BooksBarbecue
Back The Hollows
Chapters (77)
  1. Front Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Dedication
  5. PART I
  6. 1.
  7. 2.
  8. 3.
  9. 4.
  10. 5.
  11. 6.
  12. 7.
  13. 8.
  14. PART II
  15. 9.
  16. 10.
  17. 11.
  18. 12.
  19. 13.
  20. 14.
  21. 15.
  22. 16.
  23. 17.
  24. 18.
  25. 19.
  26. 20.
  27. 21.
  28. 22.
  29. 23.
  30. 24.
  31. 25.
  32. 26.
  33. 27.
  34. 28.
  35. 29.
  36. 30.
  37. 31.
  38. 32.
  39. 33.
  40. 34.
  41. 35.
  42. 36.
  43. PART III
  44. 37.
  45. 38.
  46. 39.
  47. 40.
  48. 41.
  49. 42.
  50. 43.
  51. 44.
  52. 45.
  53. 46.
  54. 47.
  55. 48.
  56. 49.
  57. 50.
  58. 51.
  59. 52.
  60. 53.
  61. 54.
  62. 55.
  63. 56.
  64. 57.
  65. 58.
  66. 59.
  67. 60.
  68. 61.
  69. 62.
  70. 63.
  71. 64.
  72. 65.
  73. PART IV
  74. 66.
  75. 67.
  76. 68.
  77. Acknowledgements

There was movement at her feet, and she looked down to see Reuben gazing soulfully up at her with the air of an early Christian ascetic starving himself to death for the faith. He rather spoiled the effect by licking his chops a couple of times.

“Probably scavenged half your bodyweight in bacon already, you little sod,” muttered Ellie, but tore a piece off the baguette for him anyway. Reuben wagged his tail and trotted after her.

“Ellie?”

It was Jess Harper, carrying her baby in its sling. She hung back, as though she were braced for an order to go away. “All right, love,” said Ellie.

Love: Jess’ face brightened at that. “Hiya,” she said. “You okay?”

“Been worse,” said Ellie.

Jess nodded. She was silent for a moment, then spoke. “Vicar’s awake.”

“Eh?”

“Dr Emmanuel – Milly I mean – she said to tell you. She’s awake and lucid.”

“Lucid?”

“Yeah. Lucid. Wants to talk to you.”

“Milly?”

“The vicar. Says it’s important.”

Ellie was craving another cigarette, and had only just remembered the ones in her pocket. That would have to wait. She sighed. “All right. Lead on, Macduff.”

Jess frowned at that, not getting the reference, but gave a bitches-be-crazy shrug and strode towards Madeleine’s tent. Ellie rubbed her gritty eyes, and followed.

54.

54.

Jess unzipped the dome tent door and went through, barely stooping. Ellie hunched down and followed her. Inside, a warm fug of air greeted her, and an unpleasant smell. Years before, when she’d visited her grandmother in hospital during her last illness, the old woman in the neighbouring bed had had bedsores or something similar, with dressings that required regular changing. The stench released whenever that was done had been very like the one greeting Ellie now – infection and decay, with death close by and waiting – but this smell had a particular, alien bitterness all its own.

Jess’ baby began grizzling again. “Gimme a sec,” she said, and went back out.

Milly had propped Madeleine up in a sitting position against some pillows and old seat cushions; the vicar’s face was the colour of curdled milk, but there were faint spots of colour in her cheeks and she wasn’t sweating any more. She managed a smile. “Hey, mate.”

“Morning.”

“Don’t suppose you’ve got a fag?”

“Oi,” said Milly.

“Come on, doc. Not like it’s gonna make much difference.”

Milly looked down. Madeleine rolled her eyes. “Bloody killjoy.” She turned back to Ellie. “Anyway. While I’m still compos mentis, we need to talk.”

“Okay.”

Madeleine opened her mouth to speak, then hesitated. “Reuben?”

“He’s fine. Just stole half me bacon roll.”

Madeleine chuckled. “He does do a pretty good starving-orphan impression.”

Jess came back in. “Tara’s looking after Joel for a bit.”

“All right,” said Madeleine. “So, what was I coming out with before?”

“How do you mean?”

“Milly says I was a bit away with the fairies. Coming out with all sorts.”