Petal leaned against the window, using Sorrel’s knife to turn the screws. It was slow, painstaking work and the knife kept slipping. She pocketed each screw as it came free. “Last one,” she grunted, and then handed the triangular window down to Iris. “Measure the frame against your shoulders,” Petal said to Sorrel, climbing down. “If you can get them through, you’ll get the rest of your body out. Hurry now.”

“I’ll manage,” Sorrel said. “Do you have any grease?”

“No grease.”

Sorrel stood up and approached the upright bed.

She put her feet on the frame. “You don’t have any weapons, right?

“No,” Selan said.

“Keep my knife.” She passed it over to Petal. “Do you think you could take this bed apart? It feels like it’s been screwed together. Maybe you’ll need the pieces.”

“For what?” Selan said.

“To fight.”

Sorrel climbed up to the vent and began squeezing her body through it.

CHAPTER 34 – COLONEL DRAX

The dust was even thicker outside, the sky a dirty orange. Sorrel dropped to her hands and knees and began to crawl in the direction Selan had indicated. She felt the shape of flat stones under her palms and hoped that following them would take her to the drainage system. Her hands found a low circular ridge which she realised was the edge of the drain. It was a shallow cylinder, easily able to hold her body. It disappeared down the steep hill.

She slid down it, feet first, scraping her limbs and tearing her clothes, her breathing ragged. The drain became steeper and smoother as she slid down it, barely able to control her descent.

She fell heavily at the end and for a moment felt disoriented and lost. Follow the wall, Selan had said. She untied her machete and swung it at the heavy bush, but the exertion made her feel faint. She leaned against the stones, drawing deep breaths. After a while her breathing calmed and she straightened up. Judging from the heat, it was mid-afternoon. She looked up and just above her head, saw the high wall encircling Cibao. Following it, she fought her way through the bush in what she hoped was the direction of the gully. She lost her footing several times and slid further down the steep slope. She couldn’t see what was beneath her and knew it could be a sheer drop. She came to a loose pile of debris, probably deposited by an earthquake, which barred her way. I can’t, she thought. Her vision darkened and her last thought was to protect her head as she fell.

Someone slapped her cheek and she opened her eyes. Rapt’s face was above her – too close. “What the guata are you doing?” he said in his gravel voice. “Why’d you leave us? We had to waste time searching for you. Were you in the camp? Did you warn them?”