Secret Inventions Of Elmswood Street

Chapter 13: Kill Or Be Killed

Mrs Bell was sprawled on her stomach in the middle of the street, not far from Mr Sweep's house. She got up slowly, covering the torn knees of her track pants. Camera men came running, and photographers snapped pictures. Just last night blurry photographs of monstrous gorillas had circulated TV channels and social media sites, courtesy of Mr Sweep. It had sparked off a feeding frenzy. Every photographer in town was out here.

'Get away from her!' Zoe yelled, running to help her. Mrs Bell tried hiding her tears.

'Zoe, my girl. I'm so clumsy.' She was soaking wet, and Rugby barked at reporters to clear a path.

'What happened?' Zoe took her arm around her shoulders.

'Someone ran out, snapped a picture, the flash was like lightning. I didn't see. I slipped and fell. I'm so embarrassed.'

Cameras were clicking and flashing as fast as bullets. The media hounded them like animals.

'It's like we're freaks or something,' her mother whispered. 'Oh Zoe. What did we do wrong?'

More cameras and microphones were thrust into their faces.

They think we're freaks, Zoe thought as a hundred questions were shouted at them. Did she treat Michael the same way, questioning his past choices, why he was how he was?

'We did nothing wrong, Mum.' Zoe felt something inside snap. 'We did nothing wrong. Get out of the WAY. GET OUT OF THE WAY!'

Zoe pushed through, but this only caused the cameras to shoot faster. Some of the reporters were smiling. She shoved someone out of her path, and the photographer protested. 'Easy girly. We're just wanting a pic of you and your Mum.'

'Get lost!' Zoe snarled. 'Leave us alone.'

'We will,' said a pretty reporter in matching yellow jacket and boots. 'But tell us what went on in Elmswood. We know about the monsters who attacked the street. But why did they focus on your house in particular? It's Zoe Bell, right?'

'Get out of our way.' Zoe could see the front of their gate through all the bodies pressing around them. 'Move.'

'Zoe, what about the pictures of gorillas your neighbour showed on the news? Any comment?'

'I've no idea what you're talking about.'

'If you could be a little more cooperative we could all get what we want out of this,' the reporter persisted.

'Get – lost!' Zoe rounded on her. Mr Bell came down the path and led them both back inside.

Zoe slammed the door shut. She grabbed her keyboard and stalked back to her bedroom. Outside, people talking into cameras. She streamed a news channel from her laptop, and just like that she was all over the internet, helping her mum hobble home. The same reporters she had spoken to outside were now inside her bedroom.

'Obviously the pressure is beginning to weigh down on residents here in Elmswood, particularly the Bell family, who as we know bore the brunt of the monstrous attack only a few days ago.'

An image of two dark hulks leaving her house now appeared above the reporter's shoulder. 'Authorities have yet to identify exactly who or what had been behind this monster invasion but sources say investigations have stalled. What we can tell you is that just minutes ago, Mrs Alice Bell, mother of the household at the centre of the alleged attack, was in an incident causing self-harm. We'll update you as more information comes to hand.'

'Self-harm,' Zoe shook her head. 'So now we're suicidal.' Looking down on the street outside she knew what she had to do. They wanted her attention, then they would have it. The sky was darkening. The rain continued to beat hard. She ran a search on the internet yellow pages and made a call.