Read Online Lamb by Bernard Maclaverty - Free Book Online Page B

still looking over his shoulder at the window.
    â€˜I can just see it now,’ said Michael. ‘“Yes, Officer, I want to report a missing boy. I know he couldn’t find his way back to the hotel. So he’s well and truly lost – in London, a city of . . . fourteen million? Yes, you see we ran away together from a Borstal in Ireland. No, I’m not his father.” That would be just great now, wouldn’t it? All because you want to look at women’s . . . things.’
    The boy curled his lip.
    â€˜Knock it off,’ he said.
    â€˜You stick by me, you hear?’
    They wandered down Regent Street until they came to a toy shop. The boy was excited looking in the window, pointing out things to Michael. He was jumping from one window to another.
    â€˜Let’s go in,’ said Michael.
    It was the biggest toy shop they had ever seen. Owen climbed on a rocking horse but got off when Michael told him it was only for young kids. He rushed up the stairs, hardly daring to think what would be on the next floor.
    When they had seen it all Michael said that the boy could pick a couple of things. He suggested, thinking ahead to the days when it would be wet and they would be stuck in their hotel room, that he get something to make. He pointed out some glider kits. The boy chose the biggest one.
    â€˜I’ll help you make it,’ said Michael. He pulled a bundle of notes from his pocket and peeled off two fivers. ‘And enough glue to stick it together,’ he said to the assistant. He also bought him a gun, a realistic matt black Lüger, and a throwing knife.
    The next big department store they came to they went in and bought a radio.
    â€˜Will it lift Radio Eireann?’ Michael asked the assistant.
    â€˜Pardon?’
    â€˜Can you get the Irish programmes on it?’
    â€˜On the medium wave you should be able to.’ She fiddled about with the controls, changed the position of the radio. Through a faint hiss Michael heard the familiar voice of Gay Byrne.
    â€˜Yes, that’s it,’ he said. ‘Don’t move it from there.’
    He paid for the radio and the two of them walked through the store to the street.
    In another shop he bought a small cash book and some reading books for Owen to practise on.
    They came to Marble Arch and saw the green of Hyde Park behind it. They decided to get some hamburgers and Coke and eat in the park because it was such a nice day. They collapsed footsore on the grass among their parcels.
    After a while Owen said, ‘Play a game of knifie?’ Michael got slowly to his feet. He had not wanted to buy the knife but he put it down to being a matter of trust. He must trust the boy.
    â€˜Stand with your feet together,’ ordered Owen. They took turns at throwing the knife and sticking it in the ground a few inches from their feet. Each time they had to put their feet on the spot where the knife had stuck until eventually they were both doing the splits.
    â€˜Remember Finbar Waters?’
    â€˜Will I ever forget?’
    Waters was a boy who, just over a year ago, had attacked Michael with a bread-knife in the dining hall. He was a boy on the verge of madness. He had thrown a potato at the boy opposite and when Michael had spoken to him he had screamed, run to the top table and grabbed a bread-knife. He kept screaming ‘Sebastian Bastard’ over and over again as he tried to stab him. But Michael had the strength of him. He nearly broke his arm to get the knife off him. Afterwards Waters was sent to an asylum.
    Brother Benedict’s only comment on the affair was, ‘Waters – the universal image of affliction in the Bible. Thus – he is in it up to his neck.’
    Michael asked the time and Owen told him it was one twenty-eight. Only two minutes to wait for the Radio Eireann News. He switched on and turned the volume up as loud as it would go. Owen pulled the rings of the Coke cans. The