Creature of the Night by Kate Thompson Read Free Book Online Page A

the
small shed where I got it from, but what was the point
of that? The psycho could find it there as easily as in the
hayshed. And once he had it our back door would be
matchsticks and we would be butcher's meat.
    I looked around but I couldn't think of anywhere to
put it where the psycho wouldn't find it. He was probably
watching me right now. I didn't run, but the devil
was behind me when I went through the back door and
closed it behind me, and locked it.
    I looked at the axe. What the hell was I going to do
with it now? I couldn't leave it lying around in the
kitchen because if he got in through the back door he
would find it sitting there, like an invitation. So I took it
upstairs with me and propped it up in the corner of my
room.
    During the next ad break my ma wrapped Dennis in
the duvet and carried him upstairs. I thought he would
wake but he didn't. She brought another duvet down
with her when she came.
    'My own bed at last!' she said. She settled back in
and lit a smoke.
    We were doing well. We hadn't had a row all
evening, but now Dennis was gone there was a good
chance she'd start talking again. So before the next ad
break came on I took myself upstairs and lay in bed with
the light on, listening to the screams and thuds and
creepy music from the TV. But it wasn't long before it
came to an end and I heard my ma flushing the toilet and
coming upstairs.
    She stuck her head round the door.
    'I was right,' she said. 'It was the cop doing it.'
    I said, 'Oh,' and she went out. But a couple of minutes
later she was back.
    'What did you do with that axe?' she said.
    I nodded towards it and she seen it in the corner.
She laughed and said, 'You're worse than I am!'
    I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing, and for a
delirious minute the two of us were giggling together like
best friends, like we used to one time, in the dream time
before Paul and Dennis came along. One bit of me didn't
want it to be happening, but it felt so brilliant. I was
doubled up on the bed and she was clinging to the door
frame, trying to stay on her feet. But she had to spoil it.
She always, always, always had to ruin everything. She
couldn't leave it alone, just laugh and go. She came over
and sat on the bed and said, 'Ah, my Bobby,' and she
started trying to tickle me. Can you believe it? Tried to
tickle me as if I was a little kid like Dennis.
    I stopped laughing and tried to push her away, but
she didn't get it. She thought I was playing, too.
    'Get off me!' I said.
    She lunged for my armpit, going, 'Bobby, Bobby,
Bobby.'
    I pushed her away again, vicious hard. I hurt her.
She got up, all surprised and offended.
    'I was only messing!' she said.
    'Well don't,' I said. 'Don't fucking mess with me, all
right?'
    I seen tears start in her eyes and I turned myself over
and pulled the duvet over my head. I listened to her footsteps.
She didn't go into her room. She went across to
Dennis's room instead, and when she came back the
springs on her bed creaked and I heard her whispering
and I knew she had brought Dennis in with her. For her
sake this time, not his.
    Then my own tears came. Not because I'd hurt her
and not because she'd gone to get Dennis, but because
I'd let my guard down. I'd laughed with her and let her
in. But you can't open yourself to one thing and not
another. Once your guard is down everything is all in
there waiting to come at you. The empty space where my
future should have been. The pain. The whole big dirty
mess of my life.

16
    I didn't make the same mistake twice. An hour later I
was outside the house, standing beside the Skoda, the
key in my hand. It was creepy out there in the dark. I
couldn't see my hand in front of my face and I kept hearing
things – rustles and scratches and little thuds, like
someone walking down the road or up the drive. I kept
thinking the child was behind me. But I was used to
being scared and I didn't mess up. It's impossible to open
a car door in total silence, but I came close to it. I'd