Peter walked slowly over to the car, Tony watched him as he did so, Peter kept turning around to check on him as he walked, the gates were still open, he could just drive out, pick up his family and drive ‘where will I go’ he asked himself ‘I got in here, I’ll get out’ he grew excited, his heart began to race, having his car back, would give him a sense of normality, maybe even an escape route.

He got into the Avensis, put the key in the ignition and turned the key, there was nothing, Tony just looked on with a grin on his face, he watched Peter get out of the car, open the bonnet and then slam it straight shut, he walked briskly towards Tony as if he meant business, Tony was now sat down with a beer in his hand,

‘Where’s the fucking engine gone’

‘Tony burst out laughing again, he hadn’t laughed so much in years, ‘Grab a chair and get a beer’

Peter did.

Philip Lenan watched from the distance, eyeing the activities of the two men, he puffed on his cigarette and threw the dog end on the floor ‘it will give the cleaner something to do ‘ he thought, Philip very often went out at night, a creature such as he would find no need to sleep, at least not until his creator did, he would often patrol the streets, looking through windows, trying to remember the names of the family’s that lived in the houses, trying to think up more rules, trying to find someone committing crimes so he could administer the punishment, trying to think of a suitable ending for Underwood ‘but that’s not my job’ he told himself.

There were very few people on the streets this time of night, except the occasional drinker walking home from the pub, should they see Philip on their way home, they would change direction and find another way home.

The street lights would be off soon, then the town would be lit up by the moon only, and the tree’s would dance as the creature walked through them, the two men he was watching were laughing now, he didn’t like that, not that he didn’t want people to be happy in Underwood, he did, that was his goal, that and to feed the trees, but to many happy people made for a boring existence, there had to be rules and sacrifices to make people understand how lucky they were.

He didn’t like the confidence of the man he looked at, he didn’t like the friendship that those two created, he stroked his chin, he needed a shave, soon he would have to go home and have one, he stood and stared at the two men for a while, before walking to Woodland road, where Allan Herapath lived, he needed a shave, he couldn’t be seen looking like this.

‘How long have you lived here’ Nathan asked Samuel, they were in his bedroom at no.13, a single bed and furniture, no toys adorned the room, no pictures on the wall, except the ones that Samuel had drawn himself, Nathan thought it looked nothing like his own bedroom at home, that was full of games and TV’s, PlayStation, his walls was full of posters, no this didn’t look like a bedroom at all, not a boys bedroom

‘Samuels mind drifted back, he knew how long he had lived here, but the question had brought back memories, the memories he didn’t want, the ones that wouldn’t go away, they both had paper and pencils the only activity they could find to do, there was a few board games, Ludo and snakes and ladders, but Samuel was fed up of them, his sister had taught him a paper game.

‘I was born here’ he eventually answered ‘anyway it’s your turn’

Nathan took the paper off Samuel and drew an x in the box, ‘I win’ he said,

Samuel threw the paper across the room ‘silly game, Rebecca always beats me’

‘Where’s your dad’ asked Nathan,

‘Why all the questions’ Samuel shot back at him, he raised his voice and Nathan noticed his fists clenching, he grew a little nervous, Nathan didn’t like violence, he didn’t understand at that time why his new friend had got so angry,

‘I’m just trying to be friendly’ he told him,

Samuel sat on the bed, his anger seemingly gone or at least calmed, but Nathan noticed his eyes still held it, that or the eyes of pain,

‘They killed him when he tried to stop my mum having their babies’

Nathan seen the tears on his cheeks, shocked at the answer, wishing he hadn’t asked.

‘That’s what I am’ he added ‘one of their babies, so is my sister’ he was fighting not to cry, tears trickled down but he held his composure, Nathan didn’t ask any more questions, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answers now, he just sat on the end of the bed, he wanted to put his arm around Samuel, but it didn’t seem the right thing to do,

‘They took 3 babies away’ Samuel continued, ‘into the woods’

Nathans heart went into his mouth, then he done something he didn’t want to do, he put his arm around Samuels shoulder,

‘I’m sorry for asking, he paused looking for a way to take the tension out of the conversation,

‘We had fun today didn’t we?’

‘Yes but it won’t last’

Nathan had a look of confusion on his face,

‘Why?’ he asked, not really wanting an answer,

‘Soon it will be my sister and mum says she’s not going to let it happen’

His words chilled him to the bone as he took his arm away from Samuel, and as he thought of his sister, he needed a shoulder to cry on, he didn’t want to be the shoulder that someone else cried on.

‘Let’s sneak out’ he said ‘see what’s in the woods’

Lily and Ivy were sat on the outside patio, it was still pleasantly warm, Lily had been showing Ivy her tablet, but the battery had faded and Ivy wasn’t really comprehending what she was saying, as Lily tried to explain the technology, Lily wondered how Ivy could be so beautiful and clever, living in a place like this, but all her knowledge was historical, and Lily realised she knew nothing of the modern world.

They sat and talked for ages, Lily telling Ivy what the outside world was like, and Ivy’s eyes lit up as she did so, it was hard for Lily trying to explain to someone who was still living in the 1970’s, and the town she lived in was all that she knew, it was difficult to tell her how the world had changed, when the only world she knew was Underwood, Ivy was still fascinated even though she didn’t understand it all, and asked loads of questions, the only things she knew about were from the books she read that came from the library, she knew the history of Underwood and the prison of war camp, she told Lily that at one time she thought that Underwood was all there was on earth, until rumours started that someone had come in from the outside, now she’s met her,

‘It gives me hope now that I know there’s somewhere else’ she told Lily, her eyes were still wide as she looked for Lily for assurance,

Lily tried to comprehend how it had been for Ivy living in her own little world, she was having difficulty doing so,

Lily pointed to the sky, Ivy looked up,

‘Where I came from the skies at night will be full of planes, taking people on their holidays, to beautiful places across the world’ she withdrew her stare and gazed at her new friend ‘one day’ she added ‘ you and I will be on one of those planes, Ivy smiled and took her hand,

‘I haven’t got long she told her’

Lily could see the sadness in her eyes,

‘I know, and if by then my father hasn’t found a way out, I will run with you, we will hide, I’ll not let them get you, the two girls hugged, Ivy leaned back in her lounger looking at the stars, trying to see if she could see a plane, there were no planes,

‘I might sleep under the stars tonight’ she said,

Lily lay back in her lounger, leaned over and took Ivy’s hand,

‘That’s a great idea’ she said.

Tony and Peter sat drinking outside the car lot, they smoked a cigarette and stood staring into nothing, earlier on Peter had checked some of the others cars, none of them had an engine, the engines were all piled up behind the car lot, both men at this moment were deep in thought, Tony thinking about his lost wife and Peter’s mind racing about all sorts of things, but all his thoughts would end up on how to get out of Underwood.