Page 23 of Captive Hearts
‘We’re OK,’ said the woman with the birthday badge.
‘So, what happened?’ Ashley asked.
‘Is this really the time for interviews?’ Gina asked quietly.
‘I’m not interviewing. I’m just trying to get an overview of the situation.’
‘For your report?’ Gina asked. ‘I wouldn’t be counting any chickens on getting this story on the TV news today. I don’t even know if we’ll be alive for teatime.’
The teenage girl turned to them, shocked. ‘What?’
‘Oh, bloody nice one!’ muttered her dad angrily at Gina, sliding an arm around his daughter. ‘It’s gonna be alright.’ She shrugged him off. ‘Get off, Dad! I’m not a kid.’ Her father took his arm back with a world-weary sigh.
‘Oi, you lot aren’t talking, are you?’ Rick said, mouth full, the rest of the sandwich in his gun-free hand. Everyone shook their heads. ‘Good. Because you’ve got nothing to say to each other, you got it?’ Everyone nodded.
Rick sat down on a stool and silently ate his sandwich. Once finished, he washed his hands and said to Ashley, ‘Right. I’m ready.’
‘For…’
‘That interview.’
‘Oh. Right. OK,’ Ashley said. She turned to Gina. ‘Get your gear ready.’
Gina was confused. They really were going to interview Rick after all? What the hell was the point? But as with basically every other moment of this day, despite not understanding what the hell was going on, she rolled with it and switched on her camera.
