Although it is only mid-day I feel that I have spent a lifetime in the airport, since I left the safety of the plane. I don’t notice at first when the light starts to fail. With no power we are dependant on natural light and as it begins to disappear the twilight of the airport became dingy.

We have reached the door that will take us out into the public area of the airport. I don’t know where we are but I am trusting the guys and they seem to know what they are doing. Either that or they are just too confident.

Max has his hand on the door. “This ought to lead into the lobby.”

Colin nods. It’s enough for me. As with all the other doors we have come across Max crouches and pushes the door a little. The light that trickles in is much duller than…

“We have to find them,” I say, still unable to tear my eyes from the sight of the bodies. I am breathing through my mouth. I have to. This close to the doors I can smell them. It is a coppery sweet smell but over the top is the sharp corrupt smell of death. I once drove past an abattoir when I was visiting a rural village in Wales. The smell had been unlike anything I had experienced before and this reminds me of it. I am going to have to move or throw up. My stomach rolls and I realise that even if I move I might throw up. The guys are already behind me, far enough away to lessen the smell. I just have to make sure though.

I distance myself mentally. I’m not looking for a body, just a pair of shoes smaller than the others. I…

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” I ask as we jog deeper into the warehouse-like room.

“No,” Max says.

“Great,” I say, but under my breath. I don’t know these guys. In fact I am astonished that I’m not a complete wreck, crying in the corner. But I have found something and that is the will to live. I really want to get out of here. Although with that thought comes anxiety. If it is this bad in the airport then what is it like out there? I wonder if my little house is all right. Forget the house… What about my brother?

Not that I can check on him. He emigrated to Australia and now we only contact each other via skype…

“What about computers?” I ask.

Colin looks back with a curious expression.

“Can’t we use the computers to see what’s going on?”

Max shakes his…

Outside the door I can hear footsteps. A group run past and then some follow slowly. I hear a radio crackle.

“Say again?”

“Sir, they are not here.”

“Damn.” The voice that says this is vaguely familiar but I can’t place it. The doors are solid so I can’t see who it is.

“What about in there?” I know he is looking at the door I am sitting against.

“Locked.”

“Have you checked them all?”

“They are alarmed.”

Colin smiles and Max joins him. What’s so funny? I think we are about to die and they are grinning like Cheshire cats. I ask the question with my eyes, but they just shake their heads.

“Try sector six.” That voice is so familiar.

Footsteps lead away from the room. Colin comes over and whispers in my ear. “We are going to have to move in a minute. Before they work it…

The soldiers are fanning out across the terminal and walking this way. All ten clutch their guns as if they are safety blankets.

“Well, I guess they are going to shoot us if they see us?” Max says.

“How do you figure that?” I ask.

“The way they are holding the guns.”

I frown. I don’t think it matters how they carry the guns, but they do look intimidating. And they aren’t calling out to us. As I watch, one holds a hand out, fist closed. All the men stop. One comes from the back and walks to the soldier who has called the halt. They both look at the floor and then right at me.

“Oh shit,” I say, ducking down. “Did they see me?”

Before either can answer I hear a voice boom out. “We saw you. Come out with your hands held away from your body and…

My feet slap on the hard floor of the terminal. Max has dropped me and is pulling me into a fast run holding my hand. Colin is behind me. I know we are making too much noise. Colin’s dress shoes are clicking and although Max’s trainers are silent he is breathing loudly. I’m not sure where we are going, but I can’t catch my breath to ask. All I keep seeing is the blood. Where are the others?

Max veers to the right and I follow him. There in front is a pair of double doors. They look as if they swing both ways and as Max extends his arm and hits them they swing silently inward. We dash in and they close behind us. Max slows to a jog and then stops. Colin is by the doors peering out of one of the squares of Perspex set into the…

“Where are they?” I ask, looking around the very empty terminal. The group we were with have disappeared and whoever was shooting has gone as well.

“I don’t…” Colin starts to say and then Max grabs us both and pulls us down below the counter.

“Shhh,” he hisses.

In the background I can hear a door opening. Footsteps come closer.

“The manifest says that there ought to be three more.” The voice is very loud and harsh as it echoes around the large room.

“Yeah, but loads never got on.” This voice is low and smooth. He sounds less cruel but I am not going to stand up and say hi.

“Maybe we ought to do a sweep. Perhaps we can find them.” He sounds sort of excited and I wonder what has him riled up. His pace has picked up as well. He is coming straight for us.

I…

“Lights,” Max whispers. I can tell he is on my right because he is breathing heavily. The popping sounds are still audible but seem to be much further away.

Max starts to move around and I can only guess that he is running his hands down the wall trying to find a light stitch. He stops.

“Don’t,” Colin says quietly.

Max doesn’t move. The sounds are becoming fainter as if they were getting further away. I think they might be outside the airport.

“What are those sounds?” I ask. I have an idea but I don’t want to admit it.

“Guns.” Colin answers me and I jump. He has moved closer and I hadn’t even realised.

“Shall I crack the door?” Max asks.

“Not that one,” Colin says. “There has to be one out into the space behind the desk.”

I look around and to the left of me I…

I make it back to my abandoned shoes as Colin starts to walk toward me. I had noticed that the shouting is louder but I’m still surprised at the yelling and gesturing going on. It looks as if they are about to come to blows.

Colin reaches me and takes me by the elbow, moving me out of direct sight.

“What?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “Where did you go?”

I nod to the door. “The agent came out of there and I had a few words.”

“What did he say?”

“What did they say?” I counter.

He sighs and drops my arm. I’m surprised that I liked the contact.

“You first,” he says. I look at him. I don’t know him, but I also know that I am not going to get out of this situation without help. And somehow I am not sure the rest of the…