Danny checked his watch for the fifth time in 5 minutes, it's quarter to 10. He was still ages away! The truck sped along at as fast a sit could. The wind blew through his hair. Concentration was etched on every line of his face.

"Come on, COME ON! Danny urged the truck on, God help me if the police see me, but I don't care this is Alice we're talking about!

For the first time I wonder who is doing this to us, who hates me this much to do this? His brain considers the possibilities. The only one I can think of, and this is a long shot is Terry. He'd been in love with Alice, but she decided to stay at Leopards Den, but come on that was over two years ago, he couldn't possibly be holding a grudge! Could he? I clear my mind I need to concentrate on my driving, even though Danny's foot is already on the floor I press harder, I've got to get there, EVERYTHING depends on it. Do I wonder whether this person will kill Alice, of course but if there's even a chance he will, that's not a chance Danny was willing to take!

Back At The Creek

WOW! I truly can't believe who it is.

"Well hello, Trevanion how was the wedding? Oh I forgot your gagged let me help you." a smirk passed over his mouth, he pulled the gag down and caressed her cheek at the same time.

"Don't you touch me!" Alice spat at his feet.

"Bitch!" he fumed and slapped me, my head whipped back, my ears rang and she felt blood trickle down her chin. God now even, her teeth hurt. She wasn't showing him that though she stood straighter and looked him square in the eye.

"Oh, I'm sorry" he said sarcastically, "Such a lovely mouth," he motioned to touch her again and she jerked away.

"Oh Alice, don't be like that, we could be friends," He paused and looked at her, "I can see why Trevanion likes you, full of passion and spirit, that'll be gone by the time I'm finished."

Alice paled, what did he have in store for, it didn't bear thinking about, they were in the middle of the bush, no-one to help her, he could do what he wanted and then leave her for the lions. Not if she could help it she vowed!

"If your expecting me to beg you'll be waiting a long time, I'd rather die!"

"Don't worry, you will, die that is, after what you done to me you deserve nothing less."

Alice looked puzzled, "What did I do?"

"Not just you're your husband too, you ruined me. I lost everything because of you, now I'm going to leave Danny with nothing, best way to do that is through you."

"Your not going to do that." Alice said.

"How my dear," he caressed her cheek again and moved in closer to her face. "Are you going to stop me?" he finished.

His temper flared again, Alice moved without thinking and my headed connected with his nose. "I told you not to touch me!" his nose exploded blood poring down his face. Alice felt a moment of satisfaction and smiled.

"YOU FUCKING BITCH!" she never saw it coming, his fist connected with her jaw. Alice felt a pain in her jaw. Her ears rang as her head snapped backwards, She swayed unable to stop herself. She fell awkwardly and felt a sharp pain in her head. There was a warm trickle down her forehead but she was already unconscious.

That bitch! I'm really going to enjoy killing her, my nose is sore, I walk over to the cabin of his truck and mop up the blood from his face. She'll get what's coming to her, they both will!

Back To Danny

I'm here finally! With time to spare thank God. He slung his gun over his shoulder and jumped out.

"ALICE!" he yelled, uncaring of who hears him. He run for what feels like hours even though only a few minutes have passed. He finally saw her.

"Alice." he squeaked. After that all the breath left his lungs. She lay on the floor in front of the back of a van, the cage is open. She's lying on her side, blood flowing down her head into her hair. He could see her lip, split and puffy and a imprint of a hand on her cheek, God she looks like she's been through hell! Her hands were bound behind her back.

He ran over, 'I'm going to help you Alice you stay with me!" as he untied her hands he couldn't feel a pulse, he was just about to check again when a man came around from the front of the van.

"Ha-ha see anything you like?"

Danny stood up, "Van Heerdan? What are you doing here?" he asked confused.

"The fences and animals weren't enough Danny," he rambled he had a wild glint in his eye. " I had to hurt you, hurt you like you hurt me!"

"Huh, What? How did I hurt you?" Danny asked puzzled.

"Last year, those lions you reported me, I was hit with a large fine, it ruined me, I lost everything."

"You deserved it" Danny retorted "You poisoned those lions."

"If I'd known another way to deal with them I would have! But NO you would have it, you reported me and I lost everything. But now as you can see I have my revenge," he smirked. "Danny, she's dead!"

Dead, the word echoes in my head, Alice and dead in the same sentence just didn't compute! All I could hear was NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo!

Danny felt my heart shatter and my eyes turn flat, Danny dropped his gun and lunged for Van Heerdan.

"I'm going to kill you, you Bastard!"

Danny punched him in the face 3 times in rapid succession, he can see his nose. Alice had obviously fought him, she wouldn't have gone down without a fight. With that thought he fought on he was ready for me now though, he punched Danny in the ribs, but he wasn't feeling any pain. He was numb. Alice was dead. He stood immobile for a moment as grief washed over me, he glanced over at her, she still hadn't moved. Van Heerdan took his chance, he uppercut Danny and he stumbled backwards into the dirt. Van Heerdan then stamped on his chest and the air whooshed out of his lungs. He then kicked him in the ribs a few times and booted him in the head. Danny was dis-oriented and groggy, he tried to get up but Van Heerdan laughed and pushed him back onto the floor. "You fought and lost twice Trevanion, I win."

Danny lay on the dusty ground, he blacked out every now and then.

"I want you to know she begged for mercy, and I laughed as I plunged a needle into her heart, same as I'm going to do to you.

"Go to hell!" Danny shouted at him.

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a syringe, Danny tried to lift his arms in an attempt to stop him but a wave of pain washes over him and he blacked out again.

"Trevanion, TREVANION! Wake up, I want you awake for this. Damn! No matter the result will still be the same, he bent over and pulled the cover off the syringe, closer and closer it edged towards his chest. The rush of power exhilarated him. Van Heerdan was just about to plunge the needle into his heart when a single shot rings out.

(X)

Alice heard feet scuffling and men grunting with exertion,. Her eyes flutter open and she saw Danny, God what's Van Heerdan doing? Danny takes an uppercut straight to his jaw. I see him sway and fall backwards onto the floor. I then see van Heerdan lay into him as he lies there.

"Oh my God Danny." she tried to say but it most came out as air.

Alice tried to move and felt a sharp shooting pain across her abdomen.

"Not the baby too!" she prayed.

She scanned the area and saw the gun at my feet. She inched across the floor towards the rifle.

Van Heerdan is leaning over Danny gloating.

She took aim and fired.