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it but, even so, the
whole time that Kevin was talking Fi stood beside him holding his
hand and stroking it. We were very happy to see him. But soon the
questions started flooding in, till Kevin had to put his hand up to
stop them.
    ‘Whoa, whoa, guys, hold the phone, one at a
time.’
    ‘How’s Corrie?’ I asked quickly, before anyone
else had a chance to ask anything else.
    ‘Depends on who you talk to. I haven’t seen
her since the night she got shot. In fact, I heard that you guys
have seen her since I have. Look, I’d say she’s about the same,
still in a kind of coma. Some people say she’s worse, because she’s
still losing weight, but other people say they’re sure she hears
them when they talk to her. I don’t know. People think what they
want to think. No one’s got any definite info.’
    ‘How are all our families?’
    ‘Not bad, the last time I saw them. I’ve been
out with these work parties quite a while, but everyone was looking
OK a few weeks back. I mean, it’s all relative, isn’t it? You guys
look a lot healthier than anyone at the Showground, but now that
people are getting out and working again they’re starting to pick
up.’
    Kevin seemed older and more mature somehow;
more intelligent even. He’d never have said ‘it’s all relative,’ or
‘people think what they want to think,’ when he’d been camping with
us in Hell. This war had changed us all, and not always for the
worse.
    ‘What’s it been like?’ Homer asked.
    Suddenly, at this simple question, Kevin
seemed to fall apart. His face crumpled and for a minute he
couldn’t get his words out. Fi gripped his hand tighter and I
patted his back. He hardly needed to say anything; he’d already
answered the question.
    ‘Sorry,’ he stammered. ‘Sorry.’
    ‘Has it been terrible?’ Robyn asked
gently.
    Kevin just nodded. ‘They’re OK as long as you
do what they say. But the moment you do something they don’t like
...’
    I was thinking again of how badly Kevin had
been beaten up when he arrived at Wirrawee Hospital with Corrie. I
didn’t know any details, but my imagination made up for that.
    ‘I’ll have to go back in a sec,’ Kevin
said.
    ‘Can’t you escape?’ Homer asked urgently.
‘What’s stopping you?’
    Kevin shook his head. ‘They keep hostages.
Members of your family. If you escape they execute them. They’ve
got us by the balls. The only reason they guard us is to stop us
sabotaging or stealing things, and to make us work hard. There’s no
way anyone can escape.’
    He turned to go back. I felt desperately sorry
for him. He looked so lonely and miserable at having to return to
such a rotten life.
    ‘If it could be managed, would you want to
escape?’ I asked. ‘Would you want to join up with us again?’
    He looked shocked. ‘Of course. But if you can
think of a way to do it I’ll say you’re a genius, Ellie. I’ll even
put that in writing.’
    I grinned. Privately I was thinking, ‘Get your
pen out.’ I didn’t say it, because I didn’t want to raise his hopes
too much. But I already had the glimmerings of an idea.

Chapter Five

    ‘So, am I a genius?’ I asked the others. We
were back in the hayshed, sheltering from more rain. It was very
dark – probably about ten o’clock – on the night of our
conversation with Kevin. I couldn’t see anyone’s face except Fi’s;
but I could sense their excitement. I was excited too; I thought it
was a good plan.
    ‘I don’t know about genius,’ Homer grumbled.
‘But it’s not a bad idea.’
    ‘How would we get word to Kevin?’ Robyn
asked.
    ‘I’m not sure. Just have to wait for a chance.
It shouldn’t be too hard.’
    ‘We could write it down,’ Fi said, ‘and if we
get half a minute alone with him we could slip it to him then.’
    Privately I thought that was a bit risky, in
case it got into the wrong hands, but I agreed to do it. I wrote it
early the next morning, with the others adding more suggestions
every few