanted to struggle but it was hopeless, so he nodded weakly, and the hand released him, sending him sinking to the floor where a hard, black, leather boot was eager to meet his face.

" Get up scum! " yelled Tina.

Dave’s nose was stinging and he could see blood dripping onto his jeans. He struggled onto his knees, and then Herod helped him up by the hair.

" The woman you were with, " began Herod, " Who is she? "

" Linda, " replied Dave, gritting his teeth, " Now have you got my son? "

" Screw your son! " blared Tina.

" This Linda, how do you know her? " asked Herod.

" She’s a close friend of mine. She helped me get here to find Simon. "

" You liar! " shouted Tina, clenching her fists, " She says she doesn’t even know you! " She turned to Herod and protested, " He’s lying, it’s obvious! He’s just some piece of dirt that Kerry brought back for me! "

Herod fingered his beard for a moment and then he fused his grainy, malodorous face onto Dave’s, stared at him with unblinking, bloodshot eyes, and said threateningly, " I’m going to tell you something now, and you’d better not forget it. Her name is Kerry, not Linda, and she just happens to be my wife! And if I find out you touched her in any way whatsoever, I’ll come in here and cut off your head! "

Dave was aghast. He had hardly taken in what he had just been told when Herod plucked him up, carted him over his broad shoulder to the far left corner of the room, and dropped him in the swamp of excrement.

Tina’s uncontrollable laughter leaped around the walls. Herod swaggered away blithely rubbing his hands, and then the door was slammed shut, the room became black once more, and the twosome’s tapping footsteps faded back down the corridor.

 

Chapter 24

Another three hungry, thirsty, tired days crawled agonisingly by. Dave’s only visits had been from the unresponsive guard, bringing nothing but beans and water, and even he had not showed up now for over a day.

That sense of invincibility that had been growing inside Dave ever since Linda had burst upon Device’s tent ten days earlier was slowly wilting with each passing hour. Being betrayed and abandoned by Linda was proving impossible to stomach. He felt sickened that she had assumed this false identity, Kerry, and was married to the wretched Herod. It was beyond belief that she was part of this unspeakable gang who had stolen Simon. He felt chaotic, haunted and alone. He crouched by the door, trying to keep away from the rats.

More time passed, maybe a couple of hours, and still nothing happened. Dave was so wearied he could hardly keep awake. He was just about ready to drift into sleep when he heard the rapping of approaching footsteps. His eyes sprang wide open. Just like last time, it sounded like two people, stomping up the corridor, " Oh God, " he said to himself, fearing for what he was about to endure. He stood up and backed away to the far end of the cell. A hairy rat hopped over his boots.

The footsteps came to an abrupt halt outside the door. A jangling key began to rattle in the lock. Dave could not breathe. He decided he had nothing to lose this time. He was going to fight to the death.

With a ghostly creak, he door slowly opened, and piercing light dazzled in. Dave held his hands over his eyes. He could make out two silhouettes coming towards him, one quite tall and the other much shorter, " Don’t come any closer! " Dave warned, " I mean it! "

" Dave, it’s me! I’m here to rescue you! Come on, quick, let’s get out of here! " came the whispered reply.

Dave was stunned. He pinched himself to make sure he was not dreaming, and even then he did not know if this was some sort of evil trick.

" Come on! What are you waiting for? " whispered the urgent voice.

This time Dave could not hide his pleasure, " Linda! " he whooped with delight.

" Shhh! Keep you voice down, sweetie! " replied Linda, " Now move yourself! We’ve got to get out of here fast! "

Dave did not care about the dangers he might encounter next. He just wanted to escape from this stinking, rat infested pit. He rushed blindly forward.

The amazing sight of Linda’s brilliant face greeted him. She was wearing new, pure white fur and looked totally radiant, " I’ve brought someone to see you, " she said, stepping aside to fully reveal the second silhouette.

Dave looked down at a small, trembling, bright eyed lad, dressed head to toe in white, and who was excitedly whispering, " Dad! Dad! "

A torrent of emotion crashed through the whole of Dave’s body. This was the moment he had been so determined to have. He leapt for joy and scooped up the boy, hugging him and kissing him, " Simon! " he cried, " Oh God, I would have searched to the ends of the earth for you! "

" Dad, you really pong! " said Simon.

Tears made white trails down Dave’s dirty face, and he laughed, and asked, " Are you all right? "

" There’s lot of other children to play with, but I really missed you! " said Simon, starting to sob.

Linda embraced them both, and kissed Dave’s forehead, " I would have come sooner, darling, but Herod hasn’t let me out of his damn sight! But right now we have our big chance to get out of here and go somewhere he’ll never find us! " she enthused.

" Linda, this is so fantastic, but I don’t understand what’s going on? " said Dave.

" There’s simply no time to explain here, honey. We really need to move, come on, " urged Linda.

" Well I’m definitely ready to get out of here, Linda! " said Dave, placing his son’s feet safely back on the floor.

" Then follow me! " said Linda, and she led them out of the cell into the long, bright, white corridor.

