Deadly thoughts

CHAPTER ONE





Philip Kingsley drove down the highway at 3.30 am he had , managed to put over 40 kilometres between him and the small town of Ravenshead.

There was no other vehicle on the road. Perspiration streaming down his face, he pressed his foot as far down on the gas pedal as it would go, cutting through the darkness of the night at a reckless speed.

He wiped a hand across his face; trying to slice away some of the perspiration that was now starting to sting his eyes. He placed both hands back on to the steering wheel and looked down at the brown package on the passenger seat beside him

.

He knew the moment he made the decision to flee Ravenshead he was on borrowed time, he didn’t expect to see the sun rise on another morning. His only goal now was to make sure the package got into the hands of someone that could put a stop to the terrible things taking place there.



The only person he could think of was Dr Eugene Harris a Head Professor at the Coburn Scientific Research Institute. Eugene had given a presentation on the complexities of the human mind which Philip attended seventeen years ago. Philip had been intrigued by Eugene’s theories and had found the Doctor very helpful. He had been overflowing with advice and guidance when he managed to speak to him privately after the seminar. Philip knew he was taking a big gamble that the address he had For Eugene was still correct but it was a gamble he had to take, time was short.

He looked through the darkness at the deserted road ahead; a signpost flew past informing him the town of Pineville was only ten kilometres away. He glanced up and checked the rear view mirror, he couldn’t risk going any further then Pineview. They couldn’t be far away now, Pineview would have to be the stage for his final act.



Ten minutes or so later he entered the town. He drove slowly passed the small shops that were scattered on either side of the main street. As he approached the end of town he saw the pay phone just outside a small gas station. He eased up on the gas and bought the ford he was driving to a stop and turned the engine off. He checked the rear view mirror again and scanned the area around him for any threats, apart from the homeless guy asleep in one shop doorway everything seemed fine, for now.



He leaned over to the glove compartment and retrieved the revolver with shaking hands. He got out the sedan, stuffed the revolver in his pocket and quickly walked over to the mail box. He stuffed the package inside, then went to the phone booth, frantically searching his pockets for change. He jammed all the loose coins he had into the money slot of the payphone and dialled the number that was written on the back of his hand. He waited.





He listened, a few clicks, some static and then a ringing tone came from the handset. He closed his eyes and wiped a hand down his face, sweat was dripping from him now. He stood there, seconds passing like hours, eyes shut handset to his ear, whispering a silent prayer he knew would fall on deaf ears, whilst his call continued to be unanswered. A noise, other than the perpetual ringing out of a phone far away, startled him and his eyes flew open. His heart pounding in his ears and hammering so hard he could barely hear the sound of the approaching vehicle. He slammed the handset back into the phone cradle and stood, silently still. A few seconds passed by, then a set of headlights turned a corner in the road up ahead and slowly approached. Philip watched headlights creep towards him and then come to a stop a few metres away from where he stood.

Then the unknown driver killed the engine.



The night suddenly went deadly silent as if all forms of life around him had also suddenly stopped and were watching, waiting. Philip’s heart continued to pound his whole body tense, as a bow string pulled to breaking point.

Then the silence was shattered as the sound of a car door slamming echoed through the still night. Philip’s heart almost stopped, as through the beam of the car headlights, a silhouette began appeared and began to move towards him. A calm and yet strong and confident voice called out to him, rippling through the darkness;

“Dr Kingsley, after everything we have been through, your actions have left us……..most disappointed. After all these years of hard and then as we stand on the brink of a world changing breakthrough….. you get cold feet! You want to walk away? You want to turn your back on probably the greatest scientific breakthrough in human history? Well Philip, I am afraid it doesn’t work like that. You, of all people should know, there is no stopping this now, no walking out and no second thoughts. So just give me what you have stolen and I will make this quick and painless. No need to drag this out any longer then we have too. Don’t you agree?”



Philip kingsly stood in front of the phone booth engulfed in the stranger’s vehicle headlights, tears rolling down his cheeks. He took a few cautious steps forward and then stopped. He listened to the stillness and quiet of the night around him and for the first time in many years he felt calm.



He pulled his hand out of his jacket pocket still holding the small revolver and whispered the words “please god forgive me “ He put the gun to his head and pulled the trigger.