Alex's face swims in front of Julian, pale and small in the gloom. The boy is sitting, his eyes closed, his mouth a thin tight line. He looks as if he expects to be executed at any moment. So, too, does Julian. He looks around the musty shed, trembling a little as the voices grow louder outside.
He doesn't want to die in this place.
The door to the shed is a flimsy affair, held shut with a worn wooden latch. It wouldn't take much to kick it in. Julian clings even more tightly to Alex, not even realizing he's doing it, just needing something, someone to remind him he's not alone. He swallows, eyes wide in the darkness, trying to marshal what little courage he has left. The doorway is narrow, to be sure. Too narrow for more than one man to enter at once. He and Alex could take the first two, maybe more if they're lucky, but sooner or later...
Outside the voices grow louder and more distinct. Julian can pick up snippets of conversation now.
"...fucking lost them..."
"...look like..."
"...tell the others..."
More voices join in, some hostile. The hunters seem to be arguing amongst themselves about whether to abandon the search or keep looking. They shout back and forth for a long time, unaware that only a thin sheet of plywood separates them from their quarry. Finally, after much arguing, footsteps begin to lead away, back down the alley to the park. The voices subside to a grumble, then fade away altogether.
Julian looks at Alex in astonishment. He can scarcely believe their luck.
"I think they've given up," he whispers. He glances around nervously. "We'd better stay here a while longer, though. It could be a trick."