Search for the Sunlight
Chapter 17

Basil was the first to arrive. Relieved at not having been eaten along the way, he dived head first into the trench for cover. It was deep and wide, and above all it offered good protection from the enemy.

He had barely caught his breath when, with hardly so much as a twig out of place, Sherlock appeared. It had been his intention to cover the rear, but his long spindly legs and big flat feet made it possible for him to run effortlessly across the soft sand and in the heat of the moment, he had inadvertently overtaken the brothers.

Born of the Hawthorn family, Harry and Herbert had been endowed with the misfortune of short legs and squat trunks. Neither was renowned for their athletic capabilities and so it was, that as a result of their stocky physical stature, they had both been left lagging behind.

Quick to recognise the dangers they faced, Sherlock took immediate action.

His wood police training had taught him that in a crisis, you must look after your troops before yourself. With this knowledge in mind, and showing no consideration for his own safety, he clambered up the steep sides of the entrenchment and sprinted back across the open desert to escort his vulnerable friends to safety.

Hooting and screaming like a tree monkey, the Constable rattled his handcuffs and waved his truncheon menacingly in the air. His impromptu actions caused the circling predators, to break formation, allowing just enough time for the brothers to reach the gully safely. Sherlock’s delaying tactics had worked and now he must look after himself.

“When in doubt, run as fast as your legs will carry you,” he recalled his staff sergeant, the notorious Twiggy McNab, roaring at him during training at the wood police boot academy.

It was clear that this advice was as relevant now as ever it had been and with Twiggy’s words ringing in his ears, he did just that. He ran!

Moments later, to everyone’s relief, the officer dived head first into the trench and landed in a heap on the rubble-strewn floor. He lifted his head and looked out from under the brim of his crumpled helmet. “Is everyone alright?” he enquired.