Game of Patience

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

"Brooke. I know that look." Simon said. He edged closer to her. "There's nothing you can do."

"I think there is. If I can get into the car, then I can drive somewhere. Maybe get picked up by a police officer and I have a number memorized that I can call. Plus there has to be a petrol station somewhere. You can come with me you know, we could make it far away from here."

"There is one. Follow the road and you come to it. I saw it on one of my walks. It's not too far, but there's no guarantee that you'll be able to make it there. You'll have more of a chance if I stay here and bide you some time"

"I don't need to make it. I just need to find someone, anyone along the road. There has to be people out for walks or even people that have gotten lost."

"You're risking your life for chances. No one walks out here, not this far."

"My life is at risk if I stay here. With your help I might be able to make it further. Then I can bring help back here for you."

Simon looked at Brooke. "If this goes wrong..."

"Then I'll say it was all me."

Simon looked at Brooke then nodded. He knew he wouldn't be able to talk her down from this.

"Okay. I know there are sleeping pills here. I've heard them talking about them. If we can sneak some in some of their drinks they might be asleep long enough to carry things out."

They sat down and discussed ideas, bouncing off of each other for the most realistic and easiest plan to carry out. It was going to be difficult and near impossible. There were so many things that could go wrong and so many things that could go terribly. But they had to chance it, they had no idea what the others were planning.

That night they started the first part of the plan.

Brooke walked into the bathroom and locked the door. She had sneaked a screwdriver out of one of the drawers and was attempting to get the window unlocked. She had tried to pick it at first, but it wasn't going to be that easy. She would have to break the lock.

"Hurry up in there!" She heard Andrew yell through the door.

She dropped the screw driver, it hit the lid of the toilet seat that she was standing on with a loud thud. It bounced once on the floor and Brooke stood there silently for a moment. Listening.

"What are you doing in there?" He pounded on the door, getting more and more impatient. "Come out now!"

She picked up the screw driver and started on the window again. Not caring how much noise she made. She needed to snap it.

She heard Andrew walk away from the door. She stopped for a moment, listening out for any more movement. She didn't have to wait long as she heard Andrew calling for Mark.

Mark hit his fist on the door over and over.

"Come out now, or we'll break the door down."

"Just a minute." She yelled back, not really knowing what else to say.

Brooke heard some muttering. She tried to listen to what they were saying, but they were clearly trying to keep their voices down.

She started working on the window lock again, pushing the screwdriving into any part if would go and trying to leaver it off.

She heard and felt a huge force hit the door. She stood on the toilet seat lid and watched the door. It shook as a body hit it over and over. It wasn't long before the door burst open. She dropped the screw driver again. Andrew looked at it and then at her.

"Grab her."

Mark darted forward and Brooke tried to jump off the seat but Mark caught her and pulled her over his shoulder. She was carried from the bathroom to the sofa and placed her down like a naughty child being put in time out.

"What were you doing? Mark, go see what she was doing."

"Would you believe me if I was saying I was fixing the window lock?"

Andrew waited and watched Brooke.

"I found this." Mark said, holding the screwdriver "and I found marks on the window lock. She snapped a bit off and the other bit is close to coming off. Any longer and she would have gotten through the window."

Mark wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. But she was going to let him feel like he worked that all out by himself. Instead of making sure that they saw her with the screwdriver trying to break the lock.

"What shall we do with her?"

Brooke looked at Mark as he glared at her.

"We wait for Spencer to come back. Then he will know what to do. But until then you are to keep a close eye on her. She sleeps out here and you watch her all night."

"When will I sleep?" He said sadly. "I already struggle to sleep out here."

"You'll sleep when you're not watching her."

"Oh."

"And you young lady, better earn back some trust. Mark, go put up a board in the window until we fix the lock properly. There are some out back."

Mark glared at Brooke and walked out the front door. She saw him move past the windows, he was watching her.

"He holds a grudge that one."

Brooke was confined to the sofa, with assisted toilet breaks. She read for most of the day and Simon moved to and from the bookcase bringing her new books.

Mark finished hammering the board in place and had moved to the living room to watch TV. He tried his best to ignore Brooke.

"Dinner." Simon called from the kitchen. "I'd come and get it while it's hot."

Mark and Andrew rushed to grab a plate.

Headlights shone through the window and Brooke heard the engine die. The door opened and slammed again. Spencer walked through the door, sweat dripping down his forehead.

"Smells great. Move out the way, I need food."

"Sorry." Simon said as he accidentally bashed into Spencer. "Not enough space for all of us in the kitchen." He laughed.

"Yeah, least Brooke had the sense not to rush in."

"About that." Andrew moved closer to Spencer and whispered. "We need to talk."

Mark left the kitchen and Brooke stood up to collect some food. Andrew glared at her as he passed and Spencer was indifferent to her.

She grabbed a plate of food and Simon smiled to her. She saw something reflect light in his hand. Keys.