Read Online The Pool of St. Branok by Philippa Carr - Free Book Online

said. He was a youngish man in his early twenties, I imagined. He smiled pleasantly. “I’ve lost my way. Perhaps you could direct me.”
    “I expect so. I live round here.”
    “Not at that magnificent house I passed?”
    “Was it on a cliff?”
    “Yes. Like a castle.”
    He had come closer and was looking at me intently. He had thick eyebrows and dark curly hair.
    “That’s Cador,” I told him. “It’s my home.”
    “Congratulations. It must be wonderful to live in such a place. It is certainly very fine.”
    “It’s very old, of course.”
    “I guessed so.”
    “Where do you want to go?”
    “Is there a good inn?”
    “There is the Fisherman’s Rest. It’s very small. There was the King’s Arms. That was an old coaching inn … but there was no business after the railways came, and it closed down. There is only really the Fisherman’s Rest.”
    “You’re a nice little girl,” he said and he came closer to me.
    It was then that I felt the first twinge of fear. He seemed to change suddenly. I had thought that he was a student … exploring the countryside. Now I was not so sure.
    “Thank you,” I said as coolly as I could and started to walk past him, but he caught my arm.
    “You’re frightened,” he said. “Why?”
    “No … no,” I stammered. “I … I just have to go.”
    “Why?” he cried shaking me.
    A terrible thought came into my mind. I remembered the poster. I looked at his face. His eyes now looked wild; they seemed to bore right into me. I thought: It’s the escaped prisoner … and I’m here … alone with him. I wanted to cry out but my mouth was dry and no sound came. My heart was beating so fast that I thought I should suffocate.
    I heard myself say shrilly: “Who are you?”
    He did not answer. I moved backwards. I was very close to the water.
    He advanced too. He had changed. He was no longer the pleasant student. There was a dreadful light in his eyes. His pupils seemed to be distended.
    He said: “I like little girls.” And he laughed horribly. “I like them when they are nice to me.”
    “Yes … yes,” I said, trying to sound normal and wondering if I could slip past him and run … and run.
    He gripped my arm. I tried to wrench it free, but he laughed again in that frightening way. Then he put a hand out and touched my throat.
    “No, no,” I screamed. “Go away. Let me alone.”
    It was the wrong thing to have done. As I tried to dodge past him he caught me by the shoulder.
    “Let me go,” I sobbed. “Let me go.”
    Panic had seized me. I could not think. I was only aware of his closeness … his motives, which I only half understood but which I knew ended in death.
    I was young; I was agile; but he was a grown man and stronger than I. I knew that if he caught me I was doomed.
    I heard myself screaming at him. He put up a hand and covered my mouth. I kicked and he freed me. I ran. I was trying to reach Glory, but how could I get away in time? He would catch me before I had a chance to untie her.
    I started to run on but he caught me and I fell. I was sobbing with fear and screaming at the top of my voice. Who would hear me? Few people came to the pool.
    He was loathsome. He was horrible. He nauseated me. He was pulling at my clothes. I kicked and struggled and I think I hurt him for he called out in sudden pain, cursing me. He gave me a blow at the side of my head which set up a singing in my ears. I felt blood in my mouth.
    “No … no … no,” I sobbed.
    I had never fought like this before. I knew that my life depended on my ability to defend myself. I was sobbing like a baby calling for my mother and my father. Oh, if only they knew what was happening to their beloved daughter. What would happen to me? I should be found … dead … another victim.
    There was a lot of fight in me. I saw blood on his face and the more I fought the more angry he became.
    I could not go on much longer. I felt my strength failing me. I had no idea how long this struggle