500 words a day

795 words 10th November 2009

Fergus spent the night in the woods, again. He should’ve left, 2 days ago, they hadn’t come, they were probably not going to come, he was on his own, that was that. Why he didn’t go with them he really couldn’t remember now. It was a stupid idea, going back to their homes, to get supplies, to check if anyone was alive before they got out, tried to get to the coast. He already knew his family were dead, they’d been killed in front of him, so he had nothing to go back for. He told them it was a stupid idea but couldn’t honestly say he wouldn’t have done the same, if he hadn’t known.





The plan was, he would wait in the woods, near the road and they, should have met him, yesterday, well the day before really but they’d agreed to allow one days leeway. They all knew the towns weren’t safe. They’d been living rough for a couple of weeks now. In the end though, Harriet and then Gus, had to go, they were waiting for him 4 days ago when he woke up. They’d made a shelter in the heart of the woods, out of leaves and an old tarpaulin and branches. It was waterproof, sort of, but wouldn’t be good enough when the weather changed. Gus and Harriet had their own space and he his.


         ‘Why are you all packed up? Where are we going on a food run?’


They’d looked at each other, then at him


         ‘What! Oh you’re not are you...You can’t.’


         ‘We have to Fergus,’ said Harriet. ‘I’m sorry, but I can’t just leave, until I know.’


         ‘Me neither,’ said Gus.


         He hardly bothered arguing with them in the end. He couldn’t find a good enough reason. Yes, they were risking their lives, but then no one really knew what their lives would be like, how much longer they’d survive. He felt angry though and he felt scared of being on his own. SO why hadn’t he gone with them?


         ‘You could come you know,’ said Harriet,’ We could do with some help. Don’t know what the fuck we’re going to find in there.’


         He said no though, said he’d stay and keep an eye on things here and that he couldn’t bear to go back there, where he’d left his parents and his little sister, dead on the floor of their house, just left them their because he’d had to go, immediately. That was the truth or part of it but the main thing was he felt betrayed, they were going off to find people, on the very slim chance that they’d be alive and these people were more important to them than he was, simple as that so fuck them, let them go, he didn’t need them and might as well get used to being on his own.


         Before they’d left they’d decided to all go towards Cornwall, partly because it ws near the coast, and boats and possibilities of leaving the country, and partly because it was remote and may be safer. They didn’t have a great hope about it but knew they had t get as far away from London as they could and where they were now, Surrey, was much too close. They could see the smoke from London but also a lot closer now. Three days ago they’d heard the explosions, much loser and see the smoke and at night saw the flashes and guns going off.


         ‘It must be Croydon,’ said Gus.


         ‘The Town Hall,’ said Harriet.


         They’d stayed at the Town Hall for a couple of weeks, there were about 50 people there, well barricaded, with enough food for a few months. John Kingston, who was kind of running things, wanted them to day, said they’d be safe an they nearly did. There were kids, they had a system and a huge place to cook up big old meals. It felt a bit like family for the first time in ages. But hey decided it wasn’t safe. Every day the fighting, or the destruction, got lcoser.


         ‘We’re too close to London John,’ Fergus had told them on the night before they’d left. Tried to persuade them all to come, head for the coast, find a boat. He wouldn’t listen and the others listened to him, as he seemed t know what he was doing. He’d rigged up generators and somehow managed to get a water supply going, they looked to him and he said no, we’ll be safe.


         They had a huge basement in the Town Hall, bit of a bunker and if they came to Croydon John  was sure they could hide out, barricade themselves in an wait until they’d razed Croydon to the ground and left.











** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **





Steve Wybourn





** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **