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NEW AUTHORS SHOWCASE
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6M p4 |
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The Precious Rock By M. Conway |
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If anyone had been rash enough to venture out in the early hours of that freezing cold morning in the pouring rain, they would have seen her. She was a pitiful sight, a young woman moving as fast as she could with her appalling injuries, to get to a place of safety. She had come about four miles or so, running, walking sometimes crawling, keeping to the hedgerows and close to shadows where she would not be seen clearly. All during the night she had been trying to keep conscious and her mind set on what she had to do, now, as dawn was breaking, she had reached the edge of the town she had been aiming for. She had to get to a solicitors, and she knew where there was one, if only she could reach it, that’s what she needed, she had told herself and she started to cast her mind over the events that had led her to this point Her father had died when she was small, and she had no memory of him, she and her mother had lived alone and quite well, until, when she was in her early teens her mother had met and married William. She was never comfortable with William. he had tried, she knew, to get on with her, but really he wanted his wife to himself, without the encumbrance of a teenage daughter, and she had always felt in the way. She understood their position, they were in their mid-forties and wanted a quiet life to themselves, but it didn’t help. She was determined to find someone, to marry as soon as possible, and have a home of her own. The first fellow that came along was most unsuitable, unreliable and inconstant, but she married him and hoped that he would change, but he didn’t. She clung on in hope for a year and then he abandoned her, and when all her efforts of reconciliation failed, she divorced him it had all been a terrible disillusionment, and for a time she was quite ill, and then she met Jack. She had loved Jack, she would always love Jack. He was a policeman, kind thoughtful and steady, she leaned on him and depended on him, so when one night at a party one of the female guests, scantily dressed and forward was falling all over him, she became very upset. Suddenly insecure, and terrified of losing him, she had screamed at him, accusing him of responding too readily to the advances being made to him. Jack totally surprised by her reaction, tried to explain that he was only trying to be polite to a girl who had obviously had too much to drink, but he could not convince her, and after a blazing row, she left in tears and did hot go back. Both of them seemed afraid to approach each other and that too ended in divorce. After that life seemed to be just work during the day and home alone in her flat at night. Still young and overcome with lonliness, she turned to the internet for companionship. That’s how she met Andrew, he seemed nice, and when he asked if they might meet, her it seemed all too wonderful, and when he swept her off her feet and into a registrars office, she thought that she had found love at last. After the ceremony he drove her to his flat, and almost immediately she realised that she had fallen into a well planned trap. All her possessions were taken from her, and she was virtually imprisoned in a kitchen with a small locker of a room adjacent with a single bed in it, then beaten and bullied into waiting hand and foot on him and his live-in boyfriend. When she tried to protest, she suffered for it. From the snippets of conversation that she heard through the door, she gathered that their joint activities and business might not be lawful, and that there might be worse to come for her. That evening whilst they were eating the meal she had been forced to cook for them, they never allowed her to eat with them, she attempted to leave quietly by the front door, but they heard her, and she was beaten furiously, kicked unconscious and locked in the kitchen. When she came round, she was still lying on the kitchen floor where they had left her, she guessed that the time was about midnight, and looking up she saw that the top window of the kitchen had not been properly shut. Praying all the time for strength, she dragged herself up climbed onto a chair and then the draining board to the sink, and somehow managed to squeeze herself through the small window and fall onto the soft earth outside. The cold and damp air rallied her, and in fear and desperation, she started to run. Without a coat, money ,cards or anything else, all that she could think of was getting access to her bank account, and freedom, a solicitor might be able to arrange that she thought, if only I could reach one. It was beginning to get lighter now, she had reached somewhere with iron railings, and through them and beyond she could see what looked like dimly lit rooms. its the hospital she thought, she had forgotten about the hospital being there. She clung to the railings for a moment, and then decided to chance getting in there unnoticed. She thought quickly, the solicitor’s would probably not open until nine o’clock, and she might be able to rest here until then unseen. She had absolutely no idea what she looked like, her only thoughts were on making her escape, and bleeding bedraggled and in pain, she staggered up the drive, keeping close to the remaining misty shadows until she reached the doors and then leaned on them exhausted, her