Gwen
After such an exciting day last week, things settled down again. James told me he would get the third piece but he's only been here and helped me finish a few things.
After another break down over bills James offered me a deal. He had been saving all his life for retirement off a good wage and with a bit of investment James said he could pay all my bills. After some long arguments I agreed as long as I got to pay him back as soon as I was able to.
We have had nine new residents move in on one year contract. There would have been more but unfortunately they were repulsive people who I wouldn’t let any where near the building again. Most seem a bit shocked that all the roads near by are private so parking in easy and the fat all the electric is paid in their monthly amount.
The shopping has arrived so I'm just on my way down to collect it and might even grab the mail as well. You see as a few of the older people living here are slightly immobile I make sure that on my weekly order I ask all the long term residence if they would like me to order for them as well. Most of the time they have their needs covered but some, who can't order themselves will have a basic list for me.
I open the door for the delivery driver. Wow this is the first time I've seen this one but I do hope it wont be the last. Even in his standard uniform you can see his muscles bulge to make the fabric on the sleeves strain to almost breaking point and the veins on his arms swelled up.
Well any way he puts all the crates in the hall and takes the last load of crates back from the last delivery.
“Hi, as you can see there's two changes. If you don't like these I will take them back and you'll be refunded” He says as though reading a script.
I had to laugh at one of the changes made as they had swapped a pack of Christmas cards for a pack of children’s trading cards?
“Well that change is fine but the other is a joke” I said as I knelt down to find the cards. The delivery guy took a quick look at the item mentioned.
“I don't know what the packers think some times with these changes” He said is a soft but throaty laugh.
“I know, but bet you have seen your fair share of mistakes” I said as I found the pack of cards and handed them to him.
“I have had this job under a week and already I have seen a few bad ones. Could you sign there please” He said as I was handed what looked like a chunky mobile with a touch screen and a plastic pen.
I signed and handed the machine back to him “Thank you, I hope you have a nice day now” He said before disappearing.
There was three stacks of five crates in front of me so I spread them out and started dividing the items for the intended apartment.
After a good 15 minutes I had each pile sorted and that apartment mail on top to mark the destination.
After moving nine crates into my room and six of the crates into the lift my little arms were aching and I was now sweating so much that my blouse had damp spots on it.
I had just taken a quick shower and changed into a fresh set of clothes. I decided to take a quick nap as I was exhausted. As I lay my across my bed my mind was spiralling out of control with the odd things that had happened and what it all meant.
The main buzzer for the outer door rang as I decided to get up. Even with my eyes closed and feeling tired my mind was just to hyperactive to get even a moment of sleep. So I made my way over to the main door in a lethargic manner.
I panicked at the sight of a large group of rough looking men. Some in their mid thirties and others around sixty. Just the harshness of their cold gaze sent shivers all over me as I touched the intercom.
“Hi how may I help you” I asked, trying to stop the trembling enter my voice.
They pressed the intercom on their side, in the background I could hear sexual references and then a harsh “Quiet you lot. Hi, we have come to see JJ”
I felt a ray of hope as I didn't recognise the name “Sorry no one called JJ lives here” I replied with a bit to much enthusiasm.
“This is the address he gave us. His full name is James Jones” The man said with a hopeful tone as my heart just dropped.
“Yes James lives here, I'll call him now” I said as I leaned over to the building phone. Pressing his apartment number and enter it started to ring.
“Hello” I heard a soft reply
“Hi James it's Gwen, there's a large group of men outside. They say you know them” I said in hope they could finely be told to leave.
“They are hear all ready. Please let them in Gwen and tell them my apartment number. Thanks and hopefully soon we can answer our little riddle” James said happily as he hung up the phone.
I instinctively swallowed as as I opened the door.
The large guy I had been speaking to walked in first with an air of confidence about him. He extended his hand and said.
“Hello I'm Field Marshal Morgan” He said, I knew field marshal was an officer in the army but that was all.
“Uhm Hi I'm Gwen” I said as I shook his hand.
“Nice to meet you Gwen, we are sorry for startling you but we are just here to see the Major” he said as I tried to think of who he was talking about. Once it clicked I felt stupid for never knowing but I was never told either. I decided to show them up to his room.
“James is in his apartment, I'll take you there now” I said as he smiled.
The whole troop of men behind followed as I walked up the stairs knowing they couldn’t all fit in the lift.
As I approached the apartment floor, James was standing out side with a large smile on his face. All the men behind started to pass me as one after the other greeted James with a hug and a pat on the back.
James thanked me for showing them up and I got thanks off a couple of the men as I walked back down the stairs. They actually seemed quite nice now, but I couldn't understand the reason they were all dressed and looking rough.
Never mind I suppose I'll ask James later if he's up to it.
James
I just had everyone who was left from my old special opps company come and see me after securing a gift. After the incident 17years ago each had been fast tracked through the officers ranks. I was surprised by all the high ranks and even the lads who weren’t officers are now captains and majors themselves.
