I SCREAMED AND……

 I SCREAMED AND…….

I hadn’t planned on spending the night alone, not on this Godforsaken place, miles from anywhere or anyone.  Well, I hadn’t planned on being here at all, actually.  He had insisted, more than insisted, almost forced me into the car, citing our urgent need to talk.  Precisely what I wanted to avoid.

We had driven in total silence, up, up and up the mountain as I watched the terrain become wilder and ever more deserted.  His brother’s lodge was buried deep in the pine forest and in any other circumstances, I would have considered it idyllic.  But not today.  On reaching the lodge he had immediately produced papers for me to sign.  I’d been signing quite a few papers recently, and because I was so preoccupied with the business, I hadn’t demurred. Until this time.   I said I wanted to read it first.  Quite unnecessary, he assured me, just routine ordering of supplies.  Something in his manner made me uneasy.  Just let me cast an eye over what I’m signing, I replied.  His sudden fury astounded me and we had a terrible row.   My mind was still numb from the shock of hearing the accusations he’d thrown at me, before storming out to the car and tearing off, leaving me standing perfectly still and bemused (and, of course, stranded) in the kitchen.

I became aware of the approaching twilight and looking through the small windows, the pine trees looked oddly eerie.  Childhood lines came back to me “Dark behind it rose the forest, rose the dark and gloomy pine trees “.   Enough! I told myself sharply.  If I have to stay the night, certainly until his anger subsides, I’d better check things out.  

There was a chill in the air now and I headed to the door intent on finding firewood before darkness descended totally. I pulled the door first and then I pushed it but it wouldn’t move. I went to the back of the lodge but the only other door was just as stubbornly stuck closed.   Swallowing hard to control a feeling of rising panic, I tried both doors again, then turned to the windows.   With something like horror, I noticed for first time the metal bars, the rejas, on all the windows.

In an effort to think coherently, I searched the kitchen for the oil lamps that I remembered from my last visit.  The cupboards were depressingly devoid of anything resembling a light or even a candle and the blackness of the forest night was descending fast.  Real fear was taking hold of me now, my initial anger totally subsumed by the helplessness of my situation.  

It was now pitch black.  Not a thing could be seen inside nor outside the lodge.  Had there been a moon the pine trees would have blocked it’s light.  

Suddenly, I heard the sound of a car.  Thank God!  He had calmed down and had returned for me.  With this thought came pure rage.  How dare he do this to me!  The car stopped and I waited - and waited. What was he doing?  I’d heard him get out of the car and then nothing.  

I started calling, then shouting, yelling.  Nothing.  I became aware of a crackling sound, then frighteningly, the pungent smell of fire.   A terrible realisation came to me.  I screamed and my insides melted.

I screamed…. Continued

I must have fainted.  I have no idea how long I’d been unconscious, but I was  suddenly and acutely aware of intense heat.   Fire! Oh, my God, fire.  Realisation came flooding back and with it an overwhelming feeling of panic.  What can I do?  What the fuck can I do? Anger, white hot anger, came to my rescue.  The bastard, he’s not getting away with this easily, not while I have a single tortured breath left in my body.  

I crept into the kitchen on all fours, taking in as much of the Oxygen as I could at that low level. Soaking a tea towel, I wound it dripping round my head and face and made for the bedroom.  I was so desperately tempted to smash the glass in front of the rejas but some long ago memory of open windows fanning flames came to mind - I had no idea if that applied to flames outside, but I could take no chances.    I ran both taps into the bath while picking out a voluminous bed cover which I submerged totally in the water.  I paused to take stock.  I could see little more than outlines in the unforgiving blackness, but the heat was intensifying.  I must find a weak spot in the timber frame, and some sort of tool for breaking through. The wood axe of course was outside.

It was impossible, I  cried to myself.  The flames had really got hold and my mind had frozen in terror.  A sudden memory came to me  from last summer.  There was a trapdoor, my God, a trapdoor into a sunken wine or beer  store.  But where?  Think, think for Gods sake, minutes only to spare.  Surely it would go from the kitchen .  Wrapped in the soaked bed cover, and armed with the heaviest kitchen utensil I could find, I crawled to the kitchen, banging the floorboards along the way for a hollow sound.  

Voila!  That’s what I should have said if I could have remembered my French, but just a trembling, whimpering, thank you God,! escaped my lips.  Everything now was too hot to touch and I was too far from water to re soak my protection.  With a superhuman effort, powered by pure hatred of my captor, the trapdoor lifted and with it came a welcome blast of cool air.  Not a moment to spare, this bonfire would soon encompass  everything.  I dropped down into what was little more than a cave.  I secured the trapdoor closed again, it might afford me precious seconds.  Looking around, the space was illuminated by the flames above and I was able to make out a door which I now remembered led through a passage way and down to the lake.  

Sobbing uncontrollably now, I crawled and dragged and pulled myself, sweating and all but unconscious  from the heat, through the door and along the tunnel.  And there was light at the end - or at least moonlight. I will never forget the feeling of unbelievable relief as the blessed cool night air touched my cheeks.