He got out, took the petrol container from the back seat and poured the contents over the car.
Then he took an old rag from the boot, dipped it into the container, lit it and threw it onto the back seat. He stood back and watched as flames engulfed the car. As the smoke rose, spewing toxic fumes into the air, he dialled Gareth’s number again. He was pissed off that his friend would do this and then ignore the phone calls.
A dazed voice spoke on the other end. ‘Hi, Stephen.’
‘I can’t believe you didn’t answer the phone. What the fuck is wrong with you?’ Stephen’s voice was raised; he watched the smoke building, realising the urgency.
‘I’m sorry. I powered my phone off and fell asleep. The stress is playing with my emotions and wearing me out. Shit. Where are you?’
‘I’m at the spot in the woods. You need to get your arse in gear and pick me up.’
Gareth sat forward on the sofa. ‘I’ll take your car. I’ll see you in about twenty minutes.’
Stephen interrupted before the phone went dead. ‘There’s so much smoke. I’m worried someone will come. I’m going to cut through the woods. Meet me on the other side. As you drive, you’ll see me. I’ll hide in the forest. Hurry, mate.’ Stephen pressed the button to end the call.
The smoke was getting into his lungs, making him cough. He was breathless, unable to inhale properly. The fire was roaring. Any minute now, someone would pull over and ask what had happened. The emergency services might even be on their way.
Stephen ran, charging into the woodland; his arms reached out in front, swerving through the trees, the leaf litter and sticks crunching under his feet. He hoped it was over. The woman in the woods was in the boot of the car, which was now a blazing wreck. His mind raced, wondering if she was real. He’d seen her lying still, the smell so strong, so evident. What if it was just a mirage, a figment of his out-of-control imagination?
She’s dead. She has to be dead. I saw her in the boot. I set the car alight; I saw the flames, the smoke curling, into the atmosphere.
Stephen stopped suddenly. The smell of smoke had disappeared. He was struggling to see; his eyes were watering, his lungs full, seeming unable to take anything into them. He bent forward, placing his throbbing hands on his knees, listening to the silence. He was surrounded by wood, stumps, leaves piled knee-high. He remembered how as a child he had come here with friends in autumn, building with the leaves and charging head first through them like a diver on the edge of a swimming pool. Stephen straightened his body. He needed to get to Gareth, flag him down. His life had to return to normal and he needed to forget about what happened.
As far as he was aware, no one had reported the woman; no one had come forward for the missing car or mentioned the body in the boot. Gareth didn’t believe him. Maybe it wasn’t real, after all.
He heard a crunching, the noise of a stiff leaf being trodden on. He paused, taking in the area, watching. The world remained motionless. He edged ahead, one foot slowly in front of the other. There it was again, like someone was there with him.
Stephen turned in circles. ‘Is anyone there?’ He looked through the trees, straining to see in the distance. He waited, a minute, two, three, then moved on, slowly placing his feet on the ground. As Stephen walked, he continually checked behind. The shapes which surrounded him formed pictures, dark figures, patterns which played with his mind. He ran suddenly, unsure which way to go or how to make it to the road.
He pulled his phone from his back jeans pocket, seeing the screen bouncing as he charged through the forest. The signal was gone. Stephen moved it left and right, lifting the phone above his head. He crouched, swinging the phone in semi-circles. ‘Sod this shit!’ he shouted, panic in his voice. ‘Gareth.’
As Stephen turned, he saw a figure in the distance. A man, watching him.
Shit. You’re not real. I know you’re a mirage, a shadow, a form of brain confusion. Leave me alone. This isn’t fucking real. He glanced at his phone, still no reception. The light was minimal; the woodland had closed it off, acting like a blanket. He took a deep breath, his lungs aching. He looked down to the floor, then back to where he’d seen someone standing. The figure was moving fast, racing towards him. Stephen dropped the phone, glancing at the shape, gaining on him.
‘Shit. What do you want? Leave me alone.’ He bent forwards, searching the ground, swiping his hands over the leaves. Where the hell is the phone? No, what am I doing? I’ll have to leave it here. There’s someone charging towards me. He’s going to kill me. And then his fingers found his phone. He placed it in his pocket; then he ran for his life.
18
Ben and Edward
Ben rushed from the barn door, blocking Edward’s view. He desperately tried to stop the older man seeing his son, lying on the floor.
Edward screamed out, fighting to get to Nigel.
‘Don’t look. Please, Edward.’
The older man forced his way through, kneeling beside the dead body of his son. He reached out and touched the remains of his son’s head, cradling him and pulling him to his chest. Edward looked at Ben. ‘What have I done? Oh God, please, no, no. Son, don’t die like this. I’m begging you, don’t die on me here.’ Edward fell to the floor and he lay on his stomach, unable to deal with what had happened.
Tears streamed from Ben’s eyes at the sight of a father grieving for his boy. The soul had been ripped from Edward, and as he lay on the floor, he screamed, filling the barn with hysteria, pressing his hands to his face and crying uncontrollably.
Ben stood beside Edward and the dead body and let the man grieve. He didn’t say anything; it was their time together – their goodbye.
The Coach.
Laura and Milly were stood at the front of the coach. They heard the bang in the distance and knew it was a gunshot.
‘Mum, I need to go and see if Dad’s okay.’ Milly was already moving towards the door of the coach.
Laura caught hold of her daughter and stroked her hair. ‘Milly, you can’t go out there. Baby, the guy has a gun.’
‘I don’t care. I need to see if Dad’s all right.’
Laura looked back towards the passengers. ‘Everyone, sit tight. We need to check on Ben and Edward. Don’t move or try to escape. I’m begging you. This guy will think nothing of shooting us all. Do you understand?’
The passengers murmured their agreement. ‘Milly, I’ll go alone. You stay here.’ Laura thought it was a safer option for her daughter to stay on the coach.
‘Mum, I’m coming with you.’
Laura spun around as an arm reached up outside and hammered on the glass. The passengers screamed. Laura and Milly ducked.
‘Stay down, Milly. I think he’s outside. Oh my God. He’s going to get on the coach.’
Again, the hand thumped against the glass. The person was outside, shouting desperately. ‘Open up. It’s me.’
Laura crawled towards the door and saw her husband standing outside the coach. She reached across the driver’s seat, opened the door and quickly climbed down the steps. ‘Oh, thank goodness. You can open the doors from the outside, you know. You scared us half to death. Where’s Edward?’ She searched Ben’s face and saw his fearful expression. ‘What is it, Ben? What’s happened?’