Shivering from the cold and damp look out post, she looked left and then right. Almost seven hours
had passed since she made it to the staging point, an eye always on the river stretched out in front
of the ragged group.

The plan was simple.

“Wait for dawn and the changing of the guard on the Welsh side.” The sleazy immigration broker
had told them several week before in between stuffing his mouth with fried food.
 

Two hundred quid that information cost, she hoped it was worth it. With nothing left now there was
no way she could join James and Rachael on the other side legitimately. She wanted nothing more
than to be a mother again but she had to put her foot down when James suggested coming back to
England.

Suffering for the health of one’s child, an easy choice.

The sky above was slowing changing colour now, an orange glow emanating from the ever distant
sun peeking out just over the hills to her right.

Hidden beneath a bush by the low river bank she slipped off her stained plimsolls, ready to sprint
forward at the given signal and dive head first into the icy jaws of the Severn.

Confusion and panic spread amongst the desperate hidden along the river bank as the first boat
drifted into sight and its loudhailer burst into life.

“This is R Severn security, do not attempt to cross into the People’s Republic of Wales. I repeat do
not attempt to cross into the People’s Republic of Wales.”

Somewhere behind a whistle shattered the earie silence left in the wake of the announcement and
with it hundreds burst from their hiding places all along the mile or so of river bank. In moments she
was submerged in water so cold it only stung for a split second, as an icy numbness spread over her
body she kicked.

Lost in panic she broke from below with a crash, still struggling for air the world slowly came back
into focus. The sound of boat engines had erupted up and down the stretch, the pleas of the security
personal to return to the shore ignored as more and more people dived into the water.
 

She could not turn around, she had to make it to Wales and to her daughter no matter the…..
 

***
 

“It’s okay Ewan, everyone pukes pulling their first one out. Is there any ID on the body?”
Ewan bent back down, vomit still dripping from his unkempt beard as he rummaged through the
pockets and small rucksack of the lifeless corpse lay out before him.

“Nothing, boss.” He said disappointedly. “Just a picture of a kid with Rachel written on the back.”