Friday Fiction

Doing What You Have To Do To Get By

By Gareth L Powell

The three inflatables rounded the headland an hour after sunrise. Kadie Jones crouched in the lead boat, wrapped in the noise and fumes from the outboard motor, gripping a heavy service revolver in one hand. She wore a thick military surplus coat and a fur cap with khaki earflaps. As soon as the prow of the boat hit the beach, she sprang out and splashed up onto the shingle, her boots crunching noisily as she ran. Ahead, in the town, the church bell tolled.

“We’ve been spotted,” she said.

The other inflatables slithered onto the beach like predators. Like hers, they each held three people, all armed.

“Harris, secure the boats. The rest of you, follow me.”

She stomped towards the boarded-up shops and apartments lining the seafront. Already there were shouts and she could see locals moving between the buildings. On the hill above the town, a castle ruin glowered, its crumbling towers green with ivy.

“Do you think they’ll put up a fight?” Nate asked.

This was the boy’s first raid. So far, he was following orders, sticking close to her. When she looked at him, she saw his eyes were wide. From beneath her coat, she drew a sword. It was black and sharp. She’d found it nailed to the wall of a pub fireplace in Somerset.

“More fool them if they do.”