X - Paige
Paige,
Josh and Charlie all stared out into the street in silence. They could still hear the creatures moving about
outside, could see the writhing wall of fog where they roamed, but there was no
sign of them advancing towards the department store. They just seemed to want to move about in the street, like a big
heard of cows made of mist.
“I think
we’re just an inconvenience to them,” Josh said after a few moments had
passed. “They don’t want to hunt us,
just get us out of the way.”
“Is that
what they've done to Henry?” Paige asked, unable to hide the shakiness in her
voice.
Josh didn't answer. Instead he kept staring out
into the street like he was expecting something to happen.
No. Not expecting. Hoping.
And then
it did.
Amidst
the no-noises of the monsters she could hear the sound of huffing and puffing,
the out of breath sounds of an old man trying to run, and growing louder, but
she still couldn’t see anything. She
took a step forward and tried to peer out around the broken glass of the
department store door. At first she
didn’t see anything else, and then, to her right, she caught a glimpse of
movement through the fog, a shadow clinging to the walls as the creatures
shifted nearby.
“I think
I see him!” she nearly shouted, reining her voice back in to a harsh whisper at
the last moment. She didn't want to get
the attention of those creatures, however they felt about her.
Josh
leaned out next and as he did so the shape began to resolve itself into the
outline of a person. By the time Charlie joined them it was clear
that it was Henry. The old man looked
more tired than ever as he staggered along the side of the street, one hand on
the wall, clearly out of breath. He ran
with a slight limp, and his free hand clutched at his hip. Josh reached an arm out towards him and
then, when he drew near, pulled him into the relative safety of the store.
“Oh thank
God, Henry,” Paige said as soon as he was inside, “we thought they’d got you!”
“I think…
they nearly…. did,” he replied, leaning against a tall hard-case trolley
suitcase whilst he regained his breath.
Now that
Henry was safely with them, Paige turned away from the street and took in the
ground floor of the department store.
Without Josh's torch it was difficult to see very much and the whole
shop had an atmosphere of gloom.
Innocent items like trampolines and knitting bags took on sinister
aspects and whilst it was clearly safer inside than out, it was not a welcoming
place.
This
isn’t like stopping by for a browse and a cup of coffee on a Saturday afternoon.
She had
no idea what they would do now, but as usual Josh took the lead. When it was clear that Henry had recovered
enough he motioned them all away from the door and they followed him deeper
into the store, towards the cash desks and racks of children’s toys.
“We still
need to make it into the city centre,” he said, “but I don’t suppose walking
down the street outside is the best plan for now. This store has a connecting tunnel to the shopping centre at the
end of James’ street, doesn’t it?”
Paige and
Henry nodded at the same time.
“Then I
propose we try that and stay indoors for as long as possible. Any objections?”
“Can we
not just rest here?” Henry asked. “We
could go to the bedroom department, or something.”
“I think
we’re best to keep moving until we find someone else,” Josh replied, “but if
you need a sit down for a while, I suppose ten minutes wouldn’t hurt.”
“Good,”
the old man replied, “I think furniture is on the fourth floor.”
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