Jackser was walkin up an down the room wit the letter in his hand. He was ragin. ‘Can ye beat tha, Sally? They’re goin te evict us!’
Me ma was sittin in the chair, starin inta the empty grate, workin her lip up an down, chewin her lip. ‘I don’t know,’ she was mutterin te herself. ‘Ye’d be better off dead. The sooner the better I’m six foot under, it won’t be quick enough fer me.’
The babby was cranky, cos he was gettin his teeth, an I was kneelin by the cot, strokin an rubbin him, an givin him his soother, tryin te get him te sleep. But I was feelin a bit exposed now. Jackser could have one of his fits any minute wit the mood he was in an turn on me, sendin me flyin wit a kick of his boot.
‘Isn’t tha wha the letter says, Mrs? Are ye payin any fuckin heed te what I’m sayin? We’ll be all out on the street!’ Jackser roared at me ma.
Me ma turned on him. ‘It’s not my fuckin fault ye drank the money instead of payin the rent!’
‘Shush, Ma! Shush,’ I whispered.
Jackser glared at me. ‘You an her, an the rest of ye’s, will be all back in the Regina Ceoli hostel walkin the streets again. An I’ll have te go next door te the Mornin Star!’
Me heart lifted! No more Jackser! Oh, dear God, let tha come true!
‘Mrs! Get up off yer arse an start thinkin. They can’t put us out on the street wit the childre. I don’t care what anyone says. Wha we’ll do is ... go after Frank Sherwin, he looks after the poor man, an get him te do somethin fer us. An if tha fails, we’ll take the childre inta the Corporation an stay there. Not move until they house us. Wha do ye think of tha, Sally? Do ye think we’re on the right track?’
‘I don’t know,’ me ma said slowly, runnin her fingers through her hair, lookin fer lice. ‘Ye’d be askin fer trouble. They’d take the childre away, sayin they were neglected, an put them inta a home.’
Jackser clenched his fists an rolled his eyes te the ceilin. ‘Holy Jaysus, Mrs! Then have ye any better suggestions?’ he roared at me ma.
‘I don’t know! Wha can I do?’ me ma shouted back. ‘We’re in arrears. The fuckin rent wasn’t paid in a long time, an now ye’re complainin when it’s too late!’
Jackser was thinkin. ‘If all else fails, we can take the childre an wait until them red-neck bastardin priests are up on the altar givin out the Mass. An wit the church crowded, we march up onta the altar an expose them all – the priests, the TDs – an show the people wha holy Catholic Ireland are doin te the poor. Puttin innocent women an childre out on the streets te die! That’ll make them sit up an take notice of us! Wha do ye think, Sally?’
I gorra terrible picture of the childre from school all gapin up at us. The neighbours would say we’re a holy disgrace an we’re stone mad! No! I’m runnin away. I’ll hide somewhere. I’ll find tha young one who lives in Summerhill an ask her te let me come an live wit her an the granny. Right! Tha’s what I’ll do!
‘Do ye think tha would work, Sally?’
Me ma turned her head te the wall. ‘Yeah! If ye want te get us all arrested!’
Jackser thought about this fer a minute an said, ‘Pity! I’ll give tha a miss. But there’s nothin I’d like better than te expose them bastards fer wha they did te me an me brother Eddie fer nine long years in Artane. I was only seven years old, an me brother was eight when me poor mother put us in. She’d no way of lookin after us!’ Jackser shook his head an got lost in his own thoughts. He doesn’t say much about it, but occasionally, when he’s gone too far an can’t stop himself from givin me an awful batterin, he’ll say tha’s the way he was trained in Artane. Tha it will be good fer me, a soft life never did anyone any good.
Jackser started snufflin an shook himself. ‘Right! I’ll have a shave. Here, you! There’s tuppence. Get down te tha shop an get me a Silver Gillette blade. An don’t be there till ye’re back. Run! I’m goin te see tha Frank Sherwin!’
I shot outa the flats an whipped left, headin like the wind down te the shops. An suddenly, outa nowhere, an aul fella in a brown gaberdine coat an bicycle clips on his ankles te keep his trousers from catchin in the wheels slammed onta the footpath in front of me. He was in such a hurry te stop, he overbalanced the bike an was dancin his leg up an down te try an steady himself. ‘Hey, you!’ he shouted at me, an grabbed out his arm te hold me. He grabbed the hem of me frock, but I turned so suddenly he lost his grip an fell flat on the pavement.
