Reapers Isle: TheParaplegic/Chronic Gamer Returns for the Second Book in his Reaper Series (12 page)

There was a disturbance at the rear of the Reapers and two of them were dragging a normal person through the crowd, some clawed at him as he went past. When they got to within a few feet, he was thrown to the floor of the clearing in front of me. I could see that he was crying and begging, but I couldn’t make out the words, they just didn’t seem to make sense to me. The body I was in tilted its head to the side as if in contemplation as to what she should do with the person in front of it.

The male stood to one side said in his guttural voice “Does this gift please the Queen of the Shentu?”

The body I was in replied in a higher guttural voice, “It does, Mathleic. I am your Queen and my kills are your kills.”

With a swift movement the Queen bent and bit into the man’s throat and I could feel the hot coppery taste of the blood as it flowed down her throat.

‘I will enjoy doing this to him!’ Was the thought that came from the Queen and I woke up.

“What the fuck was that?” I cried out.

Maddie woke up and looked at me, I was covered in sweat and was probably looked as bad as I felt.

Looking at me with concern Maddie asked “You all right?”

“Yeah, I think so! Was having a bad dream that’s all.” I replied.

“Are you sure your ok, you look really pale.”

“I’ll be ok, like I said it was a bad dream. I think I am going to have a walk round see if I can get pulled round. I’ll try and get back to bed soon.” I said, getting out of my sleeping bag.

Maddie rolled over and went back to sleep and I walked out into the unit, trying to be quiet so not to wake the others. Surprise, surprise there was Rees sitting in a circle of light from a coleman lantern, his rifle stripped and he was making sure it was in working order and cleaning all the parts. Walking over and sitting down opposite him, I was trying to voice the thoughts in my head, but I just couldn't find the right words. Rees looked up at me and then nodded at my rifle. Sighing, I started stripping my rifle down and grabbed his cleaning kit got on with cleaning.

"So what happened?" He asked with his head bent looking down his rifle barrel.

"To tell the truth, I don't know, the girls sorted out the new family and have arranged for us to get their car tomorrow." I replied.

"That’s not what I mean, I could hear you from here. You never have any kind of bad dream. Even when we were sleeping in the field under fire, you slept like a baby. I was always envious that you could do that." He said.

"To be honest, I don't know what it was about. Usually I don't have dreams, but that one didn't feel like a dream."

"Why don't you walk me through what it was like."

I sat cleaning my rifle and talking about the dream or whatever it was, I got to the end. "To be honest the end, scared me and that has never happened before. It didn't feel like a dream and the way it ended with the Queen saying what she did. That was the strangest thing of it all." I said.

"How's your side bud?"

“To be honest, it doesn’t hurt anymore. I haven’t taken the bandages off since the other day. But it’s not bleeding through or anything.”

“Might be an idea to check it out bud, that dream might mean something else. Like maybe your body is trying to tell you that something might be wrong. Might be worth while checking it now dude whilst it’s just us two.”

“Yeah, you might right.” I said, taking off my jacket, lifting my shirt with one hand removed the bandage with the other. We looked and saw the gash had almost fully healed. All you could see was the stitching that Becky’s dad had done and the new red fresh of the scar. The gray that had been the problem back at the cottage was almost gone completely. I looked up at Rees and he just shrugged his shoulders and we back to cleaning his rifle.

I lowered my shirt without placing the bandage back on then put my jacket back on. Then continued cleaning and putting my rifle back together, I checked the action and then replaced my sling.

“So what do you think about that dream?” I asked

“To be honest mate, I’d think nothing of it. Everyone has bad dreams every now and again. Your gash has got a lot better and the gray that frightened people is almost gone. It might have been mildly infected at one time whilst it was healing, but your body seems to have kicked its arse. So like I said don’t think about it.” He replied.

He was right, I was worrying about nothing. I mean just because I didn’t dream very often, didn’t mean that I couldn’t have bad dreams like everyone else. That and the fact that with everything that happened lately and then blaming myself for it all, I was bound to be stressed. (now if I could just get a proper cup of tea.)

Whilst my mind was elsewhere Rees had finished cleaning his rifle and moved on to his browning. (god sake gonna have to do mine as well.)

“Do you want me to strip and clean your pistol? So that you can go and snuggle up with Maddie?” He asked with a smile.

Chapter Fourteen

I passed my pistol to him and said “Ta bud, I think she is a little put out with me.”

Just grinning, he took the pistol and nodded toward the office where Maddie was sleeping. I got the gist and stood up and walked over to the office, went inside and lay down on my sleeping snuggling as close to Maddie as I could. Her hair was in my face and it smelled of honeysuckle, just the smell made me relax.

“Jay, I am sorry we did that without asking.” She whispered.

“No, I just reacted badly. I have been beating myself up the last couple of days, because of losing the cottage.” I said.

“Well, no one is blaming you. Here give me a kiss and get some more sleep, you have a busy day tomorrow leading us to Holy Island.” She said, rolling onto her back so I could lean in and give her a soft kiss, that turned into something else. (I am a gentleman so I won’t tell you, but it involved sex lol.)

The morning came and a small amount of light came in through the windows of the unit. I could hear movement outside the office, but I wasn’t wanting to open my eyes. When I did finally fall asleep again, there were no dreams to disturb it, so the dream I had earlier in the night was just that a dream. Rolling onto my side, I opened my eyes a crack and saw people moving around. Sighing, I sat up in my sleeping bag and looked for Maddie, but she had already moved her sleeping bag and stuff out of the office.

Unzipping my sleeping bag I grabbed my piled up clothes and struggled into them. I was on fastening my laces when I heard a light knock on the door and I looked up. Becky was leaning against the frame looking down at me.

“You do know we were not trying to upset you last night don’t you?” She said.

