Wuthering Dormice (aka Bike) Part 820 by Angharad

The following day, after discussion with George and Hilary, we decided it was safe enough to go home. The police would do regular patrols past the house and we’d be answered very quickly if we called for help.

We’d actually got away quite lightly, a few attacks but no serious injuries to any of us, except the police and I had to remember that four officers gave their lives while protecting us. Going into the house could be quite traumatic, thinking about the two who died there. How I was still alive, sometimes baffled me. Maybe I did have a guardian angel or two. If they did exist, I hoped they were on overtime rates.

Simon’s car had been ferried to the Edwards’ house, but it was far too small to be of much use to carry a lot. It was decided that Tom would ride with Simon and Henry would take the children, Stella and me. His big Mercedes had plenty of room for us and the luggage we had accumulated.

It was such a comfortable ride as well. I needed another car, which Simon was supposed to be organising in the next day or two, and Tom would need a replacement for my dad’s Mondeo. Simon had mentioned that as well. He’d delivered on the previous occasions, so I had faith in him. Tom had grumbled that he’d like to see any car before he drove it–and given he was driving down with Simon, he’d have plenty of time to discuss it. Poor Simon, Tom would ‘tak his lugs off.

The weather was rather windy with showers, but it wasn’t cold. The journey down from the Oxfordshire countryside was fairly pleasant except the blustery showers which hammered down and then disappeared quite quickly, like the weather was conducting guerrilla warfare against us.

We neared Portsmouth in less than an hour, Henry was no respecter of speed limits and he wanted to beat his son in his piffling little toy car to the house. We drove into the familiar driveway and parked. I rushed ahead and opened up the house, while Stella and Puddin’ and the three girls followed me a moment or two later.

Henry was unloading cases from the boot when a motorcycle–one of these trail type bikes–pulled up, and before I could do or say anything, the rider pulled out a pistol and fired twice at Henry.

I watched in slow motion as Henry jerked twice and fell heavily dropping the case. I felt my hand go up to my face and I know I screamed. At almost the same instant, Simon arrived, understood what had happened and screamed after the bike in his toy car.

I started to run to the fallen man–my future father in law–who was lying on his back and bleeding from the two wounds. He was still conscious, but shocked. I tore off the hem of my skirt to try and staunch the wounds, and called for Stella to call an ambulance.

“What’s happening?” she shouted as she ran from the house.

“Henry’s been shot, get an ambulance and keep the children inside.” She dithered for a moment as she took on board what had happened. Then she shot back into the house like a rocket.

“Look after Simon and Stella for me, won’t you?” gasped Henry.

“No way, “ I joked back, “That’s your job.”

“Looks like I just got my P45, doesn’t it?”

“You’re going to be fine, the ambulance is coming.”

“Too late, I fear...” he closed his eyes and his head sagged to one side.

“Henry, Henry, dammit man, we need you. Don’t die, please don’t die.” I felt huge tears rolling down my cheeks, and the heavens opened as another squally shower soaked me in seconds.

I had to keep him alive, I pulled my coat off and covered him and began CPR, even though I knew it would add to the bleeding. At the same time as I counted the compressions I imagined the light flowing down through my hands and into his dying body.

I gave two quick breaths and back to the compressions, Stella came out with a coat and draped it over me, she was wailing and I sent her back to the house–“Keep the girls inside,” I instructed her, she wailed and ran back to the house.

Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion still, I suppose the adrenaline was causing my brain to move at super speed, I felt the rain stop, but the water ran down the drive turning red with Henry’s blood as it went towards the road.

I heard the Jaguar return and it was shrieking as a piece of metal dragged along the road. Simon ran up to me to help and took over the compressions and I did the occasional breaths. Tom went to comfort Stella and look after the children.

“What happened to the car?” I asked after giving two quick breaths.

“It hit some fool on a motorbike, killed him.”

“Anyone I know?”

“The guy you stuck in a dress, I think.”

“Damn, I’m sorry, we should have turned him in.”

“Too late now, for everyone. No point in crying over spilt...blood,” is what he said but I was pretty sure it wasn’t rain that was rolling down his face. I concentrated on pouring the light into Henry with a mantra of don’t die, you have work to do. Some blood seeped from Henry’s mouth and I gasped, then it oozed out of his nose, and I wondered if we were labouring in vain.

Sirens grew louder and the ambulance screamed into the driveway. The two paramedics told us to carry on while they assesed the patient. “We’ve got some electrical activity, defib?” the one asked the other.

“Don’t see why not, not much to lose is there?”

“Stand clear, shocking.” Zap and the body jerked. They watched the machine. “Okay trying again, stand clear, shocking.” Once more the body twitched. We all helped ease Henry onto the stretcher and he was whipped into the back of the van, as the one paramedic described it.

I jumped in the ambulance as well and Simon, got into the Mercedes to follow us. The ambulance charged off on blues and twos, “You shouldn’t be here,” said the paramedic, who was attempting to cut Henry’s suit off to treat the wounds.

“He’s gone, hasn’t he?” I asked.

“Probably, we’ll keep trying until we get to casualty.”

“Let me touch him.”

“What, are you sick or something?”

“Or something, you stop the bleeding and keep out of the way.”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I touched him and he calmed down instantly. “What was that?” he said and sat back in a stupor.

I placed on hand on Henry’s heart and held his hand with the other. “Henry, watch for the light and let it guide you back to us. I’m starting your heart again, let it beat and allow the light to help you breathe. I zapped him with the defibrillator and much to my surprise the monitor on the machine began beeping, it was weak but it was a heartbeat. Then I held his hands and pleaded with him to stay with us, whilst pouring in the light as fast as I could.

“What’s that?” asked the paramedic.

“He’s alive,” I said and continued to heal on him.

“What, he can’t be.”

“Stop the bleeding, will you?”

“Yeah, okay.” He shook his head and resumed cutting the clothing and then stuffing gauze into the holes. I continued pushing in the light and pleading with Henry to stay with us.

“What’s that funny light? He looks almost luminescent?” asked the paramedic.

“Oh Henry was quite an enlightened person,” I said and continued my efforts.

“So are you then?”

“Well, we’re family.”

“What the Addams family?” he asked as we suddenly stopped and his mate came around and opened the doors. “Tell the nurse who he is,” was their parting shot as they ran into A&E and I was nabbed by the nurse for information. As I was about to speak, Simon came in accompanied by two police officers.

“How is he?” he asked and I shrugged my shoulders.