The Rain (Book 1 - The Unprotected)

Chapter 19 - Ponts sombres les hommes fous et à fais amende honorable

They stood on the A202, looking down the Vauxhall bridge that was jammed with empty cars. Bones coated the concrete ground and they figured it would be easier to walk through it than drive. They wouldn't get far in the cars before they had to get out anyway. It was Drew's idea to take all the bags and leave the cars looking abandoned so no one would steal them. It was a risk but the others agreed. Clifton was carrying two bags on his back while Jeanette carrier a sleeping Bethany in her arms. The soothing music stopped playing a while ago, she was lost in a deep sleep.

"We just...walk through?" Jeanette asked unsure, looking around Bethany's head to the bones at her feet. Tears were brimming in her eyes and she sniffled, wiping her nose with he sleeve of her free hand. Clifton stepped forward and slipped his hand into hers, running his thumb along the back of her hand. He sent her a reassuring nod and she hoisted Bethany up further.

"Yeah. Just be careful you don't step in a puddle." Ross answered looking up at her from the boot of the Audi. "Of water." He clarified when he saw her scared face. "The blood would have washed away by now." He said as if it was the most obvious thing. She gasped at his words, he wasn't making it any easier. She swallowed the vomit that she could feel rising and looked up to the dark night sky.

Jane stepped forward sending Ross an annoyed look. "It'll be fine," She reassured, looking over to Jeanette and Clifton, "just don't think about it and don't look down. We'll go first, just step where we step." She comforted, nodding at the nervous couple.

Courtney had already started walking across the bridge, kicking away the bones and hearing them clatter into the others. She sighed and looked down in sadness when she heard Jeanette whimpering at the sight of the skulls and bones. Nate and Ross sped up and walked beside her, constantly looking at either the road, the others straggling behind or the black-haired girl herself.

"What?" She asked Nate who was just staring at her, she didn't look directly at him but she saw him from the corner of her eye. He looked startled and shook his head mumbling incoherent words.

"What's the plan?" Ross asked bluntly, it was what he and Nate were thinking. He kept his eyes on the bones at his feet. Tugging at the straps of his backpack, he sent her a quick glance.

"We stay the night." She looked up to the sky for a split second. "It's getting pretty dark already, we're gonna have to find somewhere to stay." She said, thinking of all the possibilities but she hadn't been into the city for a year. The last time she came was when she had to buy herself a jacket. The very one on her back. Her mother gave her £20 and told her to scram.

"Where? Where's a good place to stay?" Nate asked in a low, biting voice. He looked to his right to see the River Thames.

The light from the moon illuminated a small strip of water but everything around it was immersed in darkness. The sight sent chills through his body and he feared falling in, imagining himself flapping around in the water that was as dark as ink, creatures yanking at his feet dragging him down to the sea-bed. He turned his head to look away and moved the torch in his hand to shine ahead of them.

"I don't know," Courtney mumbled in reply, knowing he wouldn't be happy with her answer.

"You..don't..know," Nate said condescendingly, looking down at her with a tired expression. She grumbled under her breath and sent him an annoyed look. "No, I mean really! Here we are walking down the darkest, creepiest bridge ever, heading into the bowels of the city and you don't know where we're going to stay!" He hissed quietly so the others wouldn't hear, his voice started sarcastic then it quickly changed to caustic and angry. He didn't know why he was mad at her, must have been the lack of sleep chasing after him.