Read Online A Song for Joey by Elizabeth Audrey Mills - Free Book Online
Authors: Elizabeth Audrey Mills
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volunteering to have strangers in our house?
Now the bloody coppers are coming and going. You know I like my privacy."
Phylis opened her mouth to reply, but he had turned and stormed off upstairs. She glared
after him for a moment, then turned to me. "Come on, Pet," she said, pretending nothing
had happened, "let's play a game of Snakes and Ladders, shall we?"
-♪-♫-♪
That night I went to bed early, exhausted after all that had happened. I slept soundly, but
woke with surprise before daybreak to the sound of someone opening my bedroom door.
I smelt the stale tobacco smoke on his clothes as he tiptoed across the lino to my
bedside, heard his breathing. Then the bed creaked as he sat on the edge, his weight
stretching the blankets tighter across me. He leaned over me and lifted the covers, peeling
them back, exposing my body. I curled up, like a hedgehog, trying to protect myself, but
felt his hand sliding down my bare arm, his foul breath heavy against my skin.
"What ... ?" I began to ask, but he clamped a huge hand painfully over my mouth,
stifling any further sound and making it hard for me to breathe.
Still with one hand smothering my face, he began to grope with the other at the hem of
my nightdress. I felt the cold night air on my thighs, and began to struggle, desperately
afraid and suffocating under his cruel grip.
Suddenly his breath was hot and strong on my face.
"Stop struggling, little girl, or it will be worse for you," he whispered, hoarsely,
squeezing my cheeks harder to emphasis his words. I clawed at his hand, trying to pull it
from my face, mumbling urgently.
"I'm not moving my hand until you promise not to make a sound. Do you agree?" I
nodded, desperately.
Cautiously, he released his grip, and I sucked in the welcome air, panting, my chest
rasping with the effort.
"Now just be a good girl and no harm will come to you," he hissed.
I felt his hand on my leg, stroking my skin, sliding up my thigh. I tensed as it moved
around to my tummy, then down between my legs.
I could stand it no more, and began to scream as loudly as I could. Awful pain slashed
across my face as he angrily slapped me, then he was gone, running from my room.
Sobbing and shaking, I stumbled from my bed and groped around in the dark for my
clothes. I was just putting on my shoes when Phylis ran into the room and switched on the
light. Behind her stood her anxious-looking husband.
"Whatever is the matter, child?" she asked.
I could not speak. I ran past her to the door, but was confronted by Grainger, who
stepped to block my way. Without thinking, I kicked him as hard as I could in the shin.
With my small foot, it probably didn't hurt much, but it was enough to throw him of
balance for a moment, and I dodged past him and stumbled down the stairs.
At the front door, I panicked for a moment as I struggled with the lock, but then I was
out into their front garden, through the gate and down the dark street as fast as my poor,
damaged little legs could carry me. Running, half-limping, sobbing, I escaped from that
monster as fast as I could.
-♪-♫-♪
I hobbled along a wide, dark avenue, lined with trees. Large houses on either side of the
road hid behind hedges in enclosed gardens, the sleeping citizens within unaware of the
beast living nearby. I listened for sounds of pursuit, afraid to look over my shoulder as I
hobbled on, but thankfully heard none. Eventually the pain in my ankle became
unbearable and I had to stop, sucking in the cold night air and exhaling great clouds of
steam, like the milkman's horse. Cautiously, I hopped into a gateway and looked back to
see if Grainger was following me, but if he had started to chase me he must have given
up, because there was no sign of him.
When my breathing had settled, I resumed my progress, but at a much slower pace. Now
that my fear had subsided, the pain in my ankle was excruciating and I struggled to keep
going. Also, having stopped running, I soon became aware of how cold
Now the bloody coppers are coming and going. You know I like my privacy."
Phylis opened her mouth to reply, but he had turned and stormed off upstairs. She glared
after him for a moment, then turned to me. "Come on, Pet," she said, pretending nothing
had happened, "let's play a game of Snakes and Ladders, shall we?"
-♪-♫-♪
That night I went to bed early, exhausted after all that had happened. I slept soundly, but
woke with surprise before daybreak to the sound of someone opening my bedroom door.
I smelt the stale tobacco smoke on his clothes as he tiptoed across the lino to my
bedside, heard his breathing. Then the bed creaked as he sat on the edge, his weight
stretching the blankets tighter across me. He leaned over me and lifted the covers, peeling
them back, exposing my body. I curled up, like a hedgehog, trying to protect myself, but
felt his hand sliding down my bare arm, his foul breath heavy against my skin.
"What ... ?" I began to ask, but he clamped a huge hand painfully over my mouth,
stifling any further sound and making it hard for me to breathe.
Still with one hand smothering my face, he began to grope with the other at the hem of
my nightdress. I felt the cold night air on my thighs, and began to struggle, desperately
afraid and suffocating under his cruel grip.
Suddenly his breath was hot and strong on my face.
"Stop struggling, little girl, or it will be worse for you," he whispered, hoarsely,
squeezing my cheeks harder to emphasis his words. I clawed at his hand, trying to pull it
from my face, mumbling urgently.
"I'm not moving my hand until you promise not to make a sound. Do you agree?" I
nodded, desperately.
Cautiously, he released his grip, and I sucked in the welcome air, panting, my chest
rasping with the effort.
"Now just be a good girl and no harm will come to you," he hissed.
I felt his hand on my leg, stroking my skin, sliding up my thigh. I tensed as it moved
around to my tummy, then down between my legs.
I could stand it no more, and began to scream as loudly as I could. Awful pain slashed
across my face as he angrily slapped me, then he was gone, running from my room.
Sobbing and shaking, I stumbled from my bed and groped around in the dark for my
clothes. I was just putting on my shoes when Phylis ran into the room and switched on the
light. Behind her stood her anxious-looking husband.
"Whatever is the matter, child?" she asked.
I could not speak. I ran past her to the door, but was confronted by Grainger, who
stepped to block my way. Without thinking, I kicked him as hard as I could in the shin.
With my small foot, it probably didn't hurt much, but it was enough to throw him of
balance for a moment, and I dodged past him and stumbled down the stairs.
At the front door, I panicked for a moment as I struggled with the lock, but then I was
out into their front garden, through the gate and down the dark street as fast as my poor,
damaged little legs could carry me. Running, half-limping, sobbing, I escaped from that
monster as fast as I could.
-♪-♫-♪
I hobbled along a wide, dark avenue, lined with trees. Large houses on either side of the
road hid behind hedges in enclosed gardens, the sleeping citizens within unaware of the
beast living nearby. I listened for sounds of pursuit, afraid to look over my shoulder as I
hobbled on, but thankfully heard none. Eventually the pain in my ankle became
unbearable and I had to stop, sucking in the cold night air and exhaling great clouds of
steam, like the milkman's horse. Cautiously, I hopped into a gateway and looked back to
see if Grainger was following me, but if he had started to chase me he must have given
up, because there was no sign of him.
When my breathing had settled, I resumed my progress, but at a much slower pace. Now
that my fear had subsided, the pain in my ankle was excruciating and I struggled to keep
going. Also, having stopped running, I soon became aware of how cold
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