Aftermath

him.”
    Before Harte could move, Jas grabbed hold of Jackson and threw him away from the gift shop entrance. Jas had a clear strength advantage, and Jackson was sent flying. He landed on the floor then got up, brushed himself down and ran at the door, trying to shoulder-charge it open. It was stronger than it looked and he simply bounced back off it, but he tried again, regardless.
    “You’ll never do it, you fucking idiot,” Jas said. He was about to speak again when someone shouted behind him.
    “Stop her!”
    Jas spun around and saw that Lorna was helping herself to more supplies from the back of one of the trucks. She scooped up as much as she could carry and sprinted over to the bus. Following her lead, several others did the same.
    For a moment longer Jackson tried to force the door. When Jas didn’t come at him again, he looked back and saw him running off toward the truck which was rapidly being emptied by Lorna and the others. Driver was standing in the middle of the courtyard, watching the chaos unfolding all around him, dumbstruck.
    “Get the fucking bus started,” Jackson screamed at him as he ran past. “Let’s get out of here.”
    Lorna weaved around Jas, slipping down onto one knee momentarily, just managing to hold on to everything she was carrying. She threw herself forward and scrambled up onto the bus, barely getting through the open door before Driver came storming up behind her. He clambered into his cab and started the engine, sinking into his seat with relief. He looked behind and saw that there were only a handful of people onboard. More were running over from the caravans, terrified that they were going to be left behind. Howard stumbled up the steps, his arms overloaded.
    Outside, Jas positioned himself directly between the front of the bus and the gate. Charlie Moorehouse tripped while carrying two heavy cellophane-wrapped packs of bottled water, and while he was off-balance Ainsworth shoved him right over and put a boot between his shoulder blades, preventing him from getting up. Elsewhere, Zoe fought to get past Will Bayliss, who was blocking her way back to the bus. She tried to barge him out of the way but he stood his ground. She went to slap him but he was too fast. He caught her wrist and twisted her arm around so her position was reversed. He shoved her up onto the bus, empty-handed.
    “You can fuck off,” he spat at her. “I’ll be glad to see the back of you.”
    “Don’t do this, Jas,” Jackson said, refusing to show any anger or malice as he approached the other man, arms open but still carrying the knife he’d been using to try and force the gift shop door open. He sheathed it to show his peaceful intentions.
    “Unload the supplies,” Jas said, “and I’ll let you leave.”
    “You’ll let us leave!” Jackson laughed. “Come on, Jas, grow up. What do you think this is, a movie? We’ve all made our individual decisions, just like you insisted. Everyone’s had their say and made their choice, now you have to respect those choices.”
    “I can’t. I’ve got a conscience.”
    “What are you talking about? You could come with us. You should come with us.”
    “How many times do we need to have this argument? The island is a dead end. A full stop. Going there won’t do anybody any favors.”
    “I think you’re wrong.”
    “I know I’m right.”
    “Come on, Jas, it doesn’t have to be like this.”
    All around Jas and Jackson, the furious activity had suddenly stopped. Many of the people who wanted to leave had made it onto the bus, but several more hadn’t. They now stood a cautious distance away, unsure what to do next, too afraid to move. Driver inched the bus forward slightly, and that small movement was enough to cause panic again. The remaining would-be escapees ran toward the noisy vehicle, too many for Ainsworth and Bayliss to stop. Paul Field caught Bob Wilkins, rugby-tackling him as he tried to run past. He held him facedown in the gravel, virtually sitting on him to keep him down.
    “No one’s going anywhere,” Jas announced.
    “He’s got a gun!” Shirley Brinksford screamed as she tried to get onto the bus. Jackson looked up and saw that Kieran had appeared, brandishing the same rifle he’d shoved into his face when he’d first arrived at the castle.
    “Get them out of here!” Jackson bellowed to Driver, who immediately responded. Caron hauled Shirley up onto the bus just as the doors closed with a hiss of hydraulics. The