Chapter 8 – Strangers in Paradise.
When the sun finally came up the next morning, Tyde had been buried. A grave had been dug by Will all night long, and now all that was left was a fresh layer of dirt over his wrapped up body, and a large and smooth stone had been placed over him. The two rifles he had used to save the lives of everyone were crossed over his grave, and his ballistic vest was laid beneath them. Everyone was gathered around, as they tried to thing of words to say, but none occurred to them. Next to him were honorary graves for the four soldiers that had been incinerated opening the hanger door, but Josh, Aaron and Will stayed by Tyde's grave, as everyone paid their respects, owing their lives to these people.
Will sniffed hard, fighting back his emotions for a moment, and turned to Aaron and Josh. "You guys made it all the way here, I'm sorry there isn't any better news. The plane is gone, we can't fly the jet as it's only for one person, and now there are far fewer of us left here. I guess it was a stupid plan..."
Josh was still unable to speak, his emotions getting the better of his speaking ability, but Aaron cleared his throat, managing a few words. "Its alright Will, Fluke is alive, and we can still get to Dover. You can come too, it would be good to have you along."
Will took a moment to think about this, but finally nodded to them. In the few hours before they hit the road, they bid goodbye to the few soldiers who were left, paid their final respects to their dead, stopping an especially long time at Tyde's grave, then got into a large military jeep, and drove off, heading towards the safer way back to England. They found an intact bridge, and slowly drove over it, and kept driving for a few hours, finally settling in a small town under the shade of some large hills. They stopped by the side of a country road a few miles out of the town. No one spoke the whole time they drove, and they stopped in a layby as the night came and all slept in the jeep. Will couldn't sleep that night. He stayed up, keeping guard.
The sun was just starting to rise the next day over the top of the hills, and Will was almost asleep, his eyes getting heavier and heavier. However, he didn't notice the two figures coming up from behind him.
"Hey, hey! You guys!" A voice called out from behind them.
Will's eyes shot open and he spun around in his seat, looking back and taking out his pistol, aiming it towards the sound. His eyes fell upon a young man with his arm under a woman, who looked unconscious, and had a large red stain on her otherwise sky blue shirt.
"Please." The man said nervously, standing still, but still supporting the woman. "Please, do you have any kind of supplies for helping her, bandages, anything?"
By now, Aaron had woken up from all the noise and turned around to look at what was going on. He saw the injured woman and looked at Will, whose gun was still raised. He tapped on Will's shoulder, and he lowered his gun slowly.
"We have some bandages yea, they're in the jeep as medical supplies." He replied to the man, reaching into the glove box of the jeep and finding a first aid kit. He climbed out of the jeep and walked towards the two people. "Here" He said, holding it out to them.
The young man took the box from him. "Thank you, thank you so much!" He said, slowly lowering the woman to the floor. "Its alright babe, just lie down and I'll try to fix you up."
Aaron stood over them, watching as the man slowly opened the buttons on the woman's shirt, revealing her cream coloured bra. Aaron averted his eyes out of respect, going over and leaning on the side of the jeep. The young man with the brown hair opened the first aid box and found some disinfectant, tipping some out onto a cloth and starting to dab at the woman's wound. It looked almost like a stab wound, something a large knife could make. Will nudged Josh awake.
"Whuzzat?" Josh called out, sleepily, turning towards Will, his eyes only half open, and his hair a tattered mess.
"Some strangers found us, Aaron gave them some of out medical supplies to help fix them up." Will replied.
Josh turned towards the two people and then looked at Aaron. "Hey Aaron, are they friendly?" He asked, loudly.
Aaron turned his head and looked at Josh, giving him an exasperated look. "Yes, of course they are, and one of them is hurt."
Josh nodded and slumped back in his chair, putting his hands on the wheel and making racecar noises, still only half awake.
The young man, after disinfecting the woman's wounds, took some bandages and wrapped them around her torso. Throughout this whole time, the woman had been making small grunting noises of pain whenever the disinfectant touched her wound, but now she smiled up at the man and put her hand on his arm. The man smiled down at her, then stood up and turned to Aaron, his short brown hair falling onto his face a little.
"Thanks man, I didn't know if she'd make it after that, I'm glad you we found you." He said, holding out his hand. "I'm Dan, and you are?"
Aaron took his hand and shook it. "I'm Aaron, and those two are Will and Josh." He looked at the woman, who was lying peacefully on the ground. "What happened to her?" He asked.
"We were robbed at knifepoint" Dan replied, his face looking sadder now. "Well, she was. I ran into a shop to grab some food, and she had a big backpack full of supplies. Some jerks came and robbed her, and when she wasn't giving it over right away, they... Well, you can see." He said, looking down a little.
"Not your fault" Said Aaron, tapping him on the arm. "You couldn't know they would come. At least she's all right now."
Dan nodded. "She wouldn't give up easily, she's stubborn like that" He said with a light chuckle. "Thanks again for this. Where are you all headed?"
"Down to Dover to meet up with a friend and hopefully to get to safety. What about you guys?"
"We don't really have a car, we've been walking aimlessly for a while since leaving town."
Aaron nodded, looking at the woman again, and back to the man." Do you need a ride anywhere, I don't think she should really be walking with that kind of wound."
Dan smiled and nodded. "If it's not a lot of trouble, we'd love to come along. But I don't want to inconvenience you, you've done enough already."
Aaron shook his head. "Its not a problem really, we have enough room for you two, as long as you don't mind heading towards London.
"Not at all, I'll get her into the jeep in a minute." He turned back towards the woman on the floor smiling. "Thanks again man." He said, before going over to the woman and talking to her quietly.
Aaron smiled and got back in the side seat, looking at Josh. "We have some new road trip buddies." He said, chuckling lightly.
Josh looked at him and groaned. "Awww, I hate people!" He said, his normal humour returning to his weary brain.
"They're nice enough people, and they could really use some help."
"If they start singing road trip songs, I'm kicking them out of the RageMobile."
"The RageMob-" Aaron started, but decided not to stoke Josh's ego. "Fine, whatever. That name is really gay though"
Josh pretended to be offended. "You actually used the word 'gay' without explaining yourself for five minutes? I'm offended!"
Aaron rolled his eyes. "I don't always do that!"
Josh chuckled, pushing his joke further, as the young couple climbed into the backseat of the car next to Will, who had now fallen asleep from the lack of it. "You do, so this is new. Have you come under some enchantment?" He asked, looking at Aaron intently."
"You're such a cunt." Aaron said, reaching his arm over and starting the car for Josh. "It's been like 2 years, let it go!"
Josh put his hands on the wheel and gently revved the engine with his foot. "Fine, I'll drop it," He said, as the car slowly pulled out into the road and began to drive "But only if you finally tell me about the babe." Josh couldn't help laughing at his own joke, and the car swerved a little and almost hit a bush.
"You drive like an old man." Aaron said, looking at the road ahead.
"That's not telling me about the babe." Josh said, still giggling.
Aaron punched Josh's arm, then slumped in his chair, finding some sunglasses in the side pocket of the car and putting them on.
"Oh cool boy." Josh said, gently rubbing his arm, driving now with one hand. "Nice glasses, its not even that sunny."
"Nice glasses yourself."
"I like my glasses."
"No one else does."
"My fans do."
"Well your fans have bad taste."
"You do know most of my fans are also your fans?"
"Shut up."
"Make me."
Aaron punched Josh's arm again.
"Owww..."