Charlie Higson - The Enemy

Text copyright 2009 by Charlie Higson

First published in the U.K. by Puffin

All rights reserved. Published by Hyperion, an imprint of Disney Book Group. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. For information address Hyperion, 114 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10011-5690.

Printed in the United States of America
First U.S. edition, 2010
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
V567-9638-5-10060

Map illustration by Kayley LeFaiver

Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data on file
ISBN 978-1-4231-4504-2
Reinforced binding

Visit www.hyperionteens.com

Table of Contents

For Sidney

S mall Sam was playing in the parking lot behind the Waitrose supermarket when the grown-ups took him. Hed been with some of the little kids, having a battle with an odd assortment of action figures, when it happened. They werent supposed to play outside without a guard, but it was a lovely sunny day and the little kids got bored indoors. Sam wasnt the youngest of the group, but he was the smallest. Thats why they called him Small Sam. There had originally been two other Sams, Big Sam and Curly Sam, who had curly hair. Big Sam had been killed a few months ago, but Small Sam was stuck with the name.

It was probably because of his size that the grown-ups went for him. They were like thatthey picked out the youngsters, the weaklings, the little ones. In the panic of the attack the rest of Sams gang got back safely inside, but Sam was cut off and the roving pack of grown-ups trapped him in a corner.

They had come over the side wall, led by a big mother in a tracksuit that might once have been pink but was now so filthy and greasy it looked like gray plastic. She had a fat, egglike body on top of long skinny legs. Her back was bent and she ran stooped over, but surprisingly fast, her arms held wide like a scorpions claws, her dirty blond hair hanging straight down. Her face blank and stupid. Breathing through her mouth.

Small Sam was too scared even to scream or call for help, and the grown-ups made no noise, so the whole scene was played out in horrible silence. The mother blocked off the route back toward the building while two lanky fathers ran at him from either side. Sam dodged them for a few seconds, but he knew theyd get hold of him in the end. By the time help came from inside, the grown-ups had gone back over the wall, with Sam stuffed inside a sack.

Maxie led a group of bigger kids out into the parking lot. Even though they were armed with spears and clubs and good throwing rocks, they moved cautiously, not knowing exactly what to expect.

Were too late, said Callum, scanning the empty parking lot. Theyve got him.

Shame, said a stocky, dark-haired kid called Josh. I liked him. He was funny.

Thats the second attack this week, said Maxie angrily. Whats going on? Either the grown-ups are closing in on us, or theyre getting braver.

They aint brave, said Josh, spitting on the ground. If they was still here Id show them brave. Id mash their ugly faces. Nothing scares me.

So why were they here? asked Maxie.

Theyre just hungry, said Josh.

Were all hungry, said Callum.

We should have been here, said Maxie. We should have been watching over them.

We cant be everywhere at once, Callum pointed out. Theres not enough of us, not with Arran out with the scavs. Our jobs to keep a lookout from the roof. The little kids knew they werent supposed to be out here. Nobody should be out here. We should all stay inside.

We cant stay inside all day, scoffed Josh. Wed go crazy.

Its good inside, said Callum.

Youre just scared to come outside, said Josh with a smirk.

No I aint, said Callum. No more scared than you.

Nothing scares me, said Josh.

Then youre just stupid, said Callum.

Nah, said Josh. The thing about grown-ups is, some of them are strong, some of them can run fast, and some of them are clever, but the strong ones are slow, the fast ones are stupid, and the smart ones are weak.

Tell that to Small Sam, said Maxie angrily, and to Big Sam and Johnno, and Eve and Mohammed and all the other kids weve lost.

Grown-ups wont get me, said Josh.

What? said Callum. So it was their fault they got taken? Is that what youre saying?

Yeah, I am, said Josh.

Shut up, Maxie snapped at the two of them. Then she said the thing that nobody wanted to admit. We cant go on like this. Her voice was heavy with bitterness. Soon were all going to be dead. I cant stand it anymore.

She threw down the spear she had been carrying and sat on the ground, resting her head in her hands.

It was her fault. That was all she could think. It was all her fault.

When Arran was away she was supposed to be in charge. She couldnt remember when it had been decidedArran was the leader, she was second in commandit must have happened early on, when most of the kids had been too frightened and confused to do anything for themselves. Arran and Maxie had just got on with it, organizing everyone, keeping their spirits up. Arran was clever and likeable. Right from the start hed kept his head and not panicked. Hed been captain of the soccer team at William Ellis School, and nothing ever seemed to freak him out. The two of them had worked together. A team. Maxie had always been good at getting other children to help out. There were better fighters than her, true, but they were happy for her to tell them what to do. They didnt want the responsibility. And when Arran wasnt there, she was the leader.

So, it was all her fault. Another kid gone. She shut down part of her mind. She didnt want to think about what the grown-ups would do to Small Sam.

She started to cry. She didnt care who saw it. Callum looked at Josh. They both felt awkward. In the end it was Josh who squatted down next to her and put an arm around her shoulders.

Its all right, Max, he said quietly. Well be all right. Somethingll happen, someone will come. Somethings gonna change. When Arran and the others get back well talk about it maybe, yeah? Make a plan?

Whats the point? said Maxie.

When Arran gets back, yeah?

Maxie looked up into Joshs concerned, grubby face. Sorry, she said.

Come on, said Callum. Lets try and find out how they got over the wall. Then we should get back inside.

Yeah. Maxie jumped up. It was okay as long as you were doing something, as long as you didnt stop and think.

She wished Arran were here, though. She always felt safer when he was around.

It was just... What was he going to think?

Another kid gone.

All her fault.

A burster was lying in the middle of the road. A father by the looks of it, though it was hard to tell. He had the familiar look of a vegetable, or a piece of fruit, left too long in the sun. The skin blackened, shriveled and split, the overripe flesh inside squeezing out. His insides had turned to mush. This was what happened if any grown-up lived long enough to let the disease run its full course. They literally burst.

Arran prodded the body with his sneaker. As he did so, the skin popped, and a stream of pus oozed out, followed by a bright pink blossom of soft fat.