Reapers Mist: Third in the Reaper Trilogy by Justin Gowland (6 page)

“Right guys, why don’t you get yourselves ready and we can meet at the gate in say fifteen?” I said.

I looked at everyone and got a few nods and replies. We got up and went off to get ready. Maddie and I went to our room and I started to pull on my combat pants and jacket. Maddie came over and slipped her arms round my chest. She rested her head on it. I could feel her breathing sharply against me.

“Are you sure this is the best way to do this Jay?” She said softly.

I stroked her hair and breathed in before answering. “It’s the only way we can be sure everyone has security. And I have to be the one to do it. I trust Rees with my life. But I want to be the one watching over you.” I said.

“Ok, I understand, but before we go give me a kiss.” She said.

She tilted her head up and I smiled, bending my head I kissed her lips. We stood there for what felt like a long time. Just holding each other and kissing. There was a knock on the door. Maddie broke away from me and went to open the door to find Becky stood there.

“You ready yet Maddie?” Becky asked.

“Not quite, I got a little sidetracked.” Maddie said, casting me an impish smile.

“Hey, don’t blame me.” I said, walking past them.

              I started to head down into the café, but I could hear a whispered conversation. As I go to the bottom there was a quiet squeal from the top of the stairs. Looking round I saw Marc at the gift shop watching Chris play on the Xbox. I walked over and nudged his arm.

              “Do you know what has those daft women of ours, so excited?” I asked.

              “Not really. Probably just happy they are both getting out for the day. You know what women are like about going shopping.” He said laughing.

              I shook my head at him. (My kid brother can be a sexist tit every now and then. You see what I did there? ‘Tit’ Heh I crack myself up now and then.)

              “Will you let Maddie know I am near the gate when they come down?” I said and walked out into the courtyard garden.

Chapter Six

I took my time walking over to the castle. The sun had burned off the gray clouds and blue sky was above. I got to the castle and made my way through to the main hall. I heard giggling. I turned to see Derek’s two girls running down the stairs one chasing the other. They flew past me and down the steps into the kitchen. I walked out the main doors to find Rees going through range safety on the pistols with Derek and Jacob. I sat on the steps with my rifle in between my legs watching them.

              Looking down the range I saw Derek had painted some rough human shaped targets on the backstop. Rees must have finished doing the range safety because he handed a pistol to Jacob. He stepped up to the line painted on the floor and stood in a weaver stance. He looked round and clicked the safety off. He squeezed the trigger and the loud retort of the weapon bounced off the walls. Jacob nearly dropped the pistol. Turning his head he shouted “That bloody hurts your hand, doesn’t it?”

              “Don’t turn your fucking head and look where you’re aiming when your safety is off you TWAT!” Yelled Rees, he was probably louder than the actual shot.

              I smiled and shook my head. That’s one thing about Rees, safety is all important to him with any firearm. And if you fuck up you’ll know about it. Jacobs head whipped back round to look down the range. He went bright red, but to give him his due he finished the other four rounds before calling safe. Only then did he flick the safety and turn to face Rees.

              Rees looked down the range, then turned to face Jacob and said “That’s not bad. Your first shot went high right. Your second shot hit high left, then the next three hit center mass. So not bad for your first shots I think for today we can give you a shotgun. Aim center mass with one of those and anything you hit will go down. Derek we can try and run through some shots either when we get back or tomorrow.”

              Derek nodded and walked past me and into the castle. Rees walked over to the wall where he had put a large duffle bag. Reaching inside, he pulled the under/over shotgun out. He must have cut some of the barrel off because it was now a sawn off. He handed it to Jacob and then pulled out a box of shells. Jacob grabbed about five handfuls and put them in his jacket pockets. By this time the girls were coming through the door still laughing. With Marc behind them seeing me sitting on the steps with a quizzical look on my face, he just shrugged his shoulders. I stood up and shook out my legs and stretched my back.

              “Ok guys Rees has gone through some safety with Jacob. Girls when you're finished pissing about can you get your gear?” I said.

              “Jay, fuck off. We’re happy!” Said Becky and they both started to laugh again as they got their weapons from Rees.

              “Red flood day is it?” I asked.

              Maddie’s head shot round like it was on a spring “What the fuck did you say?” looking like she could rip me a new arse.

              I lowered my head and said in a quiet voice “Nothing.”

              Marc started to laugh and said “Ooo...Shot down!”

              “And what the fuck do you think you’re so happy about?” Becky said.

              His head dropped and went red. Rees was standing with a smile on his face. The two girls turned to look at him and Maddie said “Well?”

              “Hey, I am not that fucking stupid.” He replied.

              “We ready?” Becky asked.

              Various nods showed that we were ready. I don’t think any of us men were willing to say anything. Rees and Jacob lifted the bar from its place and we filed out. We walked down to hard standing where the vehicles were parked. Rees, Marc and Becky were taking the Land Rover. I, Maddie and Jacob were to take the Juke. We climbed into the vehicles and I turned on the radio I was carrying.

              “Walker are you there?” Rees said over the radio.

              “Yeah let’s get going.” I replied.

              Jacob was driving our car. Maddie was sitting in the back with me in the passenger seat. I had my rifle in between my legs. We followed the Land Rover through the village and to the causeway. Slowly taking our time across from the island to the mainland I could see the tide was beginning to turn just as we reached the mainland. The sea seemed to attack the causeway. And within a minute or two it was underwater.