“Becky, I know that you and Maddie are trying to do the best thing by this family, I had this conversation with Maddie last night. I don’t want to have it again, they need help to survive and we have done better than most, it was just that I didn’t want a repeat of the cottage.” I replied.

“Yeah, Maddie told us all this morning that you had been beating yourself up about it. Look as far as I am concerned, you have done nothing wrong. You’re constantly looking out for everyone, trying to make sure we are all safe. We can see you weighing up every decision before you make it. Like Rees said you are a leader and you take all the pressure that it entails. Just every now and again let someone else help you with that pressure. The last thing we need is that you burn out.”

“Lol, have I been that transparent?” I said.

“We’ll the last couple of days you have started to get a little grumpy and stressed. Come on lets get you some breakfast and get today over with.” She said, holding out her hand to help pull me to my feet. I took it and she leaned back to pull me up. Walking out of the office, I saw Rees and he headed my way.

“You have any more of those funky dreams?” He asked.

“Nah,think you were right just a dream, making doubt shit. I had a talk with Becky and Maddie, I think I should be pulled back round to straight now.” I said.

“Good thing because we don’t want the boss man doubting himself. Come on lets get packed up find this car and then head for the island.”

“Ok, let’s get out of here. I want to be on the island by nightfall. There are a few houses and cottages on there as well. But I think the castle is going to be the best place to live when we get there.” I said to him.

We walked over to the Land Rover and I threw my sleeping bag in the back. I turned to everyone that was in the unit and said “Ok, we are going to get Derek and his family their car and some fuel for it and then head for the island. What I suggest is that Rees, Derek and I find and fuel the car. Becky, Marc, Maddie, Mary, Christine and the girls you lot will fit in the Land Rover. Becky, I want you to wait at the entrance to the industrial park. I’ll have a radio and you will have the other in the Land Rover. If you see anything I want to know, and if we see anything we will do the same. Is that going to be ok with everyone? The reason is because people should have a say in what is going on and not just me.” I said looking at everyone.

“I think we can all say that you have done right by everyone up till now. Everything you have done has been for the benefit of the group and just because of one mistake, it shouldn’t ruin it.” Said Rees with everyone nodding behind him.

Becky, climbed into the driving seat and Marc got in the passenger side. Maddie climbed in the back and patted the seat for Ghost to jump in but for some reason he wasn’t having anything to do with it. He just padded over to me with his claws clicking on the concrete floor. Maddie shrugged  and closed the back door, sitting down, she blew me a kiss.

Rees pulled the chain opening the shutter and I pulled the charging handle on my rifle just in case. Going to one knee I looked under the edge of the door as it was raised. Not seeing anything I gave everyone the thumbs up. Rees pulled the shutter all the way up and Becky slowly drove out into the gloomy overcast day. Rees and I walked down to the unit that Derek and his family were in and gently rapped on the door. It opened and Derek stuck his head out.

“Hi Derek, the girls told me what was said last night. Do you still want to come with us?” I asked.

“Yes, please I think we are better off with a group than on our own, we saw that last night.” He replied.

“Ok, we think to keep your wife and kids safe while we find and fuel your car. That they go in the Land Rover, it has enough space. And you come with Rees and myself because you know roughly where you left it and Rees likes to suck on hose.” I said smiling.

“Fuck you, Walker” Said Rees smiling.

“We’ve been ready since the girls left last night. My daughters have not stopped talking about how tough they looked.” Derek said shaking his head.

“Ok, I’ll get Becky to bring the Land Rover down, we’ll get your stuff, wife and kids stowed away. Then you, me and the jolly green here, go car hunting.” I turned and waved at Becky to bring the Land Rover down.

Rees and I went to each side of the unit and stood guard as the rest got Derek’s family and gear in the Land Rover. When they were finished and Derek had the chance to kiss his wife and kids. I passed an empty fuel can and a length of hose we ad used to get fuel in the past to Derek. Then, with Rees, me and Derek in between, we walked into the industrial estate to look for the car that he had arrived in. I heard the rumble of the Land Rover engine and turned to see it going round the end of the units and out of sight.

“Ok, Derek what kind of car are we looking for?” asked Rees.

“Don’t criticize me for my choice of car, ok?”

“Come on mate we are not that bad are we?” Said Rees with a smile.

“Well, you got to understand that the girls had a say in it as well as Christine!” He said going red. (I mean it, he actually went fucking red, right to the roots of his hair.)

“Derek, we don’t judge people for their choices from before this all happened.To tell you the truth you have managed to keep your family together and alive. In this day, that’s a fucking brilliant achievement. So what piece of crap did you have?” I said.

“Thanks for that…..is it Walker or Jay? Do you mind if I call you Walker like Rees here?” he asked.

“Nope, not a problem. Come on Derek what was your car?”

“Erm….a metallic purple Nissan Juke. Like I said the girls and Christine helped choose it.” He said and looked at the floor.

I looked over at Rees, he looked over at me and we just burst out laughing. Derek looked at us and a small smile started on his face, he then started to laugh with us. It got to the point where we had to actually stop walking because we couldn’t breath. After what seemed like minutes we calmed down and continued on walking.

As we got to a corner we heard the unmistakable keening noise of Reapers hunting. I was the nearest and gestured to the others to stay back. Lying down on the floor I slowly edged up to the corner so that my head and rifle, were just around the corner enough for me to look through my scope. What I saw was a group of about eight Rearpers stood in the middle of a crossroads and surprise, surprise on the other side was a metallic purple Nissan Juke. I wriggled back round the corner and stood up, put our heads together.

“There’s eight Reapers in a crossroads about sixty meters away. Here is the kicker though, there is a fucking ugly car on the other side of the crossing.” I said.