The Legend of Dark City

Chapter 9

She had never intended to kill Frankie. Bree was carrying the knife so that she could frighten him off if he tried anything. For a while she thought that he had lost interest but he was waiting for the right time to launch his attack. She had been careful to not be alone at night as she walked between the canteen and her home. She had not been expecting an attack in daylight.

The morning had started as usual with the girls arriving at the milking shed and setting to work. They chatted as the cows shuffled into place and stood fairly patiently while they were milked before moving on to make space for the next one. Ali was now at the end of her pregnancy and she had remained at home when Esther, Lacey and Bree headed out. They would normally split into pairs when they were finished and then make their way to their allotted tasks.

Esther and Lacey went to collect potatoes and Bree was heading in the opposite direction to join a group who were preparing ground for a new crop. She was strolling along and her guard was down as she was on familiar ground. Somewhere in her brain there was a feeling of unease. She glanced around but could see nothing that could be considered a threat. Bree made a fateful decision to ignore her instincts.

A fraction of a second before he appeared she felt the familiar alert that preceded danger and then there he was. Why had she not trusted the sense that something was amiss? Frankie stood in front of her laughing and flicking his fringe. She turned to run but he kicked her legs out from under her and then rolled her over and sat astride her as she tried desperately to dislodge him. He took hold of her hood and pulled it off her head and then he stopped laughing.

He was startled by what he saw and she felt him raise his weight off of her for an instant. Frankie was a strong man but it was the small opportunity that she needed. She threw herself to one side and he was dislodged still staring open mouthed at her face. He scrambled to his feet and then grinned at her.

"I'm going to enjoy this" he smirked.

His eyes were pale and glazed just like those of the boy who had captured her. He picked up a hefty stick and moved towards her. Bree was on her feet and her speed and strength surprised her would be attacker. The knife was in her hand and then the knife was in his neck. He would never be able to attack another girl and he would never be able to tell anyone what he had seen when Bree's hood was removed.

Why did he have to behave this way? He lived in a village with people who worked together for the common good. Frankie did not know when he was onto a good thing. How stupid to risk living in such a great settlement by attacking young girls. Bree was sorry that she had been forced to take such drastic action but now she had to stop thinking about him and start thinking about herself.

She made a quick assessment of the situation. Bree needed to have her story straight and she rehearsed it in her mind as she ran screaming along the track which would take her to her fellow workers.

"He attacked me" she called as she ran towards the startled group. "He attacked me" she said as the tears spilled from her eyes and she pointed back along the track.

Bree still had the bloody knife in her hand and when she saw that the others were looking at it she dropped it as if it had burnt her. In dramatic fashion she dropped to the floor adding some more dirt to her already muddy outfit.

One of the men ran back to see what was there and the field was abandoned as they escorted Bree back to the village. She had put her hood back in place after the attack but her eyes were enough to show her anguish. She was taken to the canteen where the motherly Jill fussed around her pressing a cup of what passed for tea onto her. She shook as she took the cup from Jill's hands. Bree was now experiencing a real sense of shock.