14
Tommy screamed, trying to pull back, but it looked as if her grip was too strong for his effort to make an impact. I tried to hurry toward him, pushing the gun out in front but I wasn’t stupid enough to think I had any chance of hitting her from even this short distance. I would most likely miss, but had an equal chance of hitting Tommy.
I rushed forward as best as I could and called out to him to pull away. I saw his effort, but her grip was too tight as she tried to pull him closer to take another bite.
He struggled as I grew nearer with the gun still out in front, but it was only when I was within two arm lengths that I dared to fire, the bullet smashing into her eye socket. I shot again, missing this time, the round pinging off the brickwork at her back.
The first had been enough and she released her grip, falling to the floor.
“Get in the car,” I shouted, still looking at the woman who wasn’t Tommy’s mum anymore.
With his hand at where she’d bitten his arm, Tommy looked to me wide-eyed, nodding at the instruction as he rushed to the open door. With skin so pale and his jaw hanging slack, he’d been so lucky he was wearing the hoodie; otherwise she’d have broken the skin and it would be two of us with wounds we’d somehow have to deal with.
On my way around the front of the car, I had to stop, resting on the bonnet for a moment’s respite from the pain in my foot. Looking down, I took solace it wasn’t pouring with blood.
I knew if Mum could see me she would have a fit at how dirty it was and make me bathe in antiseptic.
But she would never be there for me again. And neither would Tommy’s for him. We were alone.
A gunshot echoing in the distance pulled me back from my spiralling mood and to the road and the corner we had to go around before we were out of this place. But we had to be quick. If the soldiers weren’t already rushing after us, then the gunshots would soon bring them near.
Gritting my teeth, I put one foot after the other, feeling the pain rising once again. I made it around the car soon enough, landing down in the seat.
Glancing to Tommy, he still held his hand to his arm. “Are you okay?” I said. “Silly question, I know.” But rather than bursting into tears, he looked down at my foot and up to the blood-soaked towel in my hand. He gave a slow nod.
Through the missing back window came the sound of a great engine starting, then revving high. My thoughts flashed to the tank and shaking my head, I manhandled the seatbelt, clipping it into place and we were off again into the corner.
With my foot pushing down the accelerator, we passed the car crash outside my house. I paid little attention, knowing I had to pick a speed fast enough for our momentum to carry us through the fence, but slow enough that I could see between the houses; controlled enough not to smash to the brick and bring this nightmare to an end.
I released the throttle just a little. The street was empty.
“Seat belt, Tommy,” I said as I glanced to his side, hoping he had enough time to pull it on.
I scanned along the houses, the open doors, searching for the truck and the soldiers and trying to figure out where they had gone. Then I realised they were probably catching up behind us. We had no time to wait.
Shaking away the worry, I searched for the gap between the houses as I visualised the fence beyond. Then I saw it, the gap I needed, and pushed for more speed.
I took the turn, the tyres squealing as I gritted my teeth, remembering the curb at the edge of the pavement. I looked up as the front wheel crashed against the curb. It felt like the tyres were rock hard, but we were over and somehow they were still attached. The rear wheels hit hard moments after.
Now there was nothing between us and the fence. Concentrating as hard as I could, I lined up to the centre of the tall metal panel, correcting left and then right and left again, whilst looking to the thin gaps on either side and the concrete blocks on the legs.
A sudden thought came to mind; what if there was more concrete on the other side in the middle of the panel to stop anyone breaking through?
But we had no choice; any moment we would hit and we would know for sure.
I glanced again to Tommy sitting in his seat, gripping the sides of the upholstery and gritting his teeth, eyes closed as we raced forward.
A vision flashed in my head that the fence would hold firm and we’d slam right into it, snapping our necks as if we’d hit a brick wall. But it was too late. Nothing could change that now.
The impact came with a great bang, but then was gone.
We’d hit the fence, pinning us into our seats, but we kept on moving. My worst fears hadn’t come true and as the bass sound of the crash and its echo slowly faded, I saw the woods ahead, the view rising and falling as the car jumped up and down in the ruts.
Steam or smoke, I wasn’t sure which, sprayed out from the front of the car and I pushed the brake, afraid of the engine exploding and taking us with it.
“Get out,” I shouted, glancing at Tommy to make sure he was okay.
He stared at the white billowing vapour.
