Soldiers!" The cry was passed up the road and people scrambled for the bush on the sides of the road. Patrick followed Stone and Justine. He made them hide behind trees. An old tree had fallen and its roots had pulled a huge wall of dirt and stone out of the forest floor. Patrick lay on the trunk and peered through a small gap. He wanted to see what was going on.

A squad of six men in white rode horses. They didn't look threatening; they looked tired and bored. Patrick was sure they ...