She landed in a heap on the floor, by my feet, her eyes all far away, and she was trying to say something. Then he kicked her hard in the back, and she twisted and turned, trying to reach there with her hands, and he kicked her again, and he caught her fingers, and she screamed awful hard.

I couldn’t see terrible clear for I was crying now and I daren’t have moved to wipe my eyes. I just wanted him to stop, but I daren’t have said anything, for I’d have got it too. I do know he reached down and grabbed her by the hair, and he dragged her away across the floor, and she was screaming, and she reached for Mummy Joy, but Mummy Joy could do nothing for her.

I thought he was going to kill her, honest to God. I think he might have done if Daddy Ivan hadn’t appeared at the top of the stairs.

Let her alone, says he.

Did you hear what she said to me? asks Daddy Tam.

I don’t care what she said to you, just you let her go.

And Daddy Tam did as he was bid. That’s one thing always struck me. As afeart of Daddy Tam as I was, as afeart of him as we all were, he was more afeart of Daddy Ivan. He was the one said what was what. Nobody argued with him. Never ever.

They left us alone then, put out the lamp at the top of the stairs. Mummy Joy and me, we helped Mummy Noreen up onto her bed. The fingers of her left hand were all swole up and purple, I think maybe some of them were broke. Mummy Joy tore up some material from her old dress and made bandages out of them. She reached under my mattress and took out one of the wee dollies I’d made for myself out of sticks and twine. I didn’t whinge when she pulled it apart and wrapped Mummy Noreen’s fingers to one of the sticks, to holt them steady. I mind the veins on Mummy Noreen’s forehead when she helt the screams in.

When all that was done we put the last lamp out and went to bed. I didn’t sleep much that night. I was too het up. There was the shock of what happened, aye, but it was more than that. There was someone new coming. I was ashamed of the way I felt, after what had happened, but I couldn’t help it. Sure, I was only a wee girl. How else would I feel about someone new coming along?

I was excited.

7: Sara

7: Sara