Authors: A. L. Barker
John Brown's Body (21 page)
She yawned, beginning to be drowsy, safe in the wardrobe. Wardrobes were safe, especially this one. Jack said that the name meant “ward” – to keep. This one still kept its old clothes smell. She had sprinkled Tomelty’s after-shave lotion about but the old clothes won, their smell was in her nostrils now.
She used to wonder so much what John Brown Shilling could do and had set herself to find out. Well, now she knew and it didn’t matter whether he was waiting out there or not because all he could do was the old monkey thing they all did. There was nothing to be afraid of.
Was this achieving ambition, this flat skint feeling?
Around her the wood ticked, protesting. Her fingers touched the walls and the scabby mirror. The wardrobe door had clicked in the lock and could not be opened by her. Of course not, what provision need there be for opening a cupboard from inside?
She had only the air she stood up in, black air that hung in stiff folds and was balled up into the toes of shoes. When it was all breathed she would suffocate, unless someone came, which no-one could because she had the only key to the flat.
She hammered with her fists, already the air was cloying in her throat. She dropped to her knees, pumping the screams out, bringing on the ecstasy of fear.
“I don’t want to die!”
It really did send her out of herself, she was like a firework rushing away in a shower of sparks.
This ebook edition first published in 2014
by Faber & Faber Ltd
Bloomsbury House
74–77 Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DA
All rights reserved
© A. L. Barker, 1965
Preface © Kate Jones, 2014
The right of A. L. Barker to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with Section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly
ISBN 978–0–571–30568–1
