Nineteen Steps by Millie Bobby Brown

Author:Millie Bobby Brown [Brown Bobby, Millie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollinsPublishers
Published: 2023-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 23

‘Maybe they went home. Maybe they couldn’t get through and just went home,’ Em said, her voice holding a faint hope for Charlie and Flo’s safety.

‘We should check,’ Nellie mumbled, and George jumped up off the church wall they’d been sitting on, looking relieved to have something to do.

‘I’ll go. I’ll run there and back.’ George didn’t wait for an answer but took off at a sprint.

Nellie was beside herself with worry and sent up a silent prayer that Charlie and Flo would be at home, Flo in bed, Charlie sitting in the front room with his newspaper and a cup of tea, waiting for them to come back.

She kept a tight hold of Em, both of them hardly daring to breathe while George was gone. Across the street Nellie could see more and more victims being brought out, loaded onto stretchers and then taken away. Some in ambulances, and she prayed they were survivors on their way to hospital, but many had blankets over their faces and were carried into the church behind them. Her mouth was agape in horror at what she was seeing unfolding, it was the stuff of nightmares. Em gave her a squeeze but how was that supposed to make anything better? But every now and again she caught a glimpse of Ray, working tirelessly to free people, and through it all she felt proud that the man she loved was stepping up to help.

Down below, Billy was surely doing the same from the other end. Maybe there were more survivors beneath. Maybe when the steps were finally cleared, they’d all troop out unscathed, Charlie and Flo amongst them?

And then George came running back. He didn’t need to say a word. Nellie could see the answer written on his face, the colour drained from it. He shook his head. ‘They’re … not there. I didn’t see no sign of ’em anywhere.’ He leaned over, hands on knees, to catch his breath.

Nellie’s stomach sank at his words, their last real chance dashed to pieces. She stared at George and clutched Em tightly, unable to find any words, any way that they could cling to a final thread of hope. All she could do was sit there in the cold, late night air, fighting back tears that helped no one. With every passing minute it was more and more unlikely that Charlie and Flo would be found alive.

At last Ray walked over wearily to them. ‘I’ve done all I can. The last are being brought up now. I didn’t see Mr Morris or Flo, but that does not … I mean, I didn’t see every face. There are so many …’

‘What do we do now?’ Nellie whispered, her voice breaking. They could not return home and go to bed, as though nothing was wrong. There were others like them, sitting or standing around, faces ashen, wondering where their loved ones were. It didn’t seem real, she didn’t understand it or know what she should do. It was all so overwhelming.

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