Come, Time by Richard Jenkins

Author:Richard Jenkins
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Thriller
Published: 2011-10-08T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The E15 Autoroute tumbles by. The ambulance and its siren shield me from the crowds, and cut me through the tollgates. Seven police cars cross my path, none of which care to notice my presence. My plan is simple, drive through France and Italy, and make the short crossing to Sicily, then hire, or steal, a ride to Malta.

Two hours pass and my thoughts remain focused, without drift or indulgence. Four hours pass and the sagging fuel gauge breaks my cocoon.

A road sign directs me towards a petrol station. I pull up and park by the Air Hose. Of the three cars parked at the pumps only one is being filled. A tanned, slim man, drenched in expensive arrogance, and still fresh in his twenties leans nonchalantly on a BMW M6. With pump in hand, he lovingly satisfies its thirst. Once quenched, he returns the pump, closes the petrol cap with a delicate twist, then saunters away to pay. His hands are empty, and the car remains silent. Are the keys left in the ignition?! The ambulance has served me well, but is damaged goods, and will offer no advantage when driving through Italy. Opportunity or risk? A theft that will be far from subtle, but still, if speed is my main objective.

I scoop up my belongings then scramble from the ambulance. With little attempt to conceal my intentions I pace to the M6 and peer though the driver-side window. The key dangles from the ignition. I open the door and slide inside. With a twist of the key I ignite the engine, then bait it with a dab of the throttle. Provoked, it roars a warning of its power. Without looking to witness the wrath of, Mr. Whoever I drop the accelerator and burst towards the exit.

Two hundred and fifty miles separate me from the Italian border. Do I continue ahead using the fast, free-flowing Autoroute, or do I opt for the slower, but probably less policed, minor roads? Again, I choose speed and continue on my way.

The M6 does its job well, although I barely exploit its potential. Speed in such cars is a gimmick, a paper asset, a never to be realised boast.

The miles ease by and my focus, aided by a good dose of paranoia, stays lean and tight. Police cars come and go. Some rush past, whilst others seem to stalk me for miles.

I leave France and enter Italy with zero resistance. The motorway carries me seamlessly and should continue do so all the way to Reggio Di Calabria.

Trapped in hours of constant speed I barely feel as if I move at all. I’ve been driving now for ten hours straight and my resolve is grating thin. Tiredness has started to worm its way into body and mind, my senses are becoming muted. As the miles stack-up, one on top of another, the curtains close and the road funnels me into darkness. A trickling stream of dazzling headlights serves only to highlight the monotony. I should yield to sleep and hunger but fight and resist the urge.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.