Outside, emergency services are already at the scene, with police setting up a cordon as the standard operating procedures are put in place to deal with the incident.
I let my mask fall, and push tears into my eyes which isn’t hard to do.
All I need to think about is all the broken bodies, the woman I couldn’t help, and fall into step with the other victims, crying just like everyone else.
I fall onto the street, the blue lights of the emergency vehicles illuminating the roads and buildings outside. Paramedics, police, firefighters, everyone is running towards us.
“Miss, do you need medical attention?” A paramedic grabs me, and I grip hold of the dark green material of her uniform.
“Oh my God,” I sob, “the people. Those poor people. Owen, where’s Owen?” A paramedic comes towards me and wraps a silver blanket around me.
“We will find him, ma’am; you’re going to be fine. Is it just your arm that hurts?” I nod, eyes wide. “Okay ma’am—” A scream of help from behind me grabs her attention, and I slip between two buildings, letting the shadows swallow me whole.
10
Lucy Cook - Age 7
“He’scoming,Cookie.Youknow what you need to do.”
I’m playing on my bed, the horses and Barbies laid out in front of me. I have four; me, a Mummy, a Daddy and Owen. Don’t forget the horse, too. I love horses. There is something so majestic about them and strong, like Owen.
He stands in the doorway before walking to my bed and picking up my teddy bear. He holds out his pinkie finger, and I wrap mine around it, taking the teddy.
“Remember the game? It’s like hide and seek; you have to be quiet as a…”
“Mouse,” I answer.
He looks down at me with a smile, but it’s not a real Owen smile. It doesn’t meet his eyes. Owen tries to be brave for me, but I know he’s scared. I can see it in his eyes.
“That’s right, Cookie. Quiet as a mouse. What happens if you’re not super-duper quiet?”
“The monster comes,” I whisper, and he nods.
He walks me from my bedroom into his. It always looks so much sadder than mine. Owen doesn’t have as many toys as me, but that’s okay, because I share.
We look after each other.
He opens his closet door as the shouting gets louder from downstairs, along with the bangs. I squeeze his finger, and he looks behind him at the door.
“Get in. I’ll cover you up, and you don’t get out until I get you, okay?”
I nod, but there is a big lump in my throat now, and I can’t speak.
“Cuddle teddy, okay?”
“Can you not stay with me and hide, too? We don’t want the monsters to get you.”
“Teddy will keep you company. Besides, I need to keep the monsters out here, remember? It will be over soon. I’ll be back.”
I climb into the wardrobe and Owen covers my body with a blanket, leaving a small part of my face showing. He adds some more clothes and some shoes to my lap.
“Is my Cookie comfy?”
I nod and hug teddy to my chest.
“I’ll see you soon, and remember, quiet as a mouse.” He whispers the last sentence as he holds his finger to his mouth and closes the door.
11
