Black Sun by Clifford Beck - HTML preview

Chapter 57

Making a quiet but hasty escape from what would certainly have been a fatal encounter, Ryan and Abigail dodged through backyards and side streets, hid behind office buildings and in empty houses. All they required was a place where they could remain out of sight until nightfall. Having feared for their lives left them stressed and exhausted and seeing a community of houses not far away, Ryan thought it would be a good idea to, at least, take a better look. Taking Abby by the hand, he began leading her down to what turned out to a group of condominiums. “Where are we going?” Abby asked. Ryan paused and pointed out the sprawling group of cookie-cutter houses.

“Do you see those houses?” he replied. “Those are condos. If we can find one that’s far enough from the road, we should be okay. At least, until we decide to get going again.” Abby tightened her grip on Ryan’s hand as they jogged to, what was obviously, high-end housing. But on the way, something crept into her mind—something horrific she had seen before while they were exploring a similar community. “Wait,” she said. “Stop.”

Pulling against his hand, Ryan stopped. He didn’t understand why she would hesitate in their search for shelter, given how close they had been, being killed.

“Are you nuts?” he asked. “Come on, we’ve got to go.”

Abby continued to resist but with an explanation. “Do you remember that other place, just outside of Albany? That woman blew her head off.”

Now he understood and, releasing her hand, he put his arms around her and tried to convince her that they would be unlikely to see anything like that again.

“What are the chances of seeing something like that again?” he replied. “I think they’re pretty low, don’t you?” Abigail took a deep breath, trying to relax as her mind strained to cast off the memory of the woman whose brains were left scattered on the wall behind her—a victim of a deeply troubled mind.

Abby now believed that this incident couldn’t possibly repeat itself, and she continued to follow Ryan to where they hoped to find a safe haven. Finding themselves standing in the middle of Bigsbee Village, Ryan scanned the buildings for one that would be farthest from the road. This, he believed, should give them adequate cover from any prying eyes and a good vantage point, allowing them to see anyone who might be approaching. Within moments, he chose the building sitting in the middle of the property, just short of a roundabout. He pointed it out with a bit of humor.

“So,” he began. “What do think of this one? I’m sure we could negotiate a reasonable price for it.”

Abby giggled as she nodded her head. “I think it’s splendid,” she replied. “When can we move in?” Ryan had not seen her laugh in quite some time and was relieved to see that she could still have a sense of humor. “Oh, right away, if you like,” Ryan answered. Abby giggled again.

Approaching the building, Ryan found the front door unlocked and quietly opening it poked his head in, making sure the silence he heard remained unbroken. Feeling comfortable enough to step through the doorway, Ryan led Abigail into the hallway. Nearby, was a stairway and Ryan thought it would be a good to go to the top level of the building. This would give him the vantage point he needed. But given their recent brush with death, he also believed they should stay clear of the windows, safe for an occasional glance and only through the bottom of the window.

Climbing the carpeted stairs, they reached the third floor. The building, like many others, was devoid of tenants. Reaching the top, Ryan told Abigail to stay put while he checked the apartments, looking not only for a place that overlooked the highway but one that would be free of any morbid surprises. Once they found an apartment, they went to the bedroom and laid out their sleeping bags, hoping to get some rest. But sleep would not arrive so easily, and Ryan and Abby were left to sit up and talk about what had just transpired. Abigail broke down into tears while Ryan held her, doing his best to console her. As her nerves began to calm, she looked at Ryan with a question.

“Who was that other person? You said someone else was coming into the building.”

At first, Ryan was lost for an answer. He didn't even remember saying anything about another person. “What do you mean another person?” he asked. Abigail was certain about what she had heard. She may have near catatonic, but she knew what she heard. “You said there was somebody coming,” she said. “And you said something about what had happened in Albany—at the bookstore. Remember?”

Now, it came back to him, and he felt guilty about having lied to her. But it was necessary. Ryan couldn't be certain if there was anyone else in the area, and they had to leave as soon as possible. “Oh, right,” he replied.

He spoke with a bit of hesitation, not knowing how Abigail would react. Maybe she would understand, or maybe she would become angry at being lied to. But she did deserve an answer. “Well, when I wasn't able to pull you up to your feet, I had to tell you that there might be someone else out there and remind you about when almost happened back in Albany. I'm sorry, but I had to scare you to get you up and moving. It did work, though, right? Just please, don't get pissed.”

Shakespeare once wrote: 'Hell hath no fury as a woman's scorn'. He was right. No sooner did Ryan finish his explanation than Abigail leapt towards him, throwing him back to the floor and began punching him, releasing her fear as anger. She did not like to be lied to, and the fear that Ryan had forced upon her was more than she could deal with.

“You fucking cocksucker! I oughta' fucking kill you, you God damn piece of shit! Why did you have to scare me like that? Maybe someone should try to fucking rape you and see how you like it, motherfucker!”

Her assault on Ryan expended more energy than she had, and after a few minutes, the exhaustion that followed left Abby winded as she fell back on her sleeping bag. However, what anger was left still simmered and as Ryan attempted to sooth her with a heart-felt apology, she turned and pushed him away. Ryan knew that continuing their travels would be that much more difficult if this issue couldn't be resolved, and he really didn't feel like being the target of Abby's animosity—no matter how subtle.

Fortunately, they were well hidden in the building they had commandeered, and it was unlikely that Abigail's wrath could be heard. But Ryan still wanted this brought to an end and, again, expressed his regret at the approach he had taken. “Listen,” he began. “I'm sorry. It was the only way. There was a good chance that we could have been killed by those two assholes. And I hate to think of what they would have done to you.” Abby was now sitting up, displaying some measure of attentiveness.

“Yeah,” Ryan continued. “I had to kill both of them—shot them right in the head. Jesus Christ, what a mess. But I'd do it again if it meant saving your life. So, I'm sorry.” Abby teared up and throwing her arms around him began crying. “I’m sorry,” she said.

Furthering a long-winded apology, Ryan interrupted, stressing the needed for rest.

“It’s okay,” he replied. “Don’t worry about it. But we need to get some sleep so we can get going tonight.” Abby was exhausted. Not only did she need sleep but felt that, barring any incidents, staying for a few days might not be a bad idea. Considering they had left almost all of their food back in the hotel, a bit of respite would allow them to restock and get some badly needed nourishment. Ryan agreed, but he was not willing to return to the store near the hotel, just as a matter of caution.