‘With Mummy and Daddy.’ Leah perked up.

‘Yes. And Bruno. Cross my heart.’ Carly curved both her little fingers and hooked them around the twins’ pinkies:

‘A pinkie promise can’t be broke

Or you’ll disappear in a puff of smoke

This is my vow to you,

I’ll keep my promise through and through.’

‘We’re going home.’ Carly’s voice was steadier this time. ‘Are you ready?’

‘Yes,’ they said, but their voices were small.

‘Run!’

Carly’s feet flew over the rough ground. She didn’t slow. Didn’t stop to check how far behind Marie and Leah were.

She threw herself at the fence. Twisted her fingers around the wire, shook it hard. It was too high to climb and besides the top was razor wire.

Quickly she moved on. Her eyes scanned for a gate but instead of the exit she’d tumble through, open and conspicuous, she found something better.

A hole.

She dropped to her knees and clawed through the undergrowth, the sharp edges of wire scraping against her back, until she was through and could stand once more. She took a precious second to seek out the twins. They hadn’t yet reached the perimeter, their arms around each other. Carly wasn’t sure who was holding who up. Carly waved until she was sure they had spotted her and then she turned and scrambled up the bank, slip-sliding backwards, driving herself forwards once more.

And there it was.

A road.

The road.

She nearly wept, but instead threw herself into a ditch and it was there she waited until Marie and Leah popped their heads over the bank like meerkats. The sisters were reunited once more. A team. Carly was glad. No matter how much they needed her, she knew she needed them too.

The road was barely a track, and Carly’s spirits dipped as she wondered how frequently it was used, but she told herself to stay positive. Even if they didn’t meet any traffic the road had to lead somewhere. Somewhere there would be a phone and a police station. Warm, dry clothes, and a sense of safety. Somewhere they could wait for their parents and that thought made her both nervous and excited. Although she’d told Marie they wouldn’t be angry there was a doubtful voice inside her head, wondering if they might blame her. If her stepdad would hate her for putting his daughters at risk, but that was silly. He’d never made her feel any different, any less. Their parents would be overjoyed to see them, all of them, she knew.

‘Keep low and follow me.’ Carly crawled along the verge, her hands slapping against wet grass, her knees slipping. ‘If Moustache and Doc appear, lie flat and keep still.’

She couldn’t hear them. Couldn’t hear anything except the rain beating against the tarmac and her own frantic heart. Her eyes searched the darkness for yellow beams of torchlight but there was nothing.

Had they got away? Carly dared herself to hope.

Progress was slow. Her back ached. Her head hurt. She stole a glance behind her at Leah’s face deathly pale in the glow of moonlight. Carly could see she was in pain but she hadn’t once complained about her ankle.