Beyond Evil Read Online Free PDF Page A

he slept alone. The farmhouse owner slept in a room downstairs. John didn’t like to think of that, because he was neglected, too infirm to look after himself.
    There was a noise behind him. He turned round. Gemma was sitting up, smiling. He went as if to cover himself, but she laughed.
    ‘Too late to be embarrassed now,’ she said, her voice light and soft. ‘Nothing is wrong that is beautiful, you know that. Henry said that.’
    ‘I know that, but, well,’ and he shrugged.
    She reached over to the side of the bed and rummaged in a bag. She pulled out a spliff and lit the paper twist at its tip. That warm, cloying smell of cannabis drifted towards him. She took a hard pull and held it in, before letting it out with a cough and a smile. The first one of the day was always the worst. She leaned forward to offer it to him. ‘You’re free, babe. Leave your hang-ups behind.’
    He was reluctant, but she thrust it again and said, ‘Come on, it’s okay.’
    John went to her to take it from her and rolled it between his fingers, watching as the glowing tip turned soot-grey. He took a small drag and then hacked out a cough when he took in the smoke.
    She laughed. ‘I thought you were getting used to it,’ she said, and then flopped back onto the bed.
    ‘How old are you?’ John asked, his eyes watering from his coughs.
    Gemma wagged a finger. ‘I’ve told you before, details spoil a good time.’
    ‘It’s important though.’
    ‘But why?’
    ‘Because of what we did last night.’
    ‘You’ve so much to learn,’ she said, shaking her head, smiling. ‘You’re not bound by the old rules anymore. Freedom. Remember that word, John. It’s the whole point of us. Don’t you listen to Henry? The law is just what society says we cannot do, but we are not part of that society anymore. We are our own selves, free people, living human beings.’ She turned over and propped herself on her elbows, her chin in her hands. ‘Didn’t you enjoy it?’
    John looked at the naked stretch of her body. Her smooth back, her pert backside, and his mind went back to the night before. ‘Yes, I enjoyed it,’ he said, and a flush crept up his cheeks.
    She giggled. ‘I can tell,’ she said, looking at his groin.
    He took another drag on the spliff and then bent down to pass it back to her. She smiled as she took it, her features lost in a pall of sweet smoke, and there it was again, that disquiet that there was something too childlike about her.
    As Gemma took a hard pull, John asked, ‘Where did Henry go last night?’
    There was a pause as she held the smoke in her lungs. She smiled as she let it out again, and then said, ‘Why?’
    ‘Henry went out again, and he goes out a lot. I’m confused, that’s all. He wants me to give everything up for him, for the group, but does he give everything up for me?’
    Gemma sat up, her face more serious now. ‘You know things are happening. He has to arrange things, and so he has to meet people.’
    ‘But he could phone, or email or something.’
    ‘Haven’t you noticed yet, that we have nothing like that? They can trace where you are and intercept what you are saying. He told you that. Didn’t you understand?’
    ‘Of course I did. I just thought there must be a better way to organise things.’
    Gemma frowned. ‘You ask a lot of questions.’
    John paused before he answered. ‘Just curious, that’s all.’
    Gemma looked at him, her head cocked, serious for a moment, and then she asked, ‘So how old are you? Thirty?’
    ‘Twenty-five,’ he said. ‘I’ve got an old face, that’s all.’
    ‘I like your face,’ she said, her voice softer. ‘Come here.’
    He shook his head. ‘I don’t think we should. I can hear people moving around.’
    ‘Henry told me to make you happy,’ she said, and then she giggled, her hand over her mouth. ‘I can see that you are happy.’ Gemma parted her legs. Her hips were bony and thin.
    John closed his eyes for a moment and tried not to