I ran back, headin fer the flats, screamin in fright. ‘Ah, help! Mammy! It’s the school inspector, he’s goin te catch me!’ Me legs an arms was like propellers as I flew. Me heart was burstin in me chest from the shock. Don’t let him catch me! I looked ahead te our flat an thought better of goin there. Jackser would murder me fer drawin the inspector there. I looked back, an he was turnin inta the flats, his knees pushin down hard on the pedals an his neck stuck out, tryin te pedal as fast as he could. I headed fer the stairs an tore up them, haulin meself up holdin onta the banisters.
When I reached the top, I crept along the balcony an waited, tryin te ease me poundin heart an quieten me breathin. I had te listen in case he crept up on me. Then I heard the bangin on the door an rattlin like mad on the letter box. Jackser wouldn’t open the door. When someone bangs like tha on the door, Jackser knows it’s trouble an won’t open.
‘Open up! I know you’re in there. I saw you!’ The inspector was bendin down an shoutin in the letter box. ‘I’m warning you! This is your last warning. If you don’t get that child to school, you will be brought to court, and she’ll be taken away and put into an industrial school!’
I watched him, peepin over the balcony, an then he stood up an was writin down somethin in a book. What am I goin te do? I need te get the blade fer Jackser. He’ll go mad I’m takin so long, especially after tha aul fella callin. I lashed down the stairs an stopped, peepin aroun te see if he was lookin. He was busy fixin his bicycle clips. I shot off an flew fer all I was worth, lookin back when I hit the corner. No sign of him. Good! I’ll make it inta the shops before he comes down, then I’ll have te hide an watch until he passes. There he goes! He turned right at the church, an I waited till I was sure he was gone. Then I took off, runnin as fast as I could te get back wit the blade.
Me ma went off wit Jackser, an I was mindin the childre. ‘Here! Get them ready an get outside an let them get an airin!’ Jackser said. I was delighted. I could get te watch all the childre playin. It was better than bein stuck in the house.
I put the babby in his pram, an he was squealin wit excitement. He knew he was goin out. Teddy was shoutin, tryin te get his shoe on the wrong foot an worried I might leave without him. ‘Where’s yer other shoe?’ I asked him. He was lookin aroun, an I said, ‘Charlie, get under the bed an see if it’s there.’ I got Teddy ready an told Charlie te put his shoes on the right feet or the childre will be laughin at him. We were out the door, an I banged it shut behind me.
It was still too early fer the childre te be home from school, so I headed outa the flats, wit Teddy hangin on te the handlebars. He was seventeen months now an was walkin. Charlie was hangin onta the other side. I could hear the childre playin an shoutin in the school yard. They were on their dinner break. We headed towards the bridge an stopped at the canal. But there was nobody there. Sometimes ye see the childre playin here when they’re mitchin from school. The young fellas build a raft an try te paddle it along the bank. Tha’s very dangerous! Cos a few of them have been drownded, but it doesn’t stop them fer long, an then they’re at it again, hidin their schoolbags in the bushes an fightin over who’s goin te be Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier!
I sat meself down, an Charlie started te look fer somethin te throw in the water. Teddy sat down on his hunkers beside me an was pokin at a long worm wrigglin in the grass. I was rockin Harry in the pram, who was sittin up contentedly suckin on his soother an watchin Teddy pokin the worm an squealin wit fright an then delight, when I heard a shufflin noise behind me in the bushes. I looked aroun an saw two young fellas crawlin in the grass. An then they jumped up an threw a stone at us. Then they laughed an ran inta the bushes. I stood up an shouted, ‘Come out, ye cowards! I saw ye!’ But they didn’t move.
‘Come over here, Charlie. Stay beside me where I can keep an eye on ye.’ An I sat down again, watchin out fer them young fellas. Then one of them stood up, an I saw they were the Kelly brothers from me flats. They were big young fellas, tha one was eleven an his brother was ten.
‘Keep away from me or ye’ll be sorry!’ I shouted. Then he threw another stone, missin Teddy’s head by an inch. I stood up te grab Teddy an get goin as fast as I could. But another stone hit the babby on the forehead, an he screamed. I grabbed his head te rub it an looked te see if he was all right. A big lump was comin out, an the young fellas started laughin.
‘Ye bastards!’ I screamed, an tore at them, catchin the big fella by surprise. I lunged at his hair just as he turned te run, an knocked him off balance. He fell forward, an I pressed me knees inta his back, grabbin his hair an shakin his head, pressin his face inta the ground. ‘Ah, ye bastard!’ I screamed. ‘I’m goin te fuckin kill ye!’
