Underwood (12 page)

Her stomach dropped when she heard the siren, sobriety and a sense of urgency travelled through her body as she ran out of her front door down Hazel road, she knew what the siren meant, she had heard it at least 4 times before, it meant her grandchild had been born, another child of the devil, as she ran the tears streamed down her face, thinking only of her daughter, she knew she had not been well, that there were complications, her young body unable to cope with the rules of Underwood, she turned into Birch, she could see the army huts in front of her now, those on the street watched in sympathy as she ran, knowing what the siren meant, some inside went to pray, a young woman broke down in tears at the sight of the lady running through the streets with tears in her eyes, looking like the devil itself, for that moment Mary bore no resemblance to the woman she really was.

Mary saw no one that day as she ran, her eyes were looking where she was going, but her mind was elsewhere, her mind was with her daughter, only she couldn’t see her daughter inside her head, the maternity unit was in sight, she almost crashed into the door as she approached, such was the urgency of her, spittle ran from her mouth, her eyes wide and scared, fear riddled her whole body, Hayleigh Price opened the door, she knew who it would be, she was expecting her, she had no words she could say to her, no words of comfort, and as she stood and watched the grief stricken mother, she swore that was the last baby she would deliver.

Mary sunk to her knees, the look on Hayleigh’s face was enough to tell her, the tears in her eyes told her all she needed to know, her daughter had died giving birth, she took hold of the door frame to lift herself up, her legs barely held her, she was running on adrenalin and fear, Hayleigh helped her up, she could feel the woman shaking.

‘Where have they taken her ‘she screamed?

Hayleigh pointed to the place in the woods where the sheriff had laid her daughter, and with a new found energy, Mary ran to her daughter, Hayleigh wanted to call her back, then she thought of running after her, but she did neither, she just looked and cried.

She held her daughters head in her lap, cradling her, telling her how sorry she was telling her how much she loved her, she told her that they would be together soon, she held her dead daughters body as close as she possibly could and rocked her like a baby, she started humming her a lullaby, soft and sweet.

‘It will be all over soon’ she told her daughter.

As quiet as a mouse the creature pounced, ripping out the throat of Mary with one swipe of its claw, loving the taste of fresh blood as it tore her body apart with its jaws, crunching the bones with its teeth, the dead girl could stay for a bit, it was a long time since he had fresh food, it tasted so good, he picked up the body in its teeth and ran deep into the woods like a dog carrying a rabbit.

The 2
nd
night in Underwood was so different from the first, Lily and Ivy staying at No.12 whilst Nathan and Samuel at No.13, Eileen and Rebecca in their respective beds as the effects of the wine had been to much and they both lay fast asleep, Rebecca would dream about the day they come to take away her daughter, how she would fight them as they dragged her away kicking and screaming, sometimes the dream would end with her just sinking to her knees as she watched her daughter being taken away, then she would wake up, hot sweating, in a deep panic, finding it difficult to breathe, but other times she would dream, that they hadn’t taken her away, they had simply taken them outside of Underwood, into a new world, a nice world, where young girls were treated like humans.

Today it seemed like it was just normal neighbourly sleepovers, it was still early evening, the night warm with a soft breeze and as Peter walked the moon shone brightly, creating a haze behind the surrounding tree’s, it made the tree’s seem silhouetted against the evening sky, he walked the streets and the roads which were quiet, looking for something but he wasn’t sure what, he could see a large car lot to his left and found it strange as Underwood would not allow cars, but nothing was surprising him no more about this shitty town, then as he got closer his heart went into his mouth, beyond the sign that said “Tony’s Car Lot” he could see it quite clearly, his beloved Avensis, with a for sale sign on it, what made it worse, the car that was worth thousands was valued at £150, with his head racing he ran to the gates, he shook them hard, shouting and screaming words he himself could not comprehend as he screamed and shook on the iron gates.

Tony Griffiths was day dreaming as he sat drinking his beer, as he very often did so at night, the effects of the beer would eventually allow him to have a restless sleep, as it did most nights but it was better than no sleep at all, now he was watching the new resident approach his car lot, he seemed to be angry at something , he grinned as he watched the man shaking the gate, he could see the rage building up inside the man, he got out of his chair slowly, purposely, laying his beer beside his chair, he walked over to the gate with long steps, Peter saw him coming, both men now faced each other with the iron 6ft gate between them.

‘That’s my fucking car’ Peter shouted, pointing to the Avensis in the yard, Tony grinned,

‘So it is’ Tony said, still grinning.

