THIRTY-THREE
THE RECKONING
Alex
I looked at the closed door, half afraid of what might happen next.
I believed Oliver when he said he was coming for me expect, he didn’t know where I was.
Noah would have told him, he’d come from my lodge, but as soon as he was gone, Henderson was moving me.
Out the back, across the grass and into his lodge.
Henderson released his hand from around my mouth. ‘Just sit there and don’t try anything stupid again. I don’t want to have to hurt you, that would make me very sad, indeed.’
Henderson stood up. Agitated as he rubbed at his face.
‘He’ll soon find us,’ I said. Maybe if I could get Henderson to feel under threat, he’d try to move us again and by that time Oliver would be here at the staff lodges.
Henderson didn’t reply. He picked up the petrol can he brought with him. ‘There’s still time. It might even be better if he sees it. Yes. Actually, that’s a good idea. A very good idea.’ He was muttering to himself. He began sloshing the fuel about the place.
‘Stop. Please. Stop.’ I got to my feet.
Henderson ignored me and started throwing the fuel up against the walls, before walking towards the centre of the room, dousing the furniture.
I backed away towards the kitchen. I couldn’t wrestle the can from him.
He was far too strong. I needed to get out of there, but I couldn’t have him chase me and potentially throw petrol over me.
‘That’s enough now,’ I said. ‘You don’t have to do anything else.’
He put the can down, and for a moment I thought he was listening to me. But then, he pulled a box of matches from his pocket.
I moved further away. I was nearly at the hallway.
I had to assume the layout of the lodge was a carbon copy of the other two-bedroom accommodations.
If I could get into the bathroom at the end of the hall and lock the door, I might just have enough time to climb out of the window.
It wouldn’t take him long to smash the door down, and I would be hampered by the wrist splint, but I might just be able to do it.
‘Don’t think about running,’ he said, as if reading my mind. ‘You mustn’t run. You have to trust me. I’ll get you out of this.’
‘Samuel,’ I said gently, trying a different tactic. ‘We could just leave now. Just the two of us. We don’t need to do this.’
Henderson looked at me with a pitying, almost sorrowful, look. ‘I’m sorry, Alex, but I really need to show you that you can trust me.’
He took a match from the box and struck it. The match flared, and with one more look at me, he threw it towards the front door.
The petrol ignited immediately. Whooshing in a huge flash up against the wooden door. The heat was almost instant, and I instinctively shrank back.
The flames tore across the petrol-soaked interior. A highway to the furniture and soft furnishings. The whole front of the lodge was engulfed in flames.
Then Henderson was moving, throwing more petrol across the kitchen area, the worktop, the table.
This was my chance to run, to get out of there. The heat was building, and I could feel my skin prickling from the intensity.
Surely someone would see the lodge on fire now. It would only be seconds, minutes at the most, before help came. I couldn’t risk waiting, though. I had to get out.
I turned and ran down the hallway. Smoke was filling the room. I heard Henderson cough. Then his hand was on my shoulder. I yelled in pain. In fear. In desperation.
I struggled, trying to escape him, but I couldn’t get myself free. He bundled me into the bedroom, pushing me onto the bed.
‘No!’ I yelled. He was not going to do this to me. I refused to let him. ‘No!’ I screamed.
He stood there looking at me. ‘Alex, don’t be scared. I’m not going to hurt you. Trust me. We just need to stay here. Together. Just for a little longer.’ He walked towards me.
I backed myself across the bed, swinging my body around and throwing myself onto the floor. Scrambling to my feet. But he was there on my side of the bed.
‘Stay away from me!’ I shouted.
The smoke was coming in under the door, rapidly filling the room. It would only be a minute or so before the whole lodge was on fire. The smoke was already making us both cough.
‘Come. Let me hold you. Just for a moment.’ He walked towards me, his arms held out.
I was backed against the wall now. My eyes watering from the effects of the smoke. I braced my body against the wall. He took a step closer. One more step. That’s all I needed him to take. He took that step.
I brought my foot up as hard as I could and kicked him right between the legs.
He doubled over in pain. Not even able to make a noise. I didn’t hesitate as I brought my foot up again and kicked him under the chin, sending him reeling backwards.
I jumped across the bed and raced to the door.
I went to touch the handle, but I could feel the heat from it already.
Fuck.
I didn’t dare open the door. The fire would sweep into the room, and that would be game over.
The window.
I raced over and pushed the window wide open, before scrambling to get myself out. I was halfway when I heard him.
‘Alex.’
I looked back. He was slumped in a heap, his mouth bloodied from where I had kicked him with my boot. I pushed myself further through the window, groaning at the pain shooting through my wrist. I tumbled out of the window and into the snow just a couple of feet below.
The smoke was billowing out of the windows. The flames had made it through the door and were now licking the inside of the bedroom walls.
Henderson could burn alive for all I cared.
I stopped. I did care. Not for him. But for him as a human. What sort of person left another to die when they could help them?
I turned back to the window and the burning room.
Getting back through the window wasn’t easy, but I managed it rather unceremoniously with one hand. I could barely see anything. The open window was drawing both smoke and flames at an alarming rate.
I dropped to the floor, gasping for what little air there was. I couldn’t see anything through the smoke but somehow managed to find my way to Henderson.
‘Get up. Now.’ I pulled at his arm. He didn’t react. ‘Get up!’ I shouted at him. ‘Let’s go!’ He got to his feet, groaning with pain. I didn’t care about that.
I pushed him towards the window.
He managed to haul himself up. His body was half in and half out. I tipped up his legs and let gravity do its thing. He tumbled out of the window, hitting the snow with a dull thud.
I didn’t waste any time pulling myself up and falling headfirst out into the cold night air, almost landing on top of Henderson.
I was coughing and spluttering. The smoke had really got to my lungs and throat. Henderson was the same.
I got to my feet, stumbling and yanked on Henderson’s jacket. ‘Get away from the lodge!’ I shouted.
Then I heard him. Not Henderson. But Oliver. Shouting my name.
I looked up, and from the darkness lit by the flames of the lodge, Oliver and two other figures appeared.
I staggered to my feet and ran to him. Seconds later, Oliver had me in his arms.
‘Lexi. I’ve got you.’
He held me tighter before scooping me up, carrying me away from the lodge. He kept moving, and I let him.