CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
I cried all the roundabouts and where the fields came. Two horses a garage a fence that goes on on I cried. I knowed we couldn’t go back.
The bus was far fast from home. Meemaw and me safe of Karen but not going back. And Spiney not safe. Spiney maybe lost on the pavement. Worse in our flat and Karen.
Now she had getted out the shower and finded us gone away. Spiney would pay the price. She would get revenge of Spiney. Without me Spiney couldn’t fight. Spiney couldn’t do a bite with no Danny to make it. He was at her mercy the evil one.
All the world runned over of tears. I holded on the edge of the window feeled and feeled the hurt. Meemaw’s arms round but too bad now. Meemaw’s words too small such the bigness of hurt.
Things of imagining filled me up. Karen speaking words of hate attacking Spiney. Throwing and bangs. Such loud inside me I wanted to break all the bus window and run run back to rescue him.
Meemaw sitted on the edge of the seat. Meemaw was a bird of a fence. Small. In white silver brightness. Nothing was safe. Such was the danger. Sudden everything went to quiet inside me. Crying stopped.
The fence outside flick flick flick. The sky blue and fat white clouds. Just that that that until big houses of black and white fronts. Slow the bus then and people in cars. A lady of very yellow hair singing in her car. Her mouth wide and a smile to me. More cars. More people.
Come on, love. This is our stop.
We were near the pier of the Karen day. It smelled the same smell and it was coming a hot day. I was thirsty.
Meemaw! Drink!
All my face was nasty of snot of crying. My mouth all sticky.
I haven’t got one. Just hang on, we’ll get water in a bit.
Meemaw holded my hand tight crossing the road. Tight. Hot.
Are we going to Mick’s house?
We stopped by a bench and Meemaw getted out her box of precious things.
Are we Meemaw? Meemaw?
No.
In the bottom is always the little brown envelope. Square envelope of a crumpley softness. Shiny flap. In it lives Meemaw’s mummy bracelet. Golden. Four swirly stones of dragon eggs called opals. Darky red of dragon’s blood called garnets. A ancient treasure. The most true precious thing of the box.
Meemaw taked out the envelope and squished it in her pocket of her jeans.
Thirsty Meemaw!
I know.
Meemaw was too tight holding and hurrying in the pavement of people and big shops. I pulled.
Meeeemaw! Thirsty!
No words of Meemaw just pull pull pull. A man bumped Meemaw of his arm.
But Meemaw knowed secret tiny streets. All suddenly we were in them. Red bricks little streets of no cars. Filled up of people but slow. Slow walking and more quiet. Meemaw squiggled in out of the people. But still tight of my hand and I wanted stop stop and a drink.
Meeeeeemaaaaaw!
What is it?
Drink!
I told you in a minute.
But it was a lot of minutes and no drink and I didn’t know. I didn’t know anything of it.
Sudden we stopped. It was a window of a shop of treasure. Meemaw looked in.
Such thirsty. Hot thirsty and people all around.
This one.
It was a doorbell. Then came buzzzzzz. I didn’t know of this place. I didn’t like it. And thirsty. Thirsty!
Nooooo!
DANNY!
Meemaw pulled hard we were in.
The door shut. All still. All still quiet. A lady sitted by a smoky mug. A lady of hair very long black.
Can I help you, love?
I’ve got a bracelet to sell, do you buy?
Let me have a look.
All in the shop was still. I went to still. The air of spickles and moving. Moving slow.
Meemaw tipped it the crunkle envelope. In the lady’s hand was Meemaw’s mummy bracelet. The bracelet curled up of a golden curl. The precious of dragon eggs. Dragon blood.
Oh that’s unusual, isn’t it? Very nice.
It’s Spanish. Late nineteenth century.
Very nice. A lovely piece.
Would you be interested?
It’s the sort of thing that does sell but it’s not pure gold… and the stones are just opals and garnets. It’s not worth much, love.
How much?
I could do you eighty.
I thought more like a hundred and fifty.
Oh no! Oh no, it’s not worth anything like that, love, honestly.
A hundred and twenty?
I’ll do you a hundred. As it’s such an unusual piece, I could do a hundred.
