by Patsy Whyte
That was the plan. In fact, we ended up walking for the next two days. The road was very long and monotonous and the nights extremely dark and cold. At first we were upbeat, talkative, energetic. There was a spring in our step. It was fun. But the mood changed and we fell silent. We were exhausted. Mile after mile passed by almost in a daze as we placed one foot in front of the other, barely aware of our surroundings. Every time we rested our weary bodies for a few minutes, we wondered if running away was such a good idea after all.
But we finally made it to Dundee. We walked through the city and across the Tay Road Bridge, still following the A92. Two days later, we reached Kirkcaldy, tired out and hungry. The crisps and lemonade which kept us going had long since run out. Now we were arguing and snapping at each other in the middle of the town's never-ending promenade, wondering what to do next.
Then I spotted a ladies toilet, which was open. So we decided to stay in there overnight and then set off again in the morning. It was anything but luxurious with it's cold stone floor. Graffiti covered the walls. But at least it was dry and would keep us out of the wind.
Gradually, our strength and spirits revived sitting on the sinks. We read the graffiti out loud and laughed until we almost cried. It wasn't that the graffiti was very funny. It wasn't. We were really laughing at ourselves. There was something crazy about sitting on a sink in a ladies toilet in a strange town reading graffiti off the walls at 2 o'clock in the morning. I think that was what we found really funny. We scribbled on the wall Pat and Sadie was here and the date and then fell asleep sitting on a toilet seat.
It was the worst night's sleep I ever had in my life. I twisted and turned, trying to find a comfortable position which proved to be impossible. After managing to doze for a few minutes at a time, I wakened up and then dozed off again. The morning light streaming through the tiny mesh-covered toilet window finally brought the agony to an end. Sadie struggled to move, too, so I knew she'd endured just as bad a few hours as me.
Although we were both glad to get out of there, we were still extremely cold and tired. We knew we were in no fit state to walk the next leg of our journey. Looking up and down the length of the promenade, Sadie noticed several parked lorries in the distance which she thought might be heading off at any moment. We should check them out and ask the drivers which direction they were heading and maybe cadge a lift.
"You can ask them", I said, grumpily.
"What's wrong with your face? Get up on the wrong side of the toilet?"
"Ha ha, very funny!"
But it did make me crack a smile.
"OK, no bother, I'll ask them."
Off Sadie went to check the lorries out to see if there were any drivers asleep inside. She looked such a tiny figure in the distance, knocking on the cabs and waiting for the windows to roll down. I couldn't help but admire her nerve, but it paid off. Back she ran and I knew we'd struck lucky.
"We can get a lift as far as Queensferry, near the Forth Bridge", she said. "The driver is dropping off his load there. Let's move it."
As we started running over to the lorry, I said, "I'm not sitting next to him in the cab."
"Yes you are. You're sitting next to him. I've done all the asking."
"What if he's a creep?", I said, catching my breath, trying to keep up with Sadie who was a few steps ahead.
"So, it's fine for me to sit next to one?", she added, sounding more and more agitated.
"You're tougher. You'll give him what for, if he tries anything."
Sadie must have thought about it. On reaching the cab, she climbed the step and jumped straight in. I followed and squeezed up next to her and struggled to find the handle to pull the door shut. The driver was in his middle 50s and reminded me of Friar Tuck. His stomach was big and fat and he was balding. He wore a dirty checked shirt and oil stained jeans.
The driver never told us his name and I didn't feel like asking him either. Judging by her expression, Sadie was as wary of him as I was. I was glad she was sitting next to him and not me. Several miles passed by before our instincts were proved to be correct. At first, the driver was chatty, trying his best to engage us in some trivial conversation.
"Where are you girls heading for?"
"London", said Sadie.
"Got family there, have you?"
"Yes."
Silence. A few seconds later, the driver tried again.
"So where have you come from?"
"Visiting my gran in Inverurie."
"You've come a long way then", said the driver, not believing a word of it.
Sadie was determined not to give the game away. So we sat silently, staring out at the empty road ahead. There were hardly any cars about because it was still very early. The driver tried once more.
"Your friend's a bit quiet?"
"Sorry, I'm just a little bit tired", I replied.
The cab was beginning to warm up and I felt relaxed, enjoying the heat. I must have dozed off. The next thing I knew Sadie was screaming and swearing at the driver, demanding he stop the lorry immediately or she would get the police on to him. I didn't know what was happening. I was terrified.