              “We left that a bit late.” I said into the radio.

              “Yeah I thought we might have missed our window to get across.” Rees replied over the radio.

              We headed south and came to the small village/town that Becky and her team had been to the day before. We managed to skirt round the outside of it. And continued on down the road we came across a few cars that needed to be moved. Rees and I covered whilst Jacob and Marc pushed or drove them off the road. After the first few it was decided that Becky and Maddie drove the vehicles.

              After about two hours we crested a hill stopped and stared at Bamburgh Castle. The large castle sat on a pile of rock above the actual town with its back to the sea.

              Rees’ voice came over the radio “Why didn’t we use this castle?”

              “I thought the sea and the island would have given us better security.” I replied.

              “I can’t really fault your logic look at the size of it. It’s nearly three times the size of our little castle.”

              “Yeah but just think something that large in plain sight. The Reapers are bound to think someone is in there.” I said.

              We sat looking at the town below the castle and we could just make out the marina on the other side of the castle.

              “Suppose you're right.” He answered.

              “Let’s get down there. Take your time and keep an eye out for any movement. There may be more than just Reapers to watch out for.” I said.

              Becky pulled the Land Rover away and slowly down toward the town. I chambered a round and made sure my safety was on.

Maddie asked “Do you think there could be survivors in there?”

              “To be honest, I don’t know. But I would rather be prepared either way.” I replied.

              “He’s just being careful Maddie.” Jacob said, leaning forward between the seats to watch the Land Rover in front.

              We drove past the first few streets and nothing jumped out at us. But I couldn’t shift the idea that eyes were watching us from the shadows. Driving slowly past the castle, I had to admit that if we hadn’t taken Lindisfarne Castle. Then this would have been the next best place. The only down side was that it was huge and would’ve been hard to defend. Where Lindisfarne Castle was a lot smaller and would take less to defend. We slowly approached the marina and I saw blood splashed on the road and pavement. The land Rover brake lights came on and we stopped behind them.

              “Jay, come in!” Marc said over the radio.

              “What’s up?” I asked.

              “Rees says there is movement in the house three doors up. He is pretending to look at the map and is watching it.”

              I lifted my rifle and looked through my scope at the house. The ground floor had two windows, one each side of the door which was hanging on its last hinge. The second floor had three windows. Two were above the ground floor ones and the other above the door. It was this one that I saw a flash of movement.

              Inside the house was too dark to tell if it was a Reaper or anyone else.

              I lifted the radio and said “Tell Rees there is someone or thing in there.”

              “He said he heard you. He wants to know what we are going to do.” Marc answered.

              “I don’t like the idea of leaving what ever that is behind us. Rees and I will go over and check it out. The rest of you climb into the Land Rover with a radio. If we hit trouble we can’t handle, I want you all to head back.”

              “Ok, Rees says he’ll see you outside.” Marc answered.

              I climbed out the car and started to check my gear as I walked toward the Land Rover. Dropping my rifle on its sling I drew my pistol and chambered a round, then put it back. I lifted my rifle and checked the safety.

              “Ok bud you ready to do a clear this house?” I asked Rees.

              “Not really, but there you go.” He said smiling.

              We walked across the road with our rifles up. As we got to the other side of the road I flicked off my safety. Rees walked crouched over in front panning from side to side. I followed with a three foot gap in the same stance. I turned round every three or four meters to provide cover behind us. As we edged up to the first window we slowed. With Rees edging to the window frame he quickly peeked inside. He turned to look at me and shook his head. He couldn’t see anything moving inside the room. We continued past the window to the door and again he stole a look inside.

              He quickly shifted to the other side of the door and I moved up to where he had stood. Rees moved on to the other ground floor window and looked in. I stood covering the doorway. He turned and headed back to the door and shook his head. So he saw no movement or bodies in either room. I held up my finger and pointed at him, then to the left of the door. I then pointed at myself, then the right. On entry I would go right and he would go left. He nodded and then held up a hand with three fingers. Letting me know he wanted to go on three. I nodded and he started to count down.

              On the third finger I moved, heading into the corner just inside the door on the right.  Half a second later Rees came in on the left and covered from his corner. We were standing in a hallway that had a staircase in the center. On either side of the hallway were the doors to the rooms with the windows. The door on my side was open. I could see a couch from where I was standing.

              The door on the other side was closed. Rees pointed that he would clear the room on his side. I was to clear the room on my side. I nodded and moved to the door frame. Quickly turning into the room the first thing I noticed blood on the floor and back of the couch. It had dried and turned a dark brown nearly black color. The rest of the room looked like there had been a struggle. A coffee table was smashed and a mirror was shattered and the pieces scattered all over the floor. The TV in the corner had been tipped over on to its screen. But that's all that was in the room.

              I went out to stand at the bottom stairs covering it. After what seemed to be minutes, but probably wasn’t. Rees came out of the room, he went to clear. I could tell that he hadn’t seen anything either. Slowly I started up the stairs while he stayed at the bottom. Careful to place my feet on each of the steps I climbed to the landing. At the top there was a smeared bloody hand print on the wall. I looked out the window onto the street. I could see the Land Rover from the window. I couldn’t make out anyone inside.