Page 84 of No Man's Land

From behind the door came scrabbling sounds.

He lifted the shaking gun, bile rising in his throat, vision blurring. Tears fell hot on his cheek.

“It’s all right,” Alex said softly. “We gave it our best shot.”

No, Josef wanted to scream.It’s not all right. It’s all fucking wrong.

The gun shook more violently, and he grabbed it with both hands to steady it. If he had to do this, he couldn’t fuck it up.

Something heavy thumped against the door. Soon, the ghoul would come through and be on them.

On him.

It would have killed him already if Alex hadn’t got in the way.

He stared at Alex, at his deathly skin, the slits of blue beneath his half-lidded eyes. The bone protruding from his leg.

The ghoul had attacked Josef, not Alex. Even though Alex had been closest, it had launched itselfpastAlex to reach Josef.

His mind cleared, sharpened, and he shot to his feet. “Stay here.”

Alex’s eyes flew open. “What?” he said. “For Christ’s sake, Joe. End it!”

“No.” He lowered the gun. “No. I can’t do that. I can’t kill you. I won’t.”

“Then let me do it myself.” He reached out for the gun. “Come on, give it to me.”

But Josef stepped backward. “I’m sorry, no.”

Alex’s face contorted in rage, barely recognisable. “You fuckingcoward!”

It punched the breath out of him.

You fucking coward! You’re a bloody disgrace to your family!

His father’s wrath echoed across the years, his contempt mirrored in Alex’s furious face.I’m not!He wanted to scream it.I’m not a coward!But that would do as little good now as it had that awful day on Goulston Street.

“I’m coming back for you,” he said instead, voice rasping with distress. “I’m going to save you.”

“I won’t be here!” Alex spat. “Don’t you understand? I’m holding on by my fucking fingernails.” He slammed one palm into the side of his own head. “I’llbe gone!”

“You won’t.” Josef took another step backward. “You’ll hold on. Fucking hold on, all right?”

“Josef...” Alex’s voice shook, fury ebbing away. And that was worse; now he just sounded frightened. “I trusted you. Please, don’t leave me like this...”

A squeal of door hinges rang through the tunnel.

They were out of time. Shoving the gun back into his waistband, Josef took one last look at Alex. “Hold on,” he said.

And then he ran, Alex’s furious curses chasing him into the dark.

Chapter Twenty-five

When he looked back, all Josef remembered of his endless flight was terror.

Terror of being attacked, yes, but far worse, the terror of failing. Of not getting out, of not getting back to Lottie and Vi. Of not saving Alex.

It propelled him along the rubble-strewn tunnel, pushed him back to his feet when he tripped and went sprawling, the torch rolling away from him. Its light was failing now, barely enough to show the ground one step ahead. He knew if the light died, he would die with it.

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