Chapter 14

The trouble started the other side of Sheffield.

Travel through the valley had been uneventful, and the train made good speed. Even though Sheffield was a prime industrial target, it had received relatively little bombing. Julia was scornful. "The Russians have infiltrated cadres into the area and don't want to kill their own! Very caring of Stalin don't you think?"

Their passage through the city took on a surreal feel as they looked out on a city that seemed untouched by the ravages of war. After all the devastation they had witnessed, the ruins, the stink, the gaunt and grieving faces, Sheffield seemed obscene somehow. Children playing in the streets, open air markets, washing on the lines, happy, smiling faces, hands waved in passing.

Breaking free of the city, the train began its trek out of the valley and up through the hills towards Doncaster. The were making good speed, even though they were now ascending the slopes. They passed through cuttings and a few short tunnels. All was well until they entered a rather longer tunnel.

Suddenly the train lurched. The screeching of the brakes and then gun shots.

Crouching low, David was grateful for the British mania for blackouts. He edged his way to where Julia and Liz were huddled. "You OK?" he whispered.

In the gloom he could see that Julia held a small gun at the ready. "We're fine" she hissed. "But we need to get Liz back to her cabin, this open carriage is too vulnerable."

David understood what she meant. One grenade through the window and it would be mincemeat for dinner! They began to edge their way back down the carriage. Julia taking point and David protecting the rear. They kept low and quite. Suddenly the sounds of guns exploded in their ears. Muzzle flash, and the whine of ricochets overwhelmed their senses. Even though the fighting was at the front of the train, their ears were ringing and they were partially blinded from the strobe of the flashes.

David leaned over to Liz, and whispered in here ear, "If we have to fire our guns, keep your mouth open, and put your fingers in your ears" She nodded. Though she looked nervous, he also felt that she was furious, certainly not a woman who took kindly to be shot at!

"Where's Josh?" she asked.

"I think he's with some of the troops in the front carriage."

They were now at the junction between the dining and sleeper carriages. There had been no exchange of gunfire for what seemed several minutes, but David knew how time seemed to play all sorts of trick when any breath could be your last.

Again shooting erupted. This time someone must have been hit as there was screaming, and very not communist cries of "O God! I'm hit! O God" David smiled grimly. In the flashes of the fire-fight, he caught the movement of the door opening. Julia and Liz by this time had moved into the sleeper carriage and so David, steadied his gun and waited.

The train door opened outwards. From where David knelt, in the gloom he could see a hand grip the support rail and another the door. Some grunting and puffing later a large shadow loomed tall.

"All clear" the shadow whispered into the darkness. Just then, some more shots were fired, and David got his first glimpse at a British Communist saboteur. He looked a bit worse for wear, his clothes were sooty and he seemed rather stooped. His back was to David, and he was leaning out of the carriage. "Pass me oop me gun" David winced as the barrel of a gun was thrust up and the man grabbed it.

'No time like the present' David thought. Gathering himself together he quietly stood, and as the man began to turn around and step into the carriage proper, David cold-cocked him across the head. He hardly grunted, as his legs buckled and he began to fall.

With his free hand David grabbed the gun from his opponent's now limp fingers. Fortunately, again there was a round of gunfire from the front of the train which covered the noise of the man's collapse onto the floor.

Another set of hands were getting ready to lift someone aboard. They hesitated. "You OK Johnny?" came a whisper.

David whispered back hoarsely, "Yeah". All the time hoping that English and American whispers sounded the same. He holstered his pistol and gripped his new gun. Some sort of double barrelled shotgun from the feel. He checked the safety was off and waited till a head popped into view

"'ere, grab me gun!' came the whisper" Another barrel came into view. David grabbed it ... Placing it on a nearby table David again readied himself. Some grunting ensued and soft swearing and another of the gang came into view. Pulling the first trigger, David was semi blinded and deafened by the flash and roar of the gun.

'That's the good thing about shotguns' he thought. 'No need to aim at this distance!" He watched as what was left of the man's head fell away. Stepping up to the door, he pointed the gun out and down and fired again.

Dropping the gun, he picked up his other weapon of opportunity. Another shotgun. 'Where next?" he thought as he closed the train door. A small calibre gun fired further back in the train. 'Julia!' "Damn!" Not worrying about keeping silent. David raced toward the sound of gunfire. "Damn! Damn! Damn!" In the dim light he could see Julia laying prone on the floor of the carriage hallway. Stepping over her, David raised his gun and fired. The noise of the shot filled the enclosed space.

Coming to the corner of the hallway, David again fired; this time aiming the gun around the corner. Screams rang out. Dropping the gun, he drew his colt. Risking a look, he attempted to make out the results of his attack. Unable to see clearly, the groans seemed clear enough.