Trash by Andy Mulligan Read Free Book Online Page A

polite, as the children here always are, but they wanted to go.
    I said, ‘So. School tomorrow? All three of you?’
    Jun laughed. ‘Definitely!’
    Raphael said, ‘I want to come, po. But I’m working.’ He pushed his hair back and smiled his dazzling smile.
    I reminded him that he could work and also do amorning class. I reminded him that the school was set up for exactly that purpose: to let the children work while providing education. If they attend five days, they get two kilos of rice and a few bits and pieces extra, depending on what’s been donated – that is the incentive. Raphael looked at me, and I wondered if he was thinking that obvious thought:
And what use is an education to me?
    He said, ‘I will come, po.’
    Then Jun took the plate and glasses into my kitchen. He insisted on washing them, and setting them in the drying rack. Then he gave me a hug and I slipped him fifty pesos.
    The other boys were waiting for him outside, and they ran away together – I never saw them again. It was a few weeks later that I discovered they’d been lying. There had been no quiz, of course. They were finding out everything they could about Mr José Angelico, the man whose ID they’d found. They’d also been researching Gabriel Olondriz, who at that time was serving his twenty-third year in the city’s biggest prison.
    Rat had been up to something too, which he will reveal in due course. They had all got what they wanted, and had deceived me beautifully.

2
    This is Raphael again, and now it gets serious.
    The police came that night, just like Gardo said they would, and searched our house. I was arrested.
    Four van-loads came, and everyone in the block was ordered out. They had flashlights and batons, and they moved through fast while more and more people gathered, up from the other neighbourhoods. The police said nothing to anyone. They showed some bit of paper to Thomas – our senior man – and they didn’t wait for him to say anything. Then it took them less than an hour, and we all stood listening as they shouted to each other and threw things. Some of the little kids were crying, but most people were calm, just watching.
    What could anyone do?
    Then they got back in the vans, having found nothing.
    I had not thought they would take me, because nobodyhad said anything to me. I saw the young policeman again, and I saw him nod in my direction, and I realized they were talking about me. It still came as a surprise – I don’t know why – when two police came over and took hold of my arms.
    This is going to be very difficult to write about, the next part, but it’s only me that can.
    I did not know what to do. I did not make a sound, and I did not move – I was too scared to breathe and I didn’t know which man to look up at. Gardo was right with me at once, and he was talking fast, saying, ‘What are you doing? What’s he done?’ over and over, touching me. My auntie started to scream, and then she fell down on the ground. Immediately there was a great commotion, and I saw how important it was that I was not taken. People were shouting; some were pleading with the policemen, and getting between me and the car. One of the vans had stopped, and some police were coming back, but before I could take in any more, I was walked to the car that had its door open, my arms held hard. Gardo got his arm round me, but someone pushed him off, and I heard him shouting over the top of everyone else, but one of his uncles had hold of him. I got to the car and I tried to back off, but I was dragged and pushed. I was between two big men, and whatever I said, nobody heard me – I twisted, but I was just picked up, and I was in the back seat. Doors slammed, and I saw Gardo again. He was screaming at me, trying to get to me, and a policeman grabbed him by theneck and threw him off. Then the car was moving and I was crying. I saw faces through the window, staring at me, shouting at me, but I couldn’t see anyone I knew, and