The other young fella came back, shoutin, ‘Get up, Lasher! Don’t let her mill ye. She’s only a young one. They can’t fight.’ He kept comin closer, dancin aroun me wit his fists closed, tryin te get an openin.
‘Help me, Wacker! The cow is killin me!’ Lasher screamed.
‘Come near me an I’ll tear ye apart,’ I screamed at Wacker. The childre were screamin in fright behind me.
‘Let me up an I’ll give ye a penny.’
‘No!’ I shouted. ‘Ye hurt me babby brother. Ye’re a fuckin coward, an I’m goin te teach ye not te pick on little kids.’
I slapped an dragged his head, feelin the rage roar up in me, an, usin what I got from Jackser, I tore inta him. The other young fella lashed out wit his foot, kickin me in the side. I let go a Lasher an whipped a hold a Wacker. ‘Ah, no. I’m sorry!’ he shouted, tryin te peel me hands offa his hair.
Lasher dragged himself up an shouted, ‘OK, OK! You win. Let him go an we’ll give ye a penny each!’
‘Are ye sorry, then?’ I shouted.
‘Yeah! Yeah! We are.’
‘Say it, then!’ an I shook Wacker’s head.
‘We’re sorry, we shouldn’t a thrown stones at the babby. We didn’t mean it.’
I let go an Lasher ran off wit me penny. I grabbed hold of Wacker again. ‘Ah, give her the money! Let me go!’
Lasher came back slowly an threw the penny on the grass.
‘Now your turn, show me yer penny,’ I said te Wacker.
‘Let me go, then!’
I grabbed hold of his jumper. ‘Show me the penny!’ I shouted.
‘All right! Take it easy, I’m givin it te ye!’
I got the penny from him, an Lasher came closer. His nose was red from the bashin he got. ‘Lookit, if ye don’t say anythin te anybody about us, tha ye milled us, then we won’t get our gang after ye! Is tha a deal?’
‘I’m not afraid of yer gang,’ I snorted.
‘Yeah! All right, we know. But ye’d still get kilt. So will ye say nothin?’
I thought about it. ‘Well, if I get inta any trouble wit anybody, will youse help me?’
‘Yeah! Course we will.’
‘All right, then,’ I said, an they went off happy.
I rushed back te Harry, who was sittin there keenin. He had a big red lump on his forehead. I gave him a kiss an rubbed his head, an looked at Charlie, who was squattin down beside Teddy. He was white. I said, ‘Come on. We’ll go down an buy sweets.’
Teddy jumped up, puttin his arse in the air first an then pushin his hands te get himself standin. An Charlie rubbed his hands together, laughin wit excitement. We went off slowly, headin down fer the shops, but me heart was heavy, all the enjoyment gone from me. I was frettin about wha Jackser was goin te do te me when he sees the babby’s head. He’ll blame me fer not lookin after the babby properly. I went te the end of Sheriff Street an parked the pram outside, puttin on the brake an makin sure I could still see the babby.
I went down the steps an inta the shop. It was dark inside, cos the sun doesn’t shine down this far an the door is too narra. I lifted Teddy onta the counter an hauled meself up te get a look over at the sweets in their boxes. Teddy started shoutin an wringin his hands wit impatience. ‘Yeah! Yeah! We’re gettin them,’ I laughed at him. ‘Wha do ye want, Charlie?’
‘Sweets! Gimme sweets!’ He was jumpin up an down, holdin on te the counter, cos he couldn’t see anythin.
‘Wha do ye’s want?’ the aul one behind the counter asked.
‘Eh, I’ll have ...’ I couldn’t make up me mind.
‘How much have ye got?’ the aul one asked me, gettin impatient.
‘Tuppence, Mrs! But I mightn’t be spendin it all here!’
‘Oh, the Lord be! So I’d better not be thinkin of shuttin up shop fer the day, then.’
‘Right! Me mind’s made up! I’ll have three black jacks, tha’s a ha’penny. Tha’s fer Charlie. I’ll have three jelly babies. Tha’s fer Teddy.’ He screamed wit impatience when I mentioned his name.
‘Hurry up!’ the aul one roared. ‘I haven’t all day.’
‘Right! I’m gettin there, Mrs. Give me time, I’m a payin customer!’
‘I’ll have none of yer cheek or ye can take yer custom elsewhere!’
