The ground was uneven and overgrown with weeds. In the darkness, and in my haste, I had no way of knowing where the potholes and divots were. Two open sewers crossed the common – I hoped I wouldn’t fall into one. I could hear the soldiers behind me, swearing and shouting, and I prayed they wouldn’t try to shoot me. As I ran, dogs began to bark somewhere nearby. They were almost as scary as the soldiers. Most were wild and roamed in packs at night, attacking the unwary. But I didn’t have time to think about them. Not yet. The soldiers were falling behind and I needed to find a hiding place quickly. Buildings surrounded the common. The only way out was through one of the many exit gates. Most of these would be locked but at the far end, the walls had foot- and handholds, where blocks had been removed. I had often seen people use these to scale up to the rooftops. That was my aim – to lose the soldiers and move on. The barking grew closer and then I heard a gunshot. The air around me seemed to part as the bullet sped past.
