Page 81 of Just Watch Me
“I reckon so. I’m pretty good at following my nose.” Well, he would be, wouldn’t he? Spatial awareness would have to be in his skill set. “If I can’t,” he said, “we’ll stop walking and start knocking at doors. How’re the kids? It’ll be about two kilometers. Thirty minutes, if you and I were walking it, but it’s a bit steep.”
“They’re strong,” she said. “Yours are, and mine too, though I don’t know about Forrest. Once they’re not scared, I think they’ll be strong enough to walk it, and they’re so much less scared now you’re here.”And so am I,she didn’t say.
“Forest? What forest?”
Oh. He didn’t know. There were so many kids, and it was so dark. “We have an extra one. About George’s age. He went to Te Papa with his sister. I think she left him there, probably sneaking off to meet somebody, because after the quake, he was alone.”
“Bloody hell.”
“Yeh. He doesn’t know mobile numbers for his parents, but he knows his address. I tried the police, but the call wouldn’t go through. I thought—keep him with ours tonight, then try to get him home in the morning. And pray that the sister made it. Their poor parents, tonight.” She shifted her little backpack onto both shoulders and wished she’d brought snacks. Shealwaysbrought snacks, but they’d been going to the museum, and?—
Stop. Focus.“Ready?” she asked.
“Wait.” She did, and he stepped closer, put a hand on her arm, and said, “You must’ve been bloody terrified.”
Just like that, there the tears were again. She forced them back with an effort and said, “So must you.”
“Not the same,” he said. “And in case I don’t say it later, in all the chaos— Well done, Skylar. Bloody well done.”
After that, they’d walked. And walked. Holding kids’ hands, and when the way got too dark to be sure they were staying together, forming a crocodile, every person holding onto the one ahead. Zane at the front, and Skylar at the back, making sure they were all still together. Zane shining his torch up at street signs, stopping at every corner, muttering aloud. Calling out, “Careful here,” where the bricks of the pedestrian mall on Cuba Street had been heaved up and scattered. Crossing the streets carefully, his torch sweeping around the same way hers had done, trying to say,We’re here. Look out for us.Turning, and turning again, until the hill became steeper. Willis Street, she thought, though she wasn’t sure. Straight up through the city.
A change up ahead now. Zane had stopped, had lifted somebody. Georgia, that would be, who’d been behind him. He carried her, and they walked on as the road got steeper still.
A stumble ahead of her. Forrest, who’d had his hand on George’s shoulder. Skylar asked, “OK, Forrest?” in her calmest, most cheerful tone.
“Y-yeh,” he said, but meters later, he stumbled again.
She said, “Here. I’ve got you,” and lifted him onto her hip. She knew he must be seven, because he had a front tooth missing, but he was a little shorter than George, and a bit lighter, too. She hurried to catch up so she was walking right behind George again, could make sure the group was still together.
She could do this.
Up, and up, and up. Her breath coming in gasps, her legs like lead.Knew there was a reason I’d done all that Body Pump,she thought, and kept going.And we must be nearly there.
Zane stopping again, his torch playing over something on a wall. Colors, that was. Oh. A mural. Theywerenearly there, because she remembered that mural.
They were going to make it.
The torch swinging around now, stopping. Zane saying something to Duncan, behind him, and taking the few steps back to Skylar. His voice behind the light, out of the darkness. “How long have you been carrying him?”
“A … ways.” Her breath was still coming hard, and she was grateful for the stop.
“Give him to me.”
She blinked. “What?”
“I’ve got him,” he said.
“But … the torch.” She felt stupid. Slow. Still running on adrenaline, but it had been so long now.
“Scarlett,” Zane called out, and the girl was right there.
“Why are we stopping?” George asked. “Are we nearly home?”
“Very nearly,” Zane said. “You’re doing awesome, bro.” He handed the phone to Scarlett. “I’ll be carrying two, so I’ll need you to walk just ahead of me with the torch for this last bit.”
“I can—” Skylar began to say.
“I know you can,” Zane said. “But I can do it more easily.” The phone passed to Scarlett, and Zane was taking Forrest. With a kid in each arm, he told Scarlett, “Lead the way. Duncan, you walk behind me. Hold onto the hem of my jacket. Soon be there. Just a bit more.” And led them on.
