Page 14 (2/2)

I hit the ground floor and hurry after the kidnappers They’ve slowed slightly, so as not to draw attention to themselves I want to roar but I’m out of breath from fear and the race up the stairs

I’ve alht up with them when one of the men stops and turns before the museum shop He tackles ht fair I scratch at his eyes He hisses and his grip loosens I roans and collapses I ju the astonished crowd around us, people staring, slack-jawed, a few of n of the ht, then left, and spot hiiant cannons and the road beyond I shout, "Stop!" Then I run after hiets to the cannons Turns and waits He’s holding the baby close to his chest

I coer than ht have a knife or a gun

"Put down the baby," I snarl

In response the man pushes back his hoodie with his free hand I feel o pale He looks like a ured, purplish in patches, pustulant, soray hair Pale yellow eyes He’ssome teeth, and those still intact are black and cracked

He points at ernails, just filthy, bloodstained flaps of skin He stares, eyes widening, and crooks one of his fingers, like he’s trying to hypnotizethe onna make the sort of du a step back, I screa

Footsteps behind me The man I knocked down outside the shop rushes past He half twirls and spits at me He looks like a mutant too, like he’s survived a nuclear war and is suffering fro I think for ato attackand shouting A woman shrieks, "My son! Don’t hurtthe baby looks past ain and leers He licks his lips lewdly - his tongue is shriveled and scabby

As the footsteps draw closer, the rab the boy like a ball, cushioning him as best I can I fall backwards and land onat ers

I look up Thefast now that they don’t have the baby They reach the gate and seconds later they’re gone, out of sight

Just before the crowd catches up with me, I stare into the baby’s face I half expect him to smile sinisterly and say, "don’t be afraid mummy," like the babies in my dreams But of course he doesn’t This is the real world, not a nightmare

Then I think of the two men, their unnatural skin and yellow eyes And I wonder