"Stop the lorry!", Sadie shouted again, almost in the driver's ear.
It was obvious she was frightened, too, but she was also angry and determined to stand up to him. So the verbal onslaught continued. It worked. The driver had second thoughts and as he slammed on the brakes, the lorry came to a screeching halt.
"Get out! Piss off the both of you!", the driver snarled.
I fumbled for the door handle and jumped out as fast as I could. Sadie followed me just as quickly.
"Whew, that was a lucky escape", I said.
Sadie was in shock and shaking with rage.
"Creep!", she roared out. "Dirty perv!"
She was still shouting for all she was worth as the lorry disappeared down the road.
"I'm getting the police on you. You're not getting away with it you big fat creep!"
When she calmed down enough, I asked her what happened.
"I fell asleep", I said, feeling a bit guilty.
"The bastard tried it on."
Sadie looked at me, and never mentioned any more about it again. We were now in North Queensferry, a pretty little village dominated by the Forth Rail Bridge. The bridge was massive, impressive, but I'd only ever seen it on biscuit tins before. Now I was standing right below it, looking up as it streaked out across the River Forth. It was an unforgettable sight. Visible in the distance was the Forth Road Bridge. We knew we'd have no option but to walk across it.
"I'm starving", we both blurted out at exactly the same moment.
We laughed. Sadie was getting back to her old self again. I was pleased for her.
After pausing, she said, "Notice the rolls and milk?"
"Where?"
"On the doorsteps!"
Before I knew it, she bounded off into the nearest garden. A few moments later she came back, clutching a bottle of milk and rolls.
"Let's get out of here quick!", she said.
We walked smartly in the direction of the road bridge until we were far enough away. Then we stopped and scoffed the lot. After having so little to eat for days, the rolls tasted heavenly and we felt so much happier.
"I fancy looking at the city centre in Edinburgh, looking at some of the shops", I said.
"Good idea. Why don't we?", said Sadie.
But I realised we both looked like a couple of tramps after being on the run for days. Having brought no clean clothes to change into wasn't very sensible planning on our part. We didn't even have a comb with us to tidy our hair. There was nothing we could do about it now except enjoy the spectacular view from hundreds of feet up as we walked slowly across the bridge.
The pedestrian and cycle path seemed to go on forever. But at least we were safe, separated from the cars and lorries now whizzing past north and south, heading for the Fife coast or to Edinburgh. After what seemed like an age, we made it to the other side. W
e were glad just to be out of the strong winds which suddenly appeared from nowhere and which dogged our every step. But there was no wind now as we followed the cycle path, unsure of what to do next. We certainly never noticed the police patrol car which quietly sneaked up behind us.
"Where might you ladies be going?", said a commanding voice, suddenly, stopping us dead in our tracks.
We turned around. A few feet away from us stood a tall policeman. I knew we had to think fast. Sadie jumped in before me.
"We're going to my aunty's house", she said.
"So where does she live?"
"Queensferry", Sadie replied, trying to sound confident.
"Where about?"
"Marchmount Crescent."
It was the first name she thought of. The policeman smiled.
"Sorry ladies, no such address. Get in the car."
There was nothing we could do. The game was well and truly up. We sat silently in the back of the police car which was now taking us to the nearest police station. I was terrified at the thought of the trouble we were in. What was going to happen to us?
At the police station, we were booked in and after confirming our names and addresses, one of the policemen went off and made a few telephone calls. He came back a few minutes later, satisfied we were indeed who we said we were. We were also the missing girls half the police forces in Scotland were looking for.
"You know you were on the news and in the papers?"
"Fame at last", I said, laughing.
But I was amazed, too, that our little escapade had caused such a stir across the country. The policemen were very nice to us and offered us sandwiches and cups of tea. We were really grateful because we were still starving. A short time afterwards, we were driven to separate hostels in Edinburgh.
The hostel I was taken to was friendly and homely and the lady who ran it was kind and warm and really cared about the girls under her care. I asked her if I could live at the hostel permanently but she said it wasn't allowed. Disappointed, I made my way upstairs and had a long, relaxing bath then caught up on some much needed sleep.
