Читать книгу The Dead Fathers Club - Matt Haig - Страница 10

The Terrors

Dads Ghost came back later on when everyone had left the Pub and I was in my bedroom.

Dads Ghost flickered on and at first he looked like he was in too much pain to speak but then he said Philip dont be scared of me.

I said Im not.

He said I have to tell you someth

He flickered out and then came back.

He said It wasnt an accident.

I said What?

He said It wasnt an accident son.

I said What do you mean?

He said Look out of the window.

I said What?

He said Look out of the window.

I got up out of the bed and I got inside the curtain and I looked out at the car park and the street light showed it was empty except for the Ka car.

He said Can you see them?

I said Who?

He said There by the Bottle Banks.

I looked at the three Bottle Banks that the Council made Dad put at the back of the car park.

I looked on the left side and there was a shopping trolley with a plastic bag trapped in one of the wheels and it was flapping in the wind like it wanted to escape.

He said To the right of them.

I looked on the other side of the Bottle Banks and I couldnt see anything just the wall with the concrete posts and the slab that was missing.

He said Theyre all there cant you see them?

I said Who?

He said The Club.

I said What Club?

He said The Dead Fathers Club.

I made my eyes hurt trying to see but it still looked like there was no one there.

I came out of the curtain and said Whats the Dead Fathers Club?

I asked the question too loud because I heard Mum roll over in the next room because she still wasnt sleeping and she said Philip?

I said Yes?

She said What are you doing?

I looked at Dads Ghost and he had his finger on his lips and he was shaking his head.

Dads Ghost said Mum cant know any of this.

I said nothing.

Mum said Try and get some sleep.

I said Yes.

And then Mum said Night.

And I said Night.

And I didnt say anything else I just listened to Dads Ghost tell me about the Dead Fathers Club.

The Dead Fathers Club are ghosts of Dads in Newark who meet near the Pub because most of them went there because it is the oldest Pub in town.

They dont meet inside because ghosts flicker out more easily inside than outside and it makes no difference when you are a ghost because you dont feel the cold and your legs dont get tired from standing up.

I said in a whisper so Mum couldnt hear Are there any Romans in the Dead Fathers Club?

Dads Ghost said Romans?

I nodded my head and said Roman soldiers?

He said No but theres a Victorian.

I said Oh.

Victorians werent as good as Romans but Dads Ghost looked sad that I wasnt interested in the Victorian so I said Whats his name?

Dads Ghost said No one knows his name so they just call him the Victorian.

I said Why dont they ask his name?

Dads Ghost said He doesnt speak.

I got into bed and I said Did someone chop out his tongue?

He said No they didnt.

Dads Ghost didnt say anything for a bit he just stood there and I just watched him and I saw my fish tank inside his stomach.

Then Dads Ghost said The Terrors got to him.

I said The Terrors?

Dads Ghost said They get to every ghost in the end.

I pulled up my duvet and said What are the Terrors?

He then said what the Terrors were and when he told me I felt my blood go cold inside my body and after he told me Dads Ghost flickered out a bit and I saw his face screaming in the flicker but I couldnt hear the scream.

Then he said Most ghosts suffer on their own but its easier if you can talk to others.

I said Is that why theres the Club?

And I think he said Yes but I dont know because he flickered out and went into the Terrors and I said Dad? Dad? Dad? but he didnt come back.

Mum said Philip?

I didnt say anything I just went under the duvet but I couldnt get to sleep.