Goylegate - One Gargantuan Scandal 2

CHAPTER 2
Brain drain what a shame.

Davina listened to the two adults talking in hushed voices. They assumed she couldn’t hear. They were wrong. Adults always did that, or spelled out words when they didn’t want a child to understand. Davina sighed, leant against the wall and listened. Her future was in their hands.
Sergeant Riley, wearing his black police uniform, noisily sipped from a cup of tea while Ms Kirk flitted about in her long, black dress. ‘So what you’re telling me is that little girl out ran ten policemen and a helicopter? That kind of behaviour suggests she’s guilty of something.’
Sergeant Riley nodded blankly and gazed at the television: it played a news feature which was far more interesting. The standard wind-swept presenter talked about a church with ten extra Gargoyles. What made it particularly strange was it happened to be the place the small girl had run to.
‘Did you see that?’ Asked Sergeant Riley.
‘What Sergeant?’
‘That there church is where we were today. Where we rounded up the girl. It’s probably nothing- just a coincidence.’
‘What are they saying about it then Sergeant? Is there anything about the girl?’ Asked Ms Kirk sharply.
‘It’s just the weird statues were miscounted by the people in the middle ages. Nothing about the girl... But I wonder why she ran there of all places?’
‘Mmm,’ said Ms Kirk mid-stride. ‘The people in the middle ages probably couldn’t count properly because they had fingers missing or hands chopped off for stealing. Didn’t they all have leprosy at that time? I think the girl running there is a coincidence Sergeant Riley. You only notice it on television because you were there today rounding up a badly behaved child.’
‘We don’t know for sure that she’s done anything wrong.’
Ms Kirk stopped her pacing and turned, ‘so tell me that again sergeant. You chased a girl because she didn’t do anything wrong?’
Sergeant Riley stirred his tea again and huffed, ‘Ms Kirk it was an anonymous tip off. Anyway she doesn’t seem to remember doing anything wrong. In fact she doesn’t remember anything. She seems fascinated by some of the simple things we take for granted.’
‘Like what?’
‘Well she stared at me curiously when she heard the voices down the radio.’
Ms Kirk paced some more, the girl ‘said’ she remembered nothing. ‘Are you completely sure? She remembers nothing at all?’ wondered Ms Kirk leaning closer to Sergeant Riley.
‘Well only her last few days.’
‘Sergeant Riley that is not nothing. That is something! If she can remember a couple of days then she could very well remember more. You know how these children are always pretending... All this make believe twaddle they’re fed and look what happens-they start believing it. It’s no wonder there’s such a need for a naughty children’s home like this. The thing that’s bothering me sergeant is why did she run if she’s not guilty of anything?’ Ms Kirk rubbed her cheek with her bony hands. ‘God whoever invented children? Life would be so much easier without them! Anyway she must know more. Kids don’t forget. They’re like elephants but with smaller brains.’
‘Look I don’t think she’s lying,’ said Sergeant Riley.
‘You can never tell. Some children are so well trained at lies that they don’t even know when they’re lying to themselves. So tell me Sergeant Riley has she been naughty or not? Does she fit the criteria to be brought here?’
‘I don’t know. It’s just she seems quiet and she keeps staring at me with those large, green eyes. Sometimes she does it without blinking too. Then at other times she seems to have so much energy that she practically bounces off the walls.’
Ms Kirk rolled her eyes, she wasn’t surprised. ‘Kids do that. They do it to freak you out. Now listen to me. I will only allow her to stay if you can prove to me that she’s been naughty.’
‘Well I didn’t want to mention this, but I saw her eating out of a dustbin. That was what originally started the chase.’
‘Disgusting!’
‘But sergeant you chased her because she ate from a dustbin. Then why the use of the helicopter?’
Sergeant Riley flushed red. ‘Miss Kirk, well… that anonymous tip off said she was a threat.’
Ms Kirk scratched her chin, ‘hmm, what did they say exactly?’
