Rage At Eden by James C Warne

Author:James C Warne
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd
Published: 2021-01-27T00:00:00+00:00

Nineteen

The three runaways had hurried, trudged and slogged their way across miles of muddy fields, using rivers or streams to disguise their route when possible. By the time first light started to arrive they were all utterly spent. The rain had slowed to a light smattering halfway through the night, finally stopping an hour before dawn. Eventually, they came to a halt near an old rickety hay barn, breathing heavily and covered from head to toe in dirt.

Collapsing clumsily on the ground, they lay there for a moment, catching their breath.

Nolan broke the silence. ‘For an older and fatter man, you kept up well, Eddie.’ The whites of his eyes smiled through his muddy face.

Eddie laughed, causing a coughing fit. ‘Why thanks. I don’t think I could do it again though, if it’s all the same to you.’

‘Nor do I,’ Nolan agreed, laying his head back on the floor.

Josh sat up. They had made it away from the Army, but he wondered if they had been followed. He mentioned his worry to Nolan.

Nolan stared up at the sky. ‘Doubt it,’ he said firmly. ‘It would be impossible to follow us the way we came, especially with all the precautions we took. Even if they could track us, they need to move off early with the delay last night. I think we’re clear. My best guess is that they don’t even know we’ve gone – don’t even care, to be honest.’

Josh glanced over at his friend, then towards the way they had come. He wanted to believe that they would not be followed, but he wanted to make sure. ‘I hope so. We should find somewhere to safely rest and hide away in.’

‘Well, this crappy barn won’t be any good. Let’s head over to that higher ground over there and see what we can see.’

Eddie groaned at the mention of more walking.

They headed uphill for a while. At the top, they had a perfect panoramic view of the nearby countryside. Josh searched the landscape, desperately trying to find some sign of any Army members looking for them. There was nothing.

He could, however, see a small hamlet a mile or so to the north. He was too far away to tell if anyone was living there, but it was somewhere to aim for at least.

He clapped his hands together. ‘Come on, then. Let’s get there as quick as we can. At least the weather’s a bit better now.’

Eddie’s shoulders slumped again, before they filed off towards the distant settlement.

***

The tired-looking guard was making his early morning rounds, making sure everyone was readying themselves to travel as soon as the order was given. The quartermaster approached him as he was checking around one of the wagons. Standing to attention, the guard waited for him to pass. Instead, he came right up to him.

‘Have you been on watch all night?’ Miles asked. ‘I’m trying to find one of my repairmen.’

‘Most of the night, yeah. When did you last see him?’

‘Midnight or so. He was working on the wagons.

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