As the Light Dies (80 page)

Lisa thought Bill was right. It did feel vaguely warmer in the library, and she knew that once it was filled with children, their body heat would help keep the temperature up. At least for a little while. They laid down some spare blankets that they found, along with a pair of curtains that Bill found in the storage cupboard. Then despite just about being able to see as their eyes adjusted to the darkness, Bill found some candles and secured them inside glass jars normally used to hold the childre
n’
s paint brushes and made some crude looking lanterns for the childre
n’
s benefit. Most of them were afraid of the dark. He placed the makeshift lanterns around the room. Two on the library teache
r’
s desk, one beside the door and four more were strategically placed around the room, shedding just enough light for the children to see by. Then the room was deemed ready.

By now it was getting on for four-
o’
clock. They parted ways outside the classroom where the
y’
d bumped in to each other earlier. Bill opened the classroom door letting the sound of crying and sobbing children pour out in to the corridor. Lisa had to fight back her own tears hearing them, it was a sad and horrible sound. She picked up her pace while trying to keep her candle alight and navigated her way back to the kitchens through the darkened school.

*****

Before long the kitchens and dining hall were filled with the smell of cooked food for the second time that day, as Lisa busied herself cooking up a choice of lasagne, macaroni cheese, or cottage pie with the choice of chips or steamed vegetables. She was just thinking about going to tell Bill and Mandy that dinner was almost ready when the doors to the dining hall opened up behind her and Bill came in holding a candle out in front of him that h
e’
d pushed through a paper disc to catch the hot wax. Behind him following in twos and each pair with their own candle, were the remaining fifteen children singing
,
The animals came in two by two
.

Mandy was taking up the rear with the fifteenth child, and she was singing the loudest.

Lisa almost jumped at first, she had
n’
t heard them over the cookers and the howling wind. She was glad to see their spirits had risen, even if only a little.

Mandy joined Lisa behind the counter, lending a helping hand while Bill saw to the children as they sat at the tables, making sure they did
n’
t burn the place down as they placed their candles along the middle of the table. He watched over them constantly reassuring them that it was all going to be just fine while Lisa and Mandy put the final preparations to the meals.

Keeping their attention Bill told them all the story of how when he was little, he and his sister were snowed in, in their cottage with their mum and dad. The
y’
d been trapped inside for four nights because of the snow.

He told them how the
y’
d roasted marshmallows on the open fire and played board games and read adventure stories while the weather raged on outside. It worked. Every last child stared at him with big eyes, transfixed by the story, and before they knew it their piping hot dinner was served and Bill was able to back away and leave them to it as they tucked in and spoke amongst themselves.

Once all the children had been served and they had a spare minute Lisa asked Mandy how they were handling things.

“
I
t’
s only going to get harder, the longer they have to wait for their parents. I ca
n’
t think. I do
n’
t want to think why their parents have
n’
t made it back to collect them yet. I know Bill ca
n’
t reach most of them, but they all know when the school day finishes and that was nearly three hours ago now
!
”

“
Do the children know that he has
n’
t been able to reach their parents
?”
said Lisa.

Mandy shook her head
.“
They just think their parents are stuck in that horrible black snow somewhere and that the
y’
ll be here as soon as they can
.
”

Dropping the issue before she got too upset in front of the children, Mandy filled a plate with macaroni and went and sat beside the children.

Lisa dropped back in to the kitchen and grabbed a nibble herself while everyone else ate.

She watched as the thunder and lightning kept Bill and Mandy busy as it continued to scare the children. Lisa wished there was something she could do, but knew what the children really needed was their parents, and to be back in their own homes.

The lightning was vicious; it cracked loudly with every flash and illuminated the dining hall, giving everything within a faint blue tinge for a split second before the heavy thunder that followed almost felt like it was shaking the ground!

One small boy said it sounded like a prehistoric beast was emerging from under the playground just outside, breaking up through the playgroun
d’
s concrete after eons in hibernation.

Then there was a loud cluttering sound out in the hallway as something was knocked over!

The children got a fright. They all went silent and turned to look at the doors before looking at Bill for reassurance.

“
I
t’
s ok everyone
,”
he said, nodding for Mandy to join him
.“
Everyone just stay in your seats and eat up, i
t’
s just the wind getting in through a window, something silly like that
.
”

The children did
n’
t move. They were frozen rigid. They watched the double doors with wide fearful eyes as Bill and Mandy approached them trying to remain calm themselves for the sake of the children. Before they reached the doors there was a loud painful sounding cough from the other side. It almost stopped Bill in his tracks!

