we didn’t move. Noah repeated the action, and more mud flew into the air. With each wheelspin I could feel us sinking deeper and deeper into the mud and our hopes of escape sinking deeper and deeper and deeper, until a knock on the window confirmed that all hope was officially gone.
“What are you doing?” Tiaan’s voice was a little muffled through his mask.
Another knock made us look to the other window. “Where are you going?” It was Mienkie.
I was going to die. This was it. I was sandwiched between two lunatics and, right now, the director was showing side-by-side photos of them. Then and now. Smiling on their wedding day, and then manically in their mug shots. I closed my eyes for a second and a strange calm descended on me and, when I opened them again, I knew what to do.
“Noah, it was really nice meeting you, and I’ve had such fun with you, and I wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done for me.” I reached over and took Noah by the hand. If I was going to die at the hands of some old-age serial killers, it was at least with Noah’s comforting hand in mine.
CHAPTER 44
“This is not where our story ends!” Noah hissed at me, placing his hands on my shoulders. “I am not dying today. Not here. I refuse!”
“What do you suggest?”
“Helllloooo.” Mienkie tapped on the window again and a flash of silver made me turn.
“Oh God, she also has a knife, and she’s knocking on the window with it!”
“I think you’re stuck in this puddle,” Tiaan said at the other window, pointing at the puddle with his massive knife.
“Smile at them,” Noah said under his breath. “Smiiiile.”
“Okay.” I plastered the biggest smile across my face that I could muster.
“Natural smile!” Noah snapped.
“I’m trying!”
“So, this is what we are going to do, Zoe—” Noah started.
“The kettle has boiled!” Mienkie cut him off, leaning down and looking straight at us through the window.
“We’re going to climb out of this car and we’re going to act normal and natural and then we’re going to run!” Noah continued.
“Run where? You know how long it would take to get to the road?” I said through the toothy grin that was starting to hurt my face.
“No, we’re going to run into that workshop of his, find something to block the door with and phone the police!”
“But Susie is in there, and whatever may or may not be left of her leg.”
“Exactly, and I’m sure we’ll find many things in there to defend ourselves with!”
“I hate this idea.” My smile was starting to falter. It was just too hard to maintain it under the circumstances.
“Well, I hate the idea of dying!” Noah said. “Where’s your phone?”
“Right here, in my handbag.”
“Bring it with you. Mine is in a bag on the back seat.” He reached for the door handle. “Ready?”
“Nooot really.” I picked up my handbag and also reached for the door handle.
“Climb out first, acting normal and natural, wait for my signal, and then run! Okay?”
“Okay!” I started pushing the door open, and Mienkie moved back. I kept my eyes glued on the knife she was wielding and, oh my God, there were red smears all over it. It was smeared red from top to bottom, as if she had just sawed through an arm.
“Where were you going?” Tiaan asked.
“Uh, we were just, we remembered that we actually had to be, uh, somewhere,” Noah stuttered. He was a terrible liar.
“Oh, that’s such a pity!” Mienkie said. “We were so looking forward to having guests. People seldom come round here.” She smiled at me and I nearly fainted at the sight of her red-smeared teeth. Like a fucking cannibal! It was bad enough that they peeled legs—did they also eat them?
“NOW!” Noah screamed, and I didn’t hesitate. My feet hit the floor and mud flew as I raced through the puddles. Noah grabbed me by the hand and pulled me into the workshop. I blinked when I entered, my eyes trying to adjust to the total blackness.
“We need something to block the door,” Noah said in between gulps for air.
“I can’t see a thing,” I shouted.
“Grab your phone torch!”
“Okay, okay.” I scrambled for my phone but dropped my bag. “Shit!”
“Find it!” I could hear he was bumping into things. I fell to my hands and knees and crawled across the floor, hands reaching out in front of me, looking for the familiar feel of my phone.