Glimmer and other Stories (3 page)

For the first time that day, the child felt almost safe. She paused for a moment and listened to the rhythmic pounding of rain on wood. Tired from running and hiding, she yawned, went back inside, and sat on the floor. Even with the door closed, the place felt cold. The wind blew in through knotholes in the wall, swirling and whispering the threat of snow. Shivering, the girl snuggled further into the hessian sacks. Unable to keep her eyes open, she fell asleep.
 

A loud thud awoke her and she snapped opened her eyes. It was dark and she couldn’t see properly. Another thud. She scuttled into the farthest corner of the shed, pulled in her arms and legs, and waited. The door flung open and a beam of light flashed around the room. She jumped up and prepared herself for flight.
 

‘Who’s in there?
 
Come out. Come on, come out.’

The man’s voice sounded angry and the girl instinctively felt around for something that could be used as a weapon, but there was nothing much except muck and the dried out husks of dead insects. She clung onto the hessian sacking. As the man shone the torch around, she searched the room for a gap that would allow her to escape. Between the flashes, she saw a loose timber at the back and inched towards it.
 

‘Stop right where you are.’
 

The girl stood still, and her eyes moistened.
 

‘What are you doing in my shed?’

Bathed in the glow from the torch, the girl turned around, looked at the floor, at the tiny clean circles her tears made in the dust and said, ‘It was raining and I was cold.’
 

‘It’s very late, you should be at home.’ The man shone the torch directly into her face.

The girl raised her hand to shield her eyes from the beam.

‘Why aren’t you at home?’

‘It’s my birthday. They wanted me to play hide and seek.’

‘Well, you’ve certainly found a good place to hide.’

‘I’m lost.’
 

‘That you are.’
 

The girl felt a warm tongue lick her hand and she jumped. The man pointed his torch at the dog sitting on the floor, and said, ‘I’m John. That’s Gladiator. Don’t worry she won’t bite. She’s as daft as a brush.’ Gladiator wagged her tail and stood on her hind legs. The girl’s mouth curved upwards and the dog rolled onto its back.
 

‘What’s your name?’

‘Katy,’ she said. ‘Can I stroke her?’

‘If you like.’

Katy walked over to Gladiator, reached down and stroked her ear.

‘Where do you live Katy?’
 

Katy wiped her runny nose, gulped, and stared at John. ‘Don’t want to say.’
 

‘I expect someone will be looking for you?’

‘No. No one.’

‘Really?’

‘Yeah. I’m good at hiding. I’ve done it before. Once I hid for a whole day and night and no one came to find me.’

‘Really?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Okay, if you say so. Are you hungry?’

‘Yes.’

‘I’ve got soup if you want some?’

Katy didn’t reply. John shook his head, rubbed his whiskered cheeks, and blew out air through his yellow teeth. ‘Suit yourself,’ he said, and called to Gladiator. The dog did not move.
 

‘Come here.’
 

Gladiator ran behind Katy’s legs and John folded his arms.
 

‘Right, fine. Do what you want. Bring Gladiator to the house when you both want some food. Don’t play for too long, it’s getting cold,’ he said, and left.
 

Katy knelt down and put her arms around the dog. Gladiator nipped at her hair and she pulled away. The dog put its paw on her arm and yapped. ‘Want to play girl?’ she said, took off the hessian sack and held it in the air. Gladiator gripped onto it and tugged. Katy yanked back and the pair played tug-of-war until she heard the dog’s stomach rumble.

‘Hungry aren’t you girl?’ She put her hand on her own stomach. ‘Me too. Shall we go and get some soup?’ Gladiator barked and licked her face. She laughed. ‘Okay, okay, let’s go.’ Katy grabbed the dog’s collar and went outside into the cool night air.
 

The rain had stopped and the sky was clear. The moon shone bright and made drops of water that clung onto the cobwebs shimmer like diamonds. To Katy, they looked like necklaces left out to dry by ghosts. Owls hooted loudly, she put her hands over her ears and hurried after Gladiator. The dog stopped at the front of the cottage. When Katy caught up a security light came on revealing the colour of the house. It was painted a dark red, the colour of blood.
 
