Read What They Do in the Dark for Free Online

to get her right here –’ Pauline jabs at her chest – ‘and she’s dead but then for a second she goes like she was before she was a skellington, all like pretty, and he snogs her and then she’s a skellington and then she turns to dust and there’s just her dress left.’
    We leave a little silence as I imagine the scene. It is deeply satisfying.
    ‘Why does he snog her?’ I ask, tying up loose ends.
    ‘They were supposed to get married, before she turned into a skellington.’
    ‘Skeleton,’ I correct her, ‘not skellington. Skelly ton.’
    ‘Skelly ton,’ muses Pauline. ‘It worran ace film.’
    ‘My mum and dad wanted to watch summat else so they turned over,’ I tell her, glossing over the fact that I’d already been sent to bed. I’m not allowed to say ‘summat’, but it’s easier talking like that to Pauline. Pauline stuffs most of a sausage into her mouth.
    ‘I can watch what I like, me,’ she says. ‘Rudie films, owt. Horror ones are the best though. Some of them get a bit rudie an’ all.’
    This intrigues me.
    ‘Do you see them doing it?’ I ask.
    ‘All’t time,’ says Pauline airily. She scoops out the few squashed chips left in the serving tin with her hand.
    ‘You’re supposed to use the spoon,’ I admonish. ‘And I’m supposed to do it because I’m monitor.’ I demonstrate my power by using a serving fork to spear the last sausage, which I put on Cynthia-the-disaster’s plate. She smiles nervily at the sausage instead of me, bobbing her head as though it too might rear up and kick her.
    ‘What you give it to’t blackie for?’ asks Pauline, reaching across to retrieve the sausage. I bar the way with my arm, which is still holding the fork, but Pauline reaches over me, pushing me in the face.
    ‘If you take it, I’m telling,’ I warn her.
    ‘Fuck off, lezzie,’ spits Pauline. Lezzie is the worst insult we possess. I shoot my arm up in the air, thrusting so that my bum leaves my seat with the effort, panting to get the attention of Mrs Bream, who teaches the fourth years and is one table across.
    ‘Miss – Miss –’
    Mrs Bream gets up and comes over.
    ‘Miss, Pauline Bright stole a sausage, Miss.’
    Pauline is chewing furiously. Mrs Bream looks at her.
    ‘I never, Miss,’ Pauline protests, bits of sausage meat tumbling from her mouth.
    ‘And she called me a rude name, Miss.’
    Sighing, Mrs Bream tells Pauline to come and sit next to her, guiding her softly by the arm as though she’s giving her a treat, which she is in a way, because beautiful Mrs Bream, with her perfect, bell-like pageboy and trendy dresses, is one of the most-loved teachers in the school. I feel stung, and even more so when Mrs Bream says, in the gentlest way possible, ‘You know, Gemma, it’s really best not to tell tales, lovey.’
    Pauline’s smile is triumphant as she takes her place next to Mrs Bream. And maybe because of this small victory, or because of the bond of the film she’s ended for me, I let her play with me when we’re released into the playground. Christina objects, but I ignore her, and Pauline and I play the skeleton lady together until the bell rings.

 
    35. EXT. SCRUBLAND. DAY.
A car pulls up at the edge of the track. COLIN is startled and backs away from JUNE as a middle-aged WOMAN, dowdy and suspicious, rolls down the window. Her HUSBAND is at the wheel, picnic rug and basket visible on the back seat.
     
WOMAN
[to JUNE] Everything all right, love?
    JUNE
I’m fine. Aren’t I, Dad?
COLIN registers surprise at her invention. The WOMAN sees it.
    JUNE
Me dad and me had come for a picnic but he was telling me off because I forgot to bring the sandwiches.
    WOMAN
Can we give you a lift?
    COLIN
You’re all right.
The car drives off. JUNE shoots COLIN a look.
     
    Filming in cars was always a pain in the bee-oh-tee-tee you know what. Given the schedule, Vera couldn’t see why they didn’t alter the scene so that she and Douglas Alton, who was playing her