‘Right, an gimme a mouse fer the babby. It’s soft an he won’t choke, cos he only has six teeth!’
She slammed the sweets on the counter. ‘Tha will be one penny!’
‘Have ye a bag fer them, Mrs?’
‘It’s a pity about ye! Take the sweets an get out!’
‘I only asked ye. A bit of politeness goes a long way,’ I said.
‘Ye’s are barred,’ she roared at me.
I snorted an let go of the counter. An slid down, grabbin hold of Teddy an slidin him down, catchin him wit me belly pressed against the counter an puttin him on his feet.
I walked up the steps, countin the sweets te make sure they were all there. An Charlie an Teddy roared after me, wantin their sweets. I stepped out inta the sunshine an took the brake off. ‘Charlie! Help Teddy up the steps, take his hand.’ But Teddy shook away Charlie’s hand an came up the steps on his hands an knees in an awful hurry. I pushed the pram back up the road an sat down on the steps of an old house. The roars outa them! Even the babby was screamin an wavin his hands. He’d seen the sweets an threw his soother inta the pram, his eyes glued te the sweets.
‘Here’s yer jelly babies, Teddy! Sit down beside me an put yer two hands out!’ I put the jelly babies inta his hands an closed his fingers. He was quiet while he had a good look at them, before puttin them in his mouth.
‘Me! Me!’ Charlie was shoutin.
‘Here ye are! Hold yer horses, there’s yer black jacks.’ An then I gave the babby his marshmallow mouse. An he looked at it, wit the tail an the eyes, an then looked up at me. ‘Yes! Eat it! It’s lovely.’ An he put it in his mouth an started suckin it. He was delighted wit the taste an took it back out te give me a big smile wit his six teeth. An me heart turned over cos of the big lump on his poor forehead. I gave him a squeeze, an he roared, cos he thought I was tryin te take his mouse.
I sat down an was enjoyin the heat from the sunshine. Teddy was happy, climbin up an down on the wide steps, an Charlie was lookin in the shop windas at the cakes. His mind was always on grub. It would be great if I didn’t have te worry about Jackser goin mad cos the babby got hurt.
People were passin up an down, stoppin te talk te each other. One woman stopped wit a big fat purse in her hand an a shoppin bag in the other. ‘There ye are!’ she said te another woman, who had hair rollers in her head an was tryin te hide them wit a scarf tied aroun her head. ‘Are ye gettin yerself ready?’ she laughed, lookin at the hair rollers.
‘Yeah!’ Hair Rollers said. ‘I’m nearly all done. This daughter’s weddin will be the death a me yet! The fella she’s marryin has relations comin back from England. Well, as I said, Mrs, he needn’t think I’m puttin them up! I’ve enough of me own crowd te be worryin about.’
‘Go way! Ye’re right there. Ye’d only be a fool te yerself! They won’t thank ye if ye’re dead an buried in the mornin from all yer exertations!’
‘No, indeed they won’t, Mrs!’ Hair Rollers was enjoyin herself no end. She was enjoyin all the glamour of it all, wit people comin all the way from England. ‘I got the new wallpaper!’
The woman wit the purse checked te see if she still had it an shook herself, pulled wit the excitement of hearin it all an jealous cos it wasn’t happenin te her. ‘Go on! Tell us more.’
‘It’s only gorgeous, Mrs!’ an she slapped the other woman’s hand.
‘Go way!’ Purse said.
‘Yeah, it’s heavy red flock wit big white roses. I gorrit on Capel Street. Now tha it’s up, I can’t stop lookin at it. Even me neighbours think it’s lovely. They’ve been in an outa the house, havin cups of tea an askin if there’s anythin I want help wit. They’re lendin me chairs, an old Granny Egan is lendin me her china teacups an saucers an matchin plates from her china cabinet. I’m nearly there. Me sisters are cookin the big lump a bacon an a leg a lamb I got. An the neighbours are makin a ton a sambidges. An he has a man tha works fer Guinness’s, so the barrel a porter is sorted.’
‘Ah, it will be lovely!’ Purse said. ‘I’m delighted fer ye!’
‘Right then, I’d better run. I’ll catch up wit ye again,’ Hair Rollers said. An off they went about their business. I watched them go, takin the excitement wit them.
