Max quickly gets to his feet and starts to move to the back of the hangar. I’m not sure why but I don’t follow. Instead, I fall to my knees next to Aaron. His eyes have become a little dull and I can hear that his heartbeat has sped up. I think he is actually dying. Max is suddenly back and in his hand is a syringe. He positions it above his own arm.

“Let me,” I say. I’m shocked I spoke. I look at him with wide eyes. I want to give my blood? I don’t understand where that came from.

“No,” Max says and he gives me a hard look. Aaron reaches out a hand and grasps my wrist.

“Not you,” he wheezes. His colour has gone very grey. He looks at Max. “Or you.” He shifts his eyes to Colin who is standing with Conor. “Him.”

I…

Conor looks at me. “Is that a gun?”

I nod. “But it is empty.”

I start to scan the horizon but I can see nothing except the hanger. I look at Max and he gives a quick nod.

“I’ll go first,” Colin says.

Max hands Conor to me and whispers in my ear to say back. My face wrinkles at that. I have no wish to be the one at the back, but then someone must look after Conor. The kid waits until Max and Colin are a distance away before he starts to wriggle.

“What?” I ask.

“I want to walk,” he says.

“Are you feeling okay?”

He nods. I must admit he isn’t hot and his eyes are clear. Slowly I put him on the ground and he gives a smile. We start to walk toward the hangar. Conor picks up his pace and is jogging.

“Bitsy,” he…

GLIDE – to movesmoothlyandcontinuouslyalong, as if withouteffort or resistance. 

Although these snails came gliding through my letterbox, I am by no means implying that they came as easy as the word glide suggests.

The journey of each snail is one of significance.  I am not sure this completely makes sense but hopefully the snails will help explain –  They are effortlessly easy on the eye but they each have a story to tell.

Thank you from the bottom of my shell for sending a snail in the mail. – I hope that each snail continues to act as a puzzle piece and can spread sillyness, thoughtfullness and a way to help us glide!

Here they are!…..

This chap came from Berlin via Devon and is by the super talented illustrator Jayde Perkin. Eine Schnecke looks like he has a lot of character, just like the people that…

I turn in a slow circle, keeping an eye out for the others getting too close.

“I’m scared,” Conor says. I give his slight frame a squeeze.

“Don’t worry,” I say. “We will be fine.”

“Where’s Max gone?”

“We have friends who are meant to be getting a helicopter ready.”

“Where are they?” Conor asks.

I nod toward the hangar. So far none of the others have noticed me or Conor but I know they will. I’m just glad that it isn’t a windy night. It is very still and that is helping us, stopping Conor’s almost human scent to spread. The problem is that no sooner have I thought it than an other turns and looks in my direction.

It lets out the mewling of a kitten and I wonder if there is a sort of language. I’m answered when five others turn and look in our direction.

“Shit,”…