There's Nothing In The Water We Can't Fight

Written by: Tabitha

The car comes to a juddering halt.

“Right.” Sarah exhales, her nails digging into the soft, warm surface of the steering wheel.

She takes a moment, breathing.

When she can no longer fight off the real world, she turns to the tall boy next to her.

“Ronald, have we got everything?” Sarah asks the boy, who pulls out a notepad from the pocket of his denim jacket.

“Luggage, passports, Sarah, Josh and Slade, check.” He grins at her, despite her growing panic, she still manages to roll her eyes.

“I wish you wouldn’t insist on calling yourself that, you sound like a 1970’s Glam-rock band.”

She’s met with a snigger from the back seat.

Sarah tugs at rear view mirror, angling it so she catches a glimpse at the boy seated behind her.

“Don’t get any ideas Josh, about silly alias.” She warns the younger boy, whose attention is caught up once again with his precious Gameboy.

However much she tries Sarah can’t pretend, or forgive her Father. That he waited until the last months of his life to contact her, to let her know that she had another younger brother who was about to become an orphan.

Her Father never even saw her dance.

“I think it sounds, cool.” Ron says, snapping her back into reality.

“Mega!” Sarah frowns, glancing at her watch.

Struggling under the weight of a heavy bag each, the automatic doors of the airport slide open revealing a sea of desperate people trying to escape the end of the world.

Unconsciously she reaches for Ron’s hand.

“It’s going to be okay.” She’s not sure if he’s asking her, or telling her.

Sarah squeezes his sweaty palm back, noticing from the corner of her eye that he’s also holding Josh’s hand.

“If we all keep together, whatever happens, everything will be alright.” She promises.

“Can all British Citizens please step forward.”

Still clinging to one another the three of them surge forward in the long cue.

She can’t wait to be back in London, to be away from this madness, she’s sure that nothing like this is happening back in England.

Although she doesn’t know, the BBC World Service stopped broadcasting weeks ago.

The truth is she just really wants to go home.

Nothing will stop her getting on that plane.

She fumbles with their passports, handing them to a uniformed official, her hand shakes.

“No Miss, I’m afraid this is a flight for British Citizens only.”

The official hands Josh back his passport.

From her bag Sarah tugs desperately at a piece of paper.

“Please, our Father was in the process of applying for citizenship for my brother when he died.” She pushes the paper underneath the older woman’s nose.

“I’m begging you, we can’t leave him behind, he has no-one, both his parents are dead!” She promised herself she wouldn’t cry, but hot tears begin to roll down her cheeks, why does she always have to be so flaky"

“Josh, do you want to look at the planes”" Ron leads their brother out of the cue, pulling him in direction of the long glass windows.

“Miss, there are plenty of camps, this country isn’t about to let it’s children fend for themselves!” The woman barks at her, thrusting the paper back at her, uselessly she clutches at it.

“Now you, and Ronald Slade are free to board this plane, but that boy…” The woman jabs an accusing finger in the direction of the two boys.

“…is not.”