It was the day that could change us forever. The sun slowly rising up into the dark sky. At 8am everyone arose. Some of the children didn’t put on their uniforms. They ate their breakfasts as normal but they didn’t pack their school bags. Their calendars were all set at day zero. This was the start of it. They were ready.
It was rush hour and the streets of London were busy as people bustled and ran around, going about their business, catching their late trains or just late as they ran to catch their trains. The streets soon became empty. It was unusual. London was never this quiet. Nothing happened. It only took a few minutes and suddenly they were everywhere. Children were gathering. They were ready.
Everywhere. There were children everywhere. Holding big banners up to the blazing sun. They were shouting the words ‘Save Our Future’. Some were angry. Some were crying. They wanted things to change. They came in cars, vans, buses, trains and even walked. They travelled far in any way they could to get there. They had arrived. They were ready.
There were police helicopters swarming in the skies like bees. There used to be bees. Didn’t they make this kind of sound? The children couldn’t remember. They walked towards 10 Downing Street and juddered to a halt outside. One of the police helicopters was so low it deafened them with a sound like the mighty deafening roar of a tiger. There used to be tigers but the children couldn’t remember them.
It wasn’t the sound of a helicopter. It was a tiger. It leapt out of its hiding place. The children ran. They got home any way they could and shut their doors and had their lunch. But they still didn’t put on their uniforms. They were ready.
The Prime Minister wasn’t eating her lunch. She was inside 10 Downing Street, still wearing her nightclothes. She had tired-looking eyes. No one would know, she thought. But the children knew. We’re not done. She heard them say. What about our future? She heard them say. This question will never end, she heard them say. We are ready. She heard them say