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The Chasm, Chapter 6
by Diannek

When we left Patricia, Adele and Henry at the end of Chapter 5, they'd just driven through the small village and were once again traveling along the dark and deserted road. Somebody might be following them

The jeep bounced over the rutted road. Henry muttered with each jarring lurch forward.

-Damn this vehicle. It has a mind of its own. Wants to head for every pothole, despite me. Are we being followed?

-I'm not sure. I thought I heard something but it's impossible to see anything out there. Patricia was silent a moment as she continued to peer through the back window.

-There! Do you see that, Adele? Was that another car way back there? She pointed and Adele tried to see it too.

-Don't know. She blinked and rubbed her eyes. Could be anything. I can't focus with all this bumping around.

Patricia turned back around. Henry gave her a look and then turned back to the road.

-It'll be light soon anyhow. We've got to hide somewhere. I think we'd better leave the road, maybe find a farmhouse and hide out until it gets dark again.

-But won't they be looking for us?

-Maybe they are already. Once they realize for sure that we are not who they thought we were, then the game is up. They'll come looking for us.

-Now you're really scaring me, Henry, Adele whined. Whatever are we going to do?

-Maybe we should just keep on down this road.

-Well, yes, that's our other choice, but they know these roads and I don't. I have no idea what's up ahead. I think we'd be better off hiding somewhere for now -- if we can find a good spot that's not terribly obvious.

The sky was beginning to clear but here and there a misty dew lay in pockets on either side of the road obscuring their visibility. To their left they knew was the chasm. Sometimes the road ran right alongside it. Other times the road drifted away, following the gently rolling hills.

-Look just there, Patricia said, pointing ahead. Is that a branch in the road? See it? I can make out tire tracks leading off just there.

Henry slowed the jeep.

-Yes, I believe you're right.

He quickly swung the vehicle onto the road and they drove along the slowing rising track. The roadbed itself was clear of potholes and they began to make better time. Soon they neared an outcropping of trees. Henry turned in and stopped.

-Is this a good place, do you think? Patricia looked around. The trees barely hid the jeep.

-No, I think we should keep going but I think we should leave the road. Here's what I think we'll do. You two get out and I'll drive forward just over that rise. You two start to brush away our tire prints. Be quick about it now. It appears obvious to me that they think we'll make this turn. So what we have to do is let them think so. But we'll make a detour here and maybe find somewhere to hide off the road a ways.

Patricia and Adele both nodded.

-Just like the cowboys in the old westerns, you mean? Adele gave a pained smile and they jumped out of the jeep.

-Try not to leave so many foot tracks either, Adele, Patricia admonished. They quickly found some dead branches and began to sweep away the tire marks as Henry drove away.

-God, I hope he just doesn't leave us here, Adele said, as they watched him disappear over the grassy slope just ahead of them.

-Come on then. Let's get to work.

They worked at obliterating the road marks and their footprints while trying not to make it look like a trail. Soon they were both sweating and stumbling along backwards, every once in a while looking back to see if Henry was anywhere near. At the top of the rise, they stopped and looked ahead. Henry was coming toward them at a run. The jeep was parked further up the next rise.

-Hurry, he called out as he motioned them forward. They dropped their twigs and sprinted towards him. Then they heard the engine noise too.

-Get down, he cried. They flattened themselves out against the hillside as they heard the car crunching up the road they'd just left. It didn't even slow down as it passed the place where they'd left the road.

-Come on now. We haven't much time. The three of them sprinted for the jeep and they took off over the hilly grassland. Nobody said a word. Patricia carefully watched her side and pointed to outcroppings that might slow them up. Adele hung on and tried to do the same. The fields hadn't been plowed recently so there were no furrows to bog them down. Here and there they drove through dips in the land that seemed to stretch along the land like worms.

-Whatever are these things? Patricia asked, as the jeep dipped into a particularly low spot.

-They are for diverting water. What you call irrigation ditches, I think. Lucky for us, they are all dried up now. With that Henry swung the jeep into one of them and they pulled to a stop.

-Maybe we can hide here for awhile. I'm exhausted.

They got out of the jeep slowly and stretched their achy bones. The sun was coming up now and they could feel it radiating the parched ground already. Patricia climbed up the side of the ditch and surveyed the area. Nothing in any direction except the untended fields, and their distinctive set of tire tracks leading to their current parking spot. The two women surveyed it together and the color drained from their faces. Henry came over and stood beside them.

-Now what? Looks just like an arrow pointing to us, Adele complained looking back over her shoulder.

-That'll never do. Come on, Adele. Back to work.

