Part Five Chapter VII

XII halfway d declare his packet of Rolos, Robbie became extremely thirsty. Krystal had non bought him a drink. He climbed off the remove and crouched down in the warm grass, where he could still see her outline in the bushes with the stranger. After a while, he locomote down the bank towards them.M thirsty, he whined.Robbie, get out of it screamed Krystal. Go an stick on the judiciaryWanna drinkFuckin go an wai by the bench, an Ill gerra drink in a minute Go way, RobbieCrying, he climbed tail end up the slippery bank to the bench. He was accustomed to non being inclined what he cherished, and disobedient by habit, because grown-ups were lordly in their wrath and their rules, so he had learned to seize his tiny plea legitimates wherever and whenever he could.Angry at Krystal, he wandered a footling way from the bench a languish the road. A man in sunglasses was walking a commodious the paving material towards him.(Gavin had forgotten where he had parked the car. He had m arched out of bloody shames and walked straight down church building Row, solely realizing that he was heading in the wrong direction when he pull level with Miles and Samanthas preindication. Not extremitying(p) to auf wiedersehen the Fairbrothers again, he had reducen a indirect route tail end up to the bridge.He power precept the boy, chocolate-stained, ill-kempt and unappealing, and walked past, with his happiness in tatters, half need that he could have g one to Kays house and been silently cradled she had always been nicest to him when he was miserable, it was what had attracted him to her in the starting line place.)The rushing of the river increased Robbies thirst. He cried a bit more as he changed direction and headed away from the bridge, foul past the place where Krystal was hidden. The bushes had started shaking. He walked on, wanting a drink, then noticed a muckle in a long hedge on the left of the road. When he drew level, he spotted a playing surface area beyond.Robbie wriggled through the pickle and contemplated the wide green space with its dissemination chestnut tree and goal posts. Robbie knew what they were, because his full cousin Dane had showed him how to kick a football at the play park. He had never seen so much greenness.A muliebrity came striding crossways the field, with her arms folded and her head bowed.(Samantha had been walking at random, walking and walking, anywhere as long as it was nowhere near church Row. She had been asking herself many questions and coming up with few answers and one of the questions she asked herself was whether she might not have gone too cold in telling Miles about that stupid, inebriated letter, which she had sent out of spite, and which seemed much less(prenominal) clever now She glanced up and her look met Robbies. Children often wriggled through the hole in the hedge to play in the field at weekends. Her own girls had done it when they were younger.She climbed oer the ga te and turned away from the river towards the Square. self-hatred clung to her, no matter how hard she try to outrun it.)Robbie went back through the hole in the hedge and walked a little way along the road later onward the striding lady, that she was soon out of sight. The half-packet of remain Rolos were melting in his hand, and he did not want to put them down, only if he was so thirsty. Maybe Krystal had finished. He wandered back in the adversary direction.When he reached the first patch of bushes on the bank, he saw that they were not moving, so he purpose it was all right to approach.Krystal, he express. moreover the bushes were empty. Krystal was gone.Robbie started to wail and shout for Krystal. He clambered back up the bank and looked wildly up and down the road, nevertheless there was no sign of her.Krystal he yelled.A woman with short silver hair glanced at him, frowning, as she trotted briskly along the diametral pavement.Shirley had left Lexie at the Copper Kettle, where she seemed happy, but a short way across the Square she had caught a glimpse of Samantha, who was the actually last person she wanted to meet, so she had taken off in the opposite direction.The boys wails and squawks echoed behind her as she hurried along. Shirleys clenched fist was clutched tightly around the EpiPen in her pocket. She would not be a dirty joke. She wanted to be pure and pitied, like Mary Fairbrother. Her rage was so enormous, so dangerous, that she could not think coherently she wanted to act, to punish, to finish. only when forwards the old stone bridge, a patch of bushes shivered to Shirleys left. She glanced down and caught a filthy glimpse of something sordid and vile, and it drove her on. eccentric Five Chapter VIIVIIFuckin shurrup, Robbie ShurrupKrystal had dragged Robbie to a bus stop several streets away, so that neither Obbo nor Terri could find them. She was not sure she had enough money for the fare, but she was find to get to Pagford. Nana Cath was gone, Mr Fairbrother was gone, but Fats Wall was there, and she necessary to make a baby.Why wuz e in the room with yeh? Krystal shouted at Robbie, who grizzled and did not answer. in that location was only a tiny amount of barrage fire power left on Terris wandering(a) phone. Krystal called Fats number, but it went to percentagemail.In Church Row, Fats was fill eating toast and listening to his parents having one of their familiar, bizarre conversations in the study across the hall. It was a welcome distraction from his own thoughts. The supple in his pocket vibrated but he did not answer it. There was nobody he wanted to confabulation to. It would not be Andrew. Not after last darkness.Colin, you know what youre speculate to do, his render was saying. She sounded exhausted. Please, Colin We had dinner with them on Saturday night. The night before he died. I cooked. What if Colin, you didnt put anything in the food for Gods sake, now Im doing it Im not speculate to do this, Colin, you know Im not supposed to get into it. This is your OCD talking.But I mightve, Tess, I suddenly thought, what if I put something so why are we alive, you, me and Mary? They did a post-mortem, ColinNobody told us the details. Mary never told us. I think thats why she doesnt want to talk to me any more. She suspects.Colin, for Christs sake Tessas voice became an urgent whisper, too quiet to hear. Fats mobile vibrated again. He pulled it out of his pocket. Krystals number. He answered.Hiya, said Krystal, over what sounded like a fool shouting. Dyou wanna meet up?Dunno, yawned Fats. He had been intending to go to bed.Im comin into Pagford on the bus. We could hook up.Last night he had pressed Gaia Bawden into the railings alfresco the town hall, until she had pulled away from him and thrown up. thusly she had started to berate him again, so he had left her there and walked home.I dunno, he said. He felt so tired, so miserable.Go on, she said.From the study, he heard Colin. You say that, but would it show up? What if I Colin, we shouldnt be going into this youre not supposed to take these ideas seriously.How can you say that to me? How can I not take it seriously? If Im responsible for(p) Yeah, all right, said Fats to Krystal. Ill meet you in twenty, front of the pub in the Square.