Читать книгу The Country of Our Dreams - Mary O'Connell - Страница 14

That terrifying roll of the old car – the stuff of nightmares for years afterwards. The banging and trashing of small limbs, a riot of flesh and joints and bruising close collisions, until finally the car threw itself into what turned out to be a low ditch. There it jammed, askew but, blessedly, right side up.

The boys heard their father pushing and shoving against his door. The inside light came on as hot night air poured into the car. Relief was everywhere. Lolly must have taken the worst of the hit. There was blood coming from his scalp, blood splattered on his side of the car door. Vianney lay on him heavily, helplessly and Xavier too was in the way. The front door closed again and the light went out. The boys waited for their father to open their door and yank them out.

A good few minutes must have passed before they understood that they would have to get themselves out. Although perhaps Sean was lurking outside, ready to punish any signs of resistance.

Vianney decided to risk it. Lolly’s side of the car was a dark bank of earth. Even though Xavier’s door might be able to open, the little fella was crying, hopeless. Vianney pushed himself off his brothers, apologising and swearing as his hands and knees dug into them, until he had rolled himself over the back seat into the front. The car roof was buckled low above them, but he just squeezed through. Then he was on his stomach facing the driver’s door. He struggled and squirmed to sit up, reached for the handle and pushed. The door opened. No–one outside was blocking it. He pushed it further open and scrambled out.

There was no sign of his father. There was no sign of anything. They had rolled so far from the rough track, he could no longer see any road. Beyond the light of the car interior, it was very dark in the waiting bush. And silent. As if the car crashing had silenced all the creatures, shocked the trees even, and everything in the world was holding its breath. Except for Xavier. He was still crying steadily.

‘Come on,’ Vianney pulled and tugged at the back door, until it opened slightly – it had been buckled and pranged in the rolling. He needed someone to push from inside. But Xavier was frozen into his position, weeping and whimpering. Vianney reached his hand in and tugged at Xavier’s curled up legs, ‘come on, little pip squeak!’ He had hoped the insult would fire him up, but Xavier cried harder.

‘Wait Vianney!’ Lolly instructed. Lolly was now wriggling over into the front seat, pulling and pushing himself to get out. He was much bigger than Vianney – it was a tight fit. Eventually he heaved himself out onto the road. The car light shone on the side of his bloodied face.

‘Yuck’ Vianney pulled a face. But Lolly just rubbed his hand over his eyes, moving hair and blood out of his way. ‘You’re not so good looking yourself,’ he said. Vianney touched his own face. His left hand felt something raw and wet, and came away with blood. Shit. Amazing. He hadn’t felt a thing.

Lolly stood beside Vianney in the dark hot night. Together they yanked and pulled the back door open as far as they could. They regarded their youngest sobbing brother, now firmly locked into foetal position.

‘Come on Xavier,’ Vianney urged, ‘you’re not even hurt. Lolly and I cushioned your fall. Look, Lolly and I are bleeding.’ He hoped the information might entertain or divert, but Xavier just wailed more.

‘Ssshh, Vianney.’ Lolly pushed him gently away. ‘Stop it. He’s only four.’

The two older boys half lugged Xavier out into the night. Once he was standing, his wails lessened. In the dark of the bush, Lolly’s blood was less visible, a damp current in his black hair. He patted Xavier on the back, and waited for a while. ‘Okay mate?’ Xavier nodded. He still couldn’t speak for the sobs, but he was trying to master himself.

Lolly looked around him with alert confidence. ‘Hold hands’ he instructed, putting Xavier in between him and Vianney. ‘This way,’ Lolly said with conviction as if he could see. As if he had firm knowledge of their direction, and the place they had found themselves in.

There was a powerful relief in being bossed around by Lolly. Vianney had thought it might all have to be up to him.