I remembered that day so clearly. I had watched Trudie as she had laid there. Her pale white expression and those hazel eyes stared up at me. I could see a small smile on her delicate skin.
"Do you want some water?" I asked her. "How are you feeling?"
Trudie nodded as I poured some water into a glass from a jug.
"Tired... really tired."
She took the water from me and sipped at it slowly until she'd had enough.
"Well... you did have a rough time of it."
"I know... thanks for helping me and giving me the encouragement that I needed. If you hadn't been there... well... I don't know if I could have done it.... So thanks." Trudie said.
"Your welcome Trudie."
"Can I see my baby? Is the baby okay? And what did I have?" Trudie asked as she stared at a crib that was placed next to her bed.
The crib had once been Trudie's and Danny's in the past and it had been retrieved from the loft to be cleaned up and ready for her birth.
"A girl. I'll go and get your mum in a few minutes and she will bring her in... I think she wanted to let you rest for a while, because we didn't know if you were... well... you know." I said awkwardly as I saw Trudie nod in recognition, understanding what I had meant.
After an hour, I remembered, how her mother had come in with her new baby girl. Trudie had been delighted to meet her.
Now, things on the farm were working out as well as we had hoped. I felt at ease here. Myself and Tim were becoming a couple and everyone knew it. We had time to get to know one another. Christmas was a week away and I wanted to give him a gift of some kind. I didn't know what or where I would find it, but I was going to try.
I smiled to myself as I thought how good he had become lately. He had slowly cut down the alcohol drinking. Now, he only had a couple of red glasses of wine with dinner from John's huge collection that he had stocked up on in the past. Tim was sensible these days. Sometimes he had a whisky before going to bed, but he had slowly calmed down and I was relieved that he had made the effort to do so.
I went outside. I wanted to look in the barn to see what I could find. There was so much junk in there that I was sure that I would find something.
I wanted to make something for him too. I used to be good at fashion designs when I was at University. I remembered making dresses for myself and my friends. I had enjoyed it. In fact, I had wanted to be a fashion designer at first, before I had gone into Television Journalism.
As I wandered around, I found something in the corner that shined and glowed in the dim lit barn. I walked over to it and saw that it was a set of sharpening tools. I picked it up and took it to John. I wanted to ask him if I could give it to Tim. He was always trying to sharpen his sticks, although, he now had his new shiny sword, but the sticks had become a way of life for him.
As I left the barn, I heard muffled voices behind the fence. I was curious, so I moved closer and listened.
"No... I think we should climb over and raid them... come on." A guy whispered in a rough deep voice.
"Okay let's do it." I heard. I thought the second person sounded like a female voice, but I couldn't be sure. All I could hear was a low growl.
I put the tool sharpening set back inside the barn and quickly ran inside the house to find Tim and the others.
"Tim... Tim... someone is outside the fence! I heard them whisper... they are planning on climbing over to raid us!"
Everyone stared at me in silence. Their expressions had turned from being happy to a sudden, shocking one. Then there was a mad rush.
"Everyone... get your weapons and meet me outside. Ellie, Janice, Jenny and Trudie and the kids stay safe inside... Nick... stay inside and look after everyone... we can beat this..." I heard Tim say in a strong, powerful voice. In fact, we were all determined to keep what we had here safe.
Everyone gathered their weapons together. I went outside with Tim. We spread out and hid as the sunset deepened into the clouds. I knew darkness would soon be upon us. So we waited as the cold icy wind ripped at my cheeks as I lowered myself behind the well. At least I had found a hat, scarf and gloves to wear.
I, anxiously, waited for the imminent attack that I now dreaded. Would we ever have a peaceful Christmas again? I now knew that no place would ever be that safe.
26. Tim Sparks - The Intruders
We waited like hunters for its prey. I could hear their movements and a scrambling of legs trying to get over the fence.
They must be stupid if they think they can get away with this, I thought to myself.
My head whirled with thoughts about how these people seemed so unprofessional. They had no clue about what they were doing.
I moved closer to the fence and waited for the first one to climb over. Night had fallen now and darkness was upon us. I could see a hefty male figure
