The group climbed the last rise of the road before the Park truly began. Looking down from the top, new sounds were beginning to take form. They recognised the noise as thousands of voices that created a single-toned hum. The brightness of the floodlight dazzled their eyes, creating a perfect blanket of darkness that covered the Park behind it.
They all took deep breaths and started their descent. After a few steps towards the voices a new noise appeared. They turned to see the head lights of many vehicles moving at speed towards them. Frozen in the headlights, their bruised and tired bodies refused to move out of the way of the convoy containing dozens of vehicles of all shapes and sizes. With just metres between them, the vehicles stopped with screeching brakes.
“HELLO,” shouted Lanegan.
“Hello back,” said a familiar voice.
“Wilf?” called Lanegan.
“You appear to have met some fresh challenges, Tom,” said Wilf.
He jumped down from an old off-road vehicle that Lanegan thought suited his character rather well.
“We had an incident, unfortunately,” said Lanegan.
“Someone turned?” Wilf asked.
“Toby. We left him back in the bus. He was alive but unconscious.”
“We met your bus and were glad to see nobody inside was hurt.”
“There was nobody inside?”
“Nobody. He wasn’t there, Tom. With good luck he will find his way to help. I’m sure someone will pick him up.”
“Nobody will stop if he’s acting crazy.”
“It’s not your fault. He will be fine, I’m sure; have faith and concentrate on your goals.”
“I suppose you’re right. We’ll send out word in case anyone comes across him. Did you bring the whole of Bagshot? There are a lot of you.”
“All who could come did so. We also sent people to every village we knew and asked them to do the same. This is just the beginning. Within days, most of the south of England will have been told and the rest will pick up the broadcast, you wait and see. Oh, and by the way, would you like your bus back?”
“Are you serious?”
“BRING IT UP,” Wilf shouted.
Everyone stood and watched as the bus crept up the inside of the traffic, Mary at the wheel.
“Did I also mention Mary used to drive the school bus after she retired? She really is very talented.”
“I quite believe it,” said Lanegan.
They shook hands and turned away from each other. As Lanegan turned he saw his companions looking towards the evacuation site. He stopped, mouth open wide. The light from Wilf’s convoy was showing them what was previously hidden behind the flood light. Thousands of people stood waiting. It was a scene that brought home the magnitude of the problems they faced.
“That is more people than I have ever seen before,” said Isabelle.
“So much for going in unnoticed; I’m going to fire whoever turned that light on?” said Ken.
“Tom, are you alright?” asked Jacob.
“I’m going to need a megaphone,” he replied.
Wilf walked up alongside Lanegan to see for himself.
“We can do better than that,” he said. “We brought a PA system.”
“What? Where?” said Lanegan.
“It’s in one of those vans. We have lots of fun things to show you. We won’t get bored very easily, I can assure you …” he said.
He put an arm round Jacob and winked.
“… We will all have a chance to experience new things – and I couldn’t think of a better place to do it.”
“Are we all ready?” asked Lanegan.
He looked to his left and then his right.
“Then follow me.”
The view from the crowd who awaited their arrival was of six mysterious silhouetted figures being chaperoned by dozen’s of slow moving vehicles. A sense of anticipation and hope had grown as it became clear these were not ordinary visitors.