Glass shattered over the floor as a large metal pole was smashed through one of the classroom windows at Waterloo Road. The alarm immediately started ringing. "Ssshhh, quickly, in here," a teenage girl whispered as she lifted two young children through the broken window. She carried a little boy on her side and took the hand of the young girl as she led the children into the school hall and through the door that lead to under the stage. She hurried the children into a far corner and settled down with them. "Stay very, very quiet. We've got to stay here for a little while," the eldest girl whispered. The sound of police sirens echoed around the school as officers made their way into the school. Not long afterwards, familiar voices could be heard in the hall.
"Did they take anything?" Michael Byrne asked.
"No, they didn't. Just kids vandalising they think," Lorraine Donnegan answered.
"Makes you wonder what kids are doing at 3 in the morning," Michael joked.
"Yeah. I'm heading home now. See you in the morning!"
"See you then."
The voices trailed off and the three kids were alone in the room under the stage.
"Florence?" the younger girl asked, "What are we doing here? Why did you wake us from our sleep?"
"Shhh, Harper. We're going to stay here for a day," Florence told her as she took some blankets out of her rucksack and laid them on the floor. "I had to take you away from mum and dad, it wasn't safe there."
"But why?" Harper asked.
"I'll tell you later, but right now, lay down with me and Ethan and try to get some sleep."
"Okay, Florence. Good night!"
"Goodnight, sweetheart."