Reapers Mist: Third in the Reaper Trilogy by Justin Gowland (16 page)

“Any idea how many we might have to fight?”

“It looked like between forty and fifty it doesn’t seem many but they are their best warriors at least that’s what the vision pointed out.” I said.

“Ok so what are we going to do?” Rees said running his hand through his hair.

“I have a plan but I wanted to wait till dinner before telling everyone. There is going to be a lot of complaints about it and I really do need them to listen so a little bit of support would be cool.” I said.

“Of course I’ll support your plan.”

“Thanks mate.”

Rees stood next to me on the firing line and started getting some practice in with his pistol. We stood taking turns for the next hour or so. Tapping him on his shoulder I told him I needed to go check something out and would meet him in the café for dinner. I walked into the castle and went down to the storeroom we were using as the armory I wanted to grab some rounds to refill my magazines. Out the corner of my eye I saw a one of the duffle bags that Rees had pulled out of the Territorial Army unit. Opening it a smile spread over my face and now I had something else to add to the plan closing the bag I moved it close to the door. I could tell by the light coming in through the window in the kitchen that the sun was starting to set. Making my way to the top of the wall and looked out over village toward the mainland. This perch of mine was coming in handy when I needed to think I was going to miss having it.

Turning round to look down into the courtyard I could see Mary and Rees holding hands as they walked over to the café. The music coming from the gift shop told me that the girls were on one of the dance games again. I had a warm feeling inside and felt better at that moment than I had in the last few days. The group that was inside this castle had become as close to family as my real family had ever done. The thought of what had to be done next frightened me so much that it almost made me back down from it. I saw Maddie come out from the gift shop and look round the walls till she saw me and waved it must be dinner time. Waving back I left my perch and headed down to dinner.

I was right the girls were playing some kind of dancing game on the Xbox.

“Come on you two time for food you can play that thing later.” I said getting the usual complaints back. (You know the ones all teenagers give ‘Aww five more mins’ ‘I am almost finished this level’ ‘You’re a butt head’ things like that.)

Taking a seat nearest to the door I watched as everyone settled down and Christine started to bring out the food trays with Maddie’s help. Tonight’s fantastic meal was vegetable pie with gravy and mash potatoes from a packet. Maddie made drinks for herself and I then came to sit next to me whilst we ate. Everyone was having quiet chats whilst we ate our food Chris had sat next to the girls and was laughing at something Toni said. I swear to god not more than a few days ago they were at each other’s throat and now they were sat like brother and sister. Food was soon finished and plates were pushed away and people started to get ready to stand and move away.

“Err... Guys could you please wait before you go anywhere I need to talk to you all but I also think we should listen to what Rees and Jacob found out about the fall back position.” I said.

Rees cleared his throat and said “As most of you know Jacob and I went to have a look at the other island. It’s a good fallback place and we checked the whole island for Reapers and there were none. You can only get there by boat and that’s probably why. There are four buildings on the island there is a lighthouse and a cottage that goes with it, a large keep/castle type building and a large hut shaped building that teaches people on the birds that live on the island. The buildings are powered by generators and solar power so it’s not going to be a problem having heat and power. There is enough room for everyone and there is enough land for animals and for crops if needed. So in all the island will be as good as what we have here and it is secure.”

Everyone started talking about how it sounded like it would be a better place to live than where we were now. I agreed that the other island did sound better than our castle but there was one thing that the others weren’t taking into consideration and that was the Reapers. The last vision had shown me exactly who the Reapers were after and I wasn’t about to place the rest of the group in danger because they were after me. Just because we were in the middle of the sea didn’t mean that they wouldn’t be there waiting for me every time we had to go to the mainland for supplies. Time to get it over and done with I suppose.

“There is something else we need to talk about guys and I needed everyone to be quiet till I finish telling you all.” I said.

Everyone looked puzzled.

“You all know to one extent that I have been having visions since I got injured back at the cottage. Well the last one told me more than I really wanted to know the Reapers have been trying to find me and they have. Now in the last vision it showed me that they were on the coast and were watching Holy Island and they were about fifty strong. I spoke to Rees earlier and I have a feeling that they are going to try an attack tomorrow morning when the causeway is clear.

“What I would like us to do is to try and get as much gear on to the boat tonight as possible and for Jacob and a few others to take it to the other island tonight. Then for Jacob to come back and we load the boat up again with the rest of the supplies. Rees and I will start to prepare the castle for the fight and do a recon to make sure they aren’t here yet.” I said.

“Why don’t we just load up and go to the island now?” Derek asked.

“I knew this question was going to come up. We are going to try and get most of the gear and everyone to the island tonight but I won’t be going with you…” Everyone started shouting and Maddie’s face just went white.

“LOOK CHILL OUT.” I shouted

The room calmed down and I could speak again “Right there are two very good reasons for me not going and you have to let me say them before you all kick off again. The Reapers are coming for me and we all know it’s because I can tune into the Queen. Now if I go with you to the island they will keep trying to get me by either waiting for us or setting up ambushes every time we go ashore for supplies and there is the probability of them trying to find a way to get on the island. Here is the other reason for me staying; if I can kill the Queen then there is the possibility that I might be able to cut the connection between us. If that happens then I will be able to join you on the island and we can all live happy ever after if not well I would rather not think about the if not part.”

