Kipp The Kid (8 page)

She was supposed to leave that night. It was meant to
be the last time he saw her for a while, maybe forever. There was
not meant to be a knock at the door the next morning. And her Aunty
and Uncle were not meant to be standing there, looking concerned,
expecting answers to questions that should never have been asked.
Yet there they were.

“She left this morning. She and her Uncle had had an
argument about having to leave. She went to bed angry and in the
morning she had gone.”

I know where she is, thought Kipp. But I’m not
telling you right away. It was his last and only chance to rescue
her from a future he knew she would hate. A future with a family
she would never love and who could never love her, though they
might try.

They all looked at Kipp. Their eyes were like
stinging needles, probing his mind for something he did not want to
give them. But their torturous stares were too much for even the
strongest of Kipps.

“I’ll find her.” He said, finally, reluctantly.

So he and his grandfather, together with Jane’s
Uncle, wasted no time. They took provisions, rope, torches and
enough food for an overnighter if necessary and then Kipp led them
all the way to the campsite. He didn’t know for certain that’s
where she went. But apart from her home, it was the only other
place she felt a connection with. But, they did check the old house
next door, just to be certain.

At the mines, they found the campsite had been
wrecked again. There was rubbish and debris everywhere and more
worryingly, messages of hate scrawled across the rock walls.
Messages that sent alarm bells ringing. Messages meant for Kipp and
Jane. Offensive messages they were, unrepeatable to even the most
street wise soul.

“They have her,” said Kipp, feeling faint as he
realized it was no doubt true.

“Who does?” asked Jane’s Uncle, looking worried.

“The Jansen boys,” Kipps Grandfather answered for
him.

Kipp wasted no time. He led them quickly to the shaft
opening and down the rope ladder. His grandfather struggled a bit,
but somehow managed. They made their way along the narrow tunnels.
In the distance they heard hollering and laughter. Kipp started
worrying at what the boys might do. They had a reputation for doing
unspeakable things to animals and Jake was known to have a violent
streak. Their father had spent time in jail for various crimes and
they had been raised by a mother who could not handle them on her
own.

“This way,” said Kipp, diverting them down another
tunnel. “We have to go in from another direction. They would have
locked the hatch by now.” It was the long way round, but at least
they would have the element of surprise.

They had to navigate treacherous rickety wooden
bridges over crevices that fell to sometimes a hundred feet. It was
slow going, because Kipp’s Grumps was old. Finally they made their
way to a small opening, only just big enough for Kipp and Jane’s
Uncle, which meant that Kipp’s Grandfather had to stay and wait.
Kipp gave him his torch and some supplies.

“You go on Kipp. I’ll be ok. I’ve fought in wars. I’m
sure I can manage in a dark mine.” With that he smiled at Kipp and
patted him on his head. “Now you go and get her and don’t be afraid
of some low-life half-wits from out of town.”

Kipp hadn’t heard his grandfather talk like that in a
while. It gave him encouragement. He led out in front through the
small tunnel, crawling on all fours, Jane’s Uncle groaning and
struggling not far behind. He wondered if he was the sort of person
who did manual labor or ran a business. Given he was a skinny,
awkward-looking man, Kipp decided probably the latter.

After a little while, they came to several small
openings, but had to go through a few more short tunnels before
they were finally in the last opening immediately next to the
chamber Kipp had taken Jane to when they retrieved the gem stones.
He could hear noises next to them, muffled sounds. Laughter and
more worrying, the sound of someone crying. Jane.

