Afterlife by Helen Comerford

Author:Helen Comerford [Comerford, Helen]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3
Published: 2016-04-17T06:00:00+00:00

24. PETER

The air is still as I gaze over the edge of the roof. We are on the top of what must have once been a small block of flats. The flat roof is ringed by a low wall which I am kneeling by. I can see destroyed streets below, the distant park with its black grass and our own people hiding in various doorways, but no one else. Michael had sent me and Ruth up here to get an "eagle-eyed view" of the others’ position.

'What do you see Eagle 1?' Ruth asks. We've decided to use code names this morning, to mix things up a bit.

'Sweet fanny Adams Eagle 2,' I respond.

'You sound especially Scottish today Eagle 1.'

'Then today just got a wee bit better hen,' I say in the best impression of my grandma I can manage.

She wanders over to join me at the edge and peers over.

'They're not down there Eagle 1,' she murmurs, sounding worried.

There is a clatter behind us and we both spin around. There are five of them, including Joe; they must have come from a neighbouring roof. We are completely outnumbered.

I don't know what possesses me but suddenly I'm moving. I've crossed the roof, my sword is in my hand and I've run him through before anyone has realised what's happening. The man, the man who was at the front, the man with the sandy hair, sinks to his knees. I pull my sword out, my hands are shaking, but I stand ready to face the rest.

'He's dead!' Ruth shouts. I look down to see him sink into the tarmac of the roof. It had all happened so fast that everyone just stands for a few seconds. I look up to see Joe staring at me. I hold his eye as I slowly lower my sword.

He breaks eye contact and then breaks the silence, 'Let's go.'

He backs away and the rest follow. I manage to hold it together until they are gone and then I fall to my knees and start dry retching.

'Well done,’ I hear from behind me as Ruth puts her hand on my shoulder. 'The first one is always the hardest.'

I shake her off and run from the roof, taking the cracked concrete stairs as fast as I can. I don’t want to think about it. About the way my sword slid into that poor unprepared man, or about the way that Joe looked at me. That's it, I belong here now. The part of me that persisted in thinking that my being in hell was some horrible mistake had died with the sandy-haired man.

I stop at the bottom of the stairs to let Ruth catch up. It's not safe for either of us to walk through the city alone. Because if I saw one of the others walking alone I'd take them for tomorrow. I'd tie them up, drag them back and run them through in the morning to watch the sky turn blood red. That's who I am now.

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