This angered Peter even more, ‘You got no right to sell it, it’s not even yours’ he screamed, ‘it’s worth a lot more than that’ he added, ‘I paid a fucking fortune for it’

At which Tony burst out laughing and couldn’t speak for a few moments, money had no meaning to Tony, he had no idea how much the car was worth, nor did he care, Peter just calmed a little and stood watching the man laugh,

‘What price do you want me to put on it’ said Tony through the giggles, ‘and I tell you what, whatever I get I’ll give to you’ his laugh turned into a grin,

Peter now realising how daft the situation really was, took a deep breath, he was in control of his emotions once more,

‘I just want the keys’

‘if I let you in and give you the keys are you going to do anything stupid’ Peter just shook his head and Tony opened the gates, Peter walked in cautiously, even though he could see all around the yard, wondering why a Town that does not allow cars had a car lot, the car lot was full of vehicles.

Tony walked to the workshop at the back, Peter followed, looking around all the time, as if someone or something was going to appear from nowhere, he was on edge and anxious, then he realised he had been ever since he had arrived in Underwood, this was the same bloke who helped him escape punishment, now why was he stealing his car.

‘Here’ Tony said, throwing him the keys, Peter caught them and looked at them in his hand as if they were forbidden fruit, his eyes went from the keys to Tony, back and forth as if he was expecting one of them to change.

‘You’re not gonna stop me’ he said,

‘I’m just the mechanic, anyway that things way over my head, I didn’t know they made cars like that’ he laughed as he said it,

‘I could do you a deal on a Capri’ Tony added, tears came to his eyes from his own laughter, Peter didn’t respond, he found it strange, could not see the joke, the car lot owner seemed as mad as a hatter, and still Tony laughed.

Peter walked slowly over to the car, Tony watched him as he did so, Peter kept turning around to check on him as he walked, the gates were still open, he could just drive out, pick up his family and drive ‘
where will I go’
he asked himself ‘
I got in here, I’ll get out’
he grew excited, his heart began to race, having his car back, would give him a sense of normality, maybe even an escape route.

He got into the Avensis, put the key in the ignition and turned the key, there was nothing, Tony just looked on with a grin on his face, he watched Peter get out of the car, open the bonnet and then slam it straight shut, he walked briskly towards Tony as if he meant business, Tony was now sat down with a beer in his hand,

‘Where’s the fucking engine gone’

‘Tony burst out laughing again, he hadn’t laughed so much in years, ‘Grab a chair and get a beer’

Peter did.

Philip Lenan watched from the distance, eyeing the activities of the two men, he puffed on his cigarette and threw the dog end on the floor ‘
it will give the cleaner something to do ‘
he thought, Philip very often went out at night, a creature such as he would find no need to sleep, at least not until his creator did, he would often patrol the streets, looking through windows, trying to remember the names of the family’s that lived in the houses, trying to think up more rules, trying to find someone committing crimes so he could administer the punishment, trying to think of a suitable ending for Underwood ‘
but that’s not my job
’ he told himself.

There were very few people on the streets this time of night, except the occasional drinker walking home from the pub, should they see Philip on their way home, they would change direction and find another way home.

The street lights would be off soon, then the town would be lit up by the moon only, and the tree’s would dance as the creature walked through them, the two men he was watching were laughing now, he didn’t like that, not that he didn’t want people to be happy in Underwood, he did, that was his goal, that and to feed the trees, but to many happy people made for a boring existence, there had to be rules and sacrifices to make people understand how lucky they were.

He didn’t like the confidence of the man he looked at, he didn’t like the friendship that those two created, he stroked his chin, he needed a shave, soon he would have to go home and have one, he stood and stared at the two men for a while, before walking to Woodland road, where Allan Herapath lived, he needed a shave, he couldn’t be seen looking like this.

‘How long have you lived here’ Nathan asked Samuel, they were in his bedroom at no.13, a single bed and furniture, no toys adorned the room, no pictures on the wall, except the ones that Samuel had drawn himself, Nathan thought it looked nothing like his own bedroom at home, that was full of games and TV’s, PlayStation, his walls was full of posters, no this didn’t look like a bedroom at all, not a boys bedroom

‘Samuels mind drifted back, he knew how long he had lived here, but the question had brought back memories, the memories he didn’t want, the ones that wouldn’t go away, they both had paper and pencils the only activity they could find to do, there was a few board games, Ludo and snakes and ladders, but Samuel was fed up of them, his sister had taught him a paper game.

