Deep Water by Mark Ayre (best big ereader TXT) 📕

He came again. Abbie swung the knife left and right, trying to deter him with eight inches of steel. But he was bright. Rather than try to kick and risk Abbie slicing his ankle, he aimed to stamp, using the base of his boot as a shield when he brought it down.

Still not standing, Abbie was retreating. Baldie missed once, missed again. Abbie sliced his outer ankle, drawing blood, and he found her stomach with a stomp. Pain shot through her middle, and instinct forced her to fold over. The move almost led to her impaling her own leg.

She was on her side now in a half foetal position. Baldie's next stamp found her hip, the one after that her shoulder.

Sensing a chance, Baldie sent a steel toe at Abbie's stomach. To block the foot, Abbie had to catch the boot with both hands.

She slowed the attack. Still felt steel hit her stomach and another shot of agony through her middle. By now, her behind was throbbing with constant waves of pain.

To catch the boot, Abbie had been forced to drop the knife. As soon as Baldie felt the connection with Abbie's stomach, he yanked his boot from her hands and trapped the blade, whipping it away and towards the mouth of the cave.

He smiled.

"Oh, don't," said Abbie. "You look hideous."

He kicked again. Abbie blocked again. Again, he still got her stomach before yanking away his foot.

He kicked again. Abbie went to block. This time he pulled out, turned the kick into a stamp, and used it to force her onto her back. To keep her pinned, Baldie put one foot on her hip and lifted the other from the ground.

He raised his knife.

His foot was on her left hip. Abbie lifted from the right and slammed a palm into Baldie's inner thigh, compromising his balance and forcing him to remove his leg.

Freed, Abbie tried to sit. Baldie dropped knee first onto her chest, sending her crashing back to the hard floor. His knee pinned her, his bodyweight crushed her.

"Uh oh," he said.

"What, didn't wet yourself, did you?" asked Abbie. It would have been funnier if his knee on her chest hadn't ruined the strength of the delivery. His eyes gleamed.

"Stop."

It was Tony, standing back, hand out like a policeman halting traffic. "Leave her alone."

Simply charging Baldie might have been the smarter play. Tony could have aimed to knock Abbie’s assailant over or to rush past and snatch the knife. Abbie didn't point this out, lest it ruin Tony's mood when he thought he was helping.

Baldie also knew Tony's course of action was sub-optimal. Combined with his trembling voice and the context suggesting Abbie had attempted to keep him away from the fight, Baldie decided Abbie was still the threat. He kept his eyes on her, even as he spoke.

"Back off, mate, I'll deal with you next."

"No," said Tony. But there was no power to the word, and he made no move to help. Abbie's hands were by her side. Baldie had the knife pointed her way, and his knee on her chest sapped her strength. She'd need her hands for when he struck. She wanted the power to throw him off.

She hoped Tony would still charge Baldie but wasn’t counting on it.

A pained groan entered the cave ahead of a stumbling man. Abbie turned to see Blondie pick up his knife. Though he still looked awful, his face bloody, his mouth missing a couple of teeth, the steel seemed to lend him strength.

"Cut up the boyfriend," said Baldie.

"He's not my boyfriend," said Abbie.

Blondie released another pained moan but stumbled towards Tony.

"Name," Abbie said.

Tony was staring at Blondie, who was getting closer and closer, but said nothing.

With his free hand, Baldie stroked Abbie's hair.

"You're beautiful," he said. "But not for much longer."

Tony still wasn't speaking. He had backed up to the rear wall of the cave. His foot hit the coffee cup and the lid spilt off. He went down beside it, pulling his knees towards his chest and throwing his arms over his head, which he turned towards the floor.

"Damn it," said Abbie, her voice half choked by Baldie's knee. "Anthony Rayner. Anthony Mitchell.”

"What?"

"Anthony Rayner nee Mitchell.” This wasn't quite right. She guessed Baldie would catch her drift.

Blondie had passed them and now stood above Tony. Tony had removed his hand from his head and suddenly seemed distracted. He reached for the ground as Baldie registered what Abbie was saying and looked across the cave.

"Shit," he said. "Just keep him there, don't hurt him."

Blondie turned back towards Baldie, frustrated, bordering on angered. Ignoring his colleague, Baldie turned to Abbie and held the knife in front of his chest.

"No get out of jail free card for you," he said. "Now, where should we start? Think I'll cut out an eye."

He raised the knife, the tip hovering over Abbie's right eye. Though afraid, she would force herself to wait for the last second. When his arms swung, he would be easier to toss from her chest.

Assuming she caught his wrists in time.

At first, Blondie watched Abbie and Baldie with excitement. Hearing something on his other side, he turned in time to see Tony put a bullet between his eyes.

In the small space, the shot was deafening. Baldie's eyes flicked to the gun. His attention stolen; Abbie grabbed his knife hand in both of hers and swung it in an arc, ramming the blade into his stomach.

Now Baldie's eyes returned to Abbie, who bucked her hips and twisted while keeping hold of his knife hand, throwing him to his back and swinging astride his waist in the same move.

Abbie could feel Baldie trying to remove the blade, but his strength was fast deserting him. His other hand rose, grabbed at Abbie's shoulder, then flopped back to the cave floor.

The reverberation of the gunshot seemed still to be bouncing around the cave. There was no one nearby. The cavern might have contained the sound.