The Talisman Read Online Free PDF

like you would be useful. Now go and give the little squirt a hand, wanna get the place cleaned up.’
    Johnny watched Alex leave the room as one of his mates came in. He looked at Alex’s retreating back. ‘What you want those kids hangin’ around for, Johnny?’
    Johnny shrugged and didn’t answer. In fact, he didn’t really know what he could do with them. But there had been something in the big blond boy’s face, his pained eyes. Johnny knew exactly what Alex was feeling; he hadn’t been home since the age of ten himself. Maybe it was the scars of his own rape that had made him reach out and touch Alex. But whatever it was, Johnny had felt an immediate bond between himself and the tall, skinny boy. He laughed, then took out a greasy comb and ran it through his thick black hair. ‘Nice-lookin’ kid, may be useful, an’ we’ve got a lot to do before we get this place workin’. I got the beds comin’ in and all the girls standing by. Get ’em white-washin’ the walls.’
    Evelyne sat in Mrs Harris’ house, worried half to death. Her oldest friend, Mrs Harris, had helped deliver Edward. She was a big, motherly woman, very overweight, and had in many ways been a surrogate mother to Evelyne when she had arrived in London.
    Although many years younger than her friend, Evelyne now seemed just as old and worn out, and her constant fiddling with her handbag strap was getting on Mrs Harris’ nerves. The change in Evelyne could not be missed; but they didn’t discuss it, just as Evelyne’s real feelings, deep down, were not expressed. Sometimes her eyes were so vacant, her expression so distant, that Mrs Harris feared for her sanity, but then she would come round and talk about her problems with Alex. Then she would be the old Evie again, but those dream-like lapses were unnerving, and her constant fiddling drove Mrs Harris spare.
    ‘Did I tell you the police were round again today? Yes, they came again today.’
    Mrs Harris nodded. Evelyne had told her this piece of news three times, and everyone in the street knew the police were looking for Alex since he had run away from the reform school.
    Evelyne lifted the cracked tea cup to her lips, but did not drink. She sat staring into space.
    ‘Oh, God help me, she’s going off again,’ thought Mrs Harris. She coughed. ‘Evie? Evie love, can you hear me?’
    Evelyne turned, surprised, and gave a beautiful smile, just like her old self. ‘What are you shouting for? You’re the one that’s gone deaf, not me.’
    ‘Well, you get so far away sometimes . . . What I was going to say was, it fair surprised me about your Alex. He was always the quiet one, and you said he was getting on so well.’
    ‘It just doesn’t make sense, I know, but then there’s always two sides to a story. Maybe something happened.’
    Mrs Harris nodded. ‘Yes, you’re right. But then, he and Edward was always together, like peas in a pod. They was always side by side.’
    Evelyne’s whole being tensed at the mention of Edward’s name. Her foot began to tap. Suddenly she said, quite loudly, ‘You know, if I had my time over again I’d not have children. If I had my time again I’d be with him. Wherever he wanted me to go I’d go, because when all the learning’s over, when all the education’s done, it can’t warm you when you’re cold, it can’t hold you when you need to be held, and it can’t kiss you awake in the morning.’
    Mrs Harris could not quite follow her, particularly as Evelyne had always gone to such lengths to educate her boys. ‘You sayin’, ducks, that you wish you’d not educated the lads so much? You think that’s where it went wrong?’
    Evelyne laughed. It was strange, because it sounded so alien, even to herself. She shook her head. ‘No, I think what I’m trying to say is – I didn’t know until he’d gone what it was to have such a gentle soul love me. I miss him with every breath I take, I look for him down every street. Sometimes I think I