Royal Blood

Chapter Twenty Seven

The three of us wonder around aimlessly for a while, unsure of what we should actually do. What is the best way to help people? How are we going to help? Should we visit other cities in the zone and see if they need help or stay here and help these people? All these questions buzz around in my mind and no answers seem to jump out at me.

The sky is slowly growing darker as clouds cover up the sun. People on the street seem to be slinking lower into the sleeping bags they are in, if they are lucky to have one. It is not long before we realise that we might have to end up sharing the streets with these people. Sleeping in old, abandoned sewers was one thing but this another thing completely. Never in my life as a princess did I ever think that I would have to sleep on the streets. Strange how life changes.

People keep glaring at us as we walk by them, no matter how far into the city we go, the response is always the same. Everywhere in the city has been damaged by the attacks from the rebels so there is nowhere safe to stay. All businesses look to have been shut down as nothing is open although I do not know how you would open a shop in a building where the roof is missing. Just as I am thinking of this, Max wonders off into the rubble.

"Where are you going?" I shout after him the same time as Jasper does.

"I'm just having a look." He turns around and tells us.

Hesitantly I follow on behind him, unsure of how safe this building actually is. It does look more intact that most of the other building but half of the roof is missing, the front door has been blown off its hinges and the glass in the window has been smashed to pieces. At least most of the walls are still stood up.

I reach the room that Max is stood in which looks relatively put together still. There is a sofa against the backs wall which is covered in rubble and dust, shelves are still hanging on the wall though they are bare. The items on the shelves must have fallen off. Other than that there is not much else in the room.

"This looks perfect." Max mutters under his breath.

I look at Jasper who rolls his eyes at me, looking as clueless as what I am feeling.

"Max, what's perfect?" Jasper asks him.

"This place. We can hide out in here. I don't know about you but I didn't feel like sleeping on the streets." He explains to us looking rather proud of himself.

"I do not think it will be that safe and what do we do if it rains? Half of the roof is missing, we would get soaked..."

"- We would get even wetter if were sat out on the streets. At least here with have some cover." Max says before I have finished my sentence.

"Do you not think that those people who have to live on the streets would rather stay in a house somewhere? There must be a reason that they choose to live out there rather than in here. It must be more dangerous than it looks." I try to explain to him but he is not listening.

Before my eyes, Max is unpacking his backpack and laying his sleeping bag on the floor. Jasper follows his lead and by this point, I am too tired to argue anymore. I unpack my own sleeping bag and crawl into it. My eyes begin to feel heavy and before I know it, I am fast asleep.

I am only woken up in the morning by the sound of Jasper unzipping his sleeping bag at sunrise.

"Where are you going?" I ask him, not raising my voice louder than a whisper so I do not wake Max up.

"Looking for a toilet." Jasper whispers back and wonders around the house.

I try going back to sleep but the sun begins to creep through the hole in roof, making it almost impossible to go back to sleep. After a few minutes, Max begins to stir in his own sleeping bag and eventually wakes himself up.