Ice-Age chapter 4

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ICE-AGE

By Andy Savage

 

 

Chapter 4

 

There was a howling blizzard later that night, and Dave's rest was

unpleasant and disturbed. A small, grubby pot had earlier been placed next

to him, with instructions to use it as a toilet. Dave was desperate to go,

but he didn't dare, so he lay there for as long as he could trying to ignore

the flowing pressure. Device, annoyingly, didn't ever seem to want to rest,

he kept pacing up and down, and scratching himself, but finally he did go

out of the tent for a short while, and Dave then took the opportunity to

relieve himself. He also hastily picked his underpants and vest off the

floor and eased them on before hiding back inside his warm sack. But he

couldn't sleep, he kept peeping from his pillow.

When Device returned Dave watched him start rummaging through the bulging,

grey rucksack in the middle of the floor. Dave couldn't make out what was in

the rucksack, but he certainly saw the battered base ball bat by Device's

sleeping bag. It was impregnated with evil, inch long nails and rusty razor

blades. There was also a pair of snow shoes and some tins of beans over

there. That was all there was under the canvas, as far as he could see. He

closed his eyes and tried hard to slumber, but his mind and his heart beat

were just running too fast. The night was painfully slow.

Dave hadn't eaten anything since yesterday's breakfast, and that was only a

tin of pineapple rings which he shared with Simon, but he didn't feel in the

least bit hungry. With the first encroaching hints of morning, Dave finally

drifted into a deep sleep. When he woke he was alone. There was total hush,

like he was the only soul left on the planet. The gusts had died away.

Shafts of bright sunlight were streaking through the motionless door flap.

Not so many years ago there would have been bird song, but all the once

common noises had long since disappeared. No lawn mowers, no clinking of

milk bottles, no bickering neighbours, no cars whizzing past, or aircraft

buzzing overhead. Just the frozen silence of death. He felt guilty that he

wasn't out tracking down Simon. He pushed himself up but instantly

discovered that trying to move was a big mistake. He was as stiff as a log,

and sickening missiles of pain cut through the back of his head with every

twitch, " Hell fire! " he cursed, and lay back down again.

Some time passed and Dave began to wonder about the man who had saved him.

He didn't want to be ungrateful but he couldn't help but find it suspicious

that Device had come along so soon after the assault. It had been nearly a

year since Dave had last seen another living person, apart from his own son,

and now out of the blue he had come across seven or eight all on the same

day. It seemed like a big coincidence. He questioned what Device meant when

he said he'd help 'for a price'. He hadn't really thought about these words

at the time, but now they were causing him mounting worry. It was obvious

that Device must want something, and Dave was sure that he also knew

something he wasn't telling.

" No, " said Dave to himself, " I'm painting too dark a picture here. " He

stared at the sloping roof of the tent, he knew that the sharpness of his

thinking had been temporarily blunted, and now his head was beginning to

throb once more.

The smarting quietness was suddenly broken by the crunch of footsteps

marching towards the tent. Dave immediately became alert and looked across

the floor for the baseball bat, but it was gone. Something heavy seemed to

be thrown down just outside, and then the door flap opened and Device's red

face peered into the tent, " Weather's turning better, " he said.

Dave huffed in relief and answered, " Really? Good, it was dreadful last

night, wasn't it? "

" So, how are you feeling? " Device asked, slinking into the tent, holding

something underneath his denim jacket.

" Not so good, truth be said. What time is it? "

" About noon. "

Dave shook his head, " I feel so useless. I can barely move a muscle. I must

be in your way here? "

Device slung his sunglasses onto the floor and sat down heavily with a sigh

on his sleeping bag, " I know you want to go looking for your boy, " he said,

" Don't worry, they'll keep him safe. " " Who will keep him...... " began Dave,

and then he was dumbfounded as Device undid his jacket and produced a dead

animal.

Device grinned and held up his trophy, " It's a mountain hare, " he said, " I

trapped it. That's what I do. " He dropped the carcass next to the tins of

beans and then fixed his eyes on Dave.

