Ellie thought for a second. Practicalities. Better that than the creeping formless dread of what the world had become, and would again tonight. “You and Julie, head that way,” she said, pointing up along Blackfield Grove. “See if you can find anyone. Ernie’ll be around somewhere.” Though God alone knew in what state; Ellie realised she’d been waiting to hear a gunshot ever since he’d gone to look for Marzena and the kids. She hadn’t yet, but there were no other sounds from that direction, either: none of the laughter and relief, however weary and muted, you’d expect if he’d found them safe. And there were other, quieter ways to die. “Check the Grove and all around the Park, then Smithy Lane. We’ll do the Way and the High Street. Meet up at Church Street.”

“And if we do find anyone?”

Ellie squinted down Halliwell Way, trying to guess the sources of the smoke. “If they can move, tell them to head for the Assemblies church, or whatever the nearest thing standing is.” She looked at Milly. “Do whatever we can to treat people there, yeah?”

Milly nodded and gave a weak, wan smile. “If they can’t walk, note down where they are and I’ll come find them. If anyone’s in a bad way – like they need seeing right now or they’ll die – come get me. Yeah?”

Ellie took her phone out, and dialled Julie’s. “Might as well give this a try,” she said. NO SIGNAL. She sighed, and stuffed it back in her pocket. “Well, goodbye to that idea. Let’s get started, then.”

It was slow, grim work, going from door to door, calling out and checking each room to find the same spectacle she’d seen yesterday at Wakeman Farm and the Bell. But as Ellie turned to leave one devastated kitchen, a faint whimpering came from a cupboard under the sink. Inside it was a little boy, maybe six or seven years old. She picked him up and carried him.

“Where are Mum and Dad?” he asked.

“I don’t know, love. We’ll find them. Don’t worry.”

“They told me to hide and keep quiet. Someone was trying to break in.”

His voice cracked; Ellie rocked him. “We’ll find them, love. We’ll find them.” What else could she tell him, at least for now? The truth could – would have to – wait.

They found eight survivors along Halliwell Way; given how desolate the village now looked that seemed a vast number until Ellie remembered how tiny a fraction of the population they made up. There were – or had been – over seven hundred souls in Barsall, and only these were left.