Fer a few minutes, I lost the run of meself. Thinkin I was part of it all. Now I felt empty. Teddy was fed up an tired. He was leanin in me lap an slappin me. He wanted te climb inta the pram an get a sleep. Harry was sleepin, so I stood up an fixed his pilla, pullin him down te stretch out an get more comfortable. I pulled up the hood te keep out the sun an said te Teddy, ‘Come on, we’ll see wha’s in the shop winda! Charlie, you sit there an rest, an keep an eye on the babby.’
We walked slowly down te the shop an stopped te look in the winda. I looked at the lovely little dolls. They cost sixpence. If I could get the money te buy one of them, I’d be so happy. I’ve never had a doll. I’d get meself a shoebox an make a bed fer it. I could put holes in the arms of old rags an dress the doll. I’d never stop playin wit it. Tha would be heaven. Teddy started roarin his head off an pullin me hand. He wanted te go back an sleep in the pram. ‘Come on, then, off we go,’ I said te him. He wanted me te carry him, but he was too heavy fer me. I started te pretend te run wit him, te make him laugh, but he was rubbin his eyes exhausted. ‘All right! Martha will put ye te sleep. Let’s go.’
I started te walk home wit the pram, wonderin if maybe they might be back now. An I didn’t see them passin me, so I started te hurry. I put Teddy sittin in the bottom of the pram an told him not te lie down on the babby’s feet. I looked at Charlie runnin beside the pram. ‘Are ye all right, Charlie? Maybe me ma’s home.’
‘Yeah!’ Charlie said, his spirits liftin at the thoughts of gettin in fer a rest an maybe somethin te eat.
‘Come on, Mrs! Hurry yerself. We want te get down te tha Corporation Office while them fuckers are still awake!’
‘Ah, will ye leave me? I’m goin as fast as I can. Here, you,’ me ma turned te me. ‘Wheel the babby outside.’
‘OK, Ma. I’ll just put Teddy’s coat on, then I’ll do it.’
‘Will ye get the pram outa me way!’ me ma roared at me. ‘I can’t move meself in this kip!’
‘Wha the fuck is goin on in there?’ Jackser came rushin in an stared at me. I ran fer the pram an made te open the door, an Jackser grabbed me by me neck an lifted me offa me feet. ‘Do as ye’re told!’ He shook me up an down. I was chokin an red in the face. Then he dropped me. I was coughin an picked meself off the floor an ran fer the pram.
‘Yeah, Jackser,’ I croaked, coughin an tryin te get me breath.
I stood holdin the pram, waitin. ‘Don’t be told te do anythin twice,’ he said, pointin his finger in me face.
‘No, Jackser!’
‘An another thing! Ye won’t be sleepin in tha bed tonight. Ye can sleep on the concrete floor in the scullery. Tha should put a stop te yer pissin the bed.’
Me heart sank, an I wheeled the pram outside. Every night now I’ve been dragged outa the bed from me sleep. I’ve been tryin te stop wettin the bed, but I dream I’m on the tilet, an then I just let go. An then Jackser yanks me outa the bed an spins me aroun the floor, an I don’t know wha’s happenin. He’s standin over me shoutin, an I look at him not knowin wha’s wrong until I get me senses, an he’s screamin, ‘Ye wet the bed! Look!’ An I get down on me hands an knees, an he pushes me head under the bed te see the pool of piss on the floor.
I came rushin back in. ‘Right, Ma! Are ye ready?’ I whispered. Me ma gave me tha look, lookin inta me eyes te see if I’m all right. She was sorry she got me inta trouble.
‘Don’t mind him,’ she muttered te me.
I looked at her without sayin anythin, but she knew I was desperate fer her te leave him. She looked away, an me heart went cold against her. I’m on me own, an I don’t belong te her. She has Jackser te mind her now.
‘Right, Sally. Let’s go! Now, let me do all the talkin, we have te make these fuckers sit up an take notice. Ye never know, we could turn this inta our advantage an maybe even get a nice house outa them if we play our cards right. Ye have everythin?’
‘Yes! Yes!’ me ma said.
‘Have ye the letter from the hospital? An the one from the doctor, sayin ye’re under his care?’
‘Yes, I told ye!’
Jackser snuffled an shook himself. ‘Right, you! Stay here an mind the house. We don’t want ye earwiggin an listenin te everythin tha’s goin on an maybe givin the game away.’
I look at me ma an whispered when he was gone out the door, ‘Ma! Ask him te let me go out an play. Will ye, Ma? Please!’
She looked at me an chewed her lip, an then gave a little cough. ‘Eh, let her out on the street. She’d be better off runnin aroun.’
