The Declaration

all at once, because it was so beautiful and incredible and for this moment, at least, it was hers.
    ‘OK,’ Peter said, looking around quickly to get his bearings. ‘We should be on the east side of the village. Which means . . .’ He frowned in concentration. ‘That we need to head in that direction.’
    Anna nodded mutely and followed Peter down a small road. They looked awful, she realised, looking at his gaunt form in front of her. Their Grange Hall overalls were covered in grime, their faces muddy, and their hands and ankles were bloody.
    ‘Everyone’s going to know where we’re from,’ she said, ‘in these overalls.’
    Peter turned round. ‘They’re going to know where we’re from anyway,’ he said. ‘Anna, there isn’t anyone our age on the Outside. Not openly, anyway. There’s the odd Legal, but you don’t see them much.’
    His eyes were flashing in anger, and for a moment Anna didn’t know what to say. But then he shrugged. ‘You’re right, though. We need to find somewhere to hide, fast. But not too close to Grange Hall. The Catchers will be searching everywhere as soon as they know we’re gone.’
    Anna nodded again and hurried breathlessly after Peter, wishing she could be more help, but knowing that she knew nothing about this new, unfamiliar environment. Then she stopped.
    In front of her was a wall, and on it there were several posters. One showed what looked like a computer screen with the outline of a man with a gun on it. Across the bottom was written ‘Networks spread terrorism. Don’t put your country at risk.’ Another showed on one side a house with lights on in every room, and then a house that had crumbled to the ground on the other. Emblazoned across the top in large, red lettering were the words ‘Protect Energy – keep Britain out of the Dark Ages’. But the poster that caught Anna’s attention was the one that had a picture of a Small on it. The Small was chubby and it was eating, pushing food into its mouth with its little hands, and across the picture, in large black letters, was written ‘Surpluses are Theft. Stay Alert. For more information on the Surplus Problem, visit www.thesurplusproblem.auth.uk’.
    ‘Look,’ she said. ‘Surpluses are Theft. That’s us, Peter.’
    Peter frowned and stepped back so he could see the poster. Then he grabbed Anna’s hand. ‘One day there will be posters about the Longevity Problem,’ he said angrily. ‘That’s the real theft. Stealing life from everyone else just so that Legals can live for ever.’
    He stormed off down the road, dragging Anna behind him, ducking down behind walls and bushes whenever they heard the sound of a car or footsteps. Anna, who had longed to see the Outside, had longed to touch the grass and feel the night air on her face, was now very scared of this strange and hostile place. Peter was irritable too. It was getting late, he kept saying, and they should be further away by now. Much further away. The Catchers would be called any minute now.
    At the mention of Catchers, Anna’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly caught up with Peter, forcing herself to look straight ahead instead of staring inquisitively at the houses they were passing.
    And then she stopped abruptly.
    ‘What is it now?’ Peter said with a sigh.
    ‘This house,’ Anna said softly. ‘I know this house. This is Mrs Sharpe’s house.’ The front garden outside the house was just as she remembered it from her internship as a housekeeper; whenever she’d had the chance, she’d sneaked a little peek out of one of Mrs Sharpe’s windows to admire the green grass and perfect borders. And the front porch was unmistakable, with its bright red door and several wind-chimes, which had greeted Anna with a chorus of odd-sounding clanging every time she had taken out Mrs Sharpe’s bin bags.
    Peter looked at her uncertainly. ‘Mrs Sharpe?’
    ‘I told you, remember? I was her interim housekeeper. For three weeks. She was very kind.’
    ‘A kind Legal?’ Peter snorted.
    ‘She was,’ Anna said defensively. ‘She was nice.’
    ‘Fine, whatever. Come on, we’ve got to get going.’
    They carried on walking furtively along the road, clinging to the bushes to the side of the pavement, when suddenly they heard a siren and saw lights flashing ahead. Peter pulled Anna back into the bushes, where they lay, hearts racing, in silence. A few moments later, the sirens were silenced and they looked at one another