‘Mummy?’ Tidge asks.
It is his voice from late at night when he has just had a nightmare and you come, you always come, and you encase him in your warmth. ‘Mummy?’ he asks again and a hopelessness washes over you and dumps you like a wave in the surf.
Your daughter balls her hand and holds it trembling to her face. You know why. She wants to hit Pin just like she hit her father once, after the soldiers came, wants to wallop into him all her howling at the unfairness of this world.
Mouse throws a bowl of ice cream onto his father’s face. He splutters awake. ‘Soldiers are coming,’ Mouse shouts, ‘get out.’
Motl looks around, shakes sleep from his head. Sees Pin. ‘What the—’
‘We’ll look after him,’ Soli says, ‘just go! She pushes her father to the door. ‘Come on,’ she yells into his resisting weight.
‘I can’t.’ He squats close to her face. Brushes her cheek, slowly, with his thumb; all the world’s tenderness in it. ‘I promised your mother I’d never abandon you.’
She pummels him. ‘Just go,’ her voice choked.
Tidge grabs the doll, throws it onto the trolley, pushes it against the door and locks the wheels.
‘It’s no use,’ Pin smirks, ‘it’s not keeping anyone out.’ His heart now closed whereas once — at flopping on their bed, at throwing a ball — it was open, full, soft.
‘You’ — your daughter turns on him — ‘what happened to the Getters? To no one gets left behind?’
He bats her away.
‘We weren’t harming anyone. We just want our parents back. You have no idea what it’s like.’ She points at Motl. ‘He’s never hurt anyone, he’s good, he has a heart.’ She thumps her palm at her chest.
‘I do too,’ Pin yells back. ‘I trusted you.’
‘Well, if you do have a heart,’ Motl says evenly, ‘then show it.’
And quick as a flash he’s behind him and whipping off his watch like a Fagin who’s perfected the technique through years of silky theft. It’s thrown onto the bed. Motl then places his hand firmly around the boy’s mouth and kicks the trolley away. Tidge grabs the doll. Mouse the memory box. Unlocks the door.
They’re off. They have a chance.
Guide our feet unto ways of peace.