[18+] BOOK 2.5 (Novella)
A war that destroyed the world. It came and it went, leaving death and chaos in its wake.
In the resulting turmoil England has split into four regions, a safety measure that was 'essential' to ensure that violence would not...
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When I wake, I'm slow to emerge from the cocoon of blankets. Once I wrestle out of them, I stretch my arms up, hitting the wooden headboard and letting out a groan. I do my business in the adjoining bathroom and splash my face with water before working up the courage to leave the room.
Downstairs is a bustle of activity, numerous people moving varying objects that belonged to the Enforcers outside. I can smell the bonfire from in here. Productive.
Some of the ex-workers are in the kitchen, cooking up a flurry as they sing and laugh together. I try to assure them that working in here isn't expected anymore, but they assure me that they want to. They want to help us here. To feed us as we continue battling to better the nation.
I leave them with a smile, introducing myself to five new supporters in the hallway as they carry out an old, bulky looking chest of drawers. One of them wants to have it in his room in the stables. I smile again, letting them head on their way.
There are three ladies digging in the garden and I insist on helping them, having had plenty of experience back in Nottingham under Mrs Engleberry. God, I hope that bitch is dead by now...
We laugh as we dig and plant, and by the time I leave an hour later, we're on first name bases.
Finally, I find Carl in the stable yard, directing various people to do various jobs. His eyes fall on me and he laughs.
"You been playing in the mud?" He points to my cheek.
I smile, lifting my hand and rubbing it against my skin. "I was helping them in the garden," I tell him.
He smiles again and nods before gesturing for me to follow him. We step through the huge archway, and he points down the gravel road to an array of vehicles that lie beyond.
"They had four trucks here."
My eyes gleam. "Four?"
He nods his head. "Pete, Pippa and Jesse have gone to get two more from the farm."
"We're still leaving two there, yes?"
Carl nods once more. "Yes."
I bite my lip, glancing over at the pristine green trucks. "Maybe I should head back there."
"You? Why?"
"Because... it isn't fair to expect others to be there while everyone else is here." I gesture around us at the grand, luxurious estate.
Carl shakes his head. "They'll be rotating every four days. It's hardly like the farm is a punishment."
"Still—"
"Kayla, you're our leader," Carl mutters. "You're needed here."
I grumble at him under my breath before heaving a sigh and reluctantly nodding my head. "Alright. What do you need me to do?"
