No Adults Allowed

Six

"That thing," said the older boy, pointing at the wolf, "why isn't it attacking?"

Eva looked at the creature, which stood impassively a few steps ahead, waiting for them. "Is it supposed to?"

"It's what they do." He lowered his staff, though his companions remained at the ready. "They call me Prof. I am our chief. I'm surprised we have not met before. What part of Alundein are you from?"

"Alundein?"

He waved a hand at the buildings around them. "The city. What faction are you?"

There was an awkward silence, Prof and his companions still surrounding them at a respectful distance, Ramin lying on the ground nursing his ankle. The wolf shifted its weight from one foot to another. There was the sound of something shifting and crumbling inside one of the buildings.

Hesitantly, glancing at Flick and Tilda, Eva stood and took a step towards the one called Prof. 

"I'm Eva. We're not from the city, we're from outside."

There was a ripple of mutterings from the locals. "There is no outside," Prof said.

"But there is," Eva said, pointing rather vaguely in the direction from which they'd come. She was realising that these people had only ever lived in the city, which produced a tight, unpleasant feeling in her stomach for their prospects of escaping. "Perhaps we can tell you about it?"

Prof scowled at her, then looked at each of them one-by-one, his gaze lingering especially on Erik. "Perhaps you can," he said, "but not here." He eyed the wolf creature. "They've been quieter lately, but it's still not safe to be out in the open."

She considered consulting with the others, but it was quite apparent that they had little choice but to follow. Ramin was loaded onto a flimsy panel of metal sheeting produced by Prof's friends, then held by Rufus and Tilda - the latter complaining profusely about the load. Prof and his gang took up positions in front and behind and led them on a new route, winding between the buildings along wide and narrow streets, until Eva was entirely turned around and had no idea where they had come from. She glimpsed the wolf, following at a discreet distance.

"Where are you taking us?" asked Flick, catching up with them at the front of the pack.

"To our camp," Prof said. "It'll be safer off the streets. And who are you?"

"Flick."

"Nice name."

"Nice...beard."

He laughed. "You say it like you've never seen one before."

"We haven't," said Eva. "The beginnings of one or two, perhaps, but nothing like the ones you and your friends have."

Flick was staring up at the taller boy. Eva wondered whether to think of him as a boy or a man. "How old are you, anyway?"

"I've no idea. Long enough to know how to survive in this city. Not long enough to be dead."

"You do seem older than any of us," Eva said. "Are you all about the same age?"

"More-or-less, I'd say so. None of us have been counting. How about your friends?" Prof nodded at Erik. "Why is he so short? Is something wrong with him?"

Unable to contain herself, Eva laughed. "He's six years old. He's a child." Her laugh evaporating as a thought struck her, she looked quizzically at Prof. "Are there no children here?"

"What are children?"

"Wow," said Flick.

At last their walking led them to a tall building sprouting from the swampy morass of the streets. As with every other structure in the city it was half-falling down, dark holes where windows would once have been and outer walls caked with moss and vines.