Fine.
Out of the lady’s drawer came purple twenties. One two three four five to a hundred.
All of the shop was sunshine and air of the spickles that are tiny spaceships. On the floor a blue blue carpet and shadows of the windows. Shadow of a teddy bear of olden days come huge. Shadow fur was fluffy. So hot. But a place of quiet. I whispered.
Meemaw I’m thirsty.
I don’t suppose you could give him a glass of water by any chance?
The lady maked a huff. She getted off her chair.
This way. I can’t leave you in the shop.
We went behind a curtain. Dark behind. Then a white door. Inside a kitchen.
The kitchen was of a other world. It had a window of bars of a prison. Cool green. A drip drip tap. Outside the window a wall close maked of grey stones and greenness growing.
The lady gived me water. It was a glass glass. I drinked it down cold. Good. Inside me a call of the water in my tummy. Empty inside. No breakfast. No tea time yesterday too.
All the world lifted up and went swinging. Then still again.
Meemaw was looking at the window of bars. Meemaw was still and staring. I holded the glass to Meemaw but she didn’t take it. The lady taked it. The lady touched Meemaw’s arm.
Okay?
Meemaw jumped.
Yes. Thanks. Thanks so much for that.
Then rush rush again. Meemaw holded my hand through the shop and clunk the door closed behind. Inside was the lady of long hair. Inside was the quiet world of it. Meemaw’s mummy bracelet was gone. Like Spiney gone. I started crying again.
Are you hungry, Danny?
I couldn’t say of it but inside yes yes yes.
Let’s get a picnic. Come on.
Meemaw picked me up for a carry. My legs feeled heavy heavy and I putted my head on Meemaw’s shoulder. Lumpy of bones.
We went back to the big road and in a Co-op that is green. Not too bad if you look for the deals. Meemaw putted me down.
Fruit, Danny. What shall we get?
I pointed of plums that I like. Purple red and zingy skins.
Meemaw getted a pot of squashy red pasta. Babybels that we have for special. I standed by sweets. Not crying now. Not asking but I standed by sweets of Haribo and pink.
No sweets. Look though, Dan. How about this?
A big a big of white chocolate! I like it best of all chocolate. Meemaw likes second best.
And water in a bought big bottle even though it’s ridiculous Danny the ultimate example of human stupidity. Clean clear big bottle. Not flippy lid though.
Such a feast we buyed! Outside Meemaw gived me a straight away plum. Zing of it pop the skin. Inside sweetle and good.
We need a place that sells unlocked handsets.
‘Nother plum!
Meemaw gived it.
I thinked handcuffs of the police. Meemaw maybe to get them in case of Karen.
What of handcuffs Meemaw?
No! Not handcuffs! Handsets. Phones. We need a new phone.
We came to a place called Imperial Arcade. It was a tunnel for shops. Inside a man sitted in a sleeping bag who lives there homeless. And there was a shop all phone covers on a table outside.
This’ll do.
Inside was very squashed. Spinny things all crowded. I didn’t like it. I pulled. Meemaw tight holded. There was
a man. A very tall man of baldy head.
I need a really cheap handset. Anything that’ll fit this SIM.
Meemaw showed the broken phone of diamonds. Karen had done it. Karen. Spiney.
I’ve got that one if you want it. A hundred and twenty.
I haven’t got it.
I could do you the S3 mini for sixty.
I need something cheaper.
The man looked at me I feeled his eyes plop on my head. I standed still still.
In my mouth was the plum stone. Once was a plum stone in a library book. It was magic. It growed a great tree in a house one night. The great tree had roots they drinked up breakfast tea eated a boiled egg. I thinked if a tree popped out my mouth. A curly branch to take a phone for Meemaw.
I’ve got one a bit bashed up I can do for forty.
It’ll work though?
Sure, sure, it’s just got some chips.
Meemaw gived the man broken phone. He scooted his big thumb on and it opened up. Inside the little red card called Sim. Sim makes it the Meemaw phone. Like a brain Danny. Like you’re you because of your Danny brain.
The man putted it in the other phone. Switched on. Showed Meemaw. Meemaw did a nod.