‘I don’t know exactly but my Gov gave me orders to round up a girl fitting her description. He said she was around twelve or thirteen, highly athletic, caramel skin, green eyes and long straight black hair. His source said she was dangerous and she had to be captured before she…. Well before she got violent.’
‘And?’
‘And, well she ran but was not aggressive.’ The Sergeant stirred his tea again. ‘So Ms Kirk will you keep an eye on her?’
Ms Kirk huffed, she didn’t like it. ‘She can stay but we don’t want her to think it was that easy.’

From behind the wall Davina frowned, did she really want to stay in a place where children were sent because they had been naughty? What was going on? Why have such a home anyway? Who had tipped them off? Was it true what they said about her or was it a mistaken identity? Davina chewed her lip, she had done nothing wrong! Yes she had eaten out of what they called a ‘bin’ to survive. She had no shiny lumps of metal or drawn on paper to exchange, so how else was she supposed to eat? If she hadn’t seen something called a tramp do it, then she certainly wouldn’t have considered doing it herself. Davina waited for the adults to come over and inform her of what was happening. They took ages; for some reason they wanted to discuss her further. It was probably because her very presence was livening up their incredibly mundane lives.
‘Is there anything else I should know about her?’ asked Ms Kirk.
‘Well... When she finally spoke she talked with a strange accent. I don’t think she’s from this country. I think she’s foreign.’
‘I don’t like foreigners Sergeant Riley. They scare me.’
‘Ms Kirk, she’s a child.’
‘How do I know she isn’t a spy? How do I know she hasn’t been sent? You know this school is still in its trial stages. Too much of a coincidence if you ask me. So what is the accent?’
‘I couldn’t tell you.’
‘You see... There’s something awfully suspicious about not being able to identify an accent isn’t there Sergeant?’
Sergeant Riley shook his head, ‘Ms Kirk, my Gov says can you do him a favour and keep the girl here for a short time? ‘Til we find out more? I know you have some spare beds ‘cause you had two girls adopted last week.’
‘They’ll be back before the three month trial is up... Mark my words!’
‘Maybe they’ll change. Maybe they’ll like having a home and a family,’ protested Sergeant Riley.
‘They never change, that’s the problem. Once bad always bad. Rotten children are like rotten apples. Once they turn nasty they stay that way. That’s the truth and you know it. As they say... even the nice ones turn nasty!’
Sergeant Riley sipped his tea and sighed, ‘come on give her a chance. She’s just a kid after all and she needs a bed.’
‘Well where was she sleeping before?’
‘We heard she was sleeping in a cubicle of a public toilet. A disabled one at that.’
‘Well maybe that is where she belongs: in toilets, eating out of bins.’
Sergeant Riley shook his head. ‘Ms Kirk, will you please take her? Have some compassion for goodness-sakes.’
Ms Kirk stamped her right foot emphatically, ‘let me talk to her. She will talk to me! Mark my words, she will tell me everything. Then we’ll see where she’s really from.’
Davina heard the clatter of heels as Ms Kirk stormed out of the office. Davina skidded across to the seat where she was supposed to be sitting. A few of the inhabitants of the home peeked through a door opposite, trying to see who was causing all the kafuffle. Davina studied the other children; they looked scruffy and unkempt, just like her.
Davina froze; an intimidating dark, bony shape emerged from the office. The scowling woman not only wore a black dress, but a black dress with a high neck. Ms Kirk looked like a hawk, her face was full of sharp features, scanning her every movement for fault. Yet something about the woman didn’t feel right; her skin seemed grey, actually no, it had more of a blue glow and her eyes were pale. So pale they were like ice. Davina averted her gaze, the presence of the woman made her feel like she was in trouble (even if she hadn’t done anything wrong).
Ms Kirk stomped over to Davina and placed her hands on her hips. ‘Right! What is your name?’
‘Davina - I think.’
