George was sleeping and having a nice dream. In his dream Timmy was there, they were together playing in the sun. They were running and playing in the fields and in the trees, George was laughing and Timmy was barking with delight. Then Timmy was missing, George couldn't find him, but he could hear him barking. He ran around looking for him, calling out for him. At first, his barking was loud but it started to fade away, and become distant. George woke up. He could hear barking somewhere in the distance, it was so faint but it was there and it sounded like Timmy. Was it really Timmy? Was he somewhere near?
''Father are you awake?''George said quietly, giving Quentin a gentle shake. He groaned, half awake half asleep
''Sorry did I wake you?''
''No not really, I tried to sleep but I can't. not properly''
''I slept for a while and had a dream about Timmy when I woke up I thought I could hear him barking, it was very faint but I thought it was there. Did you hear anything?''
''No, but I wasn't listening''
''Maybe I imagined it. I miss Timmy so much and wish I was with him now''
A short while later Roland came to the room with food and bottles of water. ''Joanna will be back later'' he told them ''I gave her a day off so that I could bring Fanny and Anne here to see the place. The less time I spend down here with you two the better as far as I'm concerned''
''Fanny and Anne were here?'' Quentin said surprised
''Yeah and unfortunately those two annoying boys who I can't stand. I can just about tolerate Julian but Dick needs a damn good beating for his appalling attitude. I will have those two in boarding school and out of my hair soon anyway. Oh and that wretched dog Timmy was here too making a nuisance of itself, barking and being annoying and almost giving away the secret passage''
George couldn't hide his joy, so Timmy had been there, it wasn't in his imagination after all. ''Timmy was here, so he came home then?''
''Apparently, the bloody thing found its way home yes'' Roland was furious
''Why were they here?'' Quentin asked
''Because I wanted to show them where they will be living eventually, Fanny and Anne anyway. Oh and Fanny proposed today. I must say it was a lovely surprise, I never thought she would be the one to do it, but I was going to do it myself soon. I am so happy that she proposed first it means the world to me, it shows me how she has forgotten about you know Quentin, she is focused on me and devoted entirely to me now, you mean nothing to her now''
Quentin looked crushed and George did his best to comfort him ''Shut up and stop tormenting my dad'' George demanded
''Stop tormenting him? Are you kidding, I enjoy it. I like tormenting you both. After we're married I will torment you one last time with the wedding photos and video, then I will get rid of you both for once and for all along with Joanna. Fanny and Anne will move here, Julian and Dick will be in boarding school and Fanny will give me a couple more daughters. I have it all planned as you can see''
Roland gave them both one last smug smirk ''The only thing I have left to do is decide which method of execution to use on you. Oh well goodnight now, I have better places to be than down here with you two losers''
Roland left them alone in the dark. ''God I hate that man so much'' George said, at last, his face burning up with rage
''Let's try to eat something'' Quentin said looking at the food
''I'm not really very hungry''
''Nor am I but we have to try to eat, keep our strength up''
''What's the point? He is going to kill us anyway''
''At least you know Timmy came back now, he is alive. That's some good news at last''
''Yeah but I don't trust Roland not to get rid of him again and this time I'm not there to protest he could do whatever he wanted''
They both started to eat some of the food. It was nothing special, ham and liver sausage sandwiches, ginger beer, and some fruit
''I can't believe your mother wants to marry him this soon'' Quentin said bitterly
''Nothing surprises me anymore dad. These last weeks have really got to me, I've had all the shocks I can have nothing left to upset me now ''
Quentin sighed and took a hold of George's hand ''Listen Georgina.....George, I'm sorry I meant to call you George but old habits and all that...I need to tell you something important''
''Go on''
''Well two things really, the first is that I am very proud of you. I realize how strong and how brave you are. You were the only one who never liked Roland and none of us listened to you. I know Dick did eventually but, at the start, you were on your own. I am proud of you for having the courage to stick with how you felt and for never giving up on me''
''Just a shame I messed it up so badly that's all. Now instead of helping you, I'm trapped here with you, and Liam's dead''
''Don't blame yourself, George, I don't blame you''
''What was the second thing?''
''Well, I wanted to tell you that if we ever get out of this mess alive, and I have to cling on to believing there is a chance, then if you really truly want to be a boy and grow up into a man then I will support you all the way and I will always love you and be there for you. You see George when you first told us about this I handled it very badly I know I did, that's because I didn't know how to handle it, I didn't know how to deal with it or how to accept it. Since I've been locked in here all I can think is that I love all of my children no matter what. You will always be my daughter..or my son...and I will always love you. Who am I to judge how you should live or who you should be? It doesn't matter as long as you're happy''
George had tears in his eyes ''Thank you, Dad, I never thought I'd hear you say that it means the world to me''
''All I ask is that you are totally sure about it before you do it, I know you are convinced right now but it could change in a few years, don't rush it, give it a few years, and then if you still feel you want to do it you can and no harm is done by waiting''
''I know I will never change my mind but I am willing to wait for a few years before I have the change, I will still be a boy anyway, a lot of people see me as one now. I can live like that for a while before I finally do it, I don't mind. And if I do change my mind then you will have given me the right advice, but I don't think I will. I should have many years ahead as a strong happy man if I get out of here''
Quentin was angry and tearful ''I wish more than anything else that you weren't down here with me. If it was just me on my own facing this I could accept it but to think of my child facing it with me, that's what I can't accept''
''Father I am glad to be here with you, I wouldn't have wanted you to face this alone''
''But you are still so young and I've had more time to live, it's not so bad for me. But you're too young and that poor boy Liam. Roland must have a lot of darkness in his heart to do this. I wish I could talk to him and try and get through to him but he's beyond reach now, he's gone too far into the darkness''
''Dad, it's ok I told you I'm glad I'm here with you so that you aren't here alone. Let's just be glad that mum and Anne and Julian and Dick are not here. I love you very much''
''I love you too''
They hugged quietly in the darkness.
أنت تقرأ
1. GEORGE HAS A PERFECTLY WRETCHED TIME
قصص عامةA darker, more modern version of Enid Blyton's second famous five novel ''Five go adventuring again'' 14-year-old schoolgirl George is struggling with her desire to be a boy and battles with her parents and siblings. A childhood friend of her parent...
