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Footsteps

Not ordinary footsteps - footsteps that were synchronised and regirammed, planned and controlled Thousands of involuntary footsteps directed with a cold, e closer by the second

The oh the churning, blustery air and I knew i towards us Clare looked confused She&039;d heard me talk about the vast columns of people I&039;d seen but she hadn&039;t seen much of them yet for herself It hat couldn&039;t be heard that unnerved me Other than thethe else Not even a single whimper or moan of protestation could be heard

Just ahead of us the road curved round tight to the right

&039;Wait here,&039; I whispered and I gestured for Clare to press herself against the hedgerow and ca?&039; she asked nervously, her face suddenly filled with fear and uncertainty &039;What&039;s the ,&039; I lied &039;Look, I just want to check round the corner I&039;ll be back in a couple of seconds&039;

I was gone before she had chance to protest I sprinted a short way further up the road There was nothing there - the road straightened again and seemed to run on for another half mile or so - and I quickly turned back I ran past Clare, doubling-back on myself, and carried on back down the road until I could see the heads of the first few approaching figures The hedge was low at that point and I was able to see a fair way into the distance A see towards us relentlessly, stillin their unnaturally precise formation I had seen all that I needed to see and I ran back to Clare

&039;What?&039; she de in the middle of the road with her hands on her hips &039;What&039;s going on?&039;

&039;It&039;s like I saw earlier,&039; I replied &039;Bloody hundreds of people heading our way&039;

&039;What are they doing out here?&039;

&039;No idea There&039;s nothing round here for lanced back overof the vast coluures with their faces fixed dead ahead, followed by four more, then four more and then more after that I could tell fro rong

&039;Just keep out of the way,&039; I whispered &039;They won&039;t even notice us Just get back against the hedge&039;

This time she did just as I asked and she shuffled back into the undergrowth I stood in front of her, trying to block and protect her froan to pass us

&039;Can you stop one of them?&039; she asked from behind me

&039;Not worth it I tried earlier Pull one out of line and they&039;ll just o&039;

&039;Is this what you saw in the village this ?&039;

&039;Similar Same formation&039;

&039;But why?&039;

She knew I couldn&039;t answer

&039;Don&039;t know&039;

&039;So where are these people from?&039;

&039;Don&039;t know&039;

&039;Where are they going?&039;

&039;Don&039;t know,&039; I snapped, now not bothered if any of the bodies heardhell, how am I supposed to know the answer to that?&039;

&039;I&039;m sorry,&039; she ot a thousand and one questions in et it,&039; I interrupted, turning round to face her &039;Just forget all your questions because there&039;s no point There&039;s nothing we can do about any of this&039;

&039;But why are they out here? There must be a reason?&039;

&039;What does itdown thethe tight curve of the road perfectly

&039;But what about Penny?&039; she asked I could hear her sniffing back more tears &039;What about Rob and Siobhan and&039;

&039;Gone,&039; I replied, trying desperately to hide uess is they&039;re all in one of these queues soht even be here for all we know&039;

&039;Do you think so?&039; she said, suddenly et it,&039; I said again as the vast procession continued past us &039;Therewe can do&039;

&039;Like what? What are we going to do to help the millions of poor bastards like these?&039;

&039;I just can&039;t believe that there&039;s nothing we can do&039;