Читать книгу The Dead Fathers Club - Matt Haig - Страница 23

The Men Who Smashed the Pub

The noise came into my dream.

In my dream I was playing Football on a hill and I was playing against the whole Football team and I was really good like when I was in Primary School but the pitch was becoming steeper like a hill and every time I kicked the ball it went back into my goal or for a corner and I was losing 20 nil. Dad was referee and I tried to tell him about the pitch being a hill getting steeper but he said Bad footballers blame the pitch Philip. Bad footballers blame the pitch.

And then I heard the school bell in my dream but it wasnt really a school bell and the pitch went very steep like a trap door opening and I fell and landed in bed.

It was still dark and my alarm clock said 04:27 and I heard the noise again. It was downstairs. It was a smash and tinkle noise like someone breaking glass.

I got up and out of bed and out of my room in the dark.

I went downstairs on the bit of the stairs closest to the wall because it doesnt squeak and I walked down and there was another smash noise but it wasnt a window. I waited on the stairs and I didnt know what to do and I saw Dads Ghost for the first time since Hadrians Wall and Dads Ghost said Stop them.

I said How?

He said Scream.

I said I dont want to.

He said Scream.

I said I dont want to.

He said SCREAM.

I said I DONT WANT TO!!!!!!

And the men smashing up the Pub must have heard me because they said something and I saw one of them through the wobbly glass in the door and he was wearing all black even on his face which is called a

balaclava

and then they ran out of the Pub and my body couldnt move not even my fingers and the next thing Mum was behind me at the top of the stairs with her sleepy hair and her hand on the front of her neck and a scared face.

She ran down the stairs past me and past Dads Ghost without noticing him or me and I didnt hear anything for a second and then her voice through the door said Bastards the bastards the fucking bastards.

And then my Dads Ghost went to be with her and I went too and that is when I saw the Pub.

The Pub was all smashed all the bottles and the door and the till was open and all the money was gone. Mum was sitting under the till on the floor behind the bar.

Dads Ghost was there and he said Tell her to stand up.

I said Why?

Mum didnt notice me talking to no one.

Dads Ghost said Shes going to cut herself on the glass.

I said Mum stand up. Youre going to cut yourself on the glass.

She looked at me as if she hadnt known I was there and then she stood up and she was shaking.

Dads Ghost said Tell her to phone the police.

I said Shall I phone the police?

Mum said No. No. Ill do it.

And she walked between the smashed glass with her bare feet and when she was on the phone Dads Ghost said They must have changed their minds.

I said What?

And he said They must have put it back a month. But it was definitely them Philip.

I said Yes and I said to myself I was going to believe in Dads Ghost from now on.