The sun had set now and the stars were starting to appear outside. I pressed my face against the windows and cupped my hands around my eyes to block out the light from the room, outside I saw the gate guard sitting in his sentry box. Surely it was seven-thirty by now, I looked at my watch, seven-twenty-eight. As I looked, the gate guard started to stir. I waited, watching intently until I was disturbed by the sound of the kitchen door opening. Hurriedly I pushed the panel back into place and locked it. I jumped up so I was standing by the nearest bookshelf when Peter appeared in the doorway.
‘Hi,’ I said nervously.
‘Hi,’ said Peter, ‘looking for something to read?’
I nodded, ‘are you making your rounds?’ I asked, pulling a random book from the shelf.
He nodded, ‘Have a good night.’
I watched as he walked up the stairs, absently thumbing through the book I had picked as I waited for him to return to the kitchen.
Once the house was quiet again, I peered out of the window to see the gate guard was gone. I opened the cupboard and removed three of the rucksacks, then crept to the front door; a rucksack on each shoulder and holding one in my hand. Tanya hadn’t lied, there was a simple Yale lock on the door; turning it would let me out. What she hadn’t said was that I could leave the door on the latch so it didn’t lock back again. I opened the door and moved towards the gate. I keyed in the code and looked around for the others, it was good timing; coming along the road was Freya.
‘Hey, how’s it going?’ she said quietly,
‘They’re all ok, locked in the back room and the key is outside like we hoped.’ I said.
‘What’s the plan?’ she asked
‘Wait until just before dawn, when everyone is asleep, and make a run for it.’ I handed her the rucksacks, ‘Can you take these and stash them back with the bikes? I’ll go get the other three.’
I ran quickly back inside, grabbed the other three bags, and then ran out again, checking the latch was off, I didn’t want to lock myself out and have to disturb Tanya or Peter. Outside Freya had been joined by Mark and he looked agitated.
‘David’s here’ he said.
‘What? Why? Are you sure?’ I asked, alarmed.
‘I saw him at the government presentations. All the different settlements were represented. David was there with some of the Chiltern camp councillors.’ Mark paced angrily, and I watched him worriedly. He hated the Chiltern councillors and had a look on his face that boded trouble.
‘Maybe you guys should hide up for now,’ I said, ‘take turns to watch the gate in case we have to leave early. Or wait further out by the golf course.’
Freya nodded looking at Mark, ‘Ok, don’t worry, we’ll sort something out.’
I hovered a second, then ran back inside. There wasn’t anything I could do about David except stay out of sight as much as possible. I walked quietly up my room, avoiding the creaking stair and lay down to wait.
The other guests trickled back in over the evening; they had obviously been celebrating and were very noisy. I put the pyjamas on over my clothes and lay in bed pretending to be asleep. I had been up since 4am and the bed was surprisingly comfortable, if I had been a real guest at the hostel, I would have been very put out by all the disturbances, but as it was, the noise kept me from drifting off. Eventually the other guests settled down and by 1am the room was full and everyone was gently snoring.
It got harder and harder to keep my eyes open. In desperation I set the alarm for 4am and put my phone on vibrate. I clenched my hand around the phone and stuffed it under the pillow, before drifting off to sleep. I woke abruptly; three hours later, confused for a second, before I felt the phone vibrate again and quickly switched it off. It had sounded loud in the darkness, but a snore rose from the next cubicle and I relaxed a fraction. I slid out of bed and crept forwards, trying not to let the floorboards creak. I glided to the door, cautiously placing each foot down and slowly transferring my weight. Even with all the care I took, the boards still groaned twice. Each time I froze but the snores continued and I made it to the hallway, the bright moonlight slashing sideways through the window, painting the wall a burnished silver, and shining in my eyes.
I stood at the window staring up at the full moon. Down below I could see the closed gate and yes, there was a shadowy figure couched by the gatehouse. I waved a couple of times until the figure stood and waved back.
I turned; the darkness in front of me was in sharp contrast to the brightness before and I stretched out my fingers to find the banister ahead. I crept down the hallway towards the locked door, it seemed a long distance, but suddenly my fingers were at the end of the bannister, the open stairway to my left. I inched forwards, until my fingers touched the wall. Back there in the shadows I could hardly see. My fingers scrapped over the doorframe and I turned to the left and reached up, fingertips scrabbling for the top of door. I strained upwards, standing on tiptoes, but was still a fraction too short. I stood back from the door, frustrated; I would need to find something to stand on to reach above the taller-than-normal doors. Then, right behind me, there was a muffled laugh and a hand reached over my head and took the key down from its position. I spun round so fast I almost fell over. Standing in the shadows, camouflaged in his black clothing, was Peter. How long he had been there I didn’t know, he had been utterly silent, waiting for me.
He handed me the key, which I took automatically. ‘What…’ I began.
‘I don’t believe in holding kids prisoner,’ he said quietly, ‘especially ones that don’t seem to have done anything wrong.’
‘But…’ I said, speechless.
‘I’m not here to guard them,’ he said, ‘I’m here to look after some people who actually should be locked up, in a proper jail, with the key thrown away,’ he indicated the door behind him and looked grim.
‘How did you know?’ I asked, managing to get out a real sentence.
‘I saw you earlier, in the doorway,’ he replied, ‘and you said you were a science teacher… you’re the one who helped them escape Wendover,’ he said.
‘I…’
‘It’s ok, I actually don’t agree with the current system of forced labour.’
‘Then why are you working for them?’ I asked.
‘It’s my job,’ he said, ‘and most of what I do is necessary to keep the county functioning with some sort of semblance of order.’ He reached into a back pocket and pulled out a card. ‘However, I admire what you’re doing, if you ever run into trouble you can’t handle, get in touch and I’ll help if I can.’ I took the card from him but it was too dark to read it. I put it in my pocket and unlocked the door.
Ruth was standing just inside with the others, all ready to go. I stepped forward and looked around, the room was dark, and I couldn’t see much, but they all seemed to be there. Drew, Kai, Eddie, Alisha and Jasmine. I turned around to thank Peter, but he was gone. I ushered everyone forwards and whispered, ‘mind the squeaky step’ as they streamed past. Drew was in front and he had reached the front door and unlatched in seconds. In no time at all everyone was out and free. I looked around one final time, Peter wasn’t anywhere to be seen. I stepped out and saw Jack in the courtyard, gate open, silently hi-fiving the others.
‘Let’s go,’ I whispered, urging everyone forwards. As I turned back for one last look at the house, something drew my eyes up to the large window on the first floor. There, standing at the window, was a figure. The silhouette looked familiar; moonlight outlined the face and beard. The figure stepped forwards and raised a hand to the glass… it was David. We had been discovered.