Then one of the doors was pushed open. The dining room filled with little gasps!

A bedraggled and weak looking woman stumbled through!

“
MUM
!”
cried a little boy as he leapt from his seat and rushed towards her.

“
Gail
?”
said Bill looking at the woman trying to see who she was underneath all the ash and snow that clung to her. Before she could answer the boy that Mandy had
n’
t managed to catch as he ran passed her, flung himself at the woman and nearly knocked her over as he wrapped his arms around her.

“
Sam sweetie
,”
she said stifling another cough. The woman kissed her son on the top of his head and hugged him back trying to stay standing as she leaned this way and then that way unsteady on her feet
.“I’
m sorry
I’
m late sweetie.
I’
m so, so sorry. But
I’
m here now and we can go home ok
.
”

The boy was nodding frantically with his face buried in his mothe
r’
s side.

Bill and Mandy walked over and helped the woman who they now knew was Gail Clark over to an empty table and sat her down. She was completely exhausted.

Lisa brought over some water and a small plate of cottage pie which she was extremely grateful for. She drank her glass of water in one gulp and ate the pie as fast as she could.

She was reluctant to stay long saying that it was getting worse out there, as she pointed at one of the dirty windows.

Then with a hushed tone she said to Bill and Mandy
,“
It is utter chaos out there. People are turning on each other like animals. I
t’
s horrible
!”
A tear ran down her cheek as she spoke clearing a clean line through the muck. She wiped it away quickly struggling to control her emotions for the sake of her son as she continued
,“
I
t’
s as though the
y’
re infected with something. Like the
y’
ve gone mad or insane or something
!
”

“
What on earth do you mean Mrs Clark
?”
said Bill
,“
I do
n’
t understand!
I’
ve been trying to reach you all day. Did you make it to work? What about town, wha
t’
s happening? What are the police doing
?”
There were so many questions
,
to
o
many! But Gail was
n’
t about to waste anymore time. Sh
e’
d regained some of her strength and sh
e’
d decided that she and Kevin were leaving.

She called out
,“
Come here Kevin, w
e’
re going home now
.
”

“
Ok mommy
,”
said Kevin zipping up his jacket and trotting back over from his friends.

“
Wait Mrs Clark
,”
pleaded Bill
,“
please stay just a little longer
I’
d like to know...
.”
he stopped mid sentence as Mrs Clark turned on her heels without saying a word, and started walking towards the doors gripping Kevin tightly by her side.

“
Mrs Clark
!”
pleaded Mandy walking after her but Bill raised his hand indicating for her to hold back
.“
Let her go
,”
he said
,“
i
t’
s no use. Sh
e’
s frightened and all she wants to do is get her son home safely, i
t’
s only natural. Pursuing her could just make a scene and would just upset the other children
.”
Mandy knew Bill was right. She looked around and saw the worry on the other childre
n’
s faces, most of them were crying again.

“
I
t’
s ok children
,”
she said
,“
See your parents are trying, and they will get here to take you home soon. I
t’
s just very difficult for them at the moment
,”
she paused for a moment, then said
,“
it could be any one of you next so yo
u’
d all better eat up quickly, unless you want to leave without getting your ice-cream
.
”

The children went back to eating their dinners. Some were reluctant at first but they soon came around as the chatter slowly started up again, wondering who would be next to leave, and Lisa called out if anyone wanted seconds and most did.

After the
y’
d all been fed and watered the children all lined up again in the same way the
y’
d arrived, with their candles held high in front of themselves and they followed Bill back through the dark school singing
,
The animals came in two by two
,
again all the way back to the library.

Lisa set to cleaning and tidying the kitchen and dining hall again but this time she left the tables and chairs in place instead of stowing them away. She had a feeling that the
y’
d be using them again, and sooner rather than later. She continued to check her mobile phone as she worked, just in case it decided to work again and a text had made it through from Leann. But it was still dead.

After she finished cleaning Lisa made her way to the library. Sh
e’
d decided that she was going to stay at the school for as long as she had to. As much as she was worried about her Leann she knew that Leann had a good head on her shoulders and that she could look after herself. Lisa knew her daughter would understand why she was staying back. She just wished that she could let her know what she was doing by staying back at the school to help take care of the children.

She dreaded the thought of Leann out there in the freezing black snow worried sick and trying to find her while she was safe and well inside the school.

Before all this the
y’
d both agreed that the
y’
d both go straight home at the first sign of trouble and stay there no matter what, until the other arrived. But deep down she knew that Leann would only wait so long before coming looking for her, because sh
e’
d do the exact same.