Thanks.
Meemaw gived him two twenties and we went back out into the tunnel of shops. Out again to the street. Noise and noise. A bus close did a big rumble roar.
I thinked of the white chocolate.
Chocolate! Meemaw!
I pulled on Meemaw’s sleeve but no reply. I tried to get in the bag for it the chocolate but Meemaw clutched up her hand tight. Holded tight like there was a animal in the bag for escaping. Meemaw’s fingers were white of bones inside. Meemaw’s skin gone a pattern of purple blue. Cold. Cold of a statue.
People came pushing us. A not good place to stand.
Meemaw!
Sudden she waked up again.
Come on!
We went in a bus stop.
This one’ll do.
It was a rightaway bus! Meemaw and me getted on.
It was a strange bus. Long long. Bendy in the middle of a circle that swizzled this way that way. Squashy sides all folded. Dingle dangle handles for tall people. I thinked of holding on. I thinked of hanging down. A Danny monkey.
Meemaw was pushing me little pushes up the bus I didn’t like. No time for looking. Such a horrible day of rush and push and all strangeness.
Come on, Danny. Sit down at the back there.
I wanted to know where we were going. But I wanted chocolate more.
Meeeeemaaaaaw! I waaaaaant some chocolate!
Meemaw went in the bag and getted out the chocolate. She breaked a whole big row of squares gived it to me.
Here! Here it is! Be quiet now.
Such lots! Meemaw breaked some for her too but just holded it not eating.
The chocolate was soft of the hot day. Chocolatey Play-Doh of whitey white. I loved it loved it loved it. Squish squish and stickety of my teeth.
Meemaw was fiddling the new phone. Chocolate on her knee beside. I taked it. Meemaw didn’t say no.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Meemaw telled me the tree was called a beech tree. But we were far of the beach now. All the way on the bendy bus and I thinked this was the world and we were in it.
The tree was a trunk of smoothness and wood. Very fat. I standed underneath and putted my arms all round. I looked up. Moving moving of the green. Moving up high up high high. And no one there just me and my Meemaw. We were far away.
I didn’t know it that my Meemaw knowed so many of secret places. Maybe here in the forest was a house of a woodcutter or witch or bears in a story. A house for Meemaw and Danny to be hided from Karen. But no Spiney. It hurted inside me.
Come and sit down, love.
Meemaw ripped open the squishy squashy pasta. She gived me a white fork for spiking. Quite yum but floppy. It was not nice as Meemaw pasta. Meemaw maked a rolly. She speaked sudden to me not looking up.
This is called Stanmer Great Wood. It was planted hundreds of years ago. There’s a tree for every letter from A to Z.
Click Meemaw’s lighter.
We have to go and get Spiney now Meemaw.
Meemaw sucked her rolly. All the ground was shadows moving and moving. Shush in the air.
Here’s the thing, Danny, I can’t take the risk. I’m too bloody scared to take the risk. Either way. Either way, my sunshine.
Another suck of rolly then she speaked more. Smoke from her nose.
Assuming it’s not too late already.
Nothing of the words meaned sense. I tried to see her colour. I tried hard hard. I sended my eyes to softness and looking. But all was the moving of shadows. Nothing still. Nothing to be known of Meemaw or this place. Mysterious forest.
Are we going home Meemaw?
Meemaw flicked. Ash went in the grass.
Meemaw?
We’ll have to. We’ll have to, I don’t know what else… I don’t know.
Make the police come Meemaw.
Meemaw didn’t say.
Karen hitted your face holded you tight putted her hand on your mouth. She holded you in a kidnap of Mr Creep the Crook!
Meemaw did a smile. But it was not a funny thing.
My little chap.
She looked like proper actual Meemaw a minute.
Meemaw we have to get Spiney. Rescue Spiney then go in the world right away.
How did you get so brave?
Meemaw’s eyes shined up of tears but not coming out.
I never imagined I’d have anyone in my life as brave as you.
I looked at the floppy pasta thinked shut up Meemaw but didn’t say. All such strangeness. But I was hungry. I spiked three more of the pasta.