dead weight half opened the door, and she fell into the reception area unconscious. A passing nurse, starting her early morning rounds saw her fall, and was horrified by her dreadful state, she assumed that the girl had been in a car accident, and called immediately for a trolley, assistance and the duty Doctor. They rushed her into a small examination room, and gingerly started their work, carefully cleaning her wounds and examining her injuries, gently going through their procedures and performing their tasks with their deft dedicated hands. She came round in a warm bed, a Doctor and nurse were looking at her intently, but she could hardly see them, her eyes were beginning to close with extensive bruising, her face had swollen beyond recognition, and she felt in dreadful pain every where. Someone was saying, “What is your name? what happened to you?”, she started to open her mouth, but it was too painful. Trying to breathe was even worse, but her mind was still working for her. ‘I mustn’t give my name’ she thought, ‘no-one must know where I am, if I tell them who I am, someone will find me’. Again she tried to speak, “I need a solicitor she said and fainted again. When she came round again, she was in a bed in a different room, she could feel some sort of brace on her face, there was strapping round her ribs and shoulder, and a cast on her arm. She could feet the restriction, but she was more comfortable, and the pain seemed less. She opened her eyes, and saw that there was a policeman in the room. He smiled at her with relief, and called the nurse, then he turned to her and said kindly reassuring, “What’s all this thee, what’s your name?”. That question again, she sighed, “I need a solicitor” she said”. “I’ll you when he’s here, please, she said pleading, “Oh, and I’d like a phone”. ‘She’s not lost her memory or scattered her wits then’ thought the constable, but he just said all right Miss.” The nurse came, “Oh you’re with us again” she said, cheerfully, comforting. The constable said, “I’ll be back later on,” then nodded to the nurse and left. The nurse walked around the bed to her, “so, what’s your name then” she said, thinking that the constable would have been told, “When the solicitor comes. replied the girl “Oh, and is there a mobile phone that I could use’ I would like to phone my mother”. She stopped, talking was painful beyond belief, she put the arm that was free to her face her eyes questioning the nurse, “Broken jaw’,’ explained the nurse “three ribs, shoulder blade and forearm, must have been a heck of an accident”. The girl did not answer, she sank back into the bed and went to sleep again. She woke again to the sound of a tinkling tea cup rattling in its saucer by her ear, the nurse was holding it out to her and saying, “Wake up, the policeman is here again and he has a solicitor with him”. The solicitor introduced himself, and gave her his card, “I’m Halsey of Halsey and Lawes, Greenford street, do you know it? he said - she nodded. “My name is Delia Marstem” she said, and proceeeded as best she could to tell him what had happened to her, with the constable taking down her every word. When she had finished she said very calmly and firmly, “They took everything I had from me, I’ve no money, cheque book, cards, c1othes, anything. Can you arrange with my bank to do the necessary to replace them for me and please, please don’t let him know where I am, and will you get me my freedom from him?”. Halsey looked at his client, she was in a sorry state but her mind was clear, and she was earnest he knew exactly what she wanted. “I certainly believe so “ he answered her, “Can it be done quickly she asked, “I’ll do the best I can” he assured her. “Can I have a mobile phone now, do you think “ she asked, “I want to phone my mother, I’ll need clothes and things”. Mr Halsey took his own phone from his pocket and handed it to her, they watched her dial the number, and heard her say, “Mum I’m alright, but I’m in hospital, Farmington General, can you come, well, soon as you can? OK see you then, love you, bye”. She handed the phone back, and Mr Halsey put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a ten pound note and some change, “In case you need a paper, something from the trolley, whatever” he said. Her eyes lit up, and started to fill with tears, ‘how kind’ she thought, it was the first sign of weakness that she had shown, kindness was not a commodity that she had seen often or recently” “Thankyou” she said softly, but her gratitude was clear. Halsey left and the constable started to ask his questions. “Miss Marstem he said “can you give me the man’s name and address?” “Andrew Newton” she answered him “but I’m not sure of the address, I didn’t see where I was taken, I did see an envelope once, and it had 11 Abbotts Avenue on it, that’s all I know.” “And the other man’s name?” he asked “I don’t really know, I only heard him called Gary” she answered him nervously, she was recalling in her mind her experiences at their hands, and she shuddered. The constable decided not to question her further at this time, he put his notebook and pen back in his top pocket, and said gently, “thank you, I think that will do for now Miss” and then he left quietly. Delia let out a deep sigh of relief. tired and exhausted, she sank back into the pillows. The nurse sitting at her desk outside watched the constable leave, she got up and put her head round the door, she observed her patient for a moment or two, then she too decided to leave her to rest and heal. Then she returned to her desk. |