" Do you know what happened to Device? " asked Dave.

" He’s dead! " Linda replied, her head turning from side to side like a hawk, " Kier and Big Barry smashed his brains out! "

" Oh no! " said Dave, " Poor Device. I really hoped he’d survived. "

" Well, he put up one hell of a fight so I’ve heard, " replied Linda, with some spirit of respect in her voice, " Big Barry got a broken arm. But in the end it was two against one, and they finished him off, and chucked him on the fire! "

Dave felt deeply sorry for Device, but nothing could extinguish his happiness right now.

The three of them hurried down the passage until they came to a closed, metal door. " This leads to a way out of the city, " said Linda, tapping a security code into a box over the lock. The door duly opened. The corridor continued straight ahead on the other side. They ran along it.

Dave could see that it turned left a little further on, " What’s round there? " he panted.

" Wait! " whispered Linda, coming to a sudden stop. The stamp of heavy boots was heading in their direction from around the said corner. Dave clutched Simon as close as he could. There was no way he was going to lose him again. The footsteps got nearer and nearer.

Linda slipped her hand inside her white coat and pulled out a shiny, silver knife, " Stand right behind me! " she told Dave and Simon. She held the knife between her forefinger and thumb by the tip of the blade and waited. Moments later a docile looking man turned round the corner into her sights. It was Dave’s dopey guard. The man halted and stared through confused and frightened eyes.

Dave felt a lot of sympathy for him, realising that he was little more than a prisoner here himself, " He’s harmless, Linda, " he said.

" We can’t take any chances, " replied Linda, and she slowly drew back her arm. Then, grunting like a tennis player serving an ace, she released the knife. It flew like an arrow and embedded itself in the guard’s skull. The terrified man let out a pitiful groan and crumpled to the floor.

" That’s him taken care of! " said Linda, " Let’s go! We really do need to shift now! "

They had to step over the shocked, bloody face of the dying guard. As they did so, Linda quickly stooped down and plucked her knife out of his head, " I might need this again! " she said. Dave squeezed Simon’s hand.

They skipped round the corner into a much longer passageway that had several closed doors on either side. They ran down it as fast as they could, " We’re nearly there, " Linda puffed, pointing straight ahead, " See that door at the bottom? It’s a storage room. We’re going in there. "

" What’s in it? " asked Dave.

" A dog sleigh, " replied Linda, " With eight dogs. I’ve prepared it myself. It’s all stocked up and ready to go. "

Dave could hardly believe it. It seemed too good to be true, " Ready to go? Right now? "

" Yes. Herod is out of the city for a few hours. It’s the middle of the night and we have to go now if we’re to successfully get away. "

" But isn’t Herod you’re husband? " said Dave accusingly.

" Not through choice, Dave, believe me! " answered Linda, " I’ll tell you all about it when we get to where we’re going. But first let’s make sure we’re long gone before anyone misses us! " She glanced lovingly at Dave, and added, " This is a chance for us to make a new start, if that’s what you want? "

Dave replied without hesitation, " It’s definitely what I want! " he said, " So where is it you’re taking us? "

" It’s a special place I know, a long way from here. It’ll take us weeks to get there, but it’ll be worth it, I promise you! "

They reached the door and Linda produced a key from her pocket. She was visibly shaking and it took her three or four attempts to get the key to turn the lock. As soon as it clicked she smiled and pushed but the door refused to open. " It must be bolted on the inside, " she said, looking puzzled, " What in heaven’s name is going on? "

Simon clasped his dad’s arm tightly, " I’m scared, " he said.

" There must be some jerk in there! " said Linda angrily. She got out her knife and knocked on the hard, wooden door, " Hello, who’s there? " she demanded, " It’s Kerry. Open up at once! "

There was no reply. She checked her watch, " I don’t get it. I was in there myself less than half an hour ago! " She knocked again, " Hello, can you open these doors right now please! "

" I don’t like it, " said Dave nervously, " There must be another way out? "

" No, I’ve carefully planned it all. We must go this way, " said Linda, " There must be some idiot guard in there! "

Suddenly, there was an unbolting noise from the other side of the door. Linda took several paces back and raised her knife. Dave also moved back, keeping Simon behind him. The door then swung open. Linda appeared to panic and she immediately hurled her knife. It sailed through the air and bounced harmlessly on the floor at the far end of the long, dim room. The dogs inside began to bark.

Dave tried to see who was there but it was dark and there were stacks of boxes piled up haphazardly all around, " What’s happening? " he asked.

The dogs went silent. A look of horror crept across Linda’s face and she stared like she was looking at some phantom.

" Thinking of leaving us, Kerry? " echoed a familiar, grinning voice from inside the room.

" It’s Device! " said Dave in amazement, " He’s alive! " The day just seemed to be getting better and better.

Then a single bullet fizzed through the air and hit Linda directly in the mouth. Dave watched helplessly as the back of Linda’s head exploded. She fell to the ground, her lily-white, coat turning blood red.