“We’re almost there,” Jan said. He was wrenching his large hands nervously.
Nick didn’t say anything. He was too tense. In the world that existed only a few days ago, meeting a stranger was no big deal. Now it was monumental.
The cable car levelled out at the top of the hill and entered the upper station. There was a man and woman standing there on the platform, anticipating their approach. They seemed cautious.
Nick’s cable car rounded the apex and began heading back on itself. For a moment, it felt like their hosts were going to send them all the way back down again, but then he realised that they were just waiting for Dave’s cable car to ascend onto the platform, too. When both cars were in the station, the motors stopped abruptly.
“Stay where you are,” said the woman on the platform. Nick saw that she was rugged, yet attractive; probably in her thirties. She wore a thick shirt and wellington boots, and was appraising them from behind some sort of control column.
He put his hands in the air and stood in the open doorway of the cable car. “We’re not dangerous.”
“Nor are we,” said the man who stood beside the woman. “Unless we have to be.”
Nick knew the man wasn’t making a threat. He was just being cautious and making it clear that the newcomers were expected to play nice.
And I intend to play nice. I just want to find somewhere safe and think about my son and wife.
The door to the other cable car opened. Dave stepped out.
“Hey,” said the woman on the platform. “Stay where you are.”
Dave carried on approaching, despite the order not to. He waved a hand and laughed heartily. “Don’t be afraid, sweetheart. We’re grateful for your rescue. My name is Dave and-”
“I said stay where you are!”
Dave took the hint this time and stayed still. He placed his hands out in front of him. “Alright, luv, whatever you say.”
The woman placed her hands on her hips. “I’m nobody’s luv. And you haven’t been rescued, yet. That will be decided in the next thirty seconds.”
Dave is going to ruin this for us all, Nick thought as he watched the woman bristle and take offence.
Several other people appeared on the platform and Nick counted that their hosts numbered at least six. All of the strangers carried makeshift weapons.
About the same size as our group.
A ginger-haired man approached the woman in wellington boots and seemed furious with her. “What the hell have you done, Anna?” he shouted. “We have no idea who these people are.”
“We’re not dangerous,” Nick assured them.
“Be quiet!” ordered the ginger man.
“There’s no need for rudeness,” Dave said.
The ginger man stepped forwards, getting up close to Dave. There was a brief stare-off between them. “I don’t think you’re in any position to discuss etiquette with me, sir. You have arrived on my property and I will decide how things proceed from here.”
“You own this place?” Dave asked, seemingly impressed.
“I am Mr Shawcross, the manager of Ripley Hall.”
Dave huffed. “You’re just an employee. You don’t own this place any more than I do.”
Jan leaned close to Nick. “What is he doing? He’s going to get us all kicked right back down this hill.”
Nick stepped out of the cable car and took a few steps forward. “Look,” he said. “My companion is being a little rude, but I promise you that we will respect whatever you say. We just want to find somewhere safe. Things have gotten really bad down below. Everywhere is in chaos.”
The woman in wellingtons stared at him. “You’ve seen the towns? Is there any order left at all?”
“None. People are infected with some disease and there’s nothing but chaos everywhere. That’s not the worst of it, though. The dead-”
“Are walking,” the woman finished. “We know. We’ve had our fair share of encounters.”
Nick deflated. He hadn’t wanted to hear that. “So it’s not safe here, either?”