"I wish this was under better circumstances."
"Me too, Jon, I'm sorry but half the family is still not here, could you wait a while? We'll obviously accommodate you." Caroline said softly, "You can't ever get anyone in one place here, not even for a will reading."
"It's hectic, but yes that's fine. I can wait about an hour but then I really will have to do the reading with or without the family fully present." He warned. Caroline nodded before following him to the house, despite the front she couldn't help but doubt the rest of the family would arrive back in time.
(x)
Alice was driving, panic etched across her features as she scoured the land for even the smallest indication her daughter was near. Liv watched with interest and worry – she'd never seen Alice so tense and adamant about something before.
"Are you sure she won't have gone to one of her friends?" Liv asked Alice.
Alice shook her head, "She'd have used their landline to get in touch." She replied, her eyes not leaving the road. "I just know there's something wrong Liv. I feel it."
Liv agreed mutedly, her eyes scanning the road ahead, she nudged Alice as she noticed the bus slowly making its way up the bumpy path. Alice simple flicked her eyes in acknowledgment, halting the car, not even turning to look at Danny who'd been following her. In moments however, he was beside her, watching the bus like a hawk.
"She'll be on it." Danny murmured, his arm wrapping around Alice, "She has to be." He whispered, his emotion finally revealing itself. Alice looked up at him, and took hold of the hand that rested upon her shoulder, squeezing it as he exhaled shakily.
"The bus is going past." Alice muttered, "Danny, why's it going past?"
"I dunno… listen, I'm gonna ring the school. You head down the road, see if you can see anything." Danny told her. He glanced at his wife's expression and sighed, kissing her upon the forehead, "We will find her Alice." He promised, although at that moment, he too had the creeping doubts.
(x)
Charlotte pulled against her ties as Jen and her friends tormented her. They'd tickled her relentlessly and now it seemed the big guns were coming out. Jen was rolling her sleeves up as her two allies took hold of sticks that littered the floor.
"Anyway last words?" Jen asked her, "Oh sorry! I forgot you were gagged…"
"I'll get you." Charlotte vowed through the gag. Jen laughed, pulling the gag down harshly causing Charlotte to scream out in pain, a sharp contrast to the girls' cackles. "You'll be sorry." Charlotte warned, spitting out some blood which had gathered.
"Oh I don't think so…" Jen screeched as she swung her arm back, her fist clenched and ready for impact.
(x)
"Any ideas?" Dylan asked as he drove himself and Evan down the main track.
"Try heading west… there's a place where the school bullies used to take the geeks." Evan suggested, "Either way, it's the only way onto the land that's not on the main road."
"Oright." Dylan replied, "Wish we had a plane."
"Can you fly a helicopter?" Evan asked, his interest piqued. He'd not really had chance to speak to his new brother in law and he hadn't made a judgment on him yet.
"Yes, though I've not flown one for a couple of years." Dylan explained. "Anyway, I think I better lie low on the flying front after the Zimbabwe disaster."
Evan glanced at the man, "So, what's your intentions towards Rosie?"
"What?"
"Well, you know, what's your plans?" Evan asked in a conversational manner.
"To make her happy." Dylan replied honestly, "Evan, you can spare me the protective brother, Danny's played the protective Dad for eight months."
"Rosie means a lot to this family…" Evan replied, "Not one of us will allow anyone to hurt her, always remember that… oh and Danny when he's angry? Think the Hulk… anger Alice as well? You're dead." He smiled, the latter more of a friendly warning.
Dylan laughed warmly, "Thanks… I'll remember that."
(x)
Danny was driving like a mad man over the rough terrain of the bush, as of yet he hadn't seen one sign of Charlotte and he wondered if maybe she had gone to a friends. He'd rang the school and they'd confirmed she'd got on the bus with everyone else. He sighed, he hoped beyond all hope she was ok. After the antics over the last few weeks, it wouldn't surprise him if something was wrong. He frowned as he noticed a foot print on the ground and flattened grass. Slowly, grinding the car to a halt, he hopped out inspecting it more closely – it was recent and there were more than one persons footprints leading into the bush. He looked up but couldn't see anything, only that there was no way he'd be able to drive down there. He sighed, grabbed his gun and began to walk radioing Alice at the same time.
"Alice, I don't know if it's anything but I've found some tracks."
"Where?" His wife's voice returned.
"Near the little water hole, where all those big trees are, where the baboons tend to gather… it's a way out from the house. You'll have to park up and walk though." Danny murmured, looking down. At that moment he noticed another track… paw prints.
"Danny?"
His reverie was broke by Alice's frantic voice.
"Sorry, I was umm… concentrating." Danny replied, breaking into a jog.
"You're a terrible liar Danny." Alice said, a tinge of warning to his voice, "What've you just seen?"
"There's an animal following her, a hyena by the size of the prints." Danny admitted, knowing it was useless even trying to lie to her. She'd find him out almost instantly and then murder him the next time she saw him.
"Find her Danny…" Alice's urgent voice came before the radio went dead. Danny sighed and began to run quicker. That was exactly what he planned to do.
