Concealed Intentions: Day 20

Word Total: 120,021

Year to Date: 870,278

Summary of Events:

Borden and Honour hiked through the woods, with Borden making sure that they didn't head too far north too fast, lest they be forced to cross the busy divided highway in that direction. Nadia was taken by Horea to Berlin, where she was introduced to a man who gave Horea ten million lei in exchange for her, leaving her horrified and distraught. Having finally reached Prince George, Borden was able to keep in trees most of the way to Honour's house, but encountered men with guns while skirting along the edge of a housing development, and so had to run through the trees; reaching the hockey arena, Borden ordered Honour to go on ahead of him and stopped to confront the gangsters, striving only to wound . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

After taking down one or two dozen men in their gun arm, Borden recognised Dane among those firing at him and hesitated. Dane fired calmly and pain tore through Borden’s right hand and fingertips.

Borden looked at his hand from both sides. It looked like Dane had hit him squarely in the middle, his middle and ring fingertips were bleeding as well. Now he was going to need to go to the hospital whether he liked it or not.

Dane smirked and stalked closer to him. Borden felt a wave of anger rise in him. He still considered Dane a friend, even after what Dane had done to Ty, but he could see the cold-bloodedness in Dane as he stalked closer and prepared to fire again.

In spite of the pain in his hand, Borden used the thumb and forefinger to advance the next round into the chamber and fired straight into Dane’s right shoulder, but Dane didn’t stop coming at him, so he advanced the next round and fired it as well.

Immediately Dane’s smile fell away and his gun dropped to the ground. 

Seeing no more men looking like they were going to fire at him, Borden turned and ran . . .

Passing a funeral home and a church, Borden came upon a schoolyard; he kept walking, pretty sure Honour lived north of the school, but the sound of crying turned his attention back to the school and he saw Honour curled up by a set of blue doors that led into the building.

Quickly Borden jogged up the walkway to where Honour was. He put a hand on her shoulder and she startled.

“Oh Mister Borden!” she cried with delight, wrapping her arms about his neck. 

Borden embraced her back with his left arm, feeling a tentative relief. He’d shaken the gangsters at the very least, and that ought to keep Honour safe at least for a time.

After awhile Honour let go and looked at him. “The bad guys won’t come back?”

“I can’t be sure,” Borden replied. “But I think I’ve at least lost them, when you’re home the police can keep you safe too, let’s go.”

“Mister Borden, your hand,” Honour pointed, looking with shock at the bloody wound.

“Yeah, they got me, but at least it’s the hand I don’t write with,” Borden said. “I promise I’ll go to the hospital and get the doctor to close it up, but you need to get home first, come.”

Borden straightened and Honour took hold of his left hand — the one she usually held anyways — and Borden led her back to the Boulevard, along which they walked north, crossing Rainbow Drive with the lights.

Honour towed him left at the Salvation Army church and down along what Borden found was called Reid Crescent until they reached a nice-looking house with an attached garage that looked to be not more than twenty years old.

Her hand slid off of his fingers and Borden stopped as she hurried to the door and rang the doorbell. He stepped behind the short spruce tree in the front yard and watched as the door opened.

“Honour!” Isabel — looking only slightly more mature and maternal than she’d looked some ten years ago — cried, dropping to her knees and wrapping Honour in an embrace.

In spite of himself Borden felt tears prick his eyes. He’d done it. He’d brought Honour home.

Next Post: 30 September