‘I was born here’ he eventually answered ‘anyway it’s your turn’

Nathan took the paper off Samuel and drew an x in the box, ‘I win’ he said,

Samuel threw the paper across the room ‘silly game, Rebecca always beats me’

‘Where’s your dad’ asked Nathan,

‘Why all the questions’ Samuel shot back at him, he raised his voice and Nathan noticed his fists clenching, he grew a little nervous, Nathan didn’t like violence, he didn’t understand at that time why his new friend had got so angry,

‘I’m just trying to be friendly’ he told him,

Samuel sat on the bed, his anger seemingly gone or at least calmed, but Nathan noticed his eyes still held it, that or the eyes of pain,

‘They killed him when he tried to stop my mum having their babies’

Nathan seen the tears on his cheeks, shocked at the answer, wishing he hadn’t asked.

‘That’s what I am’ he added ‘one of their babies, so is my sister’ he was fighting not to cry, tears trickled down but he held his composure, Nathan didn’t ask any more questions, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answers now, he just sat on the end of the bed, he wanted to put his arm around Samuel, but it didn’t seem the right thing to do,

‘They took 3 babies away’ Samuel continued, ‘into the woods’

Nathans heart went into his mouth, then he done something he didn’t want to do, he put his arm around Samuels shoulder,

‘I’m sorry for asking, he paused looking for a way to take the tension out of the conversation,

‘We had fun today didn’t we?’

‘Yes but it won’t last’

Nathan had a look of confusion on his face,

‘Why?’ he asked, not really wanting an answer,

‘Soon it will be my sister and mum says she’s not going to let it happen’

His words chilled him to the bone as he took his arm away from Samuel, and as he thought of his sister, he needed a shoulder to cry on, he didn’t want to be the shoulder that someone else cried on.

‘Let’s sneak out’ he said ‘see what’s in the woods’

Lily and Ivy were sat on the outside patio, it was still pleasantly warm, Lily had been showing Ivy her tablet, but the battery had faded and Ivy wasn’t really comprehending what she was saying, as Lily tried to explain the technology, Lily wondered how Ivy could be so beautiful and clever, living in a place like this, but all her knowledge was historical, and Lily realised she knew nothing of the modern world.

They sat and talked for ages, Lily telling Ivy what the outside world was like, and Ivy’s eyes lit up as she did so, it was hard for Lily trying to explain to someone who was still living in the 1970’s, and the town she lived in was all that she knew, it was difficult to tell her how the world had changed, when the only world she knew was Underwood, Ivy was still fascinated even though she didn’t understand it all, and asked loads of questions, the only things she knew about were from the books she read that came from the library, she knew the history of Underwood and the prison of war camp, she told Lily that at one time she thought that Underwood was all there was on earth, until rumours started that someone had come in from the outside, now she’s met her,

‘It gives me hope now that I know there’s somewhere else’ she told Lily, her eyes were still wide as she looked for Lily for assurance,

Lily tried to comprehend how it had been for Ivy living in her own little world, she was having difficulty doing so,

Lily pointed to the sky, Ivy looked up,

‘Where I came from the skies at night will be full of planes, taking people on their holidays, to beautiful places across the world’ she withdrew her stare and gazed at her new friend ‘one day’ she added ‘ you and I will be on one of those planes, Ivy smiled and took her hand,

‘I haven’t got long she told her’

Lily could see the sadness in her eyes,

‘I know, and if by then my father hasn’t found a way out, I will run with you, we will hide, I’ll not let them get you, the two girls hugged, Ivy leaned back in her lounger looking at the stars, trying to see if she could see a plane, there were no planes,

‘I might sleep under the stars tonight’ she said,

Lily lay back in her lounger, leaned over and took Ivy’s hand,

‘That’s a great idea’ she said.

Tony and Peter sat drinking outside the car lot, they smoked a cigarette and stood staring into nothing, earlier on Peter had checked some of the others cars, none of them had an engine, the engines were all piled up behind the car lot, both men at this moment were deep in thought, Tony thinking about his lost wife and Peter’s mind racing about all sorts of things, but all his thoughts would end up on how to get out of Underwood.

‘The beers is good’ Peter said looking straight ahead, Tony drank what was left in his bottle, went to the fridge and got two more, he handed one to Peter,

‘Beer and cigarettes’ what more can a man want’ he replied, there was cynicism in his words.

‘There was a moments silence as they both pondered the question,

‘What is this place Tony’ Peter asked

‘It’s a place stuck in time’ he answered ‘you’ve gone back in time 40 years’,

‘How do you mean he asked?’

Tony thought long and hard ‘This is how Underwood was 40 years ago, it hasn’t changed, just less people’ he paused thinking about his wife ‘ it’s stuck in some time warp, I don’t really know, there was an explosion, the steelworks we think, the whole town rattled, then it had changed’