mesmerised by the scene.
A large number of local tribesmen had arrived to view the carnage and
were seething around the two men’s vehicle. Suddenly the door opened and Bill
was dragged from his seat. All he could see were fists and boots and rifle
butts. Then it went black.
Chapter Nine
The pain in his face was matched by the pounding in his head. Bill found
it difficult to breathe through the musty, dusty cloth next to his face. He was
cold. But the fact that he was aware of it meant he was alive.
He tried to move and groaned with the pains of several areas of his body
hurting. As he took stock of his situation and tried to shift his cramped
limbs, he found himself tied around the ankles and the wrists, his arms behind
him. He stretched out his legs and felt the warm skin of someone else.
“That you, Ledge?” Bill’s voice sounded croaky. It was
several moments before there was a stirring and a groan.
“Where are we?” Ledge sounded equally croaky.
“We’re alive, but we won’t be for long. We’ve got to get out of here,
now!” Bill was recovering.
Bill got Ledge to shuffle around until they were side by side then told him
to lean forward and after several attempts was able to grip the top of the bag
over Ledge’s head in his teeth through both sets of material. After some
wriggling around he finally managed to hold it still while Ledge leaned back
again and freed himself from the bag over his head.
“What can you see?” Bill asked.
“Nothing. Its pitch dark in here,” replied Ledge.
With the absence of the bag over his head, Ledge found it much easier to
repay the favour, after banging heads together in the dark Ledge held the bag
with his teeth as Bill pulled back and got the bag off his head. At least they
were able to breathe more easily.
“They can only possibly be holding us until somebody important gets here.
Maybe we will get eyes on Abu Ukasha sooner than we’d
like!” Ledge appreciated the irony even in this desperate situation.
“Well we’ll find out why he’s so feared, I expect. Let’s see what we’ve
got.” Bill realised that not only were they hog tied, but they were naked. He
shifted his weight and managed with some difficulty in balance to stand up
against the wall he had been leaning against and started shuffling along the
wall by twisting from heel to toe. He could see a crack of light coming from
under a door and just as he noticed it his arm brushed against something. He
leaned against it. It was a light switch. “How modern,” he thought and
manipulated it with his shoulder.
They blinked in the startling brightness of the electric light which was
mounted in the wall at about head height. He saw that they were tied with cable
ties. “Very modern and quick learners,” thought Bill.
Ledge said, “You look a mess,” referring to the gross swelling of Bill’s
left cheekbone sticking out above his beard and the bruises and rivers of
congealed blood in several places on his body.
“You don’t look like Miss Universe, either,” he retorted, reflecting
Ledge’s similar evidence of beating.
The room was tiny, about one and half metres square, which Bill thought
must be a storeroom or cupboard…and it was absolutely empty apart from the two
men.
“Well. No handy sharp surfaces, knives or other tools …,” stated Ledge.
Bill said, “Grab that hood and come over here. Get your feet underneath
you against the wall here.”
Ledge grunted, not appreciating what Bill had in mind but immediately
complied and wriggled his way into position.
Squeezing the hood into the tiny space between his wrists, Bill explained
he was going to get onto Ledge’s back and try to reach the light. Once he had
arranged Ledge with his feet flat on the ground and bent over he swung his
buttocks onto his back, then swung his tied knees up onto Ledge’s back behind
his head and shuffled and shifted his weight until he was able to get his feet
under himself. It took two attempts to
A large number of local tribesmen had arrived to view the carnage and
were seething around the two men’s vehicle. Suddenly the door opened and Bill
was dragged from his seat. All he could see were fists and boots and rifle
butts. Then it went black.
Chapter Nine
The pain in his face was matched by the pounding in his head. Bill found
it difficult to breathe through the musty, dusty cloth next to his face. He was
cold. But the fact that he was aware of it meant he was alive.
He tried to move and groaned with the pains of several areas of his body
hurting. As he took stock of his situation and tried to shift his cramped
limbs, he found himself tied around the ankles and the wrists, his arms behind
him. He stretched out his legs and felt the warm skin of someone else.
“That you, Ledge?” Bill’s voice sounded croaky. It was
several moments before there was a stirring and a groan.
“Where are we?” Ledge sounded equally croaky.
“We’re alive, but we won’t be for long. We’ve got to get out of here,
now!” Bill was recovering.
Bill got Ledge to shuffle around until they were side by side then told him
to lean forward and after several attempts was able to grip the top of the bag
over Ledge’s head in his teeth through both sets of material. After some
wriggling around he finally managed to hold it still while Ledge leaned back
again and freed himself from the bag over his head.
“What can you see?” Bill asked.
“Nothing. Its pitch dark in here,” replied Ledge.
With the absence of the bag over his head, Ledge found it much easier to
repay the favour, after banging heads together in the dark Ledge held the bag
with his teeth as Bill pulled back and got the bag off his head. At least they
were able to breathe more easily.
“They can only possibly be holding us until somebody important gets here.
Maybe we will get eyes on Abu Ukasha sooner than we’d
like!” Ledge appreciated the irony even in this desperate situation.
“Well we’ll find out why he’s so feared, I expect. Let’s see what we’ve
got.” Bill realised that not only were they hog tied, but they were naked. He
shifted his weight and managed with some difficulty in balance to stand up
against the wall he had been leaning against and started shuffling along the
wall by twisting from heel to toe. He could see a crack of light coming from
under a door and just as he noticed it his arm brushed against something. He
leaned against it. It was a light switch. “How modern,” he thought and
manipulated it with his shoulder.
They blinked in the startling brightness of the electric light which was
mounted in the wall at about head height. He saw that they were tied with cable
ties. “Very modern and quick learners,” thought Bill.
Ledge said, “You look a mess,” referring to the gross swelling of Bill’s
left cheekbone sticking out above his beard and the bruises and rivers of
congealed blood in several places on his body.
“You don’t look like Miss Universe, either,” he retorted, reflecting
Ledge’s similar evidence of beating.
The room was tiny, about one and half metres square, which Bill thought
must be a storeroom or cupboard…and it was absolutely empty apart from the two
men.
“Well. No handy sharp surfaces, knives or other tools …,” stated Ledge.
Bill said, “Grab that hood and come over here. Get your feet underneath
you against the wall here.”
Ledge grunted, not appreciating what Bill had in mind but immediately
complied and wriggled his way into position.
Squeezing the hood into the tiny space between his wrists, Bill explained
he was going to get onto Ledge’s back and try to reach the light. Once he had
arranged Ledge with his feet flat on the ground and bent over he swung his
buttocks onto his back, then swung his tied knees up onto Ledge’s back behind
his head and shuffled and shifted his weight until he was able to get his feet
under himself. It took two attempts to
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