The three of them headed back on foot over their path until they came to a place where the track seemed less evident. They began trying to cover the jeep's path in a half-hearted manner. They were all exhausted. Finally they reached the jeep again. The path was still evident but less clear now.

-Well, that's better, Patricia announced to her companions. She turned and caught a sun glint off the windshield.

-Pull out those blankets and cover the blinkin' jeep, would you, Adele?

Adele opened the back, got them out and together they spread them over the jeep as a sort of makeshift tent. And then without another word, the three of them crawled underneath it. Adele took a long drink of water and handed round the plastic bottle. They were too tired to think clearly at this point.

-We gotta get some sleep, ladies. Henry wiped his brow and looked around. You two crawl into the jeep. I'll sleep out here on the ground.

-Do you think we're safe here?

He shrugged.

-We'll see, won't we. He thought about it for a moment longer.

-Maybe. Depends on where that road goes. Once they realize we're not on it, they'll turn back. We just have to hope that they go all the way back to the main road. You know, think they made a mistake about us. Let's just hope they give up trying to find us. That's our best bet. We've got enough problems as it is.

-Well, this is as good a place as any to stop for awhile. That's what I think. There's no farmhouse close and no road. Just our tracks. If they don't see them, then I think we're okay. Adele looked at her companions. Well, that's my opinion, anyhow. And I'm too tired to think about it any longer, okay?

Patricia and Henry watched her climb into the jeep and settle herself into the backseat. She was covered in sweat and the dust they'd kicked up as they had worked. She spoke in a dull tone that Patricia barely recognized. Adele was not as timid as she seemed and she was rarely ever disheartened by any situation. But this was different.

-Get some sleep. I'm right behind you, Adele. She turned to Henry. He was settling himself down in the dirt beside the front wheel. There wasn't much room. He looked uncomfortable.

-Henry, I'm a light sleeper and I probably won't be able to relax enough to get a wink. I'll wake you if I hear anything.

-All, right, but don't make any noise, even if you do hear anything. Chances are that nobody's going to accidentally come this way. I don't think anybody's been in this field for months now. But if somebody does come by, let's not give ourselves away. Later we'll check things out. But for now, we gotta get some rest. You too, okay?

She nodded.

-I'll try.

Despite her best intentions, Patricia drifted off into a fitful state of half-sleep. And then suddenly she was fully awake with a start. She heard a noise rumbling in the distance. She held her breath and listened closely. What was it, she wondered. Bombing again, maybe. Then another noise, this time a buzzing sound much closer.

She opened her eyes and lifted her head. The buzzing stopped. Adele was awake too.

-It's bees, I think, Adele whispered. Or big flies.

Patricia let out a breath, relieved.

-Did you sleep some, Adele?

-Yes, a little I think. And I dreamed we were home again. And the sun was shining. We were walking through St. James Park. You remember how they water the flowers with those tanker trucks when there hasn't been any rain for awhile?

Patricia nodded, still trying to clear her head. England! That was the last thing she wanted to think about right now.

-Well, that's what I was dreaming about. We were watching that truck watering the gardens. And the sun was beating down on us. Adele shook her head at the thought and stared out at the blanket draped over their open windows. The jeep was stifling hot and the air was stale.

-You've forgotten what Dante said, Adele.

-Dante? Whatever do you mean, Patricia?

-Wasn't it Dante who said something like -- the worst thing to do is think of a time of happiness when you are in trouble. Patricia scratched her head and then replaced her cap and pulled the bill down over her eyes.

-I'm sorry, Patricia. I didn't mean to. It just happened when I fell asleep. She looked at her friend, who seemed to be close to tears.

-Whatever are we doing here, anyhow? Of all the places we've traveled, we've never had such a thing as this happen to us. Not even Burma was this bad. Remember Burma, Patricia?

-Yes, I remember Burma. And you're right. That wasn't nearly like this. We're in real trouble this time. I don't know what we're going to go. Thank god for Henry.

At the mention of his name, they heard him rustling around just outside the jeep. Patricia opened the car door and he crawled inside with then, and motioned to Adele to hand him the water bottle.

-Did we wake you, Henry?

-No, ma'am. I heard you two. He chuckled softly. Nobody that I know ever quotes literary scholars when they're on the run, only English school teachers, as far as I know. He looked at them both and give them a small lop-sided smile. I've had worse company, you know.

Patricia and Adele smiled back at him. Then without saying anything more, they started unpacking their meager supplies. At least they'd brought along a little food and water. They'd have something to eat and try to get some more rest. There was a long afternoon ahead of them. Lots of time to kill before they could even think of moving on.

(Go to Chapter 7)