text: As she made her way down the staircase, Madeline started to wonder if she was making a terrible mistake. Leaving a child alone -- even without so many Poiloogs around -- felt wrong. It tied knots in her stomach that twisted and turned and tightened with every step she took. The only thing that kept her going was the memory of Liam’s resolve. Though he may be young in years, he certainly wasn’t in experience. She had to trust that with her gone, the Poiloogs would move on, making it safe for him. That he would manage by himself. That he would find her again. When she reached the bottom of the stairs she paused, taking a few deep breaths. Tears pricked at her eyes but she blinked them away, fighting off the rising flood. Before she could indulge in her emotions, she had to get as far away from here as possible. Otherwise, the Poiloogs would find them again all too easily. She wished she understood how it was they sensed humans, and what about being close to another person made that easier. She wished she knew the range of their abilities, and how sensitive they were. She wished she knew if Liam would be safe alone. But wishes would get her nowhere. They had a plan. Now, they just had to stick to it. She crept over to the door and surveyed the street outside. Though she could still hear the hum of multiple ships, everything in the immediate vicinity looked clear. For now at least. After a quick adjustment of her backpack and the book under her arm, she dashed outside, pausing only when she reached the shadows cast by the buildings on the far side of the road. Glancing back at where she’d come from to orient herself, she set off in the opposite direction to the meeting point they’d agreed upon. If the Poiloogs were still able to track them even once they’d separated, she didn’t want to lead them straight there. Keeping to the balls of her feet, she maintained a light jog while minimising the sound of her footsteps. At each side street and alleyway, she paused, peering around the corner before darting across the gap. It wasn’t long before she noticed a hum from up ahead, steadily increasing in volume. A jolt of terror ran down her spine. If they were still tracking her, converging on her position... She had no hope against that many of them. And worse still, it would mean that they could find Liam just as easily. She picked up the pace, heading towards the sound. She could only hear one frequency -- one ship. But she had to know for certain. When she reached the end of the street she came to a halt and peeked around the corner. A single ship was hovering there, speeding straight towards her. She ducked back around, pressing her back flat against the wall just as the ship zoomed past the junction. And past her. A sigh of relief burst from her lips. It seemed the Poiloogs couldn't sense lone humans. Or at least not very well. That gave this plan a chance of actually working. And it meant that Liam should be safe. When the sound from the ship had faded to a distant hum, Madeline set off once again. A couple of blocks later, she started looking for somewhere to rest for the night. Though there were still a few hours of daylight left, she was more exhausted than she would like to admit -- or than she’d have admitted to Liam. And now she knew they were far enough away from each other to avoid being detected, she wanted to be close enough to keep an eye on the building she’d left him in. At least for the first night. It didn’t take her long to find one. Another soulless office block with the same grey carpets and plastic plants. After a quick sweep of the building, she settled in on the top floor. Choosing a window with a good view of Liam’s location, she slumped down next to it, placing her book and bag beside her. As the sun sank below the horizon and the last vestiges of orange that hung in the sky faded to black, Madeline finally let the tears flow. It started slowly, the pinpricks in her eyes breaking free and rolling down her cheeks, the *drip, drip* as they hit the floor punctuating her loss. But simmering underneath her sadness was fear -- not of the Poiloogs, but of losing Liam forever. Soon, sobs were wracking her body as she struggled to heave in shaky breaths. Calm only came when exhaustion overtook all else, dragging her down into a fitful sleep. \ She awoke with a start to a humming sound, strange surroundings setting her on edge. The sky outside the window was still dark, peppered with stars. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she hauled herself up to look out the window, seeking the source of the sound. In the street below, the bright white light of a Poiloog’s ship drifted past. *Only* one, thankfully. It looked to be going more slowly than the one she’d seen earlier in the day. Perhaps due to the dark. Perhaps because they were conducting a more thorough search after the last had failed. Madeline watched, heart racing, as it continued on around the corner. When it turned in the opposite direction to where she’d left Liam, tension seeped from her muscles. With a sigh, she sank back to the floor, wondering how many hours it was until morning. \ For the rest of the night, she drifted in and out of sleep. Every time she woke, she glanced around the office she was in, expecting to see Liam lying nearby. It tore at her heart when she remembered -- she was alone. To ease the pain, she’d check the streets below, squinting through the darkness towards where she hoped Liam slept before attempting to return to slumber herself. As the hours wore on she grew more and more restless. An anger which burnt in her chest flared brighter and brighter. Every ship that went past fanned the flames. When she thought of what the Poiloogs had made her do -- what they had turned her into -- she couldn’t bear it. With no one there to complain, she hardly even realised her leg was bouncing up and down, an outlet for the pent-up frustrations. Eventually, morning was approaching. The first of the sun's rays crept over the horizon, tinging it with pale blue. After a few sips of water and a handful of nuts, it was time to move on. She had to get as far away from Liam as possible, or she knew that she would go back for him -- endangering them both. Madeline hoisted her bag onto her back and tucked *A Study in Scarlett* under her arm. \ She made good progress as the sun rose, jogging through the streets painted gold by the early morning rays. But her journey was slowed by the frequent stops. Each time she paused to duck out of sight of a passing Poiloog ship, the fire in her chest burnt a little stronger. Not for the first time, she found herself wondering what had brought them all here. Not to the planet -- she’d given up on that question long ago -- but to this area, at this time. Was all this effort just for her and Liam? This many Poiloogs searching for just two humans. If that were the case, there really couldn’t be many people left at all. Madeline pushed the thought away. It didn’t do to dwell on that sort of thing. It wasn’t like she could do anything about it. Her focus had to be *her*. And Liam, of course. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder. She turned the corner-- And found herself facing an approaching Poiloog ship head-on! She cursed silently. This was why it was never a good idea to let these thoughts cloud your mind. She ducked back. But it was too late. The hum of the ship was winding down as it came to a stop. Madeline grabbed the book from under her arm, took a deep breath, and charged around the corner. Holding the novel aloft, she ran straight for the Poiloog climbing down from its ship. Before all eight of its legs were on the ground, she brought the book round in a wide arc, crunching into the creature's neck -- or the section that joined its abdomen and its head. It shrank back from the blow, limbs flailing in panic. A claw grazed Madeline but she paid it no heed, leaping onto the floundering Poiloog to finish the job. Her breath became heavy as she hit the alien again and again, her rage at the creatures crescendoing to a frenzy. She landed blows with fists and feet and knees and elbows. Every ounce of strength that she had she poured into the violence, letting it all out. She kept going long after the body had stopped twitching -- until the tang of copper burnt in her throat and sweat stung in her wounds. Finally, when her limbs had no strength left, she sagged into the purple goop, sobbing. But there was no time. She’d wasted too much already, caught up in the catharsis of the moment. Hauling herself to her feet, she wiped a hand across her face. Red from bloodied knuckles mingled with the purple of the Poiloog’s insides. As she ran, her eyes streamed, tracing tracks down her cheeks in the swirl of Poiloog and human blood.