Breaking Britain (Completed)

Chapter 48

48
Sunday 6th January 2030
00:45

          Hussain Jaffer shook Rasher's shoulder roughly, as she slept. She stirred immediately, her eyes alert and alarmed.

          'Shh, we have to be quiet', Hussain whispered in her ear.

           'What's going on?', her voice was so hushed Hussain could hardly make out what she asked, although he didn't need to. He knew his sister so well. Growing up she had hung on his shirt tail, following him around everywhere, getting upset when he left the house without her and disappointed when she was told to go to sleep, before he arrived home. He, on the other hand, had never felt the same about her. He had found her an annoyance, dreaded when his Abee would tell him he had to stay home and look after her. He looked at her brave face and regretted all those times he would say to himself that he wished she was never born.

            'There are some people outside, who might come in to get us. We need to go into the loft', he said gently trying not to panic her, yet instilling the need for prompt action.

            Rasher pushed her legs off the bed, found her trainers and slipped them on. Hussain lead her by the hand out of the bedroom, the house was quiet and tense. Hussain had readied the loft stairs.

             'Go on up', he whispered, 'I'll be there in a minute'

            Rasher stopped on the step, turning round to her brother. 'You're not leaving me?'

            'Of course not. I just have to get us a few things', he stepped up to her, she hugged him, wrapping both her arms and legs around him. He could feel her wet face on his shoulder and forced himself to hold back his own tears. 'You need to stay brave, so come on. Up you go'.

            She released him, the cold air separating them. She turned and climbed the stairs into the darkness.

            'Don't switch on the light. I'll find us a torch'.

            The loft was boarded and Rasher lay close to the hatch, looking for her brother who had vanished by time she got herself in position.

            Hussain, rushed into the bedroom's gathering what he thought they would need. Quilts, pillows, sheets, blankets. He returned and started passing them up to Rasher. He went back into his uncles bedroom and took the time to look out of the window, onto the street.

           He had noticed them an hour earlier, two boys and a girl, probably in their late teens. They seemed to be watching the house, probably trying to determine whether anyone was there.....whether their uncle was there. When they returned half an hour later, Hussain had begun to get worried. However, they left shortly afterwards. What panicked him into action was the third time they returned, this time with three more boys, slightly older. Hussain, knew it was only a matter of time before they entered the house.

         The six of them were still outside, one was pointing at the house, one of the younger ones. Hussain, realized he had very little time left. He systematically went though every cupboard, every drawer, for anything useful. He found very little, his uncle had taken anything of worth. He scurried downstairs, firstly into the kitchen, grabbing plastic bags and filling them with food. He opened the drawer for a tin opener, he found it next to a selection of sharp knives, he wrapped them in a dish cloth and threw them into the bag. He then struggled up the stair, carrying the three bin bags, which were relatively full, fearing they might burst on the way up. They didn't.

         Rasher was relieved to see him and did her best to help him get the bags up to the loft. He still hadn't found a torch and set off back down the stairs, before Rasher could argue with him. He rushed into the lounge and stopped, he looked around. The display cabinet was the most likely place left. He went over there, opened the first drawer, finding opened letters. He was about to open the second, when he froze. It was the sound of the back door, window panel, to the kitchen, being smashed.

          'Shit'

          He quickly went through his alternatives. He could try and take them on, this would provide enough time for Rasher to pull the stairs back up into the loft and close it behind her. But what would happen to her if he lost. She would be alone, afraid, with no one to tell her what to do and no one who knew she was up there. Sure she would survive, but for how long. He knew how stubborn Rasher was, even if all the violence ended, Rasher would stay up there, quietly, until she starved to death. He had to get to her, without the people knowing. But, he was in trouble if they went up the stairs, as the ladder was still down.

            He listened carefully, while silently crossing the lounge, back to the door. He heard the back door open. There was laughter.

            'Fuck. Looks like someone got here before us', one of the boys said. Hussain realized the mess he had made would have caused that reaction. He hoped they would leave, but they didn't.

             'Let's go check the rest of the house', Hussain heard the kitchen door open. There was only two options for them, either they went upstairs or they took a couple of steps and entered the lounge through the door he was standing behind. He only had one choice, he would have to fight them and buy Rasher some time, to secure the loft.

             'Wait. There's some pizza in here. You all want one?'

             Hussain heard them go back into the kitchen. 'They got any coke?', one of them asked.

             Hussain allowed a couple of seconds for the kitchen door to close behind them and ran for the stairs. He shot up them quickly, trying not to breath hard.

             'What was that?', he heard the girl ask as he reached the top of the stairs.

             'I heard it too'

             The kitchen door opened. Hussain clamored up the loft stairs to an anxious looking Rasher.

              'You three go upstairs, we'll check the rest of the downstairs'

              'I'm telling you, this place is empty'

                'Just do it'

                Hussain slowly pulled the stairs up, trying his best to make sure he made no sound'

                 'Okay, okay. Just get those pizza's on, while we check things out'

                  Footsteps started up the stairs.

                  Hussain rested the stairs on the flooring. He shuffled across, grabbing the  wooden panel that closed the loft off from the rest of the house. He lowered it down, as he caught the first glimpse of two men and the girl walking up the stairs.

                  'You check that room'

                  Neither Rasher or Hussain dared to move or breath, as the three men walked under them.

                  After a moment, one of them shouted down to the others.

                 'There's no one here'

                 'No one here either', the ones downstairs shouted up.

                 'Told them no one was here. They're just paranoid'

                 'Susan.....this is bullshit, why did you have to bring them along. Now we're gonna have to share everything we find'

                  'I wasn't going to come in here with just you two losers, what if the Paki was here, he'd of beaten the shit out if you'.

                  'Fuck off. No he wouldn't'

                   There was a pause.

                   'He wouldn't have. I can hold my own'

                   'I'm sure you can. Now, let's go and get something to eat. I hope that idiot's put the pizza on'.

                   'Just as long as those three clowns know that we found this place. It's ours. I'm moving into here later'

                    'Why don't you tell them that', there was a hint of cynicism in her voice.