Milly said, ‘He wouldn’t do anything stupid. Fronting someone up, arguing with them, would he?’
‘Your father? No, he’s all mouth and trousers.’
They both laughed.
Another two minutes passed. Laura opened the passenger door, pushing hard against the wind. Milly followed her mother. They stood out on the country road. ‘Ben? Are you okay?’ Laura called. She glanced at her daughter. ‘Wait there.’
‘I’m coming with you.’
They moved slowly, edging towards the coach. The road was vacant behind them. There was no sign of Ben or the coach passengers. They looked into the fields to the right side, no movement, no shadows, no sign of anyone. To the left, the same. It felt like it was just the two of them out here in the middle of nowhere. Laura crept forward, twigs breaking under her trainers. She wore a light top and denim shorts. The cold hit her hard, and she wished she had worn something much warmer. Her hand reached behind, holding Milly’s, guiding her.
Laura moved closer to the coach, assisted by the lights from their car. She saw the back tyres were flat, like someone had jammed a knife into them. She climbed onto the grass verge, trying to peer inside the window. It was too dark to see anything, the engine was running, and the windows were stained with condensation from the inside.
‘Ben, are you okay?’ Laura gripped Milly’s hand. They stood, waiting, listening. Then they moved around the back of the coach to the left side. ‘Where are you, Ben? This isn’t funny.’
Suddenly, someone came to the door of the coach. ‘Go back. Please, both of you go back.’
‘Ben, you’re scaring me. What’s happened?’
‘I beg you, don’t come to the door. Please, stay there.’
Laura stopped suddenly, causing Milly to bump her head off the corner of her mum’s shoulder.
‘Dad, what’s going on?’
Ben disappeared from the doors.
Laura turned to Milly. ‘I’m going to see what’s happened.’
‘I am too. I’m not staying on my own.’
Laura and Milly edged towards the front of the coach. The country lane was empty, only for the coach blocking the middle of the road. There was no sign of anyone. From where they stood, it seemed like the passengers of the coach had disappeared, leaving the vehicle like a ghost ship sailing alone in the middle of the ocean. Laura spun around, watching the bleakness behind. She searched for a vehicle light, a sign of civilisation. They reached the open door of the coach. Laura stretched her foot forward, placing it on the first step, hoisting herself up with the handrail to her left. Milly waited on the road.
Laura stepped up beside the driver’s seat. She saw Ben, walking slowly along the floor of the coach. He spun around.
‘I told you not to come up here, Laura. Where’s Milly?’
‘She… she’s coming behind me.’ Laura looked back.
‘What the heck’s going on?’ Milly looked along the coach and instantly realised the seriousness of the situation. People were strapped to their seats, held with thick rope; gags placed tightly around their mouths. There was a strong smell of faeces and stale urine. She looked at the people nearest to where she stood – an elderly couple, both around seventy. On the seat directly behind them sat a younger woman, strapped to the window seat. Her hair was stained with blood that was dripping onto her brown jacket, a continuous flow.
Milly screamed, panic suddenly rising through her body.
Laura was reaching out to prevent her daughter from seeing the carnage in front of them. Like passing a car accident, you see flashing blue lights, a stretcher. You drive slowly, unable to turn away, knowing you shouldn’t look. But you do. You end up taking a peek and curiosity takes over. Milly looked to her left, towards the centre of the coach, seeing a woman wearing a gag, strapped tight to the aisle chair. Further back on the same side, a guy sat alone, strapped and gagged. There was a slight swelling and bruising above his right eye.
Milly dropped to her knees. ‘What’s happened? Who would do this?’ She crawled on her hands and knees, reaching for the door, shouting, panic rising through her body. The sudden fear and rancid smell made her nauseous and she threw up onto the steps.
Ben was standing halfway along the coach, passengers either side of where he stood. Five people in total, tied to their seats. Reading lights above their heads allowed him to see their sullen expressions.
‘Laura, where’s your phone?’ Ben asked. ‘Call the police. Dial 999 now. Go.’
His wife was in shock as she knelt on the floor, calling for Milly, searching for her daughter.
‘Laura, your phone, hon. Where is it?’ Ben shouted.
She was yelling, screaming for her daughter to keep hidden. Laura looked up. ‘In the car. The phones are in the car.’
‘Laura, I need you to concentrate. Please. Listen to me. You and Milly need to follow me down the stairs and outside. Stay right behind me. We’ll get a phone and call for help. Let’s go.’
As Laura mustered all the strength she had to lift her body off the floor, a phone rang from the dashboard. A deathly silence fell as Ben and Laura looked towards each other. The phone played an old-fashioned ringtone that made Ben picture a desolate house up in the hills, an echo sounding through the halls.
‘Answer it, Ben. We need to deliver the news to whoever is calling and then we can get help,’ Laura insisted.
Ben took a deep breath, straightening his body, filling his lungs with the foul, rusted odour inside the coach, then reached for the phone. ‘Hello.’
Milly stood at the door. She composed herself, panting heavily, then turned around, watching her father. Laura was holding her hands over her mouth to control the screech which threatened to escape from her shocked body.
Ben pressed the speakerphone, thinking it was better if they all heard the caller. Again, Ben spoke, ‘Hello.’ Silence. Ben glanced towards his family. He shrugged his shoulders awkwardly, as if to say, ‘What shall I do?’
They waited, their bodies numb with anticipation. Suddenly, they heard a voice. ‘I’m so glad you came along when you did. I was beginning to think it was all for nothing.’
Ben was startled; he looked at Laura and Milly. He wanted to yell at the caller. Instead, he spoke, ‘You sick bastard. Why would you do something like this?’
The caller’s breathing was heavy, sharp from the phone. Then silence. Ben eyed his wife, who was instructing him to hang up.
Suddenly, Ben remembered the guy, standing at the foot of the road, waving his arms, forcing them along the quiet country lane. It was a trap; we were meant to find the coach. ‘We’re calling the police. I know who you are.’ Ben waited, about to hang up.
‘Here’s how it plays out. I have your undivided attention now. I knew I would.’ There was a slight pause. ‘In total, there were eight passengers on the coach. I counted them. I saw for myself. They’re alive, but by the end of the night, some may not be so fortunate.’
‘What the heck is your problem? You’re ill. Why would you do this?’
The guy hesitated for a second, pausing. Then he took a deep breath. ‘So, here’s how it plays out. Tonight, you’ll find out why they’re here. You’re going to assist me in the games I’ve set up. It’s fate, you coming along when you did. I can’t do it all on my own so you – and only you – are going to help me. Call the police, and I’ll kill you all instantly. I have software which will monitor the phone. I’ll know if you send a text message, make a call or if there’s any activity other than answering my calls. The same goes if you untie anyone. I’ll call again shortly with your instructions. By the way, I’d wipe up the vomit from your daughter’s top. It’s not a good look.’