‘Davina I think what?’
‘I don’t know. Davina is all I remember.’
‘Okay Davina no name, we are not playing games any more. What’s your last name?’
‘I just told you... I don’t know!’
Ms Kirk leaned forwards and stared into Davina’s eyes. ‘You’d better not be winding us up! You’re not here for fun. This is not a fun day out or a bit of a lark! This is the Nadim Naughty Children’s Home. The children here have all been disowned by their parents. You understand? Their parents do not want them anymore because they’re so bloody awful! How does that make you feel? The children here have been so bad that their parents get rid of them. Now I assume you are bad because your parents got rid of you and obviously don’t want you. Is that true?’
Davina’s lower lip quivered. Was it true? ‘I don’t know miss. I don’t remember.’
‘Of course you don’t remember! You don’t remember anything do you? That’s a good excuse isn’t it! You mean you won’t remember!’
‘No miss I can’t remember.’
‘What is that stupid accent of yours anyway?’
‘I don’t know and it’s not stupid!’
‘Have some respect girl! Now you’re not from round here, you’re not even from this country. Where are you from?’
‘I have no idea.’
‘Of course not. You seem to be sticking to the same story. How long have you been practising this?’
‘I haven’t been practising,’ said Davina.
‘Likely story!’ Ms Kirk sighed, adjusted her dark bun and placed her hands behind her back. ‘Now... I need you to prove your naughtiness.’
‘I don’t understand?’
‘What have you done that is really bad?’
‘Nothing.’
Ms Kirk spun on her heel. ‘Do you think I was born yesterday? All children do bad things; they’re just excellent at hiding it!’
‘I slept in a toilet and ate garbage. Is that bad enough?’
Ms Kirk came to an abrupt halt and turned slowly, ‘what did you say?’
‘I slept in a toilet and ate garbage.’
‘Disgusting! You are foreign. Do you eat garbage in your country? Doesn’t matter... I hate foreign people. So tell me how old little Davina is?
‘I don’t know I...
‘Don’t remember,’ said Ms Kirk mimicking Davina’s voice. ‘Look I’ll let you stay for a short time. Mark my words if any non-foreign people arrive, you’ll be kicked out instantly. Do you hear?’
‘Yes ma’am.’
Sergeant Riley smiled and nodded, Davina had a place to stay. ‘I think you should tell her what’s expected of her Ms Kirk.’
‘I was coming to that Sergeant Riley. Stop getting your ten peneth in where it’s not required! So Davina no name... You will do your chores like everybody else. You are not special- do you understand? Then on Thursdays you will line up like everyone else for the selection process.’
‘Selection process?’
‘That’s where desperate people come along and try to adopt a child. It seems all the good ones are running out and some people are even considering the dregs we have here. Can you imagine? Anyway the potential parents choose who they want from the line-up. And before you ask it’s a new system based on an old system. And don’t think you stand a better chance because you’re cute.’
Davina frowned, ‘so the children here have been disowned to be then offered for adoption. So they aren’t orphans?’
Ms Kirk shook her head in aggravation, ‘haven’t you listened to a single word I said? These children are not wanted because their previous parents couldn’t cope. They are the opposite of adopted they’re disowned. There are always some do-gooders who think they can make the children good. It never works, they always return within three months... That’s usually before the full trial period is up. Once bad, always bad. You can’t teach any child new tricks.’
‘But why do they come here then?’
‘Questions, Questions, Questions! Ask your other inmates, I mean kids, I mean children... I haven’t got time for dull chit chat!’
Davina sighed, where was she? How had she ended up there? Why did the way she spoke sound so very different and why couldn’t she remember?’
Ms Kirk leaned forwards, her sharp nose almost touched Davina’s nose. ‘From now on you are a Nadim child. That means you are here to repent for all the bad you have done.’
‘What if I haven’t done anything bad?’
‘Then you can repent for all the bad others have done!’