Crash II: Highrise Hell by Michael Robertson Page B

London."
    "It's safe," George said. "Both emotionally and practically. You put a fence around this place, and you have a fort. Also, when things are as chaotic as they are, I suppose it's nice to have something you know. He's lived here for so long ..."
    After nodding her agreement, Mrs. Vadher said, "It was one of the boys we didn't like that saved us. Judgment is a wicked thing, George. Judgment polarized this society. Judgment turned someone like Dean into a lunatic. Judgment from the upper classes that his life was a waste, a drain on the state. I bet they're regretting ever making him feel like that now. I'm ashamed to say we judged Ravi's friends. But we've learned now that we were wrong. We thought they were no good for our boy, but our boy was on the right path while still being friends with them."
    "You must have done something right then."
    Looking at one another, Ravi's parents smiled and his mum said, "We've been blessed with our little engineer."
    Reverting to the little boy that he clearly used to be, Ravi whined, "Stop it, Mum."
    "We plan to get out of here though. We want to head to the seaside. Bournemouth. It's where a lot of our family are, and we want to be with them. We just need the opportunity to leave. We need to wait for London to calm down."
    Scoffing, Ravi shook his head. "That ain't happening anytime soon."
    "You'll find a way. You're our shining light."
    "I need to be more than that, Mum. I need to be a battle axe. I need to be a landslide. I need to learn how to fight with force, not intelligence. We live in a basic world now where the winners are those with the fiercest will and strongest might. I need to man the fuck up if we're to survive."  
    Heavy breaths raised and dropped the boy's tense frame. Resting clenched fists on the table, he ground his jaw. It was the first time George had seen him like this. It was hard not to laugh.
    "Now come on, Ravi," his mum said as she leant over and rubbed his shoulder. "We've spoken about this. Anger doesn't serve you. It won't help you rebuild a positive future."
    Throwing his reply back, Ravi's voice cracked like a whip. "It'll help me fight my way out of here though, Mum. It will help us survive. The nice guy doesn't win in this life anymore."

    * * *

    Another long spell of silence was broken by Ravi's mum. "Tell me about your life before all of this, George." When she winked at him, her eyes glowed. "You're a good-looking man. Where's your wife? Your family?"  
    Raising his hand, Ravi looked across the table at George. "You don't have to answer that."
    The slight frame of Mrs. Vadher sagged at the berating. It sent a pang through George's heart. "No, it's okay. I don't have a family. I only have a sister."
    "And where is she, dear?"
    No matter how many times he said it, the words never came easily. "She's married to Dean."
    After putting her glass down on the table, Mrs. Vadher's face fell slack. "Oh."
    "Crap, isn't it? That's the only reason I'm staying here. Dean has her, he knows where she is and she's pregnant. She's close to full term."
    The intensity of having them all staring made George sweat, and his throat tightened. "Once I get reunited with her, I'm gone. This life ain't for me."
    "It ain't for any of us, son," Ravi's dad said. "It's the best we can make of a dire situation. I feel sorry for you guys. At least we get to stay at home. From what Ravi's told us, it's brutal out there."
    The flickering light shimmered over George's bloody hands.  
    Leaning forwards, Ravi's mum tipped a wine bottle up. "Here."  
    Placing his hand over his cup, George shook his head. "No thank you. I don't drink."
    "You ought to start," Ravi said. "It makes things easier."
    There was a waver in George's voice when he replied. "I've not drunk for years."
    Tilting her head to one side, Mrs. Vadher frowned. "Why not?"  
    "Stop asking him questions, Mum."
    Taking a moment, George took several deep breaths. "Things didn't turn out too well the last time I