The woman looked up. ‘I’m Lydia. We were brought onto this coach for a reason, my husband and I.’
Laura crouched, pushing Lydia’s hair back, feeling the damp sweat. The woman had a certain vulnerability about her; she looked sad as if life had failed her. Laura didn’t want to ask questions now. ‘I’m so sorry,’ was all she could think of to say.
Once Ben had checked on the remaining passenger, a lad who was sat on his own, he moved towards Laura. His voice was low as he murmured, ‘What do we do?’
She spun in a circle. Her head was dizzy and confused as she took in the carnage around her. She glanced at the windows. ‘I don’t know if he can see us. When Milly moved towards the door, he saw her vomit. If we can keep the main lights off, it will make it more difficult for him to see inside. Let’s keep the lights as low as possible.’ Laura suddenly thought. ‘Unless… A camera. Quick, Ben. We need to make sure. Check up and down the aisle. If there’s a way he’s watching us, we need to stop him.’
They moved along the coach, running their hands along the luggage hold, the empty seats and over the ceiling. They found nothing.
‘What now?’ Laura asked.
‘I don’t know. We wait, I guess. We need to keep everyone calm. Milly will be great. She has a way about her. People instantly warm to her,’ Ben said.
Their daughter was now talking to the driver, Andrew. Her voice was raised slightly, and her hands were placed on his shoulders as she comforted him.
‘We need a torch,’ Ben stated. Andrew reached into the glove compartment and handed him a heavy duty torch.
‘How are you bearing up, Andrew?’ Ben asked. He moved the torch beam around the coach, keeping the light as low as possible. Worried faces and startled eyes looked back at him.
‘I’m all right,’ said Andrew. ‘I feel a little claustrophobic. If I’m honest, I’m not great in these situations. I panic. I can’t even get into a lift without freaking out, wondering if I’ll reach the next floor. Usually I take the stairs. It’s less hassle.’
Sweat was forming on the driver’s brow, his cheeks were flushed, and he furiously wiped his forehead with the back of his hands.
‘You can cope, Andrew. I know you can. Keep calm and inhale deeply, push out slowly,’ Milly suggested.
The driver heaved air in through his nose, his broad chest expanding, contracting.
Ben looked out through the front window. It was so bleak. They’d been on the coach for an hour or so. In that time, they hadn’t seen a light or any sign of civilisation. It dawned on him that they’d miss the flight and he felt guilty for a second as he thought about running and leaving the passengers to their fates.
‘So let’s go through our situation.’ Ben’s voice was low, hushed. ‘We have an elderly couple at the front; their daughter-in-law is sat directly behind them. She was hit in the head, but she’s conscious and with it, so to speak. Her husband, who was sat next to her, has been taken.
‘Further down on the left, there’s the woman sat on her own. I spoke with her briefly. She was with her husband. Her name is Lydia and he’s Jack. He’s gone.
‘And there’s a guy sat a couple of seats behind her, Stephen. He’s coping. He has a swollen eye, but it’s not life-threatening. He was with a friend. Another male. Gareth, I think he said. That’s about all I got from him. He seems to be calm – nothing for us to worry about at the moment.’
‘Excuse me. I need water. Can I have some water, please?’
Ben turned, looking at Edward. His wife, Mary, was sat next to him; her eyes now closed, possibly her coping mechanism.
‘Okay. Give me a second. We have a crate of water in the boot of our car.’ Ben addressed Milly, Laura and Andrew, who were stood together at the front. ‘I have to go to the car.’
‘Ben, it’s not safe. You can’t go out there.’ Laura crouched, looking towards the door which was still open. ‘Do you think we can get the heaters going? These people must be freezing.’
Andrew climbed into the driver’s seat, an array of buttons and switches in front of him. ‘We can keep the reading lights on, it will enable the passengers to see and hopefully stop them freaking out. If we point them away towards the front, it will make it more difficult for him to see them from outside.’
Andrew started the engine, and flicked the row of green switches in front of the steering wheel. The heaters kicked in and began to warm the inside of the coach. The condensation began to clear which meant it was easier to see inside. But it seemed more important to warm the passengers.
Laura wallowed in the comfort of the heat, working its way through the coach. ‘He said that no one could leave, but I’m guessing it’s okay for us to keep warm.’
Andrew climbed out of the seat, then moved along the aisle, adjusting the reading lights above the passenger’s heads.
When he returned to the front, Ben asked him, ‘Why is he holding these people here?’
‘Because he’s a frigging nut job,’ Milly piped up.
‘There has to be a reason. Think about it. Five were left. Well, six if you include Andrew here. He’s taken three passengers. Why not strap them all up? What’s his reason? Why not take everyone?’ Ben asked.
‘A ransom?’ Laura suggested.
‘Please. Water.’ Edward was licking his lips, trying to moisten them.
‘I need to go to the car,’ said Ben.
‘Ben, no. I won’t allow it. He’ll kill you. Please.’
‘He hasn’t said anything about us leaving. His beef is with the passengers.’ Ben moved towards the open door. He stepped down, holding the rail.
‘Dad, please don’t go,’ Milly shouted.
‘I have no choice, Milly. I’ll be careful, I promise.’ Ben crept along the outside of the coach. Every tyre had been deflated. He turned his head towards the windows. From out here it was difficult to see the passengers. They needed to keep the inside as dark as possible.
His car was around twenty feet from the back of the coach. The headlights were still on. The radio was off. The mobile phones were on the seats. He couldn’t risk getting them. If the guy was watching Ben, he’d see it. As he slowly moved forward, he looked into the fields on his right. There was silence. He felt his stomach turn, a tight knot twisting in his belly.
Suddenly a twig broke. Someone was there. Ben estimated the sound to be ten, maybe fifteen feet from where he stood. He froze, struggling to focus, his ears alert, now frightened to take another step. The phone call played out in his mind – the guy’s voice. I’m so glad you came along when you did. I was beginning to think it was all for nothing. What did he mean? Was he waiting for them? Were they chosen?
Ben waited. It seemed like hours since he stood on the coach. He listened. Shadows danced between the trees. He could make out the blurred shapes, only just. His eyes darted left. Right. Then he ran towards the car. Panting deeply he reached the boot, and clicked the lock. The automatic opener whined. He moved the cases aside, picked up the water and hurried back, leaving the boot open. The noise of closing it would draw too much attention.
A minute later, he was back on the coach.
‘Oh, thank God. Don’t be a hero again. Do you hear me?’ Laura grabbed her husband, kissing his cheek.