The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 3016 by Angharad Copyright© 2016 Angharad

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This is a work of fiction any mention of real people, places or institutions is purely coincidental and does not imply that they are as suggested in the story.
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“Scusie signora, you’re English, no?” the baritone voice made me jump as I hadn’t noticed the car approach being so rapt in my thoughts.

“Uh yes, how d’you know?”

“The telescope—only the English go bird watching for the holidays.”

It was a reasonable assumption but he should have said British, because the Scots and Welsh and probably the Irish are equally crazy about sitting for hours in the hope of seeing something, especially something they hadn’t seen before.

I laughed and nodded to them and continued walking. I was on the road leading to the villa but I wasn’t sure I wanted them to know where I was staying.

“Hey Signora, we not finished our chin wag.”

“Sorry, I have to go,” I said and walked quite briskly away from them. If they were looking to jump me and rob me, I had very little money with me, but the scope and binns were worth quite a lot and my little camera and phone were equally good quality, plus the photos and data on my phone were irreplaceable. I wasn’t going to surrender them easily.

The car surged ahead of me and stopped. I went to cross the road but both doors of the car opened and the two men got out. Oops, now what do I do?

“Keep away from me,” I shouted. And started running back the way I’d come. They both gave chase—damn, I wonder how fit they are? I kept going and spotted that only one now gave chase the other was racing back to his car. If we come to fisticuffs, although the odds were better, the other would see me and realise I wasn’t an easy target but that wouldn’t necessarily stop him trying to kill me with the car, one of those Nissan things that pretend farmers drive.

He was gaining on me, the one on foot and I suddenly rushed off and straight through some bushes. My intention to double back and outflank him. Big mistake, the herbiage was too thick to push through and my pause virtually allowed him to catch me. I turned and saw he was about twenty feet away. This needed to be quick or his mate would be there.

“Go away, scram Sam,” I said loudly, he laughed loudly and rushed at me. I jumped away at the last moment leaving one leg outstretched to help gravity send him flying into the bushes. I dashed back to the gap and his friend was getting out of the car. I slammed the door on him and ran for it. I didn’t wait to see if he was hurt or anything else, I really didn’t care, I just wanted to get home.

The girls seemed to take forever to open the gate and I looked back towards the men but nothing was coming this way, I dashed in and told them to lock the gates and bounded into the house.

I called the police and eventually found someone who spoke better English than I did Spanish or Catalan. I explained what had happened and who I was. He said they’d send a car to see me and check for the two men. I also wanted to get my story in first in case they tried to claim assault.

Half an hour later after telling everyone at the house what had happened the police arrived. I invited them in and offered them coffee or a cold drink—they opted for a cola. I was still drinking my tea as I repeated my story. No I hadn’t got the number but it was one of the big Nissan 4x4 pickup trucks, in black.

The senior of the coppers gave me a card with his number to call if I saw them again. I showed him my optical equipment and he admired it agreeing it was probably a robbery the men had in mind but there had been some sexual assaults in recent weeks, so to be on my guard, especially as we had so many young women here.

That hadn’t even occurred to me—it made my blood run cold—they might have been out to rape me as well as rob me. Oh shit and double poo. Suddenly two weeks of bliss getting away from everything were looking decidedly unblissful. I was tempted to just cut and run, see what flights I could book or even to drive to the ferry and get across to the mainland.

I sent all the girls back to play in the sunshine charging Danielle to keep them safe. Stephanie followed me into the study and we closed the door.

“What should we do?” she asked me.

“I don’t know, what would you like to do?”

“I’d like to stay but not at any price.”

“My feelings entirely. I don’t want to risk meeting them again but I feel I shouldn’t let them scare me away.”

“Quite, but fear has a purpose.”

“I’m well aware of that, Dr Cauldwell.”

“Well Dr Watts, what do we do?”

“I think make sure no one goes out on their own, and the children don’t without you or I with them and we travel everywhere by car.”

“Okay, try it for a few days and see what happens?”

“I don’t have a better plan. Really, I’m the dangerous one, so the rest of you may be safer without me going with you.”

“You’re joking. You’re the best fighter amongst us, without you we’ve got no chance.”

In the garage was a cricket bat and a set of wickets. I handed Stephanie one of the wickets, keep this with you and if you need to defend yourself, aim at joints: wrists, elbows and knees. Only go for a headshot if it’s clear. Failing that use the point to stab in the guts—it will wind them.”

“I’ve got to remember to do all that, can’t we buy a gun and just shoot them?”

“I doubt it, but it is tempting.”

“Or a bow and arrows, you can use one of those, can’t you?”

“I have been known to pull the odd bowstring.”

Believe it or not I went onto Amazon and ordered a recurve bow with a dozen arrows and a target with stand on their next day delivery service. In twenty four hours, we’d have some form of defence. Normally I’d go for a forty pound pull but opted for half that. It would still take down a man from fifty or sixty feet and if necessary, the girls could use it, well Stephanie and Danni, possibly Trish or Hannah as well.

Needless to say we stayed home that evening and despite an early night I couldn’t rest or sleep. Each time I closed my eyes I saw the thug rush at me and I’d be instantly awake with my heart racing. Danielle slept like a log beside me.

At two, I went to make a cuppa after having a wee and Stephanie came into the kitchen. “Can’t sleep?” she asked.

“No, keep seeing that bloke come at me.”

“Not surprised, enough for two cups there?”