“So this is who we are now,” Alex said between breaths.
I looked around and no one replied. No one corrected her as Cassie turned back to grab the wheel.
I didn’t look in our wake. I didn’t want to see the bodies slip under the water even though I knew they’d be long out of sight. Instead, I stared at the shoreline getting closer with each moment and a building sat on the edge, marked out by three rows of lights to our left. With more lights scattered across our view, I couldn’t help but think it was a positive sign, whilst knowing the opposite could also be true.
“That must be the place,” I said. No one disagreed.
As the darkness of the land built, I licked my dry lips, regretting the salty taste and last drink of water I couldn’t remember taking.
It wasn’t long before we were just off the coast and Cassie slowed the engine and made another turn. No one spoke as I stroked the length of Shadow’s back, pretending it was for his reassurance.
We aimed for a sandy beach and I shuddered as I realised we were going to get wet again.
Soon we heard the familiar scrape of the keel on the sand below and we lurched to a stop, despite the engine noise rising as Cassie tried to get us as close to shore as possible. The engine soon silenced after a last-minute flurry and we were left with just the waves slapping gently against the hull and washing to the shore.
“Come on,” Jess said, waving her hand to the water as Cassie threw the anchor over the side with a splash.
I peered along the edge of the beach, scouring in the white moonlight for any movement. Beyond the sand, light glowed from over the dunes but when no one called the alarm I watched Jess, then Cassie, lower themselves backwards over the edge and slip near-silent into the water, which came just below the knee.
Grateful for the water’s height, I handed over the rifles as they beckoned us to join them.
Alex lowered herself down next, gliding with as much grace as the pair had, then she stood at the edge of the boat as I corralled Shadow to let Alex take him.
Slipping as my foot touched the edge, I landed heavily in the freezing water, sending out a great bow wave. Flashing a silent apology all around, no one seemed to care as we strode with wide steps to the beach and I wondered if they too could feel their legs already going numb.
Revelling at the solid ground, and with the freezing cold coursing down my ankles as we rose out of the water and on to the beach, I wasn’t able to stop their sway even though the motion of the waves was only a memory.
Lowering Shadow to the beach, Alex wrapped her arms around her from the cold as she rushed to catch up with Jess and Cassie. She caught up as they stopped with their heads rising just above the level of the dunes and I soon joined at their side, Jess handing over the rifle.
I looked at the gun in the dark, trying to make out how it differed to the one I’d used before, but it was too dark to tell.
“Anything?” I asked, leaning into the group and looking out across the thin grass rising up on a bank.
“No,” someone whispered in the background of the lapping waves, but I couldn’t tell who and I followed as they each moved to the left, rising up the dune and heading towards a coastal wall where Shadow rushed off, sniffing the sand.
Halting by the wall, I stamped my feet against the cold, but stopped as Jess turned around.
“I’m going ahead,” she said, her voice low. “It’s your best chance.”
“Bad idea,” I said, leaning in. We gathered up and Cassie spoke.
“But what if she can free the children without getting you into danger?”
“Exactly,” Jess replied, looking to Alex.
“No,” Alex and I said almost at the same time.
“We go together,” I added.
Without a chance of discussion, Alex moved off at pace and we followed in a cautious line behind. Rising up the beach whilst keeping the sea wall to our left, I peered along a well-lit static caravan park coming into view to our right.
Passed the deserted park, I focused on a spaced-out line of figures, stopping as the others did.
“They’re a long way off,” I said.
“But if we can see them...” Cassie added.
I nodded, edging closer to the wall.
We waited, each of us gazing at the distant line. As the minutes passed by, I was sure I saw long rifles held out, reminding me to have hope because we hadn’t already been picked off by snipers or charged by a hoard of the undead when we rushed up the beach.
Perhaps the chaos had been contained in the South West and the rest of the country could be saved?
Chancing a move, and with great care, I walked along our line, stopping where Alex still peered out to the horizon.
I glanced across at the dark foliage clinging to the wall as it snaked out in front, then realised someone was missing.
“Where’s Jess?”
80
JESSICA
Slipping away along the path as they stared out at the line of soldiers, I knew going it alone was the right thing to do. What Toni had given me was a curse, but with it came the ability to help them and to stop the others from getting hurt. I’d be foolish, selfish, not to take advantage, despite their unwillingness to consider the options. What could they do? They were only human.
Surprising myself at my new perspective, I