The room was silent and I sat there watching everyone’s faces looking for anything that might tell me what they thought. Maddie’s face I think said it all she was scared and angry but I think she could also see where I was coming from.

Chapter Nineteen

Derek was the first to speak and I probably knew what he was going to say “Jay you have protected everyone here since we got here. I would say that if there was a way we could all go to the island and for the Reapers not being able to follow I would have said let’s all go now. But like you said they would wait for us every time we went ashore and every time we did we could lose people. I have my family to consider and I don’t want to lose any of them so sorry to say but what you are planning makes the most sense for the group to survive.”

“But Derek he has protected you and yours since we met and you have never had to put one foot outside these walls. How can you say you don’t want him to come with us?” Maddie said.

“I am not saying I didn’t want him to come with us it’s just that if he does at the moment then every time someone leaves the island that person is putting themselves at risk. Also what happens if that person or group goes ashore and gets wiped out we won’t have a boat or any form of escape from the island.” Derek said.

That made sense now so why didn’t I think of that myself.

“I am sorry to say it Maddie but I think Derek is right.” Rees said.

That little sentence seemed to rock Maddie back in her chair. She put her hand to her mouth and said “Of all the people in this room apart from me Rees I would have thought you might have wanted to keep Jay safe.”

“Maddie look Walker is like a brother to me and I would walk through hell to save him if and I mean IF there was a remote chance that everyone in this group would survive. Walker and I had a chat earlier today and I said that I would support his plan and I am even though I can see some bloody big holes in it.” Rees replied.

“He might die.” She said

“Look yes I might die but I have to do this or all the people in this room are going to be fighting and dying for the rest of what would be very short lives. That would include you and me and as far as I am concerned that is not going to happen. So I would like you all to go and pack what gear you have and are taking and please put it near the main gate to be taken out to the boat. If possible I want all the food taking out of here tonight plus could you take as much fuel as you can as well. I would like the ladies to take the first boat with the kids and the gents to take the second boat if we have time during the night. If not you’ll have to go in the morning. Rees and I will start setting up the defenses against the Reapers once the women and kids have gone. Ok everyone let’s get on with it.” I said standing and walking out of the café before anyone could say anything else. As usual found myself on the way to my perch on top of the wall.

I watched as most of the group started to head to the castle to move their belongings and I saw Mary and Christine head into the kitchen of the café. Maddie came running out to find me. Seeing me on the wall she ran up the steps and nearly knocked me over when she barreled into me. I could hear her sobs as she buried her face into my shirt.

Leaning back I placed my hand under her chin and gently lifted her face so that she was looking at me. Her eyes were all puffy and red and she had tears streaming down her cheeks and the boogers oh those lovely runny boogers were flowing from her nose. I leaned forward and kissed her forehead (What! You didn’t think I was going to kiss her mouth and booger juice did you. For shame on you all for thinking that.) and said “Babe if there was any other way to do this I would be the first person on that boat but there isn’t and so here I am.”

“I know it’s just that I have a feeling that I won’t see you again after tonight.” She said sniffing. (God woman use your sleeve or something.)

“Hey don’t worry I have a feeling that I will be ok and we are going to have loads of kids.” I said feeling like a shit for saying it.

“Really?”

“Yeah! The way I see it is all I have to do is take the Queen out and then get to the boat.”

“I hadn’t thought of it that way that actually makes me feel a lot better.”

“I told you it wouldn’t be that bad didn’t I? Anyway go and get your stuff sorted remember you’re on the first boat. I need to find Rees and start planning where stuff is going to go.” I said this time giving her a kiss on the lips. (Yeah, Yeah!)

I walked down to the courtyard with her then went off to find Rees. I had a rough idea where he would be and headed off to the armory. Walking through the dark castle kitchen I could see light coming out of the armory door and a lot of cursing. Rees was bent over looking through a duffle bag when he heard me cough.

“Mate your sound like a fucking shirt lifting sailor.” I said laughing.

“Don’t you dare call me a sailor.” He said laughing back.

“You getting stuff sorted for the boat?”

“Trying to figure out what they are going to need and what we are going to need.”

“Well we only need some extra cartridges for one of the shotguns, the 7.62 rounds for my SLR and this bag here.” I said nudging the duffle bag at my feet.

“I am going to need some rounds as well mate otherwise we are going to be up shits creek without a paddle.”

I looked at him and I think it finally dawned on him.

“Aw no fucking way it's never going to fucking happen. There’s no way on this god’s green earth I am going to let you do this by yourself.”

I slid down the wall so I was sitting down and said “Look they are going to need you when they get to the island; I am going to need you on that island. Their security is going to be your job and I need someone I trust to look after Maddie for me. Look you and I know that this fight is going to go either of two ways, first is I manage to pull off the most miraculous save ever and survive or second I manage to get killed by the Queen or one of her Reapers. Now I would like to lean toward the first one but I have a feeling it might end up being the latter. So pull up your big boy panties and look after this lot, anyway you never know.”

“I told Maddie that I wouldn’t leave you on your own against them.”

“Look if it will make you feel any better you can help me put these flash bangs where I want them but listen to me and I mean fucking listen. When that boat comes back your get those men and supplies on board and you fuck off to that island. I don’t want any of you thinking that you can come back and save the day.”