" I'll bet your son was snatched by slave traders. I've come across it

before. "

Dave was horrified, " Slave traders? " he gasped, " Are you sure? How do you

know this? "

Device ran a long hand through his striking hair, " Same thing happened to my

wife. "

Dave was shocked and looked down to the floor, " God, how awful, what

happened? "

" She too was snatched one day by a gang, just like Simon. She's still out

there somewhere. If she's still alive. Its been five years now. "

" Christ, I'm sorry. "

" Don't be. It's not your fault. It was a long time ago. Life goes on, " said

Device. He went over to the side of the tent near to Dave and peeled back a

small flap fastened by Velcro to reveal a plastic window. He gazed out, " Are

you married? " he asked.

" My wife died a long time ago, " said Dave, " Ten years ago to be precise. "

" Ten years ago? Not long after your son was born then? "

" During the birth, " replied Dave, starting to cough.

Device turned and looked at him, " So its just you and Simon now, is it? "

" Yes, I was with someone for a while, but we just went our separate ways,

you know. "

" Ten years ago, " repeated Device, staring back through the window, " Not long

after the big freeze began. "

" Yes, that was the problem of course. Mary, my wife, got pregnant in

January, when it was just like a bad winter, but by the time she gave birth

in October, well, it just never stopped snowing all year did it, the whole

country was in chaos. "

Device nodded, " I can't believe how quick it happened. When it was still

snowing in July, it was unreal. "

" We got to the hospital, " continued Dave, " But we couldn't get a doctor, and

it was so bitterly cold. " He closed his eyes, " Anyway, she'd been in labour

for over thirty hours, the midwife said she needed a caesarean, but there

was no one there to do it. "

" Nightmare, " Device said, turning to face his guest again.

" You're telling me. It was the worst experience of my life. I thought I was

going to lose my wife and the baby. "

" But your son made it. "

" Yes. The midwife did the caesarean, Simon was fine but my wife.... "

" What did you do? "

" I had to take Simon home almost straight away, as soon as he was cleaned

up. Mary was dead, I couldn't take her with me, I had to leave her, she

never even saw the baby. "

" You've done well to survive, " said Device, " With a young kid. It can't have

been easy. What was your job, before? "

" I was a teacher, " said Dave, feeling upset after talking about his wife for

the first time in many years, " I taught history and sports. "

" A sports master! " exclaimed Device with a grin, " No wonder you're so fit! "

" Well, I don't feel too fit right this moment. "

" You're a survivor, Dave. That's obvious. Simon will know that. It'll give

him hope. "

Dave shrugged his shoulders gloomily, " He doesn't know anybody except me.

He's lived most of his life underground. "

" You've stayed out of sight then? Best way. I don't blame you. "

" We've lived in food holes. About six or seven of them in the past nine

years. Like you say, we keep out of sight. Only move on when the food is

used up. "

" Speaking of food, " said Device, moving across to the other side of the

tent, " You must be hungry. I'm going to cook the hare. We'll have it with

beans. "

" I didn't know there were any animals left alive out there. "

" There's animals. Plenty of animals. Enough to make a living, anyway. "

" A living? You mean there are still jobs? "

" Well, sort of. I work freelance. I have contacts. I trade what I catch, "

explained Device, picking up the carcass and gently swinging it, " It must be

a long time since you ate fresh meat? "

Dave looked grimly at the hare's loose, lifeless head, " I really don't feel

like eating anything, thanks. "

Device appeared annoyed, and glared coldly, " Look Dave, I won't beat about

the bush. I'm pretty sure I know who's got your kid and where they'll take

him. I'll help you get him back if you help me get what I want. But you'll

be no use to me or Simon if you starve. "

Dave's heart missed a beat and he stared into Device's murky eyes, " Can I

trust you? " he said.

Device laughed, and replied, " Have I not saved your life? "

Dave blinked. He knew he didn't have a lot of choice.

" Now do we have a deal? " Device asked.

Dave paused for a second, and then answered, " We have a deal. "

 

 

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