We joked around for quite a while like the good old days before I eventually told them of the other reason I wanted them here. I explained to them about the deterioration of my organs and my limited time remaining. Within an instant the room went silent, and the once party atmosphere disappeared.
Some of the men were talking about retirement them selves. But the tone was morbid after my confession until the younger lads decided this might as well be a celebration to me and turned up the tunes. I even explained to some of my most trusted friends among the group about the keys. After all they had just broken into a museum thousands of miles away to rummage through a man’s ashes to retrieve one.
A group of the younger lads and a few older ones said their fair-wells until there was only six of us left. I had a hard time as the men said their final good byes as they left knowing this would be the last time they would see me alive.
I offered every one a blanket on the floor when Gwen knocked and came in.
She offered them all a bed in the spare apartments on the condition they clean up after them selves, which every one agreed to.
The next morning I heard a knock on the door.
“Come in it's not locked” I said loud enough as Gwen walked in.
“I didn't want to ask last night as you were so tired but why did all those military men come here to see you” She asked
I reached around and produced the third key “They brought this for us” I showed Gwen as her shocked expression said everything. I still hadn't had the courage to tell her I wasn’t long for this world. But kept a cheerful expression as her excitement overcame her. Here in front of me now is a 22year old woman jumping up and down squealing. I just slowly swept my hand down my face as she stopped and rolled her eyes.
“So shall we go and put them together in the basement?” I said as a big grin spread across Gwens face.
“I'll get the other two and meet you their” Gwen said as she moved quickly towards the door then stopped.
“What about those five men that were here last night?” Gwen asked
“What about them” I asked confused. I would be surprised that she might want them down there.
“Well what do we tell them if they are trying to find you?” She said as I understood what she meant.
“Oh those five are the only people I would trust in the world about this. I told them last night and they said if we need any help just ask” I said hoping she wouldn’t feel upset about it.
“OK” she said a bit upset “Well do you want any of them their” she asked.
“Well no ones up besides us so lets go and we might tell them later if that's OK with you” I said
“OK it's just I was having so much fun with this adventure. It was like the films and I never really thought of any one else being involved besides the two of us” Gwen said as a reason why she had become upset but her mood soon rose again “Well lets go” she said and ran out.
I heard a loud noise as I approached the door. I looked out to see Gwen had run into Dave Fields, he had been with me through some of the worst times of my life but it still amuses me to see him blush.
“Dave I see you have met Gwen” I said cheerfully, by this time Gwens cheeks had turned a nice rose colour as well.
“Uhm yes....”he said as Gwen interrupted him “....Sorry about that” as he cut across her “It's my fault, so I'm sorry”
“OK shall we go and see if this key thing really works” I ask with a laugh, putting their awkward mumbling to a stop.
“Could I tag along? It sounded intriguing last night” Dave said
After a little nod off Gwen I said “Sure follow us down. Gwen will meet us their”
With that we made our way down to see if there was anything to this little adventure.
I had just sat on the stool in the basement to relieve my aching as Dave gave me a concerned look.
To stop the concerned look I decided to start a conversation and asked “so what do you think of the apartments”
“Well after having a look last night we had a little meeting and a few of us wanted to ask Gwen about the cost of renting one. Just the views are so nice and the area is untouched like most places, also with wanting to retire it just clicks, you know” Dave said as I was a bit shocked. But this could help Gwen as well so I thought I would try to convince him.
“Well Gwen owns all the land around here so it is unlikely to ever change. Then you have a reasonable rent that includes all your electric” I said in almost a sales pitch. I knew that when I die Dave would help Gwen with her grief after all the soldiers we have seen with PTSD he would understand better than most.
Just then Gwens quick footsteps were heard coming down the stairs.
“I've got them” She said as she made her way towards me “There you can figure out how the go together”
As Gwen passed the two other pieces to me there was suddenly a tingling feeling over my body. I shouted
“RUN. Get out of here now” and with that the brick circle surrounding us flew to pieces as large metal bars shot into the ceiling.
Dave jumped on-top of Gwen as bits of rubble fell over us.
The objects in my hand pulled free and floated loosely in the air attaching them selves. In a sudden motion once they became a single object, it flew over to a second set of smaller bars that had moved up.
Once it made contact their was a sound that equalled that of a bomb. The entire room shook as more debris fell. I could feel blood pouring from cuts across my body and see Dave with a few cuts himself as he protected Gwen.
My life is almost over but I pray that those two will make it out alive.
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Sorry this is taking so long but the I'm researching for future chapters.
Some of this involves messing around to see if I can get these ideas to work (the basic ones anyway) so I'm building a self propelling magnetic wheel that is free to run and then attaching a magnetic altinator. I just hope I can produce enough free power to run my house lol.
Thanks for reading. Soon it will pick up a bit :)
