Beyond Life by Deb McEwan Read Free Book Online

independent and not to expect anything for nothing. She also knew that eventually she’d have to be more trusting of people, but Mary couldn’t quite bring herself to trust anyone yet, though she did like some more than others. Daniel came into the room and Mary felt an involuntary shiver. Her father had also told her to trust her instincts and there was something about Daniel that she didn’t like. He’d been perfectly pleasant to her and hadn’t done anything to make her wary, but she was going to follow her father’s advice and she looked at him as he approached her with, Mary thought, a false smile on his face. He’d sent her to the room earlier and told her to expect a surprise and Mary felt she hadn’t had any choice but to follow his direction. She enjoyed going to the well with the other children, especially if the white women were accompanying them, but given the choice of learning or going for water then learning would always win. She reluctantly closed the book and sat up on the bed.
    ‘Are you ready for your surprise?’ Daniel put out his hand and Mary thought he seemed a bit nervous. She hesitated.
    ‘Come on,’he said reaching for her hand and she put her hand in his and moved to the door with him but something made her hold back.
    ‘What is it?’
    Daniel could see that she didn’t trust anyone and had not expected her to accompany him on her own without an explanation.
    ‘We’re getting you all a pet to share, and you, Mary, are going to be the first to see it!’
    Her twelve-year-old mind was working overtime. If they had a cat or a dog she’d be able to talk to it about what happened and nobody else would know. She would love it and it would love her and make her happy again. She hoped it was a dog.
    ‘What is it?’ Mary forgot about not trusting Daniel in her excitement.
    ‘Why don’t you go out the back and see, they’re just about to deliver him.’
    Mary ran down the stairs. It was a busy time of day and everybody else was occupied with their own personal chores. She ran out of the back door and saw the old white vehicle. A smiling man opened the door and beckoned her over. She ran to the vehicle hoping there was a dog inside. By the time her young brain realised there was no pet it was too late. She struggled as much as she could but the two men easily overcame her and a smelly rag was forced over her nose and mouth. She stopped struggling when the drug took effect and she was rolled into a blanket and put onto the back seat.
     
    Marion heard a vehicle and thought it must be Val returning from her outing with the creep, as she unkindly thought of him. She was surprised to see the tatty white van go past and wondered what business they’d had at the orphanage. There weren’t any food deliveries due that day and as far as Marion knew, only Gary’s company worked at the orphanage and she couldn’t recall seeing a white van belonging to them. She tried to put it out of her mind but unscheduled visits were unusual so she decided to ask Daniel on her return.
    *****
    ‘Can you fix it?’ Val knew the answer by the look on Gary’s face but asked anyway.
    ‘No. The fuel pump appears to be broken.’
    She started to switch off as soon as he mentioned something that she didn’t have a clue about. To Val is was the same as when asking a stranger for directions, any more than two instructions and her mind was away with the fairies. Both directions and vehicle parts had exactly the same effect.
    ‘Val?’
    ‘Oh. Do we start walking then?’
    Gary laughed at her naivety. ‘It’s going to be dark in an hour and there’s plenty of wildlife here, so no we don’t walk anywhere.’
    It was just starting to sink in but in case there was any doubt in her mind he added. ‘We stay here overnight and hopefully they’ll send a vehicle out to find us at first light.’
    ‘Hopefully?’
    ‘No, they will send one. We just have to stay in the Land Rover tonight. We’ve enough water to last