We have to go back, of course we do. And I’ll make it clear this time, Dan. I’ll make it clear. Whatever that takes.
We’ll get Spiney! We’ll find Spiney!
Of course we will. Of course. I meant it, you know, Danny, about our travelling and seeing the world. It’s a real plan, but we have to go back and sort stuff. I’ve missed a Job Centre appointment.
Meemaw squished the rolly on the ground. I thinked about the Job Centre and the first day of Karen. I remembered she came out and sitted by Meemaw on the wall. I didn’t know she was most probably a very evil witch of spells. I should have killed her of a knife. Or hitted her head. Such a evil witch and hurted my Meemaw.
The trees were shady but the sun warm coming through. Meemaw spreaded out her coat and we lied down. Meemaw putted her arm round. I lied on her booby heared her heart clump clump clump.
Meemaw’s wrist on me I thinked of the bracelet gone. I putted my hand round for a bracelet. Meemaw stroked stroked my arm of her other hand.
Meemaw are you sad of your bracelet gone?
It’s just a thing, Dan. It doesn’t matter.
Did your mummy wear it on her?
No, not really. She used to keep it in her handbag in a little dark blue velvet box. I don’t know where that went. Maybe she took it out so he wouldn’t find it… Anyway, it ended up in that envelope.
Your mummy went to dead.
Her stroking hand on my arm went still.
You were a grown-up Meemaw. Then your mummy went to dead.
Stroke stroke again.
I was eight, Danny.
A pigeon bird. Very fat it flapped all the green. A little leaf falled down down.
She was runned over of a car.
No. No, she wasn’t run over. She was ill.
She didn’t go to the hospital for doctors. She should have went to the hospital.
I thinked of the tortoise man.
Did she have bad tummy?
No.
I squiggled. Pushed my face in Meemaw for the smell the good smell.
Danny, you know I told you how Mick was ill from the cans of drink and the long rollies and sadness?
Yes.
It was a bit like that with my mum too. But mostly it was the sadness.
It was a very black sadness and she couldn’t keep on living so she died.
Meemaw’s heart went clump clump clump. She stroked my arm again. I flapped for get off.
Are you to black sadness Meemaw?
No. Not like that. I’m not sad like that. Not that black sadness.
I knowed it was true. It was true because Meemaw has never gone to black not ever. Not to black.
Did she go to dead in your house Meemaw? Was she sitted in her chair?
She was just in her bed, Danny, in the morning. She had taken lots and lots of pills and they had made her heart stop. It just looked like she was asleep.
There’s information on the box Meemaw. You telled there is information of how many!
Yes.
She didn’t read it!
She wanted to take too many. She wanted her heart to stop and to be dead.
I looked at all the tiny tiny lines of Meemaw’s t-shirt. Over under over under.
Her body was dead in the bed. It had to go in a hole. In a coffin in a hole.
People came to help, Danny. The police came and a kind lady called Sue.
Sudden I sitted up.
I’m sad Meemaw! Very sad with no Spiney.
I know. I know that’s worrying you but we’re going to go back and find him. We’ll go. We just need to re-charge our batteries, Danny. Just for a minute.
Meemaw taked off her boots. Her toes were bare in the green leafs and little sticks. I taked my trainers off. I saw the hole place of the knife at Mick’s house. Nearly mended. A blue of bruise.
Meemaw lied down again and closed her eyes. I lied on my tummy close. I finded a little stick to be a person stick. He lived under the edge of Meemaw’s spreaded out coat. It was a curvy soft cave. Inside was dark. Outside sunshine. He jumped high.
I diggled my toes in the leafs then in the earth. It feeled cool soft. A yawn came and I lied my head down with stick person too.
***
Danny! Come on, love, we need to make a move.
Meemaw’s voice was close of my ear. The sun was gone. The leafs were loud now of sh sh sh. I was cold.
Meemaw did my shoes and putted all the food away. She picked me up. She carried me inside her coat my legs wrapped round of a monkey. Meemaw was hard of bones.
By the edge of the trees we stopped.
Do you need a wee?
Noooo.
I clinged on tight.
Have a try. Come on.
Tale of a Tooth Page 20