Chapter twenty-one
"Turn here." I instructed John, taking the backstreets had saved us precious time and we were almost at the farm.
However I can't put my mind to rest, im too worried, what is happening?
I see with tunnel vision, focused on one fixed and distant point, home. Horrific images passed before my eyes, I look up, and see the dark night sky empty and starless, my gaze travels downwards, my house lay in runes in front of me, blue lights flash all around, sirens ring in my ears, distant screams echo, its all too overwhelming, overpowering, I cant cope, I scream.
"Robin?" asks George putting a comforting hand on my arm, I startle, and my mind springs back to reality, but my mood doesn't improve. With one look at my pale frightened face and blotchy red eyes George understands.
"Its going to be ok, we'll save them." He says softly, I nod teary and stare out the window slightly embarrassed. Im usaly the strong one, the one everyone breaks down around, im not used to this, I hate feeling so useless, like I can't help them.
Our van pulled onto the gravelled lane that leads to the farm, I held my breath. Any doubt I might have had or any belief that Baxter wouldn't be able to go through with this cruelty vanished as soon as my house came into view. Timber was piled against the side of the house with scatterings of straw and hey from the barn, squad members were noiselessly pouring a liquid that looked suspiciously like petrol around the perimeter.
John pulled up a little way down the lane and turned the headlights off, they hadn't heard us. My seatbelt was off and I was reaching for the door when George held me back.
"We can't just barrel on in there" he said "we need to be smart about this."
"He's right" said Mark "we need a plan."
"I don't care" I snapped struggling for freedom "that's my family down there!"
George held me firmly and Will spoke to me gently.
"Robin, their right." He said, I calmed down and admitted defeat.
"Fine." I said sulkily. We didn't have long and a plan would take time, I looked out the window down at the house, maybe we didn't need a complex plan.
"How about this?" I asked addressing everyone in the van "we use the darkness and sneak up on them, Mark if you can short circuit the lamps we'll have complete black out down the lane, they'll never see us coming."
The others nodded their agreement and we got to work, as I think I've said time was of the essence. Mark hocked his laptop up to the lamppost and the rest of us stood waiting while he did his thing. Down the lane I spotted Baxter, a smug grin on his face as he strutted around the yard like a peacock. My blood boiled and I gave Mark the thumbs up.
The lights went out; silently we crept down the lane keeping to the sides just in case. Down in the yard Conner and the squad members muttered in confusion, Baxter hissed for silence, he didn't want my family to wake up.
"Spread out." I whispered.
Running my hands along the hedge I made my way into the yard, Marks timer ran out and the lights flicked back on.
"See I told you now get back to work!" Hissed Baxter and the alarmed squad members sprang into action.
It was now or never.
"Oi! Baxter!" I shouted stepping out into the open.
"I'll be with you in a minuet Hood" He said waving his hand at me dismissively "im a little busy here."
"Leave." I warned him. This caught his attention, he turned to face me.
"Is that a threat?" he laughed and Conner and the squad guys did the same "you're a lone pathetic woman, what are you going to do?"
"Lone?" I asked raising an eyebrow behind my mask and took out my bow as the others snuck out from their posts surrounding Baxter and his men, each outlaw bearing their weapon.
"One more chance now" I said pointing my bow at him "leave!"
"I don't think so Hood, im not through here." He said waving his hands again and suddenly all ten squad guys had knifes at the ready.
I gasped inwardly and lowered my bow slightly, great. I shook myself; never show weakness, I pointed the arrow at Baxter again.
He wasn't going to harm my family, not while I was still around.
"Were not afraid of you Baxter!" I shouted. He cringed at the level of my voice, if my family woke up that was it.
"No?" He whispered keen to get to the fighting and avoid arousing the sleeping family inside the house "How about them?" He clicked his fingers and Conner and the squad teens ran forward.
"Let's do this" I yelled rallying my tropes "but be careful, remember we don't kill."
