Carruthers Demise, Chapters Thirty Three & Thirty |Four (standard:drama, 1938 words) [19/24] show all parts
Author: Brian Cross	Added: Jan 17 2013	Views/Reads: 2406/1819	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Carruthers & Casey Jennings are stranded deep in the New Forest, with an increasingly sinister Adrian. Nearing the completion of my drama.

Chapter Thirty Four 

‘I can't understand it,' Carruthers grumbled. ‘It's not so long since
I've had the damned thing serviced.' 

Casey hadn't taken her eyes off Adrian, as he stood motionless in the
centre of the barn, with his fixed smile. ‘It's him,' she said through 
clenched teeth, ‘he's behind this.' 

‘Don't talk nonsense,' Carruthers said irritably. ‘Your novelist
imagination is running riot.' 

‘He's standing right in our path. I tell you he knows it won't start.' 

‘For goodness sake, Casey...' Carruthers swept a hand across his face,
rubbed it against his chin. ‘I'm no expert on engine technology.' He 
jumped down from the Range Rover as Adrian angled his head. ‘Having a 
spot of bother, old chap?' 

‘Won't start.' Carruthers scratched his head, eyed Adrian hopefully. ‘I
don't suppose you're a dab hand with...' 

But Adrian was shaking his head before he'd finished speaking. ‘Not in
the slightest. I can't help you there, I'm afraid.' 

‘Damn.' Carruthers raised the bonnet, gave the engine a cursory
examination and shrugged. ‘I'll call the breakdown service, I've got 
the number logged on my mobile...' but he grimaced as removing the 
phone from his jacket he studied the signal indicator. ‘I'm never going 
to get a signal out here. I'll use your landline if that's okay.' 

‘Sure,' Adrian called back, already several yards into a walk towards
the farmhouse. 

‘Two birds with one stone.' Casey's voice was so quiet that Carruthers
wasn't sure he'd caught her at first. ‘Two birds with one stone,' she 
repeated a little louder, and then in her normal tone, ‘oh it's 
nothing. Something from a book I'm engaged on just flashed before my 
eyes.' 

Carruthers frowned, shook his head. ‘You never told me about that; you
sure are strange sometimes.' 

‘Maybe I am,' Casey mused, eyes still hooked on Adrian. ‘But I'm not
half as strange as him.' 

‘ Come on down,' Adrian yelled, arcing his arm in the direction of the
barn. ‘It could take some time in this neck of the woods. I'll make us 
all a nice cup of char...' 

Casey glanced around, looked at the dark contour of the barn, like a
huge yawning mouth in the gloom, and listened to the rain pounding on 
the roof and windows. She muttered incoherently, slowly stepping away 
from the Range Rover, staring fiercely at Adrian who simply met it with 
his vacant, humourless smile. ‘Excellent, follow me my merry people, 
just momentary discomfort but all in a good cause, and all worthwhile.' 
Adrian led the way through the barn, the white patches on his otherwise 
filthy sneakers like dancing specks in the murk. 

Carruthers made to march alongside but felt the resistance of Casey's
restraining hand. ‘I don't know what you're getting us into, but keep 
your wits about you. The Adrian I knew was abhorrent but this one's 
totally off the planet.' 

‘Oh, for heaven's sake...' 

Carruthers' derisive reply was louder than he'd intended but Adrian
appeared not to have heard, leading them into the gathering dusk and 
following the track sharp left where it became increasingly muddy and 
heavy underfoot. 

In the distance a faint orange glow emanated from a downstairs window of
the big old house, appearing to flicker and stutter. Casey shivered and 
gripped Carruthers' arm with considerable strength as Adrian ploughed 
on ahead, seemingly impervious in his inappropriate attire to the 


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