Zara froze, swaying slightly on her injured ankle. A second shot rang out, the sound echoing through the silent streets outside. She dropped to the ground behind one of the shelving units in the aisle, luckily hidden from view if anyone were to peer through the window. She waited silently for what seemed like hours, although only a few minutes passed when she heard muffled voices from outside. She shifted her weight slightly and carefully peered around the corner of the aisle towards the window. A group of men swaggered past the window, guns over their shoulders as they laughed to themselves. One man paused, Zara was so sure he could sense she was crouched right there in the shop, but he took a bottle of water from his bag and swigged it thirstily. She was able to get a good look at him from her position, he was dark skinned, hair cut short and wore a tight-fitting vest revealing his large muscly build.

'He looks military' Zara thought to herself.

There must have been at least eight of them. Zara pulled her head back and bit the back of her hand, stunned and shocked to see another soul after so many months alone. She knew it would not be not safe for her to give away her position, men like that would be dangerous for a young girl alone, unarmed. She waited as the voices got quieter before standing up and stretching her good foot out which had started to go numb. She stood for a moment, panicking about how she would get back to the flat with them out there. She had no way of knowing where they went and whether they could surprise her at any time or worse, follow her back home. Tears pricked her eyes, she should have never made this journey, she was so stupid for allowing herself to get hurt. Her ankle throbbed at the reminder of the dog bite, she quickly opened the Penicillin and swallowed two tablets down with her water, her hands shaking. She pulled herself together and quietly pulled open the front door, carefully looking each way for any signs of movement. She streets were quiet once again, she took a deep breath and began her journey back.

She hadn't seen the men as she had walked back down the high street, she hoped they were long gone. But as she approached the gates to Holland Park she saw something on the ground, further ahead, that hadn't been there on the way. As she walked towards the crumpled heap on the ground cautiously, she could tell it was a body. A young man, his arms bent out in odd positions and his eyes wide open staring at the sky. A single red hole on the side of his head, leaking a bloody stream onto the gravel. She looked on the floor around him, he didn't have a bag or any kind of gear with him. He must have been killed for his belongings. She stood up and bit her lip, anxious to get home. One thing she was certain of, London was no longer safe.

Zara heard them that night. The men from the High Street, she heard them outside. They moved in a pack, shouting and laughing firing the gun. She closed her eyes, praying they hadn't killed anyone else. It was well past midnight, she knew she would never be able to sleep. She had managed to get home without confrontation, but she knew next time she might not be so lucky.

She now moved around the flat silently, packing her bag to the brim with as many supplies as she could carry. She changed into black combats with a dark grey jumper under her bomber jacket. She would have to get new clothes on the way so had only packed clean underwear. Setting the bag down by the front door she sat back on the sofa, her candle lit to read the map. It was barely bright enough to see but she didn't want to risk using the torch in case the men discovered her.

She had no idea where she could travel to, but she knew it needed to be somewhere isolated with a relatively low population to lessen the risks of meeting anyone. Zara tutted with desperation as her eyes poured over the map, England was a mystery to her. She had travelled on all sorts of lavish, exotic holidays all over the world but only really knew London. Her eyes dropped to below London, towards the cost. 'Whitstable' a familiar name stood out of the page. She felt excitement rise in her throat, her family often travelled to Whitstable when she was a small child, the small coastal town she remembered well. They had owned a cottage there, Zara was not sure if her parents ever sold it as they hadn't visited for years but she was more excited at the plan which was beginning to form in her head. It wasn't the cottage she wanted to get to for safety, it was her father's Yacht.

Zara hoisted the rucksack over one shoulder before turning to take one last gaze around the apartment. In the brief time spent there, it had become so familiar and homely. She felt sad at the thought of leaving and terrified at the unknown journey before her. She stepped outside and pulled the door up behind her, taking a glance around for any movement. It was a little past six and the morning sun was beginning to light up the rooftops. She had heard the men's voices grow quieter through the night as if they were heading further away. The last she had heard them was in the early hours, she hoped they were taking refuge somewhere, so she could slip away from London quietly.

Zara trudged along through the winding streets, constantly on edge looking around her for any threats. Having not encountered a soul up until the previous day, she had never felt the need for a weapon but today was different. She had taken a small knife she had found in the kitchen at the apartment, which she now gripped tightly in her hand in the pocket of her jacket.

She was heading towards Victoria Station, she had studied the map and had decided to follow the train line all the way to keep on the route and avoid too many busy residential areas. The first 30 miles would take her about halfway, she hoped to reach the town of Rochester by early evening, spend the night and gather supplies before finishing the last 25 miles to Whitstable. It seemed a lot of miles to achieve in a few days, but Zara had always kept fit although she was very slim, she had always been at the top of her gym class. Her foot was already starting to improve with the help of the antibiotics, so she was confident the walk wouldn't be too difficult. The idea of reaching her father's boat only spurred her motivation on, she could barely contain her excitement as she walked. She planned to stock up the boat as much as possible then sail right out into open waters, away from any dangers.

Zara cried out as something heavy smashed the back of her skull. Her knees buckled under her weight and she fell to the ground clutching her head. She rolled over and looked up through tear filled eyes to see her attacker. A figure loomed over her, her eyes began to blur as she realised he was the man she had seen outside the pharmacy. She stared into his angry eyes as the world went black.

Authors note

Thankyou to all of my newest and current readers.

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