LEXI REVELLIAN

Barbican in the snow

'As the sky paled to grey, I made my way to the Barbican Centre and waited outside for it to open, which it did at eight o’clock.'

The Barbican - view from a staircase

'Outside, the Barbican was a labyrinth on a grand scale, with its mix of walkways, stairs, public buildings, car parks and homes. Locked gates protected private areas; some doors opened one way but not the other. An easy place to escape pursuit for anyone who knew it.' 

Inside the Barbican

'Unexpectedly, as I got closer to the Barbican, I got cold feet about checking the Ladies, not that there was any reason for Sir Peter’s people to look for me in the Barbican more than anywhere else. It was perfectly safe; nothing at all to worry about. But for some reason, just the thought of the walk towards the first floor Ladies made my hands sweat as if landmines lurked beneath the bland acres of carpet.'

Underground car park

'I exited the building and headed for the underground car park via the stairs in Fore Street. The man in the booth faced away from me, talking to a colleague; the place was deserted. I went to the stack of bricks near where I’d spent my first night on the run, and picked up a couple. Back in the car park, I turned to the right. I took off my hoodie, shoved it in the bag with the camping stove, and hid that and the groceries behind an enormous Rolls Royce shrouded in a dust cover that didn’t look as if it was going anywhere soon. That would save me lugging them about.'

Door out of the Barbican car park

'In the far wall was a door; on it, FIRE EXIT with a picture of a running man and an arrow, and PLEASE SHUT GATE. This door only opened one way. I went through, and wedged it ajar with one of the bricks. Beyond, stairs led to a rectangular lake, houses with glass balconies, and another one-way gate. I left that unlocked too, using the second brick. I didn’t expect to need this escape route. Time to go.'

Ramp to Exit

'I pushed open the heavy doors to the stairs, and the moment the men couldn’t see me, ran to the next floor, dodged right, past delicious smells from expensive restaurants, through the glass door into the icy air, and shot up a long ramp leading to the upper level walkways.'

The stairs where Beth gets trapped

'I overshot the entrance, but realized immediately and dashed down the open stairs by the lake, hoping to simply vanish and leave the men searching. Four flights of stairs, green gate at the bottom, brick still holding it not quite closed. Through the gate, let it shut behind me, not safe but safer. One more lot of tiled stairs, level with the lake now. Door to the car park…

It was shut. Someone had moved the brick. I couldn’t open it, and above me the sound of boots on tiles was getting louder. I cowered by the door, panting. He couldn’t get through the gate or see me, and wouldn’t know for certain I was there. On the other hand, I was stuck, unable to go forward or back.' 

A street in Hackney

'Light snow began to fall, frosting every horizontal surface and bleaching colours to a neutral pallor, settling on my shoulders and melting into my trainers.'

Warning

'A sign alleged that the building was alarmed and monitored, but the money must have run out for that as well as for completing the building: plainly I wasn’t the first to trespass there.' 

Graffiti in the derelict flats

'I tiptoed past, through into the second flat on that level; big windows all across one side, a wall covered in smears and whirls of multi-coloured paint, the kitchen units strewn about the room, more bottles and cans.'

Beth's room with view

'If people lived here, I could too; it would be an improvement on the steel cabin, more protected from the wind. The idea grew on me. The block was a twenty minute walk from the Barbican, and close to the canal. If I put a lock on the door, I wouldn’t have to worry about my stuff being stolen, or being attacked at night while sleeping. I decided to select myself a new home.'

Beth Two's bathroom

'In the bathroom, an overturned bath lay beside rolls of insulation. None of the plumbing was connected.'

Where Beth is caught on CCTV

Fruit shop in Hoxton

This is where Beth Two steals a clementine...