2 - Twilight Dash

Chapter 2
Twilight Dash

It was nine thirty-five and I felt suffocated from the cloud of cigarette smoke hanging in the air above. I got out of bed, looked at Nola for what I thought would be the last time and she smiled a convincing traitor’s smile at me, her lips were steady as she held eye contact.

‘Going to the washroom’ I grunted as I put on my fatigues and black boots.

‘Yes Sir, Mr A’ she said in a low growling voice, giving me a firm mock salute. I felt sick at her acting along and found my eyes of judgement burning into her as I passed the crack in the door. Her face was down, she was nervous and distracted. I had all my things with me now and was ready to meet the men downstairs in the kitchen; I wasn’t going back to her.

As I went to the toilet, washed and shaved I knew I had to keep the pretence going, so I said. ‘Tina has finally taken a shine to Briggs I reckon’. A shiver ran over me as I scratched my chin with the sharp metal blade, it was cold in there.

‘Dunno about that,’ she said. There was a brief silence between us and in it the crows cawed in the high sycamores as they fought for their nesting positions for the night. I wished I was a bird at that moment, life would be far easier, I could fly away, it was so complicated being human.

‘Why do they call you A? It’s silly. What’s your real name?’

‘Alfred, Alf’ I said, begrudging her. Was she trying to take an interest, to care for me even? As I knew our love had only been to buy her time until her trap was sprung.

‘That’s old-fashioned.’ she said and I heard the floorboards creek, giving her away and she stood there, close to me, looking into me with wide eyes. ‘Where are you going?’ her tone had deepened and her words rang out like church bells, with solemnity and a clear precision that couldn’t be denied.

‘On night manoeuvres’ I said giving her a poker face. I checked my pockets, knowing I was ready and flashed her a second look.

'At this time of night? The streets will be crawling with Narsians’ she took half a step into the bathroom, moving silently like a cat, her voice soft now and her brow furrowed.

‘I have to go because…’ and I nearly said it, said that we had to go because she had called the authorities and that the cybernone recording from a bug I had put in range of the telephone had proven that they, whoever they were were due here at the house at 10pm, so we had to get out.

‘Have to? Why?’ she said, looking at me with the narrow eyes of distrust and then away at the dirty white sink.

‘Because’ I said and shuffled to get past her, but she didn’t move away and my chest brushed her breasts.

‘And you’re not going to say good bye?’

She was good. Had she done this before I wondered? Silly question ‘Good bye Nola. I’ll see you after the war’ I kissed her on the lips and she reached up and pulled me to her

‘What do you mean?’

‘You know what I mean’ I said loudly my face reddening. I looked at my watch, it was nine forty-five. Forgetting where I was I randomly shouted. ‘Briggs’. There were a few moments of quiet and we stared at each other not knowing our positions in the world. I filled my chest with air to speak, but it was broken by Briggs emerging from Tina’s room.

‘Sir’ he said keeping his head down as he descended the stairs.

‘Let’s go, Sergeant Briggs’

‘You’re not coming back?’ Nola said hiding most of her body behind a hand towel.

‘How can we?’ I said. I was on the stairs now.

She started crying. ‘I’m sorry’

‘Sorry for what?’ I said, not able to look at her as she was not able to face me.

And then with quivering lips she blurted it out. ‘That I gave you up. I had to, someone saw one of your men smoking out the back’ she said her voice wavering. ‘If I didn’t report you they would have and Tina and I would be as good as dead.

‘You could’ve at least given us a head start, Nola’

‘Somehow I knew you knew. It was in your eyes. I knew you had information from somewhere’

Tina came to her door with a sheet wrapped around her ‘You all deserve it, you scumbags. We got what we want from you, now get lost’ she said waving her arms in the air. I could hear Briggs laughing at the bottom of the stairs and instinctively my hand went to my pistol belt. ‘Oh, big man, going to shoot me are you?’ I dropped another couple of steps to halfway down.

I looked at Nola. ‘If this war ever ends I’ll come back and look you up, but you’ll be married with kids by then’

She smiled a real smile ‘Yes, I don’t know, who knows?’ she said. She looked beautiful in her innocence and deceit.

‘This will always be our halfway house’ I said and then we were gone into the cold night. Five desperate souls running from an army.

Author's Note

In the next chapter the net is closing in, but can they make it across the bridge?

Reviews

[Batson Sludge]

I read the 2nd chapter and it has a good flow. The dialogue seems natural for the events described. I'll read more.

[Coyote Poetry]

Very nice communication in the chapter. I liked the interaction and the honest conversation. A nice set-up for the next chapter.
Coyote

[Kat]

I love this!! While I was reading this I was able to visualize everything that was happening, I could see this scene happening in my head and I very much loved it! I applaud your writing for sure. I hope that there will be a chapter 3