“It’s them.” He said to his uncle. Then his uncle got
out a gun. Seeing it shocked Kipp. He didn’t pick Jane’s Uncle to
own a gun, much less know how to use one. He brushed Kipp aside and
suddenly looked determined. Kipp had no choice but to follow the
man in. But he was moving suddenly very quickly, like he was eager
to hunt down the criminals. But when Kipp heard gun fire, he
panicked and rushed the rest of the way through the tunnel, coming
out the other end to find two of the boys holding Jane’s Uncle, who
now wore a gash to the head. The other boy, Trent, had the gun,
which he pointed right at Kipp when he emerged into the chamber.
Jane was lying, tied to the table with rope. She had a cloth in her
mouth that was tied around the back of her neck. She was looking at
Kipp and nodding in his direction, as if to tell him something.

“Are you hurt?” Kipp asked calmly. Jane shook her
head.

“Well, look who we have here. If it isn’t lover boy,”
said Trent. The other two boys just laughed as they held Jane’s
struggling Uncle. Trent came right up to Kipp, who didn’t flinch or
back away. He noted the lantern hanging nearby. It was flickering
like it was running out of fuel. The only other light came from the
torch at his feet, that Jane’s uncle had dropped when he was
ambushed. Kipp slowly reached down to pick it up.

“What are you doing?” Demanded Trent, the gun in his
hand noticeably trembling.

“Easy there boys. I just want to check to see if
Jane is hurt.”

He took the torch with him over to Jane and looked
into her eyes. If ever there was a moment one would want to be able
to have telepathy, it’s now, he thought. Jane, do you know what I
am about to do, he tried to tell her with his mind. As if she
actually heard him, she nodded slowly.

Kipp then turned and pointed the torch at Trent, who
took an involuntary step backwards in response. Jane saw it and
wondered what strange new power she was witnessing. Seizing the
moment and despite the gun pointing at him, Kipp took a step
forward, completely focused and very deliberate.

“What are you doing? Don’t you see I have a gun?”
Said Trent nervously.

Kipp knew nothing for certain. All he knew was that
he heard a gunshot before. That meant the gun was loaded, with at
least that one bullet. What he did know about Jane’s Uncle was that
he was a business man. Careful with his wallet and not given to
spending more than he had to. He noted the gun looked new. He was
making lots of guesses, but he had this one chance. He decided to
call Trent’s bluff.

“You know, my Grandfather gave me my first gun when I
was only eight years old.”

“So what! Not another step.”

Kipp stepped closer.

“He taught me a lot about guns. One of the first
things I remember him telling me was that you never load a gun with
more bullets than you will need.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Kipp thought he saw
Jane’s Uncle shaking his head. But the boys had their arms around
his mouth so Kipp couldn’t hear what he was trying to say.

“What, do you think you’re cleverer than me, is that
it boy?” said Trent sharply. “You think you can outsmart me?”

“No, not at all. I’m just telling you a story, is
all.”

Kipp took another step closer. He now wore a
determined look on his face, only partially disguised by an attempt
at disinterest.

He heard Jane behind him whimpering. Her Uncle was
still trying, but failing to say something through Jake’s sleeve.
There was another noise too. He recognized it as the sound one
makes when you crawl through too narrow a space.

“I know what you’re doing. You’re trying to tell me
the gun’s not loaded.”

“No, now why would I do that. I’m telling a story. If
I wanted to tell you the gun’s not loaded, I would simply say, the
gun’s not loaded. I only want to tell you a story so that you don’t
do something stupid.”

“So now I’m stupid.” He raised the gun up and
straightened, placing one foot back behind the other to steady
himself.

“Did I say that?” The lantern flickered a few more
times and then went out, right on cue. Kipp was now so close his
nose was almost touching the barrel of the gun. He still held the
torch in his hand, which he was pointing right into Trent’s eyes,
making him squint and blink uncontrollably. “Do you know what else
my grandfather taught me?”

“No. But I suppose you’re going to tell me.”

“If you have only one bullet left, aim straight.” As
soon as he said this he turned off the torch. The room became
suddenly dark. Trent fired the gun and the flash of light from the
gun revealed Kipp diving at Trent’s legs. There was a struggle.
Jane let out a cry. Jane’s Uncle had managed to free himself. Then
there was a moment of brief silence, followed by chaos. But when
the torch light came back on, it was Kipp who held the gun and
Trent up against a wall, his hands raised in defeat. Jane’s Uncle
had one of the other lads around the neck and, much to Kipp’s
surprise, his grandfather had the other one.