The smell of hot toast and butter filled her nostrils and she sniffed the air like a hungry cat. Gladiator jumped up and pawed at the door. It creaked open and Katy saw John standing in front of her.

‘Changed your mind have you?’ he said.
 

Katy lost her footing for a moment as Gladiator ran through her legs and into the kitchen.
 

‘You can come in if you like.’
 

She stood still and looked inside. Her gaze was drawn to a string of orange fairy lights draped around a large metal mirror. They gave off a cheery glow that made her feel as if she were about to enter Father Christmas’s grotto.
 

‘Ten seconds, then I’m closing the door. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two…’ Katy stepped inside.

‘Are you hungry?’

‘Yes.’

‘I’ve got soup?’

‘What kind?’

‘Tomato.’

Katy pulled a face. ‘Don’t like tomato.’

‘Really, well that’s all I’ve got.’
 

‘Is it out of a tin or packet?’

‘Tin. Want some or not?’

She nodded and followed him into the kitchen. It was small and smelt of bleach. Her nostrils twitched and she scratched her nose. Looking down, she saw a streak of dirt on her fingers. Then her gaze fell onto her muddy dress. ‘Mister? Can I wash my hands?’

‘Looks like you need more than your hands washing. Call me John. The bathroom is through there. First on the left. Watch out for Gladdy, she’s eating in the corridor.’
 

Katy walked up three concrete steps to a tiny hallway. She paused to watch Gladiator wolf down her dog food before lifting the latch on the brown varnished door. Pushing it open, she stepped inside the bathroom, closed the door and slid the bolt across. John knocked and Katy put her ear against the wood.

‘Why don’t you have a shower? I’ve got a granddaughter about your age. I’m sure I can dig out some clean clothes for you.’

Katy touched her tattered dress and said, ‘Okay, thanks.’
 
She turned on the shower, peeled off her dirty clothes, stepped into the bath and raised her head to the jets of hot water. Katy washed away the muck and blood that clung to her body and hair. She stood under the spray until her skin went red. Waiting to feel clean.

‘How are you getting on in there?’
 

Turning off the water, she stepped out of the bath and said, ‘Finished.’

‘Open up and I’ll hand you the clothes.’

Katy wrapped herself in a towel, opened the door and stuck her hand out. Something soft touched her skin, and she grabbed onto a piece of fabric, pulled her hand back through the door and locked it. In her hands were a pair of white knickers, a white vest, and a white satin dress with a pink bow around the waist. She pressed her nose against the garments and sniffed. They smelt of spring flowers and she put them on. With a glance in the mirror, Katy nodded at her dirt free reflection, and went into the kitchen.

‘Well, don’t you look nice. Sit down Katy and I’ll bring you something to eat. Put that napkin around your neck. Don’t want that dress getting stained.’

Katy did as she was told and John placed a steaming bowl of soup on the wooden table. She blew across the surface, took a spoonful and sipped.
 

‘This is really good,’ she said, and shovelled the liquid into her mouth.

‘Slow down, you’ll give yourself indigestion eating that fast.’

‘Sorry, it’s just that, I’m really hungry.’

‘Want some more?’

‘Yes please.’

‘What shall we do with you Katy?’ John said, as he ladled more soup into her bowl.

‘I don’t know. Are you going to call the police?’

‘Should I? Are you in trouble?’

‘No. I just…’ she pushed her bowl away and hung her head.

‘It’s late, why don’t you stay here tonight and we’ll worry about what to do with you in the morning.’

‘Okay.’

‘You can sleep in the study. Come on.’
 

John stood and offered her his arm. Katy allowed him to lead her into a low-ceilinged room with a large open fireplace. Some logs burned faintly in the grate and gave off a sweet smell. John switched on the light and she saw a room filled with books, old chests, cushions, and black and white photographs. On the walls were dead butterflies and beetles encased in ornate silver frames. Katy stared at the bric-a-brac strewn around the room and smiled.

‘You’ve got loads of really old stuff. It’s like a museum.’

‘Do you like museums?’

‘Yeah. I went to the big one in London last year,’ she said, and yawned.
 

‘Tired eh? Tell you what, just take the books off the couch and you can lie down there.’

‘What if I wrinkle the dress?’

