As soon as they returned to the basement, Red wasted no time.
Red: Everyone, listen up. The Marauders are getting too damn close, it’s only a matter of time before they find us, and we can’t take that risk. The basement is no longer safe – we need to move, and we need to move tonight. Pack what you need, whatever food we have left, a bottle of water and be ready to move as soon as we can. Help each other.
Seb: So where are we going? What’s the plan?
In truth, Red hadn’t had time to fully form a plan. He knew if they could get as far as the Bridge Street underground station, just a block away down by the river, that they could use the tunnels to escape unseen. Well, hopefully that is, and as long as nothing went wrong. He had heard rumors of a safe house on the outskirts of the city, but it would still take a reasonable amount of time to get there, especially while shepherding a group of scared kids.
Red: We’ll all make for the Bridge Street underground station and take things from there. That station has a few underground shops and places to hide if we need to. We’ll use the subway tunnels to get as far away from here as we can.
The clan spent the next half hour in hurried preparation to leave. In the general hubbub of activity, a small voice called out.
Lewis: I can’t find Dogger!
Lewis was standing in the middle of the basement, and looking like he was just about to burst into tears. Raven was rolling up a sleeping bag, and was busy attaching it to the straps on his backpack.
Raven: Hey Lewis! He’s over here! Dogger was under that pile of blankets.
Lewis spun around anxiously, worried and relieved, all at the same time.
Lewis: Thanks Raven! I’ve had Dogger ever since I can remember. He’s the only thing I have left from – he paused – you know, before.
Raven handed Dogger over to Lewis who took him and squeezed him tight.
Raven: Make sure you look after him Lewis, I don’t have anything left from before. I wish I did.
The Great Collapse was a time of great upheaval and loss; things and people were easy to lose in the midst of chaos. Each boy in the clan had their own story, of how they were once alone and lost, and then found by Red and his clan.
It was time to move. Red had paired everyone with a buddy, the idea was that if anyone got separated from the main group, that they would help each other to get to the underground station. As quietly as they could, they made their way back up to the entrance of the basement for the last time. Red led them around to the back of the office building, where a back alley way would take them down through the block of buildings that led to the river, avoiding the more exposed street. They moved as fast as they dared, keeping to the shadows as much as they could. Moonlight made pools of light that interspersed with the shadows and cool wisps of mist, as they made their way towards the river.
Eventually, they were almost at the wide arterial road that ran along the river. Crossing the road would offer them very little cover. At the end of the alley, while still in the relative safety of the shadows, they paused.
Red: OK, so far so good. We’re gonna cross the road in pairs, head down the embankment to the edge of the river, and then make your way back along the river to the bottom of the bridge. Once we are all there we’ll make for the station.
The boys proceeded to cross the road in pairs, making the most of those darker moments when the clouds briefly covered the direct light of the moon. Finally the last pair to cross were Red and Raven. Choosing their moment, the last two made their dash across the road. Half way across, the brisk wind took away the clouds covering the moon and the road was bathed in moonlight. Red and Raven now committed, kept going, there would be no cover until they reached the embankment of the river edge. Had they been seen? In the distance, a block or two away they could hear the distinctive roar of the Marauders vehicles.
Reaching the far side of the road, they scrambled over a low nib wall, sliding the rest of the way down the sloping river wall, to the muddy narrow strip between the bottom of the wall and the river. They gathered themselves together and immediately started to make their way along the river edge. They passed a storm water outlet and judging by the smell emanating from it, they were not the only ones that had been tipping toilet waste down the storm water drains. Soon they saw the pile foundations of the rail bridge that crossed the river, where the others were waiting, deep in the shadows under the bridge.
Red: Is everybody here?
A few brief nods gave him the answer.
Lewis was still clutching tightly to Dogger.
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