Then Kipp heard a sound so strange, so worrying, so
utterly frightening, that it makes all time stop dead and all life
leave your soul, if only for the briefest of moments.

“Kipp? Kiiiiiip.” Then he realized with horror, that
his beloved Jane had been shot.

chapter 10: of dreams and angels

“Have I been here before?”

“No.”

“Is my mother here?”

“Yes, she is. Would you like to see her?”

Jane was led across a pasture so green as to make all
other pastures pale by comparison. It was studded with flowers of
every variety, all perfectly glorious, their perfume so sweet and
powerful that it overwhelmed her senses. She was then taken across
a lake so still and clear, it was as if it were made of clouds. She
felt no weight at all in her body. Her senses were perfectly
attuned to her surroundings. She could hear the most extraordinary
music in the distance. When she looked up a huge city of glass
filled the top of a great hill.

A pathway paved with gold wound its way around the
hill, all the way to an immense gateway. Great birds flew around
the steeple overlooking the gateway and a seemingly endless stream
of people were leaving and entering it. Their white gowns glowed in
the glint of the powerful suns which overshadowed the blue of the
brilliant sky with their glorious light.

Jane did not fear, nor did she thirst. She felt
nothing but the joy of expectation and the thrill of anticipation
as she was led all the way up the path, around the hill, passing
streams that cascaded over marble rocks into pools surrounded by
gemstones of every color and variety.

The Angel who guided her wore a gold embroidered sash
that fell over the back, draping almost onto the pathway. It was
encrusted with diamonds, but it flowed in the gentle breeze as if
it was as light as a feather.

Nearing the gate, Jane noticed for the first time the
beautifully ornate reliefs and carvings in the archway that held
the huge iron gate, which itself was shaped with the most stunning
depictions of trees and vines.

As they approached the gate, people walking by called
her by her name, greeting her warmly, all smiling and nodding
politely. A group of children ran up to her. They surrounded her,
touching her like they were at a petting zoo and had never seen
something so rare. They held her hands as they helped the Angel
lead her.

Jane had to crane her neck to look all the way up to
the top of the magnificent steeple, whose point reached high into
the silvery/white clouds. Her eyes were drawn back down to the
great arched doorway, made of pure new oak, studded with bolts made
of silver and embroidered with animals and figures made from jasper
and jade.

The door opened and they were greeted by people
larger than those she saw entering and exiting the gateway. These
beings were like super humans. But despite their size, they walked
with an even, well balanced gait. They too nodded as they greeted
Jane. Through the arched doorway, they came into a massive entrance
hall, bordered on each wall by statues made from pure marble, so
pure and polished that they gleamed and glistened, reacting to the
light coming through the immense open door.

The floor was covered with gold tiles so shiny that
they reflected perfectly everything else in the hall. So perfect
was the mirror image, that it was like walking on the ceiling
itself and Jane wasn’t sure if she was even on a floor. The
children left them, bowing to someone in the distance before taking
their leave. At the end of the great hall, a giant white figure
rose from a huge marble chair.

It stepped down from the giant steps beneath it and
met the Angel at the seat of the throne. Jane realized who the
being was instinctively and was overawed. The being spoke in a
language which seemed to be a composite of every known language
ever spoken. It spoke with such authority and power that the very
sound of its voice made the whole space vibrate.
I should feel
scared
, thought Jane, but she was not at all.

The Angel led Jane to where the great being had
pointed and she was taken through a lesser door, still huge, but
not as grand. She was then escorted down a very long corridor, with
doorways along both sides, each with distinctly unique symbols and
shields. She recognized some of the shields, though she didn’t know
where from.