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,
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,
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