Road to Anywhere (boyxboy)

Chapter 6: Field of dreams

"We are in a different world now."

☆

"So…." Oliver says. "Where to?"

Morton pushes down the box of food into the footwell by his feet. "Do you have a map?" He wonders. 

"In there." Oliver points to the glove compartment, where Morton locates a small road map of Great Britain. 

"Can I pick anywhere?" He wonders as he begins to flick through the pages at random.

"Within reason. I don't think we would ever make it to Scotland." Oliver laughs, as the gear stick crunches as he manoeuvres it. "Let's just get out of the city for now. 

"That's given me an idea." Morton says, locating the page where they were currently driving. "Let's visit the countryside. I've not seen a cow in a field for years."

"Are you joking?" Oliver looks at Morton with surprise. "We could go anywhere within reason and you want to go see a cow?"

Morton shakes his head. "Not just a cow, I want to enjoy the peace of the countryside. The city never goes quiet." He points out. 

"I guess," Oliver chuckles. "If you want cows, I can give you cows, but please, let me pick the next destination after that."

"Ok, deal." Morton grins as he settles back in his seat, not even bothered at how his body was being bounced and jolted left right and centre. He was just glad to feel free for once in his life. 

***

They continue to drive for a couple of hours until it could finally be said that they had reached the rolling hills of the countryside. "There are your cows." Oliver says as he glances out of the window at the scattering of Holstein Friesian in the open field. 

Morton takes it all in. He didn't know why he was getting so excited but found his body sit up to see the view. "This is the countryside." He says, glued to the scene. "Pull over." 

Oliver slows the van and stops by a gate. "Hey…hey" he doesn't even get a chance to switch off the engine before he sees Morton open his side of the van door, get out and proceed to climb over the gate. He quickly undoes his seatbelt and gets out of his side of the camper. "What the hell are you doing?"

"This is a moment!" He shouts over his shoulder. "I want a selfie with a cow." But it seems the herd think otherwise as they begin to scatter when they see Morton run towards them. 

"You idiot! You're gonna get trampled on!" Oliver shouts, staying on the much safer side of the gate. 

"Hey cows! Come back. I just want to make a memory!" Morton hollers to the unwilling participants. 

"Hey, hey you there!" Oliver looks to his left to see from out of nowhere, a rather old looking man with a honch of a belly doing a slow motion run towards Morton in welllies. He then sees Morton suddenly change course and run back towards the camper. The cows now spread wide and moo loudly. 

"DRIVE!" Morton shouts with wide eyes as Oliver seems to snap out of his stare to suddenly get back in the campervan. The doors close and Oliver turns the key, but the engine fails to start. 

"Come on, fuck!" Oliver curses, but is too busy to see the man getting nearer. 

"Shit! He's got a gun. HE'S GOT A FUCKING GUN!" Morton shouts as the man proceeds to pull something from around his shoulder on a strap. 

"Come on, come on!" Oliver hopes and prays as he finally gets the van to start as it screeches away down the road. Morton looks out of the wing mirror to see the man slowly lower the weapon. 

"He had a fucking gun!" Morton repeats, only turning around when he could see the man no more. 

Oliver just stays focused on the road ahead, trying his best to not see his life flash before him. "You fucking idiot! What were you thinking of, running into a field of cows like that? That's someone's land." 

"I'm the idiot? He's the one with a gun." Morton repeats for the umpteenth time. 

"We're in a different world now." Oliver says as the cows disappear from view.

Morton huffs a breath as he sits back in his seat once again. "The countryside sucks." He grumbles. 

"It might not be so bad." Oliver says, trying to stay positive, as a picturesque scene comes into view over the horizon, as there in front of them were the rolling hills, with the sun hanging rather low in the sky. 

A wave of serenity washes over the occupants of the camper as they begin to drive down a narrowing and winding road, the ground getting bumpier as it seemed to enter a small village, nestled in the valley…