Early next morning, shortly after breakfast, a young smartly dressed man in a dark suit appeared unexpectedly. He told me to stick my hand out. Then he snapped one end of a pair of handcuffs around my wrist and the other around his. I was led out the hostel to a waiting car.
"We're taking you to the airport and flying you back to Aberdeen", he said.
That was all he said. There was no further explanation as we sat in the back of a car heading towards the airport. I couldn't believe what was happening. It was a shock. This was the first time I'd ever been handcuffed and it made me feel like a common criminal. The young man was so matter-of-fact about it all, cold and clinical, as if I was some lump of meat, to be pushed and shoved wherever he wanted.
The silence continued throughout the short journey. The young man never talked or made any effort to be friendly. When we arrived at the airport, he pulled me out the car and up the stairs into a passenger plane. Without speaking, I was motioned me to sit down. Within a minute, Sadie, too, was sitting handcuffed on the plane, a few seats further back from me.
The other passengers knew nothing of what was going on. We sat tucked up next to the window out of sight. As we took off, I realised this was the first time I'd ever been on a plane. It was exciting watching the ground disappear and then being up amongst the clouds. I felt all my troubles were left behind on the ground, somewhere far below. But the feeling didn't last long. When we touched down, I knew I was being returned to a place I hated, where there was no love or warmth.
Mrs Strachan was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs when I stepped out of the plane. I was glad to be shot of the young man and his handcuffs. After being ushered into a waiting car, I was driven to the hostel. I said nothing to Mrs Strachan during the short drive to the hostel. The house mother dived straight out the front door the moment we pulled up and her cold eyes stared hard at me. Her arms were tightly folded over her puffed-out chest. It was obvious she was dying to have a go at me.
"Who do you think you are, running away?", she growled. "Get inside, now!"
Looking hard at Mrs Strachan, I said, "You put me back in there and I'll be gone by the end of the week. There's no way I'm staying with that witch!"
My words were aimed squarely at Mrs Strachan and not the house mother, who by now was used to my hostility. I'd thrown down the gauntlet, determined once and for all to make a stand. Now I hoped Mrs Strachan would pick it up. Thankfully, she did.
"Are you that unhappy living here?", she asked.
"Yes!", I snapped.
"You can hate it all you like", said the house mother. "It doesn't change anything. Get inside."
"Patricia, get back in the car."
The house mother looked stunned.
"If Patricia is so unhappy here then she doesn't have to stay", said Mrs Strachan. "Get back in the car Patricia."
I could hardly believe it. Did she really say I didn't have to live there any more? In that moment, I knew it was Mrs Strachan who had the real power and not the house mother. The house mother stood rooted to the spot, speechless, her mouth wide open. As we drove away, I summoned up the cheekiest widest grin I was capable of. I wanted her to know I was the winner and she had lost the battle. If only I'd known, my moment of triumph was to be a very short-lived one indeed.
Chapter Seventeen
My heart sank as I looked at the bright yellow painted walls. This was a place of no escape. There were no normal windows here through which to look at the outside world. They were set high up in the walls, allowing only the tiniest glimpse of the sky and clouds through thick steel bars.
I was confused. Why had Mrs Strachan dumped me here? It was a place meant for young offenders. Was she even coming back for me? Climbing the stairs on the way to the room allocated to me, I had no answers to the questions spinning around in my head. I felt completely abandoned.
My room was painted the same ghastly yellow colour as everywhere else. It was so small it felt more like a cell. Most of the little space available was taken up by a single bed. I still had no clean clothes to change into or any to put in the tiny wooden chest of drawers next to it.
I sat down on the bed not knowing what to do with myself. Since my arrival here, the only person I'd seen was a young lad coming down the stairs as I went up them. He seemed to be in a rush to go somewhere and never uttered a word or even turned his head to look at me. I wondered what happened to Sadie and hoped she was all right, wherever she was.
But I needn't have worried. A few minutes later, I heard the heavy door to the place click open and rushed out my room to have a look. Standing alone at the bottom of the stairs was Sadie. Instantly, I felt cheered up and shouted down to her. But there was no smile of recognition as she climbed the stairs onto the landing and stopped in front of me.
"What's wrong?", I said.
"I'm only here for one night and my social worker's coming for me tomorrow. They're going to dump me in some other hostel."
"At least you know you're going somewhere else and not staying here", I said. "It might be all right. You might like it. Can't be any worse than the last place."