And it began six outlaws, eleven Hench men, one tyrant. Baxter sulked away from view, unwilling to get his hands dirty or risk his own life for his own cause.
"Will!" Shouted Jack warning her friend of a squad member advancing from the side, Will ducked and barged shoulder first sending the squad member flying over his back, he smiled his thanks at Jack who had a squad member running towards her from behind.
"Jack!" Said Will pointing over Jacks shoulder, she took her bow in both hands and span round at precisely the right moment swinging the bow with her and hitting the squad member with it.
Mark tripped backwards as Conner advanced on him, laughing at Marks misfortune Conner raised his own blade and stood over Mark. Reacting Mark took Conner's legs out from under him sending Baxter's right hand man tumbling to the ground. Mark jumped up and moved out of the way as John, making the most of the situation, knocked his opposing squad member over the fallen Conner. The last thing I saw was their two opponents laid out on the ground in a tangled mess and Mark and John patting each other on the back, before a set of young hands grabbed my shoulders and pulled me backwards, I struggled to breathe as a strong arm crushed my chest and a jagged blade rested against my neck.
"Im sorry." Breathed the teenager genuinely in my ear, im sorry too I thought as I elbowed him in the chest and stomped hard on his toes (those self defence lessons came in handy there). He eminently realised me and infuriated I knocked him to the ground and pointed an arrow at him, I wasn't going to hurt him, just scare him a little.
I stopped and lowered my bow slightly again, I recognised that face. Josh Harrison? As I stared into the terrified face of Josh Harrison, Locksdale uppers star rugby player, second most loved guy and biggest bully id never felt a more agonising mixture of sorrow, anger and pity. This shouldn't be allowed.
"Argh!" I heard George shout, I span round leaving Josh, and saw George advance on a squad member who had wounded his arm, his ripped shirt revealing his bow and arrow mark on his left arm.
Although George had his immediate threat under control there was no way he would be prepared for the crafty squad guy running up behind him. I raised my bow and aimed at the squad guy. I released the arrow, missing Georges head by inches it hit target and shot through the squad members hood and pinned him to the wall behind him. Three more arrows later both arms and the other side of the hood were pined to the wall, he wasn't going anywhere.
"Thanks!" Shouted George he winked at me then engaging the initial squad member in combat.
Suddenly the world moved in slow motion around me, squad members, school mates, friends fighting all around me, it wasn't pleasant. The glimmer or blades and the shine of arrow heads, the ugliness of war and conflict was something I couldn't avoid with every glance in every direction I was transported back in time to the times of my ancestor, old fashioned weapons, old grudges and it was all too familiar.
Across the war zone I spotted Baxter, he carried a plastic petrol bottle, oh no he didn't. I made my way towards him, sneaky git! Weaving in and out of people I had eyes only for Baxter (this time Baxter senior, and certainly not in the same way as his son!) he moved cautiously and cringed with every loud noise. Almost there.
Suddenly a very large, very intimidating squad member blocked my path; I didn't have time for this.
"He He He." He laughed in a very deep, throughty, dopy voice; I half expected him to say 'I crush you now' or something like that. He cracked his knuckles and I braced myself,
I prepared to dodge his attack but it never came, instead I found myself darting sideward to avoid being crushed by the falling giant.
"Who's pathetic now?" Josh asked the unconscious mammoth on the floor, a thick plank in his hands. I checked the giant on the floor worried, Josh had hit him with a plank after all, but he was completely unharmed, as id though, thick skull.
"Thanks." I said to Josh gratefully, it was strange to be in a situation where I wasn't arguing with him.
"No problem" he said "he's been giving me a hard time from day one, calling me pretty boy, it was a pleasure."
I nodded and set off in pursuit of Baxter again. I found him splashing petrol about; I looked up at my parent's bedroom, right.
"Baxter!" I shouted.
He didn't jump, it was almost as if he was expecting it, he took a match box out of his pocket and turned to face me.
