Interrupted Journey

Chapter 8 - The Embankment

Andrew woke to find Elizabeth enjoying the unfamiliar luxury of the gas ring; she was cooking a warm meal. After giving her a kiss, he strolled out of the hut and casually scanned the bridge for anyone approaching then checked more carefully with the binoculars. Though they had felt terribly exposed whilst moving that morning, it would be impossible for anyone to sneak up on them. He could see nobody but, at the south end of the bridge, where they had been a few hours earlier, a substantial column of smoke was rising.

David was sitting with Martin at the table in the hut, helping him to sort out the new boots. They were slightly too large but they had used the liners from Martin's old trainers to adjust them to fit.

Andrew went over and sat with them and awkwardly tried to thank them for how cooperative they were being on the trip.

"It's OK, Dad, we get it," David answered with a familiar balance of boredom and exasperation that reminded Andrew of the time before and made him smile. "It's our necks, too."

As clouds started to roll in, afternoon turned quickly to evening and they finished packing up and, after their wonderful, warm meal, they continued along the bridge. By the time they reached the other side rain had started to fall. They could have descended to the fields below but they looked wet and muddy and the railway line - set on a high embankment - made for much easier walking.

Andrew worried about the security implications but, in spite of the rain, they were making such good time, that it seemed to be worth the risk.

That risk seemed to have paid off as they made some very solid miles in spite of the extreme dark caused by lack of moon and the heavy clouds. Then, shortly before dawn, a light appeared ahead of them.

As they approached, it became clear that it was a sizeable fire built on the rail bed and, as they moved even closer, they could make out people standing around it.

It was tempting. After hours trudging through the steady rain they were all soaked and Andrew found himself dreaming of the warmth of that fire... cups of tea... hot food...

He was pulled out of his dreams by a whisper from Elizabeth. "We've got to get off this embankment."

Reluctantly he agreed and they started hunting for a way down.

The slope was steep and covered with thick, bushy and mostly thorny trees. At last they found a place where they might be able to make it though the wet grass and mud looked extremely slippery.

Elizabeth went first followed by David who was quietly keeping an eye on Martin who, as usual, had Annie on his back. Suddenly a branch Martin was holding snapped and he started to slide. David jumped across to try to stop the pair from tumbling and, though he managed to steady Martin, he lost his own footing and started careering down the slope. He only stopped when he reached the bottom and his leg was twisted painfully underneath him.

He tried to stand but his ankle wouldn't take the weight and he collapsed with a barely suppressed yelp of pain.

Andrew didn't see him fall; he was still on watch at the top, but when he heard the crashing and that muffled shout he feared the worst. He rushed to the edge and could just make out David down below, sitting against a fence and clutching at his ankle. When he heard shouts from the fire, his mind was made up and he hurried down the steep slope, sliding from tree to tree.

He stumbled out onto the narrow stretch of grass at the bottom and, picking David up, he heaved him over the fence into the field beyond. Elizabeth scrambled over and helped him to lower David down on the other side. Then he helped Martin over with little Annie and they all shuffled along the fence line until they were partially hidden behind a thin hedge. David curled up in a ball, gripping his ankle and almost shaking with the strain of keeping quiet.