Blood Water (18 page)

The study centre was quiet when morning finally came.
The birds had emerged from hiding and were filling
the air with their raucous song. The electricity was still
working and the two brothers were able to find a couple of
heaters to warm themselves and dry their clothes. They'd
bandaged Waites's foot as best they could, but it was in a
terrible state. James was no expert but he thought the
teacher might have to lose it. They'd given him painkillers,
fed him, washed him and put him to bed. Then
they'd showered and found some food in the canteen.
Their fatigue got the better of them: even though they
had intended to leave the centre at first light, they soon
collapsed on a bed, drifting very quickly into a deep sleep.

When they woke it was almost lunch time. They ate
again, then agreed that they should wait until the waters
had receded significantly before trying to get back into
town. The land lines weren't working, and James's mobile
phone showed only a very weak signal, but he had managed
to send his mother a text before he lost it altogether. As
long as their parents knew they were safe, they could stay
at the centre for a while longer if necessary.

Incredibly, by late afternoon the water level had dropped
dramatically and though most of the surrounding fields
were still waterlogged, the roads looked passable. Sean
and James gazed out at the landscape from the first-floor
windows before deciding it was worth a try.

James went to check on the patient. Before his
mobile signal had disappeared, he'd wanted to call for
an ambulance, but Sean quite rightly pointed out that
even if one were available, it would never have been able
to cross the bridge in town. Waites was still asleep. They
didn't like the idea of leaving him in the centre on his
own, but moving him sounded like a worse idea. The
salt water seemed to have banished the infection left
behind by the creature, but he'd been in serious pain,
and his ankle would get infected if it wasn't treated
quickly. They would contact the police as soon as they
got home and make sure Waites received medical help.
If the emergency services were too busy, then they would
return themselves.

'What's it going to be like down there in town?' James
asked as they got into the study centre car.

'I don't know,' Sean replied. 'Wet?' They both smiled.

'I wonder where that dog got to,' Sean said,
looking around.

'Don't know,' James replied, easing the car towards
the road. 'No idea where he came from either but I'd
like to shake his paw.'

Even though the floodwater had receded, there were still
large stretches of water across the road, and James had to
drive slowly and carefully through each one. By the time
they reached the school, still quiet and abandoned, it felt
like they'd been driving for hours. James took it steadily
down the steep hill towards the town. A roadblock had
been set up near the market place, and a stern-looking
police officer told James he could drive no further, then
immediately went off on other urgent business. James
decided to park the car by the nearby supermarket.

The town seemed so different now. Everything was
darker, dirtier than they remembered. The trees by the
river seemed to have lost their lustre, and one or two of the
buildings looked like they were on the verge of collapse.

They stopped by the bridge and were disheartened
to find the river still surging just below the road itself.
Police tape had cordoned off the bridge, but there were
no officers around, so the two brothers slipped under
the flimsy barrier and ran across. Once on the other side,
Sean glanced back across the water to see the drenched,
dishevelled figure of Mrs Rees being comforted and
guided towards the high street by two police officers
from the direction of the park. She had clearly survived:
if she had been infected, she would have been dead by
now. The two brothers smiled as the poor woman was
helped along, clearly the worse for her ordeal but alive.
They headed away from the bridge and in no more than
ten minutes they were home.

They phoned the police and tried to explain about
Waites and what had happened, and why he was in the
study centre on his own. There was a lot more explaining
to do, but that could come later. Right now there
were urgent problems to deal with. Several people were
still missing since the start of the flooding. Three buildings
had collapsed into the river, and many more were
swamped by the filthy floodwater.

Sean's mum stroked his cheek before he turned to go
up to his room. Even though both he and James were
sure that the creature's infection wouldn't do any lasting
damage, they would have to get themselves checked out
at the hospital as soon as possible. They both had an odd
red rash that must be a side-effect – though it caused no
pain or discomfort.

'What on earth happened to you, Sean?' his mum
asked as he started up the stairs. 'Are you still ill?'

'I don't know,' he replied, stopping halfway up and
thinking for a second. 'I think there might have been
something in the water.'

I would like to thank Harriet Wilson for editing, and
Sophie Nelson for copy-editing this book. Their hard
work and enthusiasm is most appreciated. I would also
like to thank my long-term editor, Charlie Sheppard,
for her continued support and wisdom.