The Hunt by Brad Stevens Page B

at that very moment. Perhaps the Hunters were still running around like headless chickens trying to work out how their designated victims had managed to penetrate the sewer system. The thought made her smile. She'd suggested splitting up into groups of two so one person could stand guard, but there was obviously no point staring out the window all night, since nothing could be seen down below. She returned to Julie, who had fallen asleep. The girl's body had probably responded to her fear by shutting down and providing some much needed rest. Mara sat on the floor and laid Julie's head on her shoulder, being careful not to disturb her. She didn't expect to get any sleep that night, but it was a relief to be resting quietly. She regretted having referred to Yuke as a friend. She trusted Julie, but suspected the girl would feel uncomfortable being in close physical proximity to someone who might desire her sexually. In truth, Mara's feelings towards Julie were purely protective. But she really must stop thinking of her as 'the girl'. Julie was no child, and would need the strength of an adult to cope with this ordeal. On that thought, Mara drifted into a deep sleep.

    Chapter 8
     
    Saturday March 24th
     
     
    Mara awoke soon after the sun rose. Julie had somehow ended up with her head on Mara's lap, and Mara decided to let her sleep a little longer, relishing the calm atmosphere, however false she knew it to be. She longed for a drink, but was determined to at least wait until Julie had woken up. After half an hour, Julie began to stir. Mara noticed she was smiling, and guessed that, in this state of half sleep, she'd forgotten where she was. Unsurprisingly, the smile quickly vanished, and was replaced by a look of tension as reality came flooding in. Mara stroked Julie's hair and said, “Good morning,” as the girl opened her eyes.
    Julie sat up and said “Good morning,” in return, then asked, “Can I have some water?”
    Mara reached for the bottle, saying, “This is all we have left. I'll drink half, then you drink half. After that, we'll need to find more.” She opened the bottle and carefully took a sip before lowering it. It barely quenched her thirst - what must it be like taking part in a Hunt during the hot days of summer? - but she was pleased to see plenty remained for Julie. The girl accepted the bottle gratefully. She obviously felt guilty about so quickly exhausting her own supply. They were both hungry, and quickly devoured the pathetically small sandwiches.
    Mara walked back to the window. Now that the sun was up, she could see the street below. This was the first time she'd realised that the window of their apartment faced the rear rather than the front of the building. An identical apartment block was located directly opposite, on the other side of the wide street, a vending machine positioned near its entrance. Mara pointed out the machine to Julie, who volunteered to go down and bring back food and drink. Mara shook her head. “If anything, we'll go down together. That way we can take two bottles.”
    Julie looked Mara directly in the eyes, a rare sign of assertiveness. “If we go out together, there's a greater chance we'll both be caught. If I go alone, you can keep watch from the window and signal me in case of danger. We can easily last until tomorrow on one bottle of water and one sandwich, and then it'll be your turn to go outside.”
    Mara had to admit this plan made sense, so she reluctantly agreed. “But first,” she suggested, “let's see what we can find in this building. If we're lucky, we might come across some old bottles of water. They won't taste good, but they should be drinkable.” They decided Julie would search the floor they were occupying while Mara explored the one below.
    As she entered the stairwell, Mara peered nervously over the banisters. She had no intention of becoming complacent. Walking as quietly as possible, she descended to the nineteenth floor. She tried