Read Martyn Pig for Free Online Page B

it over the body.
    â€˜Come here,’ she said gently.
    I moved over to her and she put her arms around me. Her skin smelled of rain.
    That moment, when she held me ... it was as if nothing else mattered. Nothing. Everything would be all right. Her soft hand on the back of my head, the comfort of her body close to mine ... everything else just faded away into nowhere. This was where I wanted to be.
    But nothing lasts for ever.
    Back in the kitchen she just sat there looking at me. Flecks of green dappled the brown of her eyes, like tiny leaves. I had to look away. My tea was cold. Everything was cold.
    â€˜You have to tell somebody,’ she said quietly.
    The fluorescent strip light hummed and stuttered on the ceiling. A small puddle of rainwater had formed on the floor at Alex’s feet, dripped from the sleeves of her jacket. The harsh white flickering light reflected in the surface of the puddle. It bothered me. I wanted to turn it off. To sit in the dark. To do nothing.
    â€˜Martyn, you have to tell somebody about it. You can’t just sit here and not do anything. You have to call the police.’
    â€˜I can’t.’
    â€˜Why not?’
    â€˜It’s too late.’
    A frown wrinkled her brow. ‘I don’t understand. Too late for what?’
    â€˜They’ll know.’
    â€˜Who?’
    â€˜The police. They’ll know he died over an hour ago. They can tell. They’ll want to know why I didn’t ring straight away.’
    â€˜So? Tell them.’
    â€˜I can’t, can I?’
    â€˜Why not?’
    â€˜Because I don’t know.’
    â€˜Oh.’ She looked down, a little embarrassed, as if she’d suddenly realised there was something wrong with me. She had that don’t-know-what-to-do look on her face; the kind of look you get when a mad person sits next to you on a bus. But it didn’t last long. After a moment’s thought she wiped her nose and said, ‘Well, all right, but you’re not going to get arrested just because you don’t know why you didn’t do something, are you?’
    â€˜No, they’ll probably just put me in a loony bin.’
    â€˜Don’t be stupid.’
    â€˜Or a home, or something.’
    â€˜Martyn—’
    â€˜They won’t let me stay here, will they?’ And then it dawned on me. ‘Oh, God. Aunty Jean. They’ll make me go and live at Aunty Jean’s.’
    â€˜No they won’t.’
    â€˜Of course they will! What else can they do? Christ! I can’t live with her, I can’t
stand
the woman. She’s worse than Dad.’
    â€˜I’m sure it’s not
that
bad.’
    â€˜How would
you
know?’ I snapped.
    She looked hurt. ‘I’m only trying to help.’
    â€˜Yeah, I know ... I know. I’m sorry. It’s just ... I don’t know.’
    It was still pouring down. Rain streamed on the kitchen window. The shaving foam snow had melted. All that was left was a murky trail on the glass and a grubby white residue hardening on the sill. Alex scratched absently at the table top with a teaspoon, chewing her lip, while I just sat there thinking. It was one of those
if only
situations. If only no one knew about it. If only I had time to think. If only I could make things disappear. If only ...
    â€˜Look,’ Alex said calmly, ‘why don’t you let me call the police. I’ll explain what’s happened. I’m sure it’ll be all right. I mean, it’s not like he’s been lying there for weeks, is it? It’s only been an hour or so. They’ll understand, they’re not monsters.’
    I shook my head.
    â€˜Why not?’
    â€˜I’ve already
told
you, they’ll want to know why I didn’t tell them about it immediately, and I won’t have an answer. It’s bound to make them suspicious. They’ll think I’ve got something to hide.’
    â€˜Yes, but you haven’t, have you? It was