Aftermath

46

Freezing cold and disorientated, Michael, Lorna, Harte, and the others were struggling to keep moving.

“Where now?” Howard asked, teeth chattering.

“We need to find somewhere to shelter and get some fresh clothes. We’re going to get hypothermia if we don’t,” Kieran said.

“You know the area better than the rest of us,” Harte said. “Where do you suggest?”

“I’m not sure,” he replied unhelpfully. “I need to work out where we’ve come out in relation to the front of the castle. There are a couple of villages nearby. A few other places, maybe. But we don’t want to be walking all night in the wrong direction and…”

Kieran’s voice trailed away. Michael was immediately concerned. “Problem?”

“Shh…” he said. “Listen.”

Everyone became completely silent. In the near distance they could hear an engine.

“Who’s that?” Caron asked.

“More of your lot coming back for us?” Lorna suggested.

“I doubt it,” Michael replied, wishing he could be more positive. “Even if it is, fat lot of good it’s going to do us. They’ll check out the castle, but they won’t bother searching the area, will they? It’ll be like looking for a needle in a haystack. If I know Harry, he’ll be doing exactly what he said he’d do, and that’s getting those people over to Cormansey.”

“What if it’s Jas?” Caron asked anxiously.

“Do you really think he’ll still be interested in us?”

“I don’t know. But what if he is?”

“Then we’ll deal with it. Right now we’ve got a more pressing problem.”

“What’s that?”

“Getting back across a mile or so of dead bodies.”