From that point on, it was easier; with branches to hold and step on, we soon reached the perch at the top. I brushed the old dead leaves away from the junction of wide branches that radiated away from the trunk, forming the natural seat. Then I swung my backpack round to the front and sat down, resting my back against the tree trunk. Both of the girls snuggled in either side, the perch holding us all easily. From underneath we would be invisible and I could feel the girls relax slightly against me.
I could hear movement in the woods around us; the noises drew nearer, rustlings of people below, moving, searching. We had reached the perch just in time. I sat motionless, cradling the girls, desperate for a drink of water. Finally, after about twenty minutes, the sounds moved far enough away that I could slowly reach into my bag for my bottle. The water tasted like heaven. It was then that I noticed that the girls didn’t have their rucksacks. ‘Where are your bags?’ I said quietly as I handed Alisha the water bottle.
‘Mark and Freya took them at the golf course so we could run faster,’ whispered Jasmine. I nodded, that had been good thinking on their part. Had they reached the main road? If they had made it out of the woods, their bikes should have taken them well inside the M25 and safe.
I took out my phone; I had a good signal but I was wary of using it. The soldiers were quiet, but I hadn’t heard their bikes start up, so I knew they hadn’t left yet. I switched it to silent; if it rang, we would be exposed and trapped. The moon had slipped towards the horizon during our flight and the sky was beginning to lighten at the edges, but looking down, the ground below us was invisible. Occasionally the undergrowth rustled; it was probably just nocturnal creatures scurrying through the bracken, but every movement of the leaves sounded loud and clear in the cold dark night. Where was David?… and what was he doing?
On the edge of my hearing there were voices, volume rising; they were moving closer, the girls pressed against me and I sat so still I almost wasn’t breathing at all. The voices were directly below; David and another man.
‘We’ve combed the woods; they’re not here, where exactly do you want us to look?’ It was a Scottish accent, the voice deep and gravelly with a hint of impatience.
‘We can’t let them get away,’ said David, ‘they’re due to go and work on the salmon farms and you know how desperate we are for workers, the Scottish employees keep disappearing into the hills.’
‘And whose fault is that… no Scot would accept such awful conditions.’
‘Could we get more men?’ David pleaded, ‘surround the woods and work our way to the fence?’
‘No. I’m not keeping my men out here any longer, you need to accept that you’ve lost these ones and get some new recruits, they’re not exactly hard to find; the cities are teeming with kids.’
I heard the sound of footsteps converging to our right. The area below was silent and then I heard the sudden jarring roar of a motorbike. Several others started up in concert and the sound increased in volume before slowly fading into the distance.
The sky was lightening rapidly, and I could see that the ground below me was clear. ‘Wait here’ I whispered to the girls. I shuffled round in my seat, finding handholds and stepping down onto the branches below me. I got to the point where the branches disappeared and, reaching down for somewhere to rest my foot, slipped. I clutched desperately at my handhold but my arm wrenched free and I fell, crashing into the bracken below.
There was a cry or alarm from above, but I lay stunned for a couple of seconds unable to move or reassure them. Then I gave a convulsive cough, rolled over and came to my knees. I looked up at the perch to see two anxious faces peering at me over the edge. I waved weakly. I would have a couple more bruises and scratches to add to my collection, but it had only been a drop of about eight feet and I was fine. I stood up wincing as my ankle took my weight… maybe not so fine, but I could still walk. I brushed myself off, checking my backpack. Everything seemed ok.
I looked around, which way was home? I walked in one direction a little way and then turned back, uncertain. At that moment, the sun rose properly and the rays streamed between the trees. East! That way was east. I smiled and half-turned, just about to call up to the girls to come down, but standing between me and the tree was David, squinting against the sun’s rays.
‘Zoe’ he said. He seemed remarkably calm.
I stepped back, silent.
‘Where are the kids?’ he asked, stepping forwards.
I stepped back again, and he followed, it was like some weird sort of formal dance. ‘I… I don’t know,’ I said, the words catching in my throat, willing myself not to look up at the girls. I hurt in too many places to count and was tired and limping and he seemed bigger and more threatening than ever, but there was no way he was getting those kids.
He lunged forward, grabbing my arm, the calm disappeared in an instant, ‘you’re lying’ he screamed, spittle flying. From his pocket, he pulled a flick knife and it sprung open, the morning sun flashing along the blade.
I reacted instinctively, arm flicking in a wrist release, and dodging away. ‘David, stop, what are you doing?’ I said.
‘Taking a leaf out of your book.’ He slashed with the knife, and I could see the madness in his eyes. ‘Do you know what everyone thinks? Irina told everyone how she found me, tied up in your kitchen, towel over my head. I’m a laughing stock.’ He slashed again, fury shaking his hand.
I dodged, I couldn’t get away; he was bigger and faster. I was going to have to try to get the knife off him. I watched it mesmerised, but then switched focus, he was telegraphing every move, all I needed to do was step in and block inside his wrist. He would drop the knife if I hit his arm hard enough. I had practised the move for years. I could do it, I took a breath, and dodged again as he slashed, then again, he was getting closer and I still wasn’t doing anything.
‘Do you like my knife?’ he said, ‘I’ve been carrying it around ever since you pulled that stunt.’ He slashed and I dodged again. ‘It’s funny, it makes me feel powerful.’ He lunged, and in that instant I stepped forward and sliced out with the edge of my hand, hitting his wrist with all the force I could muster. I let loose a flurry of blows to his body and face and he leaned back, teetering, and then fell. There was a dull crack as he hit the ground and he was still.
I stared down at him, adrenaline still coursing through my system. Had I killed him? Remorse flooded through me and I dropped to my knees, leaning over, desperately searching for signs of life. I lay my fingers into his neck as they did in the films, nothing, I pressed harder searching… there… I moved my fingers back a little… and felt the beat against my fingers… a pulse. He was alive.
I sat back on my knees as my heart banged in my chest, my eyes darting. The gleam of metal caught my eye, the knife… by his head. I reached forward to pick it up and saw the grey rock amongst the leaves. He was still unmoving, eyes closed but as I watched closely, I saw his chest rise and fall. I had to know. I leaned forward and felt under his head but my hand came up clean, there was no blood.
There was a sound beside me and I whipped around, standing up, but it was only Jasmine and Alisha, down somehow from the tree and crying into my arms as I crouched again and hugged them to me. Eventually Jasmine pulled away a little.
‘I thought he was going to kill you,’ she said.