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Back Day of the Accident
Chapters (71)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Dedication
  4. What readers are saying about
  5. Epigraph
  6. Prologue
  7. Part One
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. Part Two
  41. 33
  42. 34
  43. 35
  44. 36
  45. 37
  46. 38
  47. 39
  48. 40
  49. 41
  50. 42
  51. 43
  52. 44
  53. 45
  54. 46
  55. 47
  56. 48
  57. 49
  58. 50
  59. 51
  60. Part Three
  61. 52
  62. 53
  63. 54
  64. 55
  65. 56
  66. 57
  67. 58
  68. Epilogue
  69. Acknowledgements
  70. THE NEXT THRILLER BY NUALA ELLWOOD
  71. THE BEGINNING

Dear Mummy,

Freya came to see me again today. She was sitting in the kitchen drinking tea with Weasel Face when Zoe and I came home from school. She said that Daddy was so glad I was well and that I just had to be a brave girl and stick it out and then everything would be fine. Then she asked if she could see my bedroom. I took her up there and when she walked in she gasped and said it was very bare and that next time she comes she’ll bring me some cushions and pictures to ‘cheer the place up’. Zoe was lying on her bunk and she made a snorting noise when Freya said that. I don’t think she likes Freya. But then Zoe doesn’t really like anybody.

When Zoe left the room I asked Freya about you again. She said you and Daddy weren’t together any more but it was for the best. I told her that I’d been writing letters to you. She asked if she could see so I showed her my notebook. She read the letters and said that I was a very good speller. Then she said that you would love to read them and that perhaps she could pass them on to you. I nearly fell off the bed when she said that. I asked if she knew where you were but she said you weren’t very well so you were in a special place where you could rest. Then she picked up my red ink pen and wrote her address on the back page of my notebook and said that I could send the letters to her. She told me to put them all in a big envelope and she’d make sure you got them.

When she left I sat at my desk and carefully ripped out each of the letters I’ve written so far so I can put them all together. Zoe says I’m deluded and that Freya is ‘shifty’ but I don’t think she is. I think she must be a friend of yours and Daddy’s and she’s helping you.

Anyway, the next time I write you a letter it will have my address on the front in big letters so that when you receive it you’ll know just where to find me.

I can’t wait to see you Mummy.

I hope you’re getting better.

I love you.

Your lovely daughter xxx

36

A light rain begins to fall as I walk along the bridle path. The air smells of smoke and silt. I hear a dog bark in the distance and a rustle of leaves. Birds? Or something – someone – else? Keep focused, I tell myself, keep walking and don’t look back. But as I walk it is impossible not to look back, not to think about the events that have brought me here.