THE RIVER 

By Tessa Harvey


    Amy slipped through the trees. All the adventures she had read or dreamed of were happening!
    Waiting for Joey to throw her a Friday gift had been exciting as she swayed in the wind or drowsed in the warm sun in her high oak tree. But I am not a child now, she thought. I am at High School and now I am twelve years old. Rebellion grew within her heart and the young girl exulted in her new-found freedom.
    "I can do anything!" she whispered aloud, then quickly hushed, realising she was not alone. Somewhere ahead was the mysterious stranger. "He can tell me about my parents. I will make him," Amy muttered.
    Quite how this could be achieved eluded her. But I will find a way, she thought. I can do this, I can do anything. She spun around in the cold, dark night amid the drifting shadows of star-lit trees. The moon was only a whisper, newly-risen.
    Leaves crackled. Amy whirled. The grey ghost man stood there, smiling widely.
    "I've got you," demanded Blue, boldly. 
"Oh, aye, kid, exactly how is that going down?" James sounded articulate and unfazed, leaning against a mighty beech tree. Nothing grew within the flimsy shelter of its falling leaves. The man looked relaxed, in control, not the shabby cowering oaf she had imagined. They could barely discern each other in the dark.
    This is not how it is meant to happen, Blue thought, but the new Amy remembered she was growing now.
    "You are my prisoner. You are going to tell me about my parents." Her voice shook. 
"So you have heard about cops and robbers, have you?" He looked at her, coldly. "You know about boring old hostages then." And his eyes glinted as he closed the gap between them.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
 THE RIVER By Tessa Harvey     Joe drifted, praying no snags or broken branches would obstruct his passage. It was like floating in ice cubes, even though it was only summer's end. His life did not flash before him, only disbelief that he had been pursued so relentlessly for some worthless, shiny bauble.      Fine, so the world was not all sweetness and light, but to deliberately drive into his bike seemed to him extreme. Earlier he had been going to Brian's place in town, down a narrow back street and snatched the necklace from the flowing gutter, just before it caught on a drain.     Brian had laughed so hard, dark hair flopping over his forehead. "Whatcha got?" he crowed, "summat for your girl?" Joe had flushed, then laughed also. "No, it's for Blue." Brian had said "well it's pretty, pretty worthless." Then seeing his friend's look, patted him awkwardly on the shoulder and declared "wee Blue would be made up delighted...
Read more
Image
 THE RIVER By Tessa Harvey     Deliberately the car hit the back of the motorbike. It veered left into a ditch. Joe was flung high over the road and straggly bushes into the river. He disappeared.     Blue scrambled hard down her tree. The temperature had dropped with the onslaught of rain. Icy spicules stung her cut cheek, but she hardly noticed. Slipping on moss and lichen, the girl almost fell from the tree and ran for help.     She burst through the screen door of the darkened house.     Despite her fear and haste, she held the screen door softly so as not to bang, a habit firmly instiled over the last two years.     Elizabeth caught her niece, holding her tight. She had been waiting . "Joe went in the river," she sobbed. "A car hit his bike on purpose. It was a car...." The woman bit her lip. "Right, this is what we do...."
Read more
Image
THE RIVER  By Tessa Harvey     The following day, later in the morning, the original sergeant was accompanied by the officer of the previous night, Detective Inspector David Jones. Young Josiah had explained to his boss why he had to have the morning away from work. Derek had gruffly answered "You guilty, boy, you go. If not, we happy you here," the elderly Latvian man, Vilis, paused. "You very gifted boy, work hard, not be crazy silly on that roaring bike, maybe live to be almost a credit to me. Okay?"      Overwhelmed, Joe stuttered a mumbled answer. Pleased by the guarded praise, he knew he had to grow up now and be responsible.     A beautiful Eurasian lady stepped out of the police car. She was tall, very well-dressed, wearing also an air of elegance.     She regarded Elizabeth, waiting on the doorstep. Imperceptibly, Elizabeth straightened, seeking warmth in the intelligent dark eyes. The two smiled at each other. Both women led th...
Read more