按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
She nodded； followed him back into the house。 How the hell did you ask a woman who had virtually stepped straight out of the Stone Age if something was troubling her？ It was a miracle that the throwbacks had not attacked the house。 Perhaps they were afraid； although he doubted it。 More likely all their time was taken up preparing new dwelling…places for themselves and when that task was pleted 。 。 。
Jackie was certainly disturbed。 Uppermost in her mind was the fear that one day Kuz and his followers from the village might appear on the scene。 She ought to persuade Phil to move on； they had not run far enough。 Perhaps Kuz had another woman； had already forgotten her。 Somehow her primitive pride refused to allow her to believe this。 He would not let up until he found her。
And then there was this strange calling； something which she did not understand。 The man called Phil was not truly her mate。 They lived together； copulated frequently but 。 。 。 something was not quite right。 She could not think of him in the same way as 。。。 no； not Kuz 。 。 。 she struggled to e to terms with her problem。 A ha If…re mem be red face that slipped from her memory just when she thought she had grasped it； left her with a frustrating blank。 Who？
Who？
Searching her mind； going out into the garden at night and just standing there listening。 She heard the others in j the hills； noises from encampments borne to her on the ！ wind。 The urge was being stronger； soon she would have to go out into the hills and ； 。 。 and what？ She didn't know。
Phil Winder wished that he had a weapon of some kind； one that would give him superiority in the event of an attack on the farm。 A shotgun； for instance。 But his father was not a believer in guns； abhorred killing； he even refused to let the local hunt draw his land。 He did have an old 。410 though； one that had been his father's and had been used for shooting rats around the hayricks in the old days。 Phil remembered it； determined to search for it and in due course found it hidden away on a shelf in the cowhouse。 He grimaced when he saw it； the barrel was rusted； had a dent in it； the stock was split； and both hammer and trigger springs were broken。 So he settled for the big wood axe； took it upstairs with them at night。 Maybe； if the need arose； he could defend the landing in much the same way that Horatio had defended the bridge。
He did not go far from the farm these days； his furthest point the Knoll where he lay and watched the activity on the hillsides all around。 There were more camp…fires than ever now； people ing in all day long； groups and singles； many of them hurrying as if there was some urgency to reach high ground。 Fleeing from something perhaps 。 。 。
Once he thought he heard gunfire in the distance； a sporadic burst of firing。 If it was the army then they did not e this way。 Phil half…considered taking Jackie and going in search of more survivors but discarded the idea。 It was too dangerous； they were safer here。
It was inevitable that the throwbacks would e to the house one day。 Phil just kept hoping that it would not be each today or tonight； for you did not plan as far as tomorrow。 But some day or some night they would e。
He heard them that blustery autumn night down in the yard below。 It was Jackie who gave him his first warning； a tensing of her body against his； her hand gripping his own。 They are here！
He slid out of bed and crossed to the window。 There was enough moonlight to see by； a weird scene below； furtive shapes that were barely human； slinking in the shadows； a dozen； maybe more； moving with a sinister stealth that left no doubt in his mind what they had e for。
He picked up the axe。 Suddenly it felt puny； useless。 The enemy would be suitably armed with whatever weapons they had stolen from farms and houses。 He was one against many； his only advantage was the narrow landing with barely room for two people to pass。 They could only e at him one at a time。
He heard them smash down the front door； a splintering and tearing of woodwork； a heavy beam crashing。 Low snuffling noises； a snarl。 Then silence except for their heavy breathing。
They were in the hall； waiting whilst their eyesight adjusted to the darkness； Phil Winder could hear the beating of his own heart； his pulses pumping blood as hard as they could go。 His mouth was dry and he understood where the proverbial likeness to the bottom of a parrot's cage came from。 He tasted his own terror； the fetid flavour of fear。
There was no sound from Jackie； she was lying on the bed； listening just like he was。 There was no way out； they had lived for today too long and now tomorrow had caught up with them。 He heard the first soft footfall on the stairs。 Phil sweated； rested the axe on his shoulder； gripped the stail with sticky hands； pressed himself back into the shadows。 He wanted the first blow to take them by surprise； the advantage was his for anyone approaching him would be silhouetted against the faint light of the small landing window。 First up； first to die！
Suddenly he saw them； shaggy long…haired creatures which might have been werewolf images depicted in some macabre shadow…show； the first one taller than the second； striking his head against a low beam； ducking。
And that was then Phil Winder drove in the first blow。 He felt the impact； felt his stomach heave up。 Like splitting logs； if you hit them properly they fell apart； inaccuracy or knotted wood resulted in the axe…head sticking so that you had to tug it free。 This was one of the latter。
No scream； just a dull thud； the other's arms going up instinctively to pull at the axe then falling away limply。 Dead； tottering； falling； almost pulling Phil with him。 Winder took the strain； used a foot on the stair…rail as a lever and then the corpse pulled free； staggered； slumped backwards taking the man directly behind him down with him on to those below。
Christ； if only somebody would scream！ But nobody did； somebody grunted with surprise and it sounded like water was trickling somewhere except that it was too thick and sluggish for water； dripping steadily off the stair…head down into the well of the hall below。
Phil swung his axe； saw them ing again； warier this time； a long pitchfork being thrust up ahead of them。 He struck； snapped it in two； sent the twin…pronged head spinning。 A second blow just in time to catch the next man who rushed him； a devastating shoulder wound。 The man dropped with a groan； blocked the stairs； but they were clambering over him； an army who seemed not to know the meaning of death！ A gathering tide which would surely sweep him down。
One of them lost half his face to a downwards sweep of the axe； the blade scraping the forehead； biting deep and gouging out an eye； taking out the cheekbone on its downward journey； slicing the mouth through and ing out at the jaw； showering teeth and bone splinters as it came free。 A hand grabbed the handle； jerked on it； two or three more hands securing a grip。 And in those few seconds Phil Winder was rendered defenceless； his axe wrested from his grip。 ；
Mentally he surrendered。 Perhaps he could have lifted the narrow mirror off the picture…rail above his head； wielded it until the glass was all smashed and gone。 Or run back into the bedroom； forced the ancient lock to turn； given himself and Jackie a minute or two more of life。 But in the end it would not have made much difference and he knew it；
He retreated until his back touched the wall； his head brushed a low beam on the slanted roof。 His guts were twisted up and he tasted blood in his mouth。 He half…raised his arms； dropped them again； gave an hysterical laugh。 This bloody Jot didn't know the meaning of surrender…you fought until you dropped。 No quarter asked nor given； he had killed and maimed two or three of them。 Now it was their turn！
He remembered the pit； he'd sooner be dead； so long as they killed him quickly。 Their hands reached out for him； scraped his face and chest like claws； gripped his arms。 The man with the mutilated face miraculously still lived； it was impossible！ Streaming blood； head thrust forward； blazing malevolence at Phil with his remaining eye。 You did this to me and now I want my revenge！
Phil screamed； struggled with those who held him as the pain…maddened throwback clawed at his face； scraped； dug deep and raked。 An eye for an eye 。 。 。 Blinded； blood streaming everywhere； pinioned whilst that pain…crazed bastard shredded him to bloody ribbons！ Writhing。 Strong fingers forced his mouth open； gripped his cheek flesh； tore in opposite directions。
Kill me； you fuckers。 Kill me！
He was dying but not fast enough； not even the strength to writhe now。 He thought about Jackie； this was all his fault。 If she hadn't helped him escape in the first place she would still be the chiefs woman back at the settlement。 Now they would take their vengeance； had waited weeks to catch up with the fugitives。
They released their hold and Phil Winder slumped to the floor。