Project Liberation (Chapter 2)

Chapter 2

18:06pm

Daegal could hear men shouting in the distance, but he didn’t look back. He ran on the right hand side of the garden along the white picket fence, heading for the edge of the forest just a few hundred metres away. The grass underfoot was finely trimmed to within an inch of nothing, and perfectly green, although Daegal took no notice. The voices slowly got quieter as Daegal began to tread over gravel, each step making a soft crunch. Daegal hurdled the wooden cattle gate and ran on into the forest. He turned around – nothing. He slowed to a brisk walk, keeping an eye out for soldiers.

He walked through the long corridor of dense fern, keeping to the edge of the shadows on the grass.  The corridor split into two sub paths, one left, one right. He knew that the left path headed towards Malmö town centre, and right led towards the rest of the village. Daegal turned left without thinking.

After a few hundred meters, the fern density thinned and there was a small clearing above. He looked up to the sky, black with cloud, but only faintly did he feel a raindrop splash against his face. He managed a weak smile.

Further down the path, Daegal came to a silver birch tree that was free of bark. The rain was not significant, but he knew that it would pick up and travelling would soon become difficult. He turned right and pushed his way through a haze of foliage, careful not to snap a twig, or bend a stem. He ducked under a large branch and pushed through into a clearing. He stood.

Beneath him, was a thick stream – or at least the remnants of a thick stream. Daegal grinned and hopped into the trench. It was maybe five feet deep and the same across. It had been a raging torrent the last time he had seen it. Now dry. Daegal walked across the riverbed and scampered up the bank on the other side.

He picked his way through a few more dense shrubberies before making it into a covered area. Daegal grinned and decided to survey it. The area was dark with variation of coniferous ferns and a yew tree. The nearby blackberry hedges provided cover, and of course, blackberries. He looked around; there was one way in and one way out. The large yew tree above his head sheltered the area from helicopters, the ground was dry, despite the rain. It was perfect.

Daegal decided to look for somewhere to rest. He remembered his Grandfather telling him a basic survival tip. “Some ferns are hollow on the inside…” Daegal pulled up the bottom skirt of the fern tree and clambered inside. The inside of the fern was pretty much hollow, a few branches here and there... Daegal shrugged off his pack and carefully placed the metal box down on the ground.

Daegal yanked at the zip on his pack and dipped his hand in. He rummaged around and pulled out a few old jumpers. He threw them onto the ground. He threw the pack to one side and laid out the jumpers in an orderly fashion on the flattest piece of ground. Soon, a temporary bed emerged. Daegal led down. The bed was just about big enough, but everywhere he turned a hard root pressed into his spine. ‘Maybe later…’ he thought, sitting up and leaning against the trunk of the fern tree. He closed his eyes and began to think. What did his Uncle need him for? Why did Dagmar kidnap his entire family? Daegal closed his eyes – leaving his mind to rest and clear.

July 12^th 2013

11:18pm

Three men were sat around a circular oak table in the middle of the dining room. The table was set for six, and the best cutlery had been put out. Dagmar sat with his elbows on the table and his arms folded, occasionally rolling his eyes and looking at his watch. The two other men stopped and stared at him. Dagmar stared back, his eyes like daggers. “Are we boring you, Dagmar?” addressed the oldest man. Dagmar sniggered and looked up, his arms still folded.

“Just a bit,” he complained, rechecking his watch.

“Well… If you listen, there might be something in here for you,” smiled the oldest man.

“Is it ice-cream?” he gasped sarcastically. The oldest man grinned.

“No, Dagmar. It’s not ice-cream. Both Albert and I have been talking, we think that it’s fair to leave you with some funds, and you can have the house too!”

“This old shack?” taunted Dagmar. The other man rose.

“Come on!” he growled. Dagmar stood.

“It’s not like you want to live here either, Albert. You’ve already hustled yourself a place!” he hissed.

“Boys!” shouted the oldest man. They both sat reluctantly. “Albert, Dagmar can call this house what he wants, and Dagmar, Albert’s sale to the Finnish military brought the SDO a huge benefice. I gave him the house as a bonus for such a sale… Now you can both just… Zip it!”

“You gave him the second largest safe house in the world!” complained Dagmar.

“Well, maybe if you were to do some work, you might get one too!” hissed Albert.

“Albert…” warned the older man. “Now… about the funds… Albert and I have decided that you two should split it equally.”

Dagmar shook his head. “How about, he has the shack, and I have the cash?”

“Absolutely not!” growled the older man, slamming his fists onto the table. Dagmar was silenced. “If you can’t accept that it is optional to leave an inheritance then… You can just leave and I’ll give it all to Albert!”

“This is an insult! I think maybe an offer of seventy-thirty sounds about right,” countered Dagmar.

“No!” replied the older man.

“You’re almost as bad as Mum… sixty-forty, final offer!” offered Dagmar. The old man put his head in his hands as Dagmar refolded his arms and leant back, apparently victorious.

“What have I done so right with one son, which I have done so wrong with the other? Discipline!” hissed the older man. Dagmar sniggered. The older man looked up. “You’ve pushed the boat out too far now, Dagmar… Albert. How does full inheritance sound?”

“Well… What about Dagmar?” queried Albert.

“Nothing… He will get nothing…” smiled the old man. Dagmar sniggered. “Dagmar… You’re my son, but I can’t be around you anymore… I want you gone by morning or I’ll have the SDO arrest you.” He threatened.

“You’re forgetting something… I’m the high General, nobody from the SDO will arrest me,” he grinned. The older man shook his head.

“No. Not anymore… Dagmar, you’re fired. I love you, but I’ve had enough. I never want to see your face again.”

Dagmar shook his head, standing. “You’ll come to regret this!” he warned. Albert watched in shock as Dagmar left. A few seconds later, the front door opened, and was slammed shut.

That's the end of Chapter 2. I could really use some critical evaluation. Thank you.