(x)
Charlotte groaned as pain ebbed at her right cheek and stomach. After punching her, Jen had kneed Charlotte in the stomach. She fought her ties once more wishing that they'd slacken just to give her sore wrists a slight break.
"You liking this bush girl?" Jen laughed, "You thought you could get me in trouble and get away with it hmm?"
"You've had your fun." Charlotte growled, "Now untie me and let me have mine!" She warned.
"You wish." Jen laughed.
"Coward." Charlotte spat.
Jen lunged forward, digging Charlotte twice consecutively in the ribs before standing back. "Don't start bush girl!"
Charlotte was about to retort when she saw a flash of fur rush by. She craned her neck as far as she could round Jen and finally spotted it, a hyena. Her eyes widened, her head spinning back to face Jen.
"This has to stop now. We have to get out of here." Charlotte warned.
"Yeh, yeh, nice try." Jen laughed.
"No, this is serious. We have to move." Charlotte growled, fighting her ties even more. "There's a hyena stalking us."
Jen cackled turning round and scanning the area briefly before hitting Charlotte once more sharply in the ribs. Charlotte didn't even react as her eyes searched for the hyena.
"Nice try bush girl. Stop with the tricks eh?" Jodie warned, Jen's usually quiet ally.
"I'm serious." Charlotte pleaded, she knew they enjoyed seeing her beg but this time it was serious. "Jen, untie me and we'll run, we'll forget it." Charlotte begged as she noted the hyena reappearing and creeping slowly up behind Jen. The girls laughed harder as Charlotte fought. It was only when the beast laughed and growled did they finally believe her.
"Untie me." Charlotte murmured, "Untie me and I can help."
"No." Jen replied, "We'll just stand still."
Charlotte sighed, at least she had one thing right. It wasn't stopping the hyena though who'd realised it had a sitting meal. Charlotte began to panic, pulling against her ties more than ever, the rope burning and cutting into her skin. She hoped beyond hope that someone up there loved her…
(x)
Danny was becoming breathless but he swore he could hear girls voices. As he arrived onto the clearing he almost froze at the scene before him. His daughter tied up, her tormentors being cocky and then… he swore, the hyena. Behind him he heard the rumble of a Jeep and if it wasn't for the urgency of the situation he might have been shocked at the fact she'd driven across such terrible terrain.
"Danny!"
"Alice keep quiet! And keep Liv back!" Danny called, aiming his gun as Alice ran over with hers.
"What the-" Alice gasped as she saw the scene, "I'll murder-"
"Alice!" Danny warned, bringing her back with one hand grabbing her arm. He raised his gun, "What's that girl doing?!"
Alice watched as the girl ran forward with a stick. She raised her own gun, "Danny shoot!"
"It's too dangerous from here!" Danny panicked, "God damn it!" He aimed and fired, the boom resounded around the area but the bullet only shattered the stick. Danny swore but Alice shot once more, her aim more precise she managed to hit the hyena in the leg, shattering it's back legs – enough to ground it. At that moment, Liv drove up, allowing Danny and Alice to jump in the Jeep.
"I hope that kids arm is oright." Danny murmured.
"It will be." Alice told him, "Besides, might teach her a lesson about starting on my daughter. I should have shot her."
"No you shouldn't. Anyway, why did you drive the Jeep over here?"
"Quicker than running, a smashed Jeep is better than a smashed daughter." Alice admitted, "I'll sort it out."
"Doesn't matter…" He said, as he noticed the ring leader of the three tormentors, Jen begin to run. He jumped out the moving Jeep, using the momentum to keep running at top speed. His long legs gave him an advantage and he had hold of her in no time and he brought her back just as Alice and Liv jumped out of the car, Alice untying her daughter as Liv rounded the other two.
"Charlotte, are you oright?" Alice panicked, stroking her daughter's hair.
"Yeh, I'm fine Mum." Charlotte groaned, clutching her ribs.
"What do you call this then?" Liv asked the two girls, she saw a splinter of the shattered stick in one girls arm and pulled it out harshly.
"Maybe Jen here can explain to her Mum and Dad." Danny spat, "Now you lot were lucky, ever try anything like this again and I might just miss the hyena on purpose."
"You shot the stick?" Jodie asked.
"By accident." Danny declared, "You can thank Alice for saving you. Now, I'm gonna take you home – just as soon as you apologise to Charlotte."
"Sorry." Jen murmured.
"Properly." Alice warned.
"Sorry." Jen said sincerely, intimidated by Alice's presence.
"Sorry." Jodie murmured as the other girl also said sorry. Danny nodded, before turning to Alice as the girls waited some way away.
"I'll put the hyena out it's misery." Alice murmured, "Thank you for finding her."
"Take the girls home, radio Evan and Dylan and I'll be home soon ok… It's ok…" He smiled, kissing her softly, "Oh and Alice." He called as he reached the girls, "Try not to smash up my Jeep anymore."
"Funny man…" Alice called, flashing him a secret grin before setting off.
