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Back The Enemy Save as PDF
Chapters (69)
  1. Table of Contents
  2. 1
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  4. 3
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When he woke, his mother was there, cradling him in her arms, and he felt an overwhelming happiness. He wanted to tell everyone. The nightmare was over. His mother looked down into his face and smiled the most beautiful smile. He knew that everything was all right if she smiled at him like that. There were no more monsters. She brushed his hair off his forehead and rested a cool hand on his face. Like she always did when he was sick. To see if he was hot. And all the while her eyes were smiling at him.

“I love you, baby,” she said, and he smiled back. He opened his mouth to speak; he wanted to tell her something. It was hard to get the words out. They stuck in his dry throat.

They had bandaged the wound and wrapped Arran tightly around the chest. The white material was soon stained dark with blood, though. The wound was steadily leaking, and nobody dared catch Maxie’s eye. They all knew the worst— Arran was dying—but Maxie wouldn’t admit it. They hated themselves for it, but they wanted to move on, leave Arran behind. It wasn’t safe here. The grown-ups had attacked once and they would attack again. The longer the kids stayed still, the more danger they were in. But Maxie sat by the body and wouldn’t move. It was late. She’d been holding him for what seemed like hours. Talking quietly. Trying to give him water.

She could hear the others muttering. They were plotting. She knew they wanted to abandon Arran. She looked at his handsome face, so pale and tired looking. He hadn’t moved for ages.

And then his lips parted and Maxie’s heart leapt.

“Come over here,” she cried. “Quick. It’s all right, listen, he’s trying to speak.”

Ollie came back over with Maeve and Blue.

“Listen,” said Maxie. “I’m sure he’s trying to say something. He only needed a rest. He’s getting stronger at last. If he can speak he’s all right.”

Arran’s gray-blue eyes opened, and they were clear and bright. He smiled at Maxie.

“I love you, Mom,” he said quietly, and he died in Maxie’s arms.

23

They had ransacked the buildings and gardens nearby and collected everything they could find that would burn— fallen branches, tables, chairs, doors, mattresses, scaffolding planks, tires—and packed it around the BMW. It was no more use to them. Blue had driven it around, chasing off the last of the grown-ups after the battle, until the last of its gas had run out. Once they had a good-sized bonfire, they wrapped Arran and the other dead kids in sheets. They wanted to make sure their faces were hidden. Then they placed the bodies on top of the heap.