In The End Box Set by Stevens, GJ (read 50 shades of grey .TXT) 📗

running, her hands out wide, her face lit up like she'd been the one searching.

“Where've you been?” I said. “Don't do that again,” I added as I bent down, pulling her close.

She screwed up her nose at my breath, the stink reflecting back. It smelt like I'd eaten what goes down the toilet. My head swam.

Holding her tight, I took the few steps to where I'd left the bag at the base of the wall. I just about made it before my legs gave way.

Leaning heavy against the cold stone, I wrapped her in my coat as she sat on my lap, taking her cold hands in mine. I took a quick look around to make sure it was safe, then turned to look over my left shoulder and watched the sun peering over the stone wall.

Taking a deep breath, I knew I had little choice but to sleep. At least just for a moment. Even the memory of something we learnt in school last year couldn't keep my eyes open. At least I knew when I woke I had a way of finding home.

***

“Tish,” I said, the cold air a shock as a sharp breath pulled in. I could feel she wasn't lain in my arms like she had as I'd fallen asleep only moments ago.

The morning was still bright as my eyes blinked open, relief coming as I saw her in front of me, bent over, picking at the grass. Her pink trousers were dark, soaked through, her nappy sagging between her legs. I must have been out for longer than I'd thought, but it had done me good. The headache had gone and my stomach felt like it had relaxed; felt normal again. Empty, but normal.

Smiling, I kept my eyes on Tish. She was picking blades of grass and throwing them in the air. I turned and saw the bag was missing from my side. It was a few paces away, flat, the contents strewn across the wet ground. I spotted an open nappy, the tapes pulled apart. I think she might have tried to change herself.

I couldn't have been out long. It was still morning. I remembered the last thing I saw and turned to my right; we'd done it in science last year. We did an experiment over a whole week, plotting the position of the sun throughout the day.

I looked up, but it wasn't there, either. I turned left to where I'd seen it before, but it wasn't where it should be. As I concentrated, I saw the sun coming over the stone wall. But it couldn't be right. It was lower than it was when I'd closed my eyes.

The only way it could happen like this was if I'd slept through the whole day and today was tomorrow.

Standing, I expected to feel weak, but the opposite was true. I was full of energy, even though I'd not eaten for two days.

Walking over to Tish, I changed her bum whilst I tried to hold back my guilt for the pink, sore skin. Luckily, Mum had packed some of the white cream.

Hugging her harder than I should have, I could feel she was freezing cold. At least she hadn't gone hungry. The empty packets of the dried fruit scattered around the clothes told me all I needed to know. Still, I opened the last of the beans and we filled up.

I was hungrier than I'd been for a long time and eager to get on with the trip home, confident we should walk to where the sun was coming up, sure I could remember seeing the sun setting from my bedroom window before.

We set off through the trees, coming out the other side. I climbed over the wall after lowering Tish first, repeating over the opposite side.

We walked across fields, the view blocked by large trees everywhere with Tish happy to toddle along beside me, enjoying her fresh nappy and dry clothes. Soon I heard a sound I recognised and a wide smile bunched my cheeks.

A helicopter. Cool, and it was getting close. I grabbed Tish, pulling her in tight and ran towards the sound.

40

Running, I heard a sound I'd copied so many times in the playground. The chug, chug rattle of machine gun fire added to the beat of rotor blades cutting through the air.

Pulling from the trees I saw the dark-green Merlin; the real-life version of what I'd flown so many times around my room. The helicopter was hovering close to the ground, maybe as high as a church steeple. The side door was open and I just about saw the gunner gripping tight as he trained the long gun at the ground.

I knew without having to think that he was shooting at more of those things, the hosts of whatever terrible disease had taken over the dead bodies.

Still, I couldn't help but smile. This was a rescue mission and I wondered what the helicopter would be like inside. Tish gave a giggle and I turned down to see her smiling back, but as I squeezed her tight, she wriggled for freedom. The chatter of the machine gun fell silent.

“We'll get to Nanny's really quickly now,” I said, giving her a playful shake.

Looking back up, my gaze caught on a long stack of smoke rising high in the distance. I chanced a look left and right, seeing columns of grey smoke each way I turned.

These were new, not something I'd seen when I'd spent so long staring at the horizon to search for home. I clutched Tish closer as I remembered what had happened.

Picking up the pace, I ran towards the helicopter and I shouted for help. Tish joined in with her own made up words.

The helicopter moved from its hover, spinning around, hurrying to the right and stopping mid-air. It twisted as if