He looked at me, an me ma shouted, ‘Go on, then, if ye’re goin.’ I hesimitated fer a split second, watchin Jackser, an when he said nothin, I rushed out the door. He slammed it shut behind him, an I stood there watchin them go.
When they were outa sight, I let me breath go an felt meself go lovely an light. I wandered over te the waste ground an sat at the railins. The gates were always kept locked. Nobody was aroun yet. It was too early in the mornin. The childre were gone te school, an it was very quiet. I didn’t mind. I was enjoyin sittin here havin nothin te worry about an no one te bother me. I looked through the bars an spotted a roller skate someone had thrown away. It was broken, but the two halves were there. I climbed up on top of the gate. It was very high up, an the spokes on the top were treacherous. I climbed over them, takin me time, an then slid down on the inside, lettin go of the bars an jumpin on te the grass. I picked me way over the broken glass, not wantin te cut me bare feet. The roller skate was grand. If I tie the two ends together wit twine, I could skate aroun te me heart’s content. I looked aroun, searchin fer a bit of twine or somethin te tie it wit, but I had no luck.
I climbed back over the gate, an a bolt of lightnin went through me from the pain of hurtin meself on the spikes. When the pain eased, I lowered meself down slowly an limped off wit me two-half roller skate, an rubbed me belly te ease the pain.
I was wanderin aroun tryin te find somethin, an then I gorra great idea! I’ll try the shops. They always have plenty of twine, an I might be able te get some. The butcher gave me a big bit of twine an told me not te play on the road, te go back inta the flats. An I said, ‘Thanks, Mister.’ I was lookin back at him an wasn’t mindin where I was goin, an I walked on a mangy dog sittin at the door waitin fer a bone. It snapped its jaws at me leg, an I leapt inta the air wit fright. But the dog missed me an didn’t get a bite of me leg. I walked off slowly, watchin him te see if he’d come at me again, but he threw himself back on the ground te wait. I ran off, an when I looked back, the dog gave a big screech an was sent flyin out the door wit a kick from the butcher. ‘Get outa there, ye mangy bag a bones!’ the butcher roared. An I ran on laughin. Serves ye right, tryin te bite me! I thought.
I tied the two halves of me roller skate together, an it held. Then I put the twine through the two holes at the back te tie it on me foot. It was grand. But then the twine cut inta me bare foot, an I had te take it off. I have te find somethin te cover me foot. I found an old woolly hat along the side of the road. It was a bit smelly an dirty. I looked at it, but I couldn’t find anythin else. This’ll do! It worked great, an I’m havin the time of me life runnin up an down, get goin, an lift me other foot, an I’m flyin. I had a great time all day on the roller skate. But then it kept gettin loose, an I kept tryin te fix it. But now I’d had enough.
I was sittin down wit me back against the pram sheds, watchin the other childre runnin up an down, playin chasin, an piggybeds, when a young one passed by me. I looked at her, cos she seems te be very upset. She just walks very fast an stares straight ahead. I know her te see, but I never played wit her, cos she lives in the next flats just beside mine. Her name is Nora, the same name as the song everyone is singing. I watched her walk on, not stoppin te look left or right, an wondered wha happened te her. It wasn’t long after tha I heard screams an saw people runnin inta the next flats. I got up, an then I heard shouts. ‘She’s fallen over the balcony!’ I ran in, an there was Nora lyin on the ground at the pram sheds. She was very still, not movin. I looked from her te the balcony, an I wondered how she fell so far across te the pram sheds. She was lyin on her stomach wit her left arm under her. There was no one aroun her. ‘Don’t touch her!’ a woman screamed, an she came runnin across. She ran aroun Nora, not gettin too close, wit her arms out, wantin te keep everyone away.
We just stood starin across at Nora lyin there not movin, too shocked te take it in. ‘She fell from the second balcony!’ one of the childre whispered. ‘I sawed her standin on the top of it.’
‘She’s my size,’ another one said. ‘She’s nine, like me.’
A woman came rushin over an put a coat over Nora. Then an ambulance arrived, an a man came te put us all outa the way.
I ran up the road te the back shops. Didn’t know where I was goin, but then I stopped just before I got there an ran inta the open waste ground an sat down. Why was Nora so upset? Wha happened? Me heart was bleedin fer her. Poor Nora, lyin there so still. I was afraid an I cried fer Nora, an it was as if I knew her. Could somethin like tha happen te me, too? I felt as if I was all by meself in the world an it would always be like this. But I never found out wha happened te Nora, cos we moved house.