The Thirteenth Read Free Page A

sky and scored a bull’s-eye.
    While Val crouched, trembling in the doorway, she was very aware that no one was trying to help her; they looked from the corner of their eyes but moved on quickly in the bustle of passers-by. After a few minutes, Val knew that she had to stand up or she was going to miss her bus. Leaning on the door, she pulled herself to her feet, perspiration pouring down her back. What was happening to her?
    She began to walk slowly towards her stop. She couldn’t miss her bus; it was the last one that went anywhere near her house. As she made her way down the road, people made it even more obvious that she was behaving oddly, and probably looking strange. One woman was kind enough to pull her screaming toddler onto the other side of the path.
    Val eventually managed to get to the bus stop where she lowered herself shakily onto a graffiti-covered green plastic bench. An elderly woman sitting at the opposite end stared blatantly at her. Val threw her a smile, at which point the woman tutted in disgust, stood up and walked towards an elderly gentleman, obviously looking for protection from the weird, sweaty girl.
    Val really didn’t care; she was in too much pain. All she knew was that she needed to get home and quickly. So much for growing up! All she wanted to do was fall into her mum’s arms and be looked after. She was breathing deeply as she got onto the bus and the conductor frowned at her as she took her ticket, then watched her closely as moved as far back as she could. Val imagined this was more in concern for his upholstery than for her well-being. She fell onto a vacant seat, trying not to attract too much attention to herself, although that was quite hard as she now felt as if she had just climbed out of a swimming pool.
    “Come on, come on,” she murmured under her breath. Val couldn’t remember a time in her life when she had been more desperate to get home. She stepped off the bus, knowing she was nearly home and finding the reserves of strength to increase her pace to a slow trot. She had never felt so elated to see her street. Outside her house, she gave a last burst of energy and charged across the grass towards the front door crying out, “Mum? Dad?”
    The overwhelming feelings she had been keeping in during her journey home now came flooding out. She called out again and banged on the door to no avail, then collapsed weeping onto the front step convinced that she couldn’t move another inch, but no one was coming to let her in, so she was going to have to.
    She managed to stand and pushing her key into the front door, every movement causing another wave of pain. The door swung open. Val stumbled into the hall, then collapsed, and still there was no answer to her cries. “Mum, please, I need you.”
    Making a huge effort, Val pulled herself up and staggered towards the kitchen. On the table was a note; she was so disorientated that she could hardly make sense of it.
    ‘We have decided to go out; your dinner is in the microwave. See you later honey, love M & D’ .
    “No!” Val whimpered. She couldn’t believe this was happening. What should she do? Call an ambulance? No, that would be ridiculous. She just needed to get to bed, and it would all be OK when Mum got home. She climbed the stairs slowly, then made her way down the landing to her room. She went straight to her bed and fell onto it, facedown, unable to take off her clothes or pull the covers over her. Within minutes she slipped into a restless, troubled sleep.
    Her dream was so vivid that she could actually see the fog, feel the damp ground and smell the trees. The scene was the same as before, but this time, instead of being blown back by the powerful light, the woman seemed to move through it. Val could see a circle of men and women holding hands. There was a small break in the circle. The man and woman on either side of the gap seemed to be waiting for her. She reached out to grab their hands, as if she was the