Chapter 11: West Ferry Road

Jack took Phil’s advice about Mudchute. He’d asked Ashran if he wanted to come too but he’d had a lecture he couldn’t avoid. Jack wasn’t sure if that was true or whether Ashran thought the trip was just too risky.

The Underground and then the Docklands Light Railway took him there. He dropped off the train at the Island Gardens DLR station. It was as quiet as he had hoped. There was no sign of any Male Control Force officers. He found that a relief even though, as he kept telling himself, he had every right to be where he was. He had his ident card and his student travel permit.

He looked up and down the road. There didn’t seem to be any restrictions on this street. The last thing he wanted was to attract attention by walking up the street on a pavement designated for women only.

It wasn’t far to the park. The old railway viaduct ran along one side, its red brick was dingy, its archways cluttered with rubbish and the carefully stowed belongings of rough sleepers. Jack guessed that these days they were likely to be sponsorship absconders but Jack didn’t think that made it look very promising for finding someone that might help him.

He sat down on a bench. A football match was in progress on one of the pitches in the park. Two teams of men were being encouraged by a group of women standing and watching. The referee was a woman of course, Jack noticed. There was a whooping cry from the spectators as a goal went in.