They had become so used to living in silence, not even speaking to each other, that at first it felt like they didn't remember what voices sounded like.

Andy pressed his ear to the door. "People," he whispered. Lauren crawled over to join him. The voices and noises echoed outside.

"Wait here," she whispered, reaching for the door handle which hadn't been opened since they closed themselves up in there. He caught her wrist.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to have a look. Wait here."

Carefully, she pushed the door open and crawled out. Andy waited impatiently, listening for her return. It was two minutes that felt like a lifetime. Without their parents Lauren was all he had. Finally a knock came on the door.

"It's me," Lauren whispered. He let her in.

"Well?"

"It's a group of men on the street. They're smashing stuff up. C'mon, here."

They climbed into two of the emptied kitchen cupboards, bundling their knees up to their chests, and waited there, listening to the ruckass getting closer and closer to their sanctuary.

The gunshots made them both jump, so deafeningly close that at first they worried one of them might have been shot. A moment later the screaming started.

"Mrs McCarthey," Lauren mouthed.

Then there was a bang.

Their own front door.

They exchanged looks.

Rough, unfamiliar voices filled the living room and someone tried the kitchen door, only to find it locked.

Lauren grabbed Andy's wrist and quietly opened the cupboard door. He scrambled after her, both of them bolting for the garage as hard kicks came at the door.

Mrs McCarthey was still screaming.

They threw themselves into the car and Lauren started the engine. Gunshots came from the kitchen. Lauren backed the car out and took off into the street. "Stay down!"

"What about you?"

"I need to drive!"

A bullet shattered one of their back windows. Mrs McCarthey was still screaming as they turned the corner of the street.

They drove with no aim, hurtling down the roads at way more than the speed limit until they were sure they were away from the attackers. Only then did Lauren pull into a parking lot and park up.

Maybe it was being forced from their home, maybe it was the shock only just setting in, or maybe it was the sudden realisation that their old life really was well and truly gone, but they both collapsed into tears then and there.

All they could do was hold onto each other, because each other was all they had now.