There was no time to waste.

As promised, Abdul had left the farm before dawn, but not before passing on a warning: They knew where he was and they were coming. "They" of course were the adults. Yakov called in the three oldest kids, plus Pietra. When he'd told them what Abdul had said they just stared at him. Then Pietra began to cry. Yakov hugged her tightly.

Why are they doing this?" She asked between sniffles.
"They're just hungry."
"But so are we."
"I know. Listen to me. I want to you round up everybody around your age. Take them to the barn and lock it from the inside. Bar the door with anything you can find.
"But what about you? You can't even walk!"
"No arguments, Pietra. Go!"

It looked like she was going to cry again, but she ran out of the house before Yakov could be sure. He turned to look at the other three.
"Help me."
"We're not fighters, Yakov," said Evan.
"I know that, but we can't let them take this away from us. We can't go back."
"Then what?" This was Sally.
"We're going to have to learn how to fight. This place is too valuable to lose."

When he thought about it, it had been too easy. The escape from Kilda, the uneventful trip through the badlands, and then finding the farm laid out waiting for them. He wasn't surprised karma had come to collect.

Yakov had clambered onto the roof of the farmhouse for a better look. With his leg the way it was this was the best he could do for their group. Down below he made out pairs of kids hiding and waiting. Sunlight glinted off the pots and pans a few of them had scavenged from the kitchen. Then something else caught his eye. A black mass had begun to form at the top of the ridge. A lump caught in Yakov's throat. There were too many of them.
Get ready!" He shouted. He heard a few sobs in response. The mass was getting closer now and separating into individual figures. At the front of the group he recognised his father.

One of the adults threw a rock through the window and then it was on. The adults swarmed over the farm trampling the newly sown crops. A group of kids ran out and tackled those closest to them. Once the other adults saw the pot dangling from Sean's hand they pounced like wild animals, screaming "We're hungry. You have to feed us."

Other kids ran out from their hiding places swinging in wide arcs in an attempt to ward off the ravenous horde. Yakov saw the carnage below and braced himself on the window sill.
"Stop it! Stop it all of you!" Hans pulled a woman off the still body of Sean and stared at Yakov through sad eyes.
"Oh no," she cried, "What have I done."
The kids quickly formed a wall between the adults and Sean.
"Get out of here. Just go."

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