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okay?” I took bold steps forwards in an attempt to end that line of questioning. She didn’t need to know either of his death, or his current whereabouts.
    We passed through the gardening tools section, and the fork that protruded from Mike’s chest flashed into my mind. I stopped, picked up a similar one from the rack and handed it to Barbara. “Take this, use it if you must,” I urged, a little too matter-of-factly.
    “You mean kill them, right?”
    “Barbie, it’s them or us. And I know that you know what I mean by ‘them.’”
    “You’ve seen them too?”
    “I’ve had the day from hell so far—a man in a crashed car, a schoolboy, and a big fella outside with a penchant for throwing people through windows, intent on havoc. Tell me about it. I just want to see my kids, that’s all. Not too much to ask, is it? What have you seen?” I took the opportunity to keep her talking; she may have seen things that could help us both.
    “I only work part-time. I’m a medical student, at uni most of the time, but I need the job to help pay for my studies. I got to work late today, around ten-ish. The boss gave me a right roasting and told me to clean up the display areas. That’s what I was doing when the first of them came into the store.” She paused, as an involuntary shiver consumed her.
    “Go on,” I urged, keen to hear her story.
    She painted a grim picture of her day as she described the people she had seen, and the chaos which had swarmed through the shopping complex and compelled her to hide in the wardrobe.
    We made our way back to the front of the store. On a makeshift display stand, cunningly low to entice the attentions of the younger generation, several toys were laid out. I grabbed one from the boys’ side, one from the girls’, and placed them into the backpack.
    It had been less than ten minutes since I entered. The breaker switch clicked the electrical lifeblood back into the sliding doors, which responded as we activated the sensor. Instantly, I looked across the car park as I tried to spot the woman I thought could be Charlotte. She was nowhere to be seen. I silently cursed and hoped she’d found safety—before a horrifying thought hit me.
    What if the kids were with her? Surely, they would be in school?
    I purged the notion from my mind and prayed it wasn’t my ex-wife.
    “You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Barbie questioned.
    “What? Yes, sorry, I’m fine. I thought I saw someone earlier that I knew is all. She’s gone now though. Come on, we need a car. Stay low between the rows until I find one that’s open.”
    “Toys for your kids?”
    “I’ll tell you about it later, stay close, and keep your head down.” I warned.
     

5 – The Bells
     
    Three months later, Tenerife, Spain, 27 th June 2014, 2000 hours.
    The hotel cuisine really was something to behold as course after course arrived at the table. Every so often, Nathan stole a glance at Evie, his feelings of desire not quelled by the company or environment. He traced the lines of her face with his eyes, the wisps of hair seductively resting on her shoulders, full lips beautifully accented as her expressions acknowledged the chatter. Her mouth formed a discreet smile as her eyes caught him in the act. Rumbled. They both laughed at the moment, which prompted a quizzical look from Stewey and Alisa.
    “It’s nothing—just a thought,” Nathan said, in reassurance.
    “So how’s the new role going then?” Stewey asked.
    “Oh, you mean as an inspector of shale gas fracking companies which seem to be springing up everywhere?” Nathan quipped.
    “Aye, that. Quite a fancy title for a reporter, isn’t it?” Stewey teased.
    “It is that. Not so bad working with Brian Goulding, though. He knows his stuff; I’ll give him that much. Since his appointment from the Shale Gas Fracking Corporation, and its subsequent collapse, he’s proved invaluable. His personnel file didn’t lie, he’s an experienced