Says he, Have yous no work to do? What are yous all lying around for? Do yous think this farm runs itself? Do yous think I’m going to do it all for yous?

Before I knew what he was doing, he turned and he reached under the table for me, and he dragged me out by my hair, up onto my feet, and I let a squeal out of me as he let me go. He kicked me hard in the backside and I went stumbling to the door and I went over the top of Mummy Joy, the two of us landing there in a heap.

We gathered each other up, got to our feet, and helped each other across the hall and into the living room. Mummy Joy fell into one of the armchairs, me on top of her, and she helt me awful tight. It was a while before either of us noticed Mummy Noreen was in the corner, a wet rag in her hand, a bucket at her feet.

Says she, You see what you’re doing? Do you see how this is going to go? For the love of God, can you not see?

It’s too late, says Mummy Joy, there’s no stopping it now.

And she was right.

37: Sara

37: Sara

Sara stepped through the doorway into the darkness of the kitchen, the stone floor cool on her bare soles. She waited while her vision adjusted to the dimness, the night beginning its surrender to dawn. Her gaze travelled the room, searching for the boy she hadn’t seen. She found him, the impression of him, the layering of shadow, over by the old fireplace where the cooker now stood. His head bowed, he stared at the floor.

She knew what he stared at.

Slowly, she crossed the room to him, to the place where the red stains lingered on the stone. She could no longer see him, the shadows dispersed, but she could feel him, watching her as she knelt down. The stone slabs were smooth against her skin as she ran her fingertips across the surface, the grouting rough. She could barely see the stains in the blue dimness, but she could feel the change in texture.

In the floors, Mary had said.

Sara placed her hand flat on the stone and closed her eyes. She felt the cold hardness, and the sand and earth beneath, but what else? She opened her eyes, admonishing herself for such foolishness. There had been no boy, simply a trick the darkness played on her exhausted mind. Nothing more.

A movement snagged her attention, at the other end of the kitchen, the doorway leading to the back hall. She turned her head, saw a child, a small girl, little more than a toddler.

Shadows and light, that’s all. Nothing there, Sara told herself. Nothing there but shadows and light.

But the child stared back.

Sara pushed herself up onto her knees.