Goylegate - One Gargantuan Scandal! 3

CHAPTER 3
Learning to lie and not to cry.

Davina was lead by a tall gangly girl with matted, curly, brown hair to a room that seemed to go on forever. The room had numerous beds all dressed in grey blankets. ‘That will be yours,’ said the girl pointing to a bed ten beds away. ‘There is a fresh school uniform there. Ms Kirk said you had to wear it so you would fit in. She says that your own clothes can only be worn once you leave.’
‘Thanks,’ said Davina, studying the brown and yellow uniform. It was horrendous!
‘Look I’m Rose. I’ve been in care for three years. I was sent ‘ere when it opened. Now I’m in charge of bed allocation.’
Davina nodded, ‘I’m Davina. Erm, can I ask you a question?’
‘If you must.’
‘Why are you here?’
‘I burnt me parent’s ’ouse down.’
Davina frowned and stepped back. ‘What made you do that?’
‘’Spose it seemed sensible at the time. Me parents wouldn’t give me what I wanted, so I fought I’d burn their ‘ouse down. Kind of a tantrum like.’
Davina sighed, ‘then what happened?’
‘Well they kicked me out and ‘ere I am.’
‘Don’t you miss them?’
‘Kind of. Davina in it? Let me give ya a tip ‘bout being ‘ere. Don’t get all e-motional like ‘cause the other kids‘ll pick on you. These kids are bad, nasty and I ‘ate ‘em all. You’re going to ‘ave to learn to survive quick like. You make up a story far more awful than any kid can fink of and then they’ll leave you alone. That’s the only way you’ll get through being ‘ere.’
Davina nodded, she didn’t like lying, but if it was going to help her to survive she was going to do what she had to. Davina scratched her cheek, ‘erm Rose what is this place?’
‘Some of us reckon it’s some kind of experiment. I reckon they fink kids ‘ave all got out of hand and they want to discipline ‘em before they let ‘em back on the streets or into normal ‘omes.
Davina frowned, it didn’t make sense. ‘Discipline?’
Rose rolled her eyes. ‘God you’re so bloody naive! They can whack you if they want. You do know Ms Kirk has a cane. God and I bet you ain’t been told about the Head of Corporal Punishment neither ‘ave ya?’
Davina shook her head.
‘Mr Whacker, we call him. You’ll get to meet him soon enough if you’re bad.’
‘What they actually hit you?’
‘Yes Davina they hit ya.’
‘But that’s Barbaric!’
‘Mate far worse things go on here. Stay ‘ere long enough and you’ll see.’
Davina didn’t like it- a school that beat its pupils?
Davina noticed Rose staring at her, she had questions.
‘Okay. So Davina why are you even ‘ere?’ asked Rose.
‘I