Darling - K. Ancrum Page 0,7
suddenly there was a bunch of screaming. Not yelling like we had all been doing, but horrible, frightened screaming. Shrill, like you only hear in movies. Then it was quiet.”
Mrs. Darling put her hand in Nana’s cage and smoothed it over the dog’s fur gently for a second before continuing.
“I didn’t look back. I jumped over that fence and ran so hard and fast. I ran past the bus stop and got on the train instead because I didn’t want to wait on the sidewalk. When I got home, I went straight to bed and didn’t talk to anyone until the next day.
“When I went to school, I found out that the rest of my friends had made it home safely, so I started to relax. Then two weeks later, Grandpa was watching the news while I was in the kitchen finishing dinner. There was this story on about a body having been found in the cemetery in an open grave. It said there were bruises shaped like fingers around the neck and that one of the victim’s thigh bones had been broken like someone had kicked it with all their might. When they showed a picture of the deceased, it was one of the boys we’d been with that night. One of the quieter ones, who had held my hand as we skated for a whole song when he’d noticed that I wasn’t as steady on my feet.”
“Did Grandpa know?”
“I refused to talk to him about it, but he could tell that I was getting depressed and was a bit jumpy. I got over it after some time, of course. But when Grandpa got an opportunity to work in the suburbs, he leaped at the chance and moved us all out of the city.”
Wendy tapped her foot on the ground. “Whatever happened to the leader? Do you think maybe whoever killed that boy killed him, too?”
Mrs. Darling shook her head. “I don’t know, Wendy; we didn’t even know them. We’d only met them that night at the roller rink. We never saw any of those boys again.”
“Oh.”
Mrs. Darling sighed. “Our stop is next, so get ready to carry.”
Nana woofed softly and sniffed at the cage door, then settled primly with her giant head on her paws, waiting for Wendy and Mrs. Darling to pick her up.
Wendy watched the back of her mother’s head as they carried Nana down the stairs and out of the train station. She couldn’t imagine her mother being fourteen at all, much less a part of the chaotic story she’d just heard. But it was rare that Mrs. Darling lied to her. The entire concept of her mother being defenseless and running in the night filled her with dread.
As soon as they made it out of the train station, they put Nana’s crate on the ground and opened its little door. Nana shook herself all over and walked delicately out of the kennel. The Saint Bernard looked back at Wendy—who was struggling to pick up the giant kennel in her thin arms—as if to say, You could try being more dignified, and waited patiently for Mrs. Darling to attach her leash.
The walk back to their new house was quiet and tense.
Wendy could tell Mrs. Darling was lost in thought and not quite in the mood to talk anymore, so she trailed unhappily behind her in silence.
When they reached the front door, Mr. Darling threw it open before Mrs. Darling even managed to get her key in the lock. “I see the duchess has come to grace our home with her presence!” He hurled himself to his knees before Nana, who sprung up with delight and lavished his face with slobber. “How have you been, you old girl?”
“I see you’re home early. Well, she was as poised as ever on the train, decadent being carried in her kennel, and lovely as we strolled down the block,” Wendy said, dumping the kennel in the front hallway.
“Of course she was! Of course she was!” Mr. Darling cooed. “Let’s get Nana some lunch.”
“And us some lunch?” Mrs. Darling asked, hanging up Nana’s leash on the hook by the front door.
“There’s pizza on the counter.” Mr. Darling practically carried the ecstatic Nana to the kitchen and poured her a bowl of dog food.
“So you unpacked the dog supplies, but not the pots and pans,” Mrs. Darling said, sitting down at the table and opening up a box.
“Only the best for Nana,” Mr. Darling replied chipperly. “So how was the ride