Chapter 37

 

“Shut the fuck up.”

Another sob escaped, but Daisy pressed her hands over her eyes, pushing back the tears. Her hands were wet. Why hadn’t she waited for Tim before deciding to run home through the fields? Why had she run away at all? She’d wanted to get away from that man, but she would have been safe if she’d stayed where there were other people. She should have brought Barney, no one would have dared to touch her with Barney around. It had happened so quickly that she hadn’t even had time to be frightened. Rough hands had grabbed her and lifted her high and she’d been thrown into the back of some sort of truck. It had smelled–of old clothes, damp, bad smells. She hadn’t noticed the smells so much at first, now the atmosphere was so disgusting that it had taken her over and that with the rough swaying of the truck was making her stomach hurt. A tiny worry that she’d be sick had turned into terror. If she was sick in this man’s truck, he’d kill her.

She shouldn’t have panicked, but recognition had gradually built in her mind and she hadn’t had the time to guard against showing it. If only she’d kept her thoughts to herself until she’d got home. Tears spilled out again and her nose was blocked and the sick feeling rose again. She must stop this–she must stop the panic. If she made any noise or was sick, she would be killed. This man had killed Uncle Giles and she must somehow stop him killing her. She must make a plan.

The truck stopped and relief made her take in a deep breath of the horrible air. but the feeling of sickness went away.

Then she was frightened again. What was going to happen now? She was going to pray. She shut her eyes tight and in her mind went over the words of the morning and evening prayers she’d learned at school. When she’d said some prayers she was going to think clearly, stop panicking and make a plan. She mustn’t do or say nothing that would make the man angry. She must convince him that she knew nothing, that he was mistaken…or, maybe it would be better if she tried to run away. The man had something wrong with his leg and she was a fast runner, faster than anyone else, Bea or Tim or anyone of her age. The thought of getting away filled her mind, now.