"Would you mind being quiet? People are trying to sleep." He said pointing to the upstairs window and grinning.
"FIRE!!" I shouted, now that took Baxter by surprise "Fire help!"
"Be quiet!" He hissed glancing at the window for movement.
"Help!" I shouted again "fire!"
"Fire!" shouted George behind me, realising what I was doing.
"Stop!" Baxter snapped.
"Fire!" Coursed Jack, John and Mark.
"Stop that! Stop them!" said Baxter his voice rising.
"Warning, warning hot air!" Shouted Will his hands cupped around his mouth looking at Baxter, the rest of us cracked out laughing, even a few squad members giggled.
The fighting was still going on, but at random point's in-between an outlaw would have a sudden out burst, trying to awaken my sleeping family. I stood in front of Baxter and watched him explode.
"STOP! DO AS I SAY AND SHUT UP!" He shouted causing the whole yard to stop still and watch as he cracked.
"What's your problem!" shouted my dad out of the bedroom window "some of us are up early in the morn…." He trailed off as he took in the scene below him, his eyebrows knitted together, his frown lines appeared and he shouted "Dad! We've got visitors!"
Soon my whole family was down the stairs and stood outside in the court yard dressed in dressing gowns and pyjamas. My dad had urged my mum to take Alice and go with his mum, but she wouldn't, she said she wasn't about to run off and hide and leave him to brake his other leg. My grandma and Alice safely away I addressed Baxter.
"Ooops, is that why you wanted us to be quiet?" I asked sarcastically in a disguised voice, I didn't want my family realising it was me.
Baxter looked furious, his face bright red he turned to me and spat angrily "you! You'll pay for this, all of you!"
"You'll have to go through us first!" said my dad stepping forward to stand next to me.
"Hum" he said a smile returning to his lips "alright" he clicked his fingers again and the fight recommenced.
Myself, George, Will, Jack, Mark, John, Josh, dad, mum and granddad stood ready for the remaining Squad members and Conner; suddenly the odds looked a whole lot better for us.
"You want some of this?" asked granddad brandishing his walking stick at the foolish squad member who had singled him out. I had to laugh as the unwise youth started to back away as my granddad advanced on him.
It was clear to see that both my mum and dad were expert fighters, handling the squad members like it was all child's play, well that wasn't far from the truth. A few minuets into combat it was obvious who had the upper hand, a small number of squad members actually made a run for it when things went from bad to worse, granddad borrowed dads crutches.
I looked around the see if Baxter had admitted defeat, grinning with pride for my family, I noticed he wasn't there. He'd made a run for it! Wait, no there he was heading up the lane with Conner and…George? What?
My heart sank, he wouldn't. And to think I actually, argh!! I ran after them with such speed and determination I was sure to catch them, what I was going to do when I got there I didn't know. George was a little way behind Baxter and Conner, but the distance was shrinking with every step he took, as was the distance between me and him.
They stopped, Baxter turned and stared at George, I couldn't see properly in the dark but it looked like he was talking to Conner, Baxter made and arm movement and carried on. Conner stayed where he was watching George, what was that in Conner's hand? I opened my mouth to shout angrily at George for betraying us but instead I screamed.
"George!" I shouted, Baxter turned to look at me and gestured for Conner to join him. Conner dropped the plank Josh had used earlier, now stained red with George's blood. Conner had hit George round the head with it; George had fallen to the floor and hadn't got back up.
"George!" I shouted again sprinting desperately to his side, knelt down next to him I felt tears sting my eyes as I held George's head in my hands, I gently pulled him towards me, my jeans speckled with blood.
"George?" I asked softly, tears fell openly from my eyes, I heard shouting down the lane but I wasn't listening, this cant be happening. "George please."
He murmured something I couldn't understand and I tore my gaze away from his face to Baxter hopping into his car. If I went now I could still probably catch him, but what about George? He needed me. No competition, way off in the distance I heard sirens, gently I brushed Georges fringe off his forehead, im sorry.