The Night Is for Hunting Read Online Free PDF Page B

think maybe he might have fainted or something. I honestly slowed the force of the brick as it reached him, because I got scared that maybe I would do him too much damage. Next thing I know he’s lying on the ground not moving.
    I bent over him, not sure what to do, and even a bit nervous that he might be faking, that at any moment he’d jump up and strangle me. I remembered Kevin talking about a spot on the head where a slight tap could kill someone. I shuddered with disgust and fear. But a moment later I had something else to think about. There was a whistle from down the road, and a torch flashed at me three times.
    I didn’t need to ask the soldier what the signal was any more. They might as well have set off a fireworks display.
    It was time to improvise. I grabbed the cap of the unconscious man from where it had fallen and jammed it on my head, then jumped in the cab of the truck. The keys were in it, thank God. It was a diesel engine but it started quickly. It would have still been warm. There was a horrible grinding noise as I put it in gear, like a chain rattling inside a grain bin. I hoped the soldiers down the road wouldn’t hear the bad change, and I hoped it wouldn’t wake the man lying on the road. But I drove straight towards the milk bar, putting the lights on high beam as I did so. It was probably breaking all their rules but I had to take the risk; I had to blind them as much as possible so they wouldn’t see my face.
    With the lights on I could at last see what was happening. It wasn’t a pretty sight. There was a pathetic group of kids, five or six of them I thought, the youngest only tiny. They all had their hands on top of their heads. In the middle of the group was Lee, towering above them, because of his height and his age. I mean, he was older than any of them, but as well he’s tall for his age. He had his hands on top of his head too.
    Surrounding them were four soldiers, and a couple more were away in the shadows.
    They didn’t even look up as I drove towards them.
    At one stage I had the idea that I’d run the soldiers down, but the way they were grouped made that impossible. They were too scattered. So I did the opposite, bringing the truck gently to a halt just in front of them, sweating like hell and hoping desperately that they couldn’t see me properly, high up in the cab, or that if they did, the cap would fool them. I didn’t know what to do: just prayed for a bit of inspiration.
    And at least I got my first wish: they didn’t look up at the cabin. They ushered Lee and the kids around the back.
    There wasn’t much noise or drama. The kids seemed like they’d just woken up, all pale and shocked. Lee looked furious, his lips pressed together and his eyes narrowed. The soldiers hardly needed to speak. They weren’t acting berserk; they acted like people going about their normal business. After all, they’d pulled off a nasty job successfully, without any of their buddies getting hurt or killed – as far as they knew – so I suppose their main feeling was relief.
    There was a rear-vision mirror which showed the scene in the back. I watched closely. The soldiers helped by shining their torches in as the kids scrambled up. I knew I had to time this perfectly. I’d only get one chance.
    Lee was last in, like I expected. The moment he was up on the tray I slammed the gear into reverse and dropped the clutch. I’d wanted to have it in reverse already but dared not, because I thought it would beep, or show reversing lights.
    There was a thump and a swearword from Lee as he fell forward, then back. And a few cries from the kids, cries of surprise, fear, shock. I didn’t have time to see if they were all right, and it was too dark to see in there now anyway. I was about to yell at them ‘Get down, get down,’ because I was expecting bullets, but then I heard Lee yelling it, so I knew he had survived his fall, at least. As we reversed I felt two distinct crunches. I guess I hit