“Christ, they’re good.”
“Over here, through the hedge.”
Josh looked and sure enough there was a gap he and Simon could get through. As he looked, Simon leapt through the gap followed by a muffled grunt.
“S’okay, mate. Come on”
With the reassurance from his friend, Josh followed through the hedge.
He found himself almost pressed up against the wall of a small brick building. Simon was gesturing to him from his right.
“Over here, Josh.”, Simon said, still gesturing.
Joining Simon, Josh could see the reason for the call over. There was a door, but the padlock was missing from the hasp and staple intended to secure it.
Josh was cold. He and Simon had been on the run for almost three days now. Any shelter was better than none. He nodded to Simon who grabbed the door handle and opened the door.
From outside, they both peered in. There were no discernible windows so it took a few seconds for them to see anything. It was only a small building but it was large enough to accommodate two wooden chairs, a small table and a fireplace. There was even a mantelpiece above the fireplace and perched atop were some candle stubs.
Simon stepped through the doorway, pulled out his Zippo from his pocket and lit two candles. It was edging towards dusk so even just two candles was enough to throw a warming light in the building.
Before he followed SImon into the building, Josh looked around across from where he stood. He could see no other buildings, just more hedge and the large open field the building was in.
Once inside he pushed the door closed. As originally thought there were no windows in the building, or perhaps, he thought, the hut. Oddly, but very welcome, there was a basket of logs, kindling and paper next to the fireplace. However, even better was that there was a fire built and ready to be lit.
“It can’t hurt, can it?”, Simon asked.
“Do it, Si. I’m bloody froze.”
Simon’s trusty Zippo soon found some paper and dry kindling to take flame. With a little “cub scout” magic the fire took and the fireplace crackled into life bringing with it the energising warmth and extra light the two men needed.
They both removed their small backpacks and rummaged around inside them. Then, sitting at the small table they laid out what little edible resources they had; two Double Deckers, some gum, a half eaten flapjack and two slices of Simon’s Mum’s rich fruit cake. Both men had some water. The only other possessions of note were some spare, dry socks and a sleeping bag each.
“Ok, Si, let’s have a bite to eat and see if we can catch some shut eye”, said Josh, “I’ll take first watch”.
Simon didn’t need telling twice. He eagerly devoured a Double Decker, removed his coat and shoes then enthusiastically got into his sleeping bag and lay between the front wall where the door was and to the right of the fire. Within seconds, he was asleep.
True to his word, Josh kept watch and kept the fire built up. He and Simon swapped over during the night, yet they both awoke in the morning with the fire just embers. Sleep got the better of them.
Packing up their few belongings, the two men left the hut and ventured back out through the gap hedge, after each answering “nature’s call” at the back of the hut. Not entirely sure where they were they continued up the road where they had been heading the day before.
Up ahead was a turn in the road where the hunters waited…
Rounding the corner, the two friends stopped. They’d seen the black BMWs and the hunters waiting. They looked at each other then turned to run back only to see that there were two more hunters.
“STOP! You have been hunted. The game is over”
“Balls…”, is all Simon could say.
Later that day, after we’d all been bundled off in the cars to be debriefed I sat with a nice warm cup of tea after being freshly showered.
I always hate this bit as I usually get tipped off in my earpiece about ensuring the camera is running in order to capture the end. So, I knew Josh and Simon were surrounded but I had to let it happen.
After all, being a cameraman is about making great TV.
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