‘Don’t worry about that. It’ll iron out fine. I’ll go and find a blanket for you,’ John said, and went out of the room.

Katy walked over to the settee and began to pile the books onto the floor. She noticed a bulge under one of the thin cushions and pulled it away. Underneath were two glass paperweights. Katy picked one up and stared at its multi-coloured surface. It was filled with delicate flower heads made out of tubes of coloured glass, that seemed to change hue each time she turned it towards the light. The other one was bigger and heavier. Inside the clear glass was a garden scene: A little girl dressed in a long white dress with a pink sash around her waist, sat on a swing tied between two pink-blossomed cherry trees.
 

‘I see you’ve found my paperweights,’ John said, carrying bed linen.
 

Gladiator strolled in behind him and sat at Katy’s feet. John put the pillows and duvet on the arm of the couch, and took the paperweight off her. He lowered himself onto the settee and patted the cushion next to him. Katy sat and John put his hand on her thigh. She flinched.

‘My grandfather had this made for my mother’s tenth birthday.’

‘That’s how old I am.’

‘The little girl on the swing is her,’ he said, and leaned in close to Katy’s cheek. She pulled away and moved her leg out of his reach.
 

‘Is the garden real?’

‘Yes. At least, it was. It was my grandparent’s garden. They lived there over a hundred years ago. The house is still there, a yellow thatched cottage with a hawthorn hedge.’
 

John gave her the paperweight. She held it in both hands and peered into it. ‘It’s really beautiful. I wish I lived there.’

‘Where do you live Katy?’

‘By the new estate across Merchant’s field.’

‘That’s about three miles from here. Bit of a long walk for a girl of your age. You really wanted to hide didn’t you?’

Katy yawned and rubbed her eyes. ‘I’m tired.’

‘Shall I tell you a bedtime story?’

‘About the little girl?’

‘If you like.’

‘Can Gladdy listen too?’

‘If that’s what you want.’

Katy called to the dog and it jumped onto her lap. John screwed up his eyes and took a deep breath.
 

‘Right, let me see. Once upon a time there was a little girl called…’

‘Katy.’

‘Called Katy, and she lived in a big house with a beautiful garden…’

Katy’s head drooped, and in her half-conscious state she felt John put his arm around her shoulders. She twitched at his touch, then fell fast asleep.
 

A sharp pain in her arm woke her up. She opened her eyes and saw John’s hand squeezing her shoulder. She prised his bony fingers away, pushed Gladiator off her knee, and turned her head. Katy stiffened at the sight of John’s white face and contorted mouth.

‘Ambulance…call for an ambulance,’ he said.

The sound of John’s raspy voice frightened her. She scuttled away from him and stood.

‘My heart…call an ambulance, quick.’

She inched further away, tripped on the paperweight and fell onto her back. Gladiator ran over and nuzzled her face. Katy picked up the glass globe and stood.
 

‘Mister?
 
What’s the matter? What’s happened to you?’

John opened his mouth and clutched at his chest.
 

‘Heart. Need an ambulance.’

‘I can’t call them, they’ll send the police.’

‘Please.’

‘I can’t.’

‘If you do you can keep the dress.’
 

‘And the paperweight?’

‘Yes.’

‘Really?’

‘Yes, hurry.’

Katy thought for a moment. ‘I can’t. Don’t worry, you’ll be okay.’

‘No, I won’t.’

‘Yes, you will. I know what to do. Have you got any aspirin? Aunt Karen gave some to Grandma Duggan and she got better.’

John closed his eyes.
 

‘It worked, really it did.’
 

John struggled for breath.

‘You only need one.’

‘Toilet…in the cabinet.’
 

She dropped the globe, ran into the bathroom, turned on the light and opened the mirror fronted wall cupboard. She picked up a packet of aspirin and brought them back to John. Her hand shook as she pulled a tablet from the box and held it in front of him.
 

‘In my mouth, put it in…my mouth.’
 

John parted his lips and she placed a pill on his tongue. He chewed it and Katy sat down next to Gladiator at the foot of the settee. She picked up the paperweight and turned it around in her hands, all the while staring at the idyllic scene inside.

‘You’ll be all right now. Aunt Karen said aspirin helps the…the something keep your heart beating. I think. That and calling an… an amblance.’