The River At The End of The World | ✔

1. Day 350?

This is day... I don't know what day it actually is. Maybe 350. I know it's been a long time but probably not a year.

Everything is quite confusing at the moment.

Father said it's safe to go through the forest. I know we need to get to the river but I hate forests. They're not the same anymore. They haven't been for years now.

      Father why do we need to cross the river. Aren't we safe here?

     We are but we won't be soon. Just...trust me it's for the best.

Mother has been pacing around all afternoon. We packed in the morning but decided to wait until the evening so we couldn't be spotted by the Veerd Clan or the Greens as cousin called them.

It's dark outside. I guess that means it's time to leave. Well I think it's dark. The shop windows are boarded up mostly and where they're not it's too dirty to see clearly.

Father looked at me and nodded. I put my wellies on. There was a hole where my big toe was so it stuck out. Big Sister thought it was funny. 

I always have to help Nathan put his on. He still can't do it properly but he's only 5 so as long as we're here we can help him.

Mother and Father went to retrieve the small pull carts. They're always arguing about things. They are right now as I put on my coat. It's way too big for me but it's all we have. I don't like the brown colour and there are some red stains on the torn sleeves. I think its blood. I wonder what that man had been doing.  

The sound of the locks is a little too loud for my liking. I always get scared that someone will hear but no one outside ever does. I wonder whether that's because it really is quieter than I thought or because there's no one there...

Father and Mother and Nathan led the way out of the shop. Well Nathan liked to think he was in charge but he was only sitting in Father's blueish pull cart.

I crept out next followed by Big Sis who closed the door with a sigh.

I was half-wrong. It wasn't exactly dark but it was dark enough that I didn't feel afraid...afraid as usual. There wasn't that much food in the cart either. I wonder how long that will last.

     Don't be scared. We'll be fine.

     But Mother we barely have anything.

     We have enough. I promise.

Promises don't mean much to me anymore. Something always goes wrong. Cousin promised me she would return from the hunt back when we were escaping London. Sophie promised me she would never leave and she disappeared. The man on the news promised everyone that the world would never end. It looks like the end isn't too far away.

There aren't many animals to be seen in this forest. Father says that's one of the reasons we have to leave. I think the last time we had meat was a couple of months ago. The deer had just vanished. My guess is that the Greens took them. Mother says it wasn't.

Hours of walking go by like minutes. We're so used to running and leaving at speed that it's like second nature at this point. 

     Can we slow down a little?

     Just a little.

Father slows down for Big Sis. I know she's struggling. Her leg has been hurting her for weeks now. She always says it's fine but I'm not sure if I believe her.

     It really isn't that disease okay...

     Okay.

I have to take her word for it. No one in our family could ever get that horrible thing. They just can't. We haven't seen another person in months now. Not since Father took this coat from the scary man.

No one talks when we leave our safe place. Even if there really is no one left in this part of the country sometimes I like to just listen. I think everybody else does as well. One time I thought I heard a plane. We used to see them all the time when we lived near the airport but since The Second Raid a couple of years ago, I haven't seen a single one.

     We'll take a short break here. The village is behind us now.

     Father how much further till we reach the river?

     We're not close yet but we'll get there. Together. I promise.

     I believe you.

Another promise...