Adrenaline ran through my veins from our rush across the roofs. My breath came fast and a stitch burnt into my side. As Dan led us over to the rest of the team, I noticed that Jay wasn't out of breath, or even looking tired. If anything he was looking more refreshed than ever. His eyes were shining and a grin kept tugging at the corners of his mouth. After this was over, I must remember to take him on a scavenge with me.

However, this was far from finished. By the time we reached the group, the rest of the hospital was crumbling to pieces, crashing so loudly I could barely hear Dan's group check. He reeled off the names rapidly and somehow, we had all escaped from the demolished building. The ruins had now fallen silent and the streets were quiet again. But it felt wrong. Noiselessly I drew my knife. I felt Jay look at me and I glanced at him. Puzzled, he indicated to my knife. I raised a finger to my lips and looked down the street, past the hospital, away from the direction of city centre. I wandered a few steps towards where I was looking and stopped. The others noticed what I was doing and their anxious chatter fell into silence.

There should have been no noise in the street except the wind whistling through the empty window panes, however there was another sound. Other buildings had fallen as well, and a little bit beyond the hospital a tower block was missing from the skyline. I felt, rather than heard, a low rhythmic thumping echoing through the ground. I crouched down and placed my hand amongst the dirt on the street floor. Jay came over and copied me, but he looked at me still confused.

I whispered. "Wait"

Then he sense the ominous beat as well. We shared a look and then I stood up and stared at the skyline. I could faintly make out a dust cloud hanging over the city.

"Binoculars. Pass them here," I beckoned to Jay, while sliding my knife back into my belt. "Thanks." He handed them over and I raised them to my eyes. It was unnecessary but I squinted. Then I opened my eyes wide and blinked. And blinked again. I could still see the same thing. Through the dust I could see a monstrous barrier crunching its way through the city. It was as wide as two street lengths, and two and a half storeys high. It appeared to be one solid wall, but as it approached, I could make out pistons punching out of the vertical surface, knocking down anything in its way. Nothing was left standing. There was a piston every two meters squared; low down, giant spokes churned up the rubble as it moved over it. And it was moving fast. It would be upon us within half an hour.

Panic stole my voice and I started backing away. I choked on my breath.

"What is it?" Jay demanded. I turned and fled. I shouted over my shoulder to the others.

"Run! RUN! Come on! Hurry!"

Jay asked again as he ran. "Rose what is it?"

"The machine! The machine! It's arrived!" I yelled. I heard his footsteps speed up and he appeared in the corner of my eye. I risked a glance behind me to check the others were coming. They were close on our heels. Dan was at the back with the younger ones, encouraging them to keep going. I caught his eye and I glimpsed that he realised what I knew. That the traveller last night had been telling the truth. The machine existed and it had arrived.

Spurred on, with the warning of the traveller playing in my mind, I wove through the city heading towards the market. The sun was starting to sink below the building tops again, meaning we had a few hours until nightfall. Most people were likely to be in the market, and if not, the news would spread quickly to the settlements nearby. A thought sparked through my mind: Emma. My sister would be left behind. Terror gripped me. My bag swung on my back and I heard through the pounding of frantic feet the metallic clinking of the keys I had collected. There was still a spark of hope left.

We were almost at the market; just a few more streets to go. The machine was heading straight for it so everyone would have to be evacuated. Nothing would be spared from what was coming. We raced into the market, drawing stares and complaints as we shoved through the crowd. I ran to the centre, where there used to be a monument. However all that was left was just the base. Today though, it was what we needed. Jay and I climbed up the steps until we were above the heads of the crowds. Dan joined us when he arrived shortly after. He had somehow found a megaphone. Even though it was cracked, it still worked. Dan called for attention and though a few people carried on with their daily business, everyone was listening.

"I don't know how many of you have heard of the traveller who recently arrived in our city, but last night he told us of how his city was destroyed, along with another. All he said was true. A machine is coming; it is only half an hour away and it is destroying everything in its path," he started speaking louder and faster. "You know what I have done for our city and I know most of you will trust me, so believe me when I say that we have to leave. I would never willingly do this but there is no other option. If we leave, our home will be destroyed, but if we stay, we will all die too. All of us. Nothing can escape from the machine. It has already destroyed the northern outskirts. We must leave. Pack everything you need and load it into cars, trucks, any vehicle that works. We all need to help. We have to evacuate now. Spread the word and leave the city. We will meet in the Highlands. Get there as fast as possible."

By the time he had finished speaking, everyone was paying full attention and as soon as he lowered the megaphone, everyone broke into action. Although the rebellion was two years ago, we were all still used to obeying commands (especially from Dan) and we had not forgotten how to act efficiently or tell when someone was being deadly serious. The people in the market automatically gathered the nearest supplies that they would need and then started helping neighbours. A few started running to the nearby streets yelling "Evacuate! This is not a drill!"

Once we had seen that everyone had started preparing to leave, Dan's team and some of the others broke into ranks and began organising transport. While they were distracted, I left the market, running as fast as I could towards where I lived. I knew Dan would want me to stay and help. People were flocking into the streets carrying bags and heading towards the vehicle zone. I avoided the major crowds and finally escaped the main settlement area. My feet propelling me along was the only sound in the area at the moment. It was disturbing to know that soon, nothing would be left here. A wave of protection for my home rose up within me, but the rational part of me pushed it down again. I knew that I would not be able to fight something this big. But that didn't stop me from letting out a tear as I saw my mural on my wall when I reached home.

I rushed around packing my stuff, and gathering all the necessary wires and tying them to Emma's bed. I was just securing a monitor when a book, literally, jumped off the shelf. I had not noticed the vibrations while I was busy, but I definitely felt them now. They shook the room, making an audible buzzing. I couldn't see straight; everything was trembling.

I had forgotten but I lived at an angle to the path of the machine, halfway between where we saw it and the market. Of course, it was going to reach me first. A bitter taste rose in my throat. Then my eyes were pricked by dust as the walls and ceiling began shedding and crumbling. A crack sliced through the wall and a section fell away, crushing my stove beneath it. I took the brakes off Emma's bed and tried to push it over to the door, but the shaking floor and moving furniture was making manoeuvring the bed difficult. The end of it smacked against a chair and a wheel ran over scattered books. I realised I was not going to be able to carry my stuff and move Emma at the same time. And I couldn't really move Emma. So it was either:

Take my luggage and possibly survive, but leave Emma behind.
Or...
Leave my stuff and try to escape with Emma, but we would both most likely die in the process.

Well, it was a no brainer really. I'm not leaving without my sister.