‘And we can’t stay here,’ he told her, not unkindly. ‘Look, I think they’ve gone now, frightened by the fire. I’ll go out and look first and find out. Then I’ll come back for you.’
‘Don’t leave us.’ Violet clutched at his arm. He smiled at her, his face now visible in the red glow. She was a fine- looking woman, he thought. Probably married. Kids too.
Wouldn’t look at me twice at a more normal time. Pity.
‘All right. We’ll go together.’
‘No, no, I’m not going out there.’ Jenny crouched back against the opposite comer.
‘You must, my dear. You’ll suffocate here before very long.’ The smoke had begun to get heavier. ‘It’ll be safe now you’ll see.’ He reached out for her and forced her to her feet, Violet helping him. ‘When we get out, I didn’t want either of you to look round,’ he told them. ‘Just hold on to me and look straight ahead. And please trust me.’
Cautiously opening the door he shone his torch along the tunnel, although he hardly needed it now because of the glow from the fire somewhere back along the tram. Bodies were strewn all along the track as far as he could see, some amongst them still moving, some crawling up the tunnel, away from the carriage, others lying perfectly still. He thought he saw small shapes moving against them but wasn’t sure whether it wasn’t the flickering light deceiving his eyes. ‘Come along, ladies. Remember what I said and keep your eyes straight ahead - we mustn’t stop for anything - or any-body.’ Normally a compassionate man, he knew it would be fatal to try and help any of the injured. They would have to be rescued later.
He climbed down and reached up to help the young girl, who was shaking uncontrollably. He talked to her softly, coaxing her, trying to soothe her distraught nerves. Violet smiled down at him, frightened, but placing her life in this kind little man’s hands. They went forward, bending to escape the smokey upper air. Henry first, the girl next with her face against his back, Violet following up close behind her arms around Jenny.
They stumbled forward, trying to ignore the moans, the feeble cries for help. Henry felt a hand weakly grasp his trousers but it fell away at his next step. He knew he couldn’tstop, the lives of the woman and the girl depended on him.
He would come back with the rescuers. His duty now was to get the three of them out, to warn.the people at the station ahead. He heard a squeal and felt something soft squirm beneath his feet. Shining the torch downhe discovered a rat glaring up at him. He saw others all round - but these were different from others he’d seen. They were smaller.Normal. Hideous - but normal. He kicked out at it and it scampered away as another dashed forward and bit into Henry’s trouser leg.
Fortunately, it only tore into the material and he was able to bring his leg up swiftly against the wall, causing the rat to lose its grip and fall to the ground. He brought his foot down hard on its back and was shocked to hear the crunch of small bones breaking.
Jenny screamed.
‘It’s all right, it’s all right,’ he said quickly. ‘They’re ordinary rats. They’re dangerous, but nothinglike the big ones.
They’ll probably be more frightened of us than we are of them.’
Through her fear, Violet felt admiration well up inside her for the’ little man. She’d hardly noticed him on the train, of course. He was the type you didn’t really see. Just a face.
The sort of man you would never speculate about – just wouldn’t arouse the interest. ‘But now, down here in this frightful place, how brave he was. Rescuing her from this carnage. Her and the girl of course.
But how brave!
When Henry had killed the rat, Jenny had been forced to look around her. The sight caused her to retch.
She sagged against the wall, wanting to collapse but being held by the woman behind her. Why wouldn’t the man let them get back on the train where they’d been safe? She tried to stagger back but Henry caught her arm.
‘This way, dear. It won’t take long.’
As they stumbled on, they saw rats feeding on the corpses of men and women - people who had set out to work, thinking it would be the usual Monday, minds filled with small worries and small joys, never expecting to die that day.
Never expecting to die at any time in such a gruesome way.
The three went on, choking with the smoke, now and again falling to be picked up by the others, moving all the time, finally leaving the dead or maimed behind. Suddenly, Henry stopped, causing Jenny and Violet to bump into him.
‘What is it?’ asked the older woman anxiously.
‘Just ahead. There’s something there. I saw a gleam.’ He followed a silver rail with his torch-beam until it fell upon four black objects. Four giant rats. Waiting for them. Lurking in the dark, waiting for them.
Neither party moved for a few frozen seconds, then the human trio began to slowly back away. The rats just stared. Henry heard Violet gasp behind him and her grip tightened on his arm. ‘Behind us.
There’s more,’ she managed to say.
He whirled around and saw them. Two. Advancing stealthily towards them. He realised they were trapped. Now the four in front had begun to move forward, taking tiny crouching steps, the back muscles tensing, ready to spring.
Perhaps I could make it on my own, he thought. Jump over the ones ahead and keep running. The girl and the woman would never make it - but on my own there might be a chance.
‘Against the wall, ladies.’ He pushed them back, shutting out thoughts of escape from his mind. ‘Keep behind and if they try to get past me, kick out, hard as you can.’ He took off his jacket and wrapped it round his arm keeping the light from the torch on the rats now gathered before him. The girl hid her face against the wall, the woman began to weep for’ her children.
One rat moved forward, its chill gaze never leaving Henry’s eyes.
A light flashed from ahead in the tunnel. They heard voices. Footsteps. More lights. The whole tunnel lit up as the footsteps and voices grew louder.
The rats and the three people looked towards the sounds, neither group stirring. Scuffling noises brought Henry’s eyes back to the rats in time to see them disappear towards the burning train. Allexcept one. The one that had been closest was still there, studying the man. Not moving, seemingly unafraid,The solicitor’s clerk felt icy cold as though his very soul was being scrutinised. He became paralysed with fear.
Almost contemptuously, the large rat turned its head towards the approaching men, looked once again at Henry, and then fled.
‘Over here, over here,’ Henry called.
Soon they were surrounded by uniformed men: police and underground staff. As Henry told them of the appalling events, they stared in disbelief.
‘Come along, sir. Rats couldn’t - and wouldn’t - attack a whole train-load of people,’ a police sergeant said, shaking his head. ‘Giant or not, they couldn’t get into a train. Perhaps it’s the fumes, sir. They’ve made you a bit muddled.’
Violet Melray pushed roughly past the little clerk and shouted angrily. ‘Well go and bloody look then!’
and turned back, taking his hand into hers, said more softly, ‘Thank you. Thank you for helping us.’
Henry blushed and dropped his gaze.
‘Er, yes, well,’ the sergeant said, ‘we’ll go on. Two of my men will take you on to the station.’
‘No,’ Henry said. I’ll come back to the train with you.
You’ll need all the help you can get.’ He looked at the woman still clutching his hand. ‘Goodbye. I’ll see you again.’
Before he could pull his hand away, she stepped forward and kissed his cheek.
‘Goodbye,’ she whispered.
Chapter Eleven
Harris felt happy as he walked into the noisy classroom. The weekend had done him the world of good.
Must do it more often. Fresh air, open spaces. Green. Can’t beat it.
