[Glory Brats 14] Food and Rest

Once Rat's hands were checked and bandaged up, Rosa took them to join the others. They were in one of the grass covered houses, sitting on benches at a long wooden table. Bowls of soup were in front of them, being hastily demolished. Inside the house it was dark but cosy, with lamps hanging from the ceiling and dotted around the place. Sparrow and Rat sat down at the table and each got some soup and bread. Rat tried to lift the bowl with her bandaged hands and dropped it. A bit of the soup slopped over the side onto the table. Rat bent her face down and licked it all up.

[Glory Brats 13] Outsiders

 "Here we are," said Hana, and Sparrow looked up. They rode through a gate set into a high wooden fence. Someone shut the gate behind them. Beyond the fence were houses that looked half sunk into the earth, the corrugated metal fronts looking strange beside the grass-covered rooftops. The houses were built surrounding a huge stone tower, circular in shape, with a door high up in the wall that was reached by a wooden ramp.

[Glory Brats 12] The Brats make a discovery

In a moss-lined hollow lay a squirming mass of puppies. They had short, soft fur and velvety ears, and were wriggling and squealing as Tekla and Rat picked them up. She knelt down and stroked one that was trying to clamber out of the way of the others. Then she drew her hand back and stood up.

[Glory Brats 11] Brats on the run

Sparrow took a last look at the figure in the distance before setting off. She ran in the shadow of the building, feeling every minute that someone was going to call out and she'd be caught again. The barrier was just a large block of concrete, but was big enough to hide her if she crouched down. When she reached the safety of the final building she looked back to check on the others.

[Glory Brats 10] The brats attempt an escape

Sparrow shut her eyes and counted to forty under her breath. When she opened her eyes again, she could see a faint light coming from the corner of the room. She went over to investigate. Near the top of the wall there was a small hole leading to outside. Some bricks and rubble lay on the floor underneath where they had fallen in. Sparrow tried to reach the hole but she was too short, and she just scraped her fingers on the rough wall.

[Glory Brats 9 ] The Brats get caught.

Sparrow took off first, and ran straight into a woman with a rifle slung over her shoulder. The woman gripped Sparrow's shoulder and looked around. Spotting the other two figures by the wall, she gave a shout, and several figures from the bonfire came running over. Zed tried to duck away from them, but they grabbed his arm firmly. Bee was caught too, and the three of them were dragged into the light of the bonfire.