The Faintest Ink (Watty Winner 2015)

Chapter Seventy-Six

"Come on. No dallying in the back there," called Viridian over his shoulder.

They were still a good half-mile from the gate and the sun was setting fast. He didn't want to be in the city once darkness set in. It was terrifying enough in daylight.

They'd managed quite well at first. Keeping their heads down and their feet moving had seen them through the familiar streets of Dakley without incident, but it was not to last.

Further east, the people on the street had never heard of Caul, nor cared who had killed him. They had become caught up in the carnage without knowing the cause and were bent on destruction. Once they had smashed windows and plundered shops, the sight of their small family, laden down with luggage was too tempting to resist.

It was Hope who'd first noticed they were being followed. She'd whispered in his ear under the pretext of using his shoulder to help her balance as she adjusted her shoe.

He didn't see them at first. There were so many people on the street, their eyes wide and their lips curled into snarls, it was impossible to pick out anyone in particular. But as he hurried the children around a corner, he spotted who she meant.

There were three of them. Two men, one woman. A rough lot. None of the men wore jackets, and the women's skirts were short enough to show her ankles, and her stockinged feet were squished into clogs.

They looked hungry, both for food and mischief, and all three of them were eyeing up their bags. He couldn't blame them. In a street full of people brandishing weapons, their little band must look like easy pickings.

"What do we do?" asked Hope. "We can't run, not with the children."

"We lose them," said Vidian, sounding more confident than he felt. "This way," he said, grabbing hold of Madder and slinging him up under his arm.

He looked at Hope, and she nodded, taking hold of Lake's small hand.

"Keep close to me, Ochre," she whispered to the boy. "Take his hand, Blossom."

Blossom paled, her eyes growing wide with fear. "What's going on?"

"Nothing darling," said Hope in that breezy way of her's.

Blossom wasn't convinced. Her huge eyes turned to him and he found himself floundering for something that would comfort her. "Just keep close until we get out of this crowd," he said. "I'm not sure of the way and I don't want anyone getting lost." Apart from the people following us, he added silently.

He jerked his shoulder back in an attempt to shift the canvases strapped to his back without dislodging the child tucked under his arm.

"Ready?" he said, as quietly as he could.

"Lead on. We'll follow you," said Hope.

Viridian eyed the street, trying to formulate a plan. They wouldn't be able to run for long, not with the children. Whatever they were going to do had to be fast.

He aimed himself towards the thickest part of the crowd, moving with them, using the flow to get lost among the hoards of people.

They were heading south, taking them into the heart of the city. Exactly where he didn't want to be going.

As the press of people grew, he twisted his body, so that Madder didn't get thwacked across the head by a passing woman who seemed to be hauling a massive side of pig out of a butcher's shop. Hope and the children were still behind him. And so were their new friends.

"Bugger," he said weakly, his breath coming short and fast.

Time to change direction.

"Hope?"