Chapter 12 – Stratton Factory

“You look funny,” Heath jeered.

“How many times are you gonna say that?” Cindy replied, tired of his immaturity.

“I dunno,” Heath shrugged. “You don’t look as funny as the taxi driver though, eh?”

“Yeah he was hilarious! I don’t think he understood English very well.” Cindy responded, amused. She was wearing a brown overcoat that was at least three sizes too big, her denim skirt and a baseball cap low over her eyes, which were hidden behind sunglasses.

Heath hadn’t had to change; he was still wearing his baggy blue shorts and red Hang Ten t-shirt. “It can’t be much further,” he complained.

“Don’t tell me you’re tired!” Cindy said in disbelief, “And no it shouldn’t be much further. I think we should start being careful,” Cindy advised whilst looking at all the industrial buildings surrounding her and Heath.

“Okay then,” Heath acknowledged.

The pair kept walking along the one-way street. They walked past lots of buildings, and most of them looked the same, except for one that Cindy pointed out. “That’s it,” she declared, pointing to a bigger factory than the ones they had past.

“How do you know?” Heath queried.

“I remember it from my vision,” Cindy smiled mischievously; she always did that when she lied.

“Oh,” Heath said, seemingly impressed.

“No you idiot! I read the sign, see?” Cindy admitted through her laughing at Heath. “You’re so gullible!”

“Yeah, yeah, the jokes on me, but I think we should be more serious now,” Heath said responsibly. Cindy shivered. Heath noticed and asked, “What is it?”

“You’re starting to sound like me,” she answered.

They came to the front of the building, it was fenced off and there was only a heavy gate that would be impossible to move. “Great, what are we going to do now?” Cindy said in disappointment. The gate was too high to climb over.

“Cindy, come here.” Heath called her over to a spot at the end of the fence where a bit of the wire was pushed in. He pushed it a bit harder and opened just enough to let the through. “Looks like Chelley’s handiwork,” he proclaimed. “After you,” Heath gestured that he wanted Cindy to go in first.

“Thanks,” she smiled at him. He was so charming.

She’d only taken a few steps in when someone jumped at her from a ditch with their hands out in front of them. “Stay back!” warned a desperate looking girl. It was Chelley!
“Oh, thank goodness it’s you,” Chelley sniffled when she recognised them, and stood back a bit.

Cindy had to catch her balance before she could ask Chelley a question, but even then she had to wait. Chelley collapsed onto her shoulder and started crying, “It’s all my fault,” she wailed.

“Chelley, calm down. Where are Amy and Brant?” Cindy inquired, patting her on the back.

“They’re gone, Amy and Brant are gone. They’ve captured them!” she howled heavyhearted.

“Chelley, it’s going to be okay,” Heath consoled her. “How many of them were there?”

Chelley sniffled again, “Two. I only just got away. Oh I hope they’re alright.”

“They’ll be fine, but we have get moving now if we want to rescue them,” Cindy put forth.

“You’re right, let’s go,” Chelley agreed, a determined look now on her face.

The three of them, Cindy at the front, Chelley in the middle and Heath at the rear, set off through a winding path between construction tools and sheds. When they came to a rather large open space Chelley said, “This is where it happened.” Cindy noticed that there was a tree in the centre of the opening.

“What’s a tree doing here?” Heath questioned.

“That’s what we were trying to figure out,” Chelley explained, “Then they ambushed us. They just appeared out of nowhere, it was terrible.”

“There’s no time for the tree now. Everyone be on the lookout,” Cindy said cautiously.

Cindy was in command, and, to her surprise, it came naturally to her.

As they were walking past the tree everyone was on the lookout for places where people could be hiding, but couldn’t spot any. They couldn’t hear anything either, apart from the wind rustling the leaves of the tree and some machine working in the distance. Cindy turned around to face the others, “Looks like it’s all clear,” she whispered. But she spoke too soon. Two men suddenly appeared behind Chelley and Heath. Cindy screamed, “Behind you!”

Heath was the first to react and he turned around to face them, just in time. He blocked a kick from the one on the left, and gave him a decent punch to the side of the head, throwing him off balance. Chelley was a little slower to react but also just turned around in time to weave under an aggressive blow from the one on the right.

The attackers came at them again and Heath and Chelley looked at each other, formed an understanding of some type, then stood next to each other with their hands open facing their opponents. Heath and Chelley braced themselves then pushed forwards with their hands. Chelley’s attacker flew backwards and banged his head against a shed; he was out cold, Heath’s attacker looked like some imaginary chains were holding him back; he couldn’t move anywhere. Heath went up to him and hit him over the head.

“A job well done,” Heath grinned at Chelley.

“Yeah, good work. What did you think Cindy?” Chelley quizzed.

Cindy was speechless. And when she finally thought of what to say she went up to Heath and Chelley and put an arm around each of them, “That was great. I’m sorry I couldn’t help.”

“Don’t worry,” Heath said cheerfully, “You’ll find your power soon enough.”

“I think I can help now, though,” Cindy proclaimed. “I think I know the way to the factory.”

“Great, lead on!” Chelley enthused, she was slowly returning to her old self again. In fact, everyone’s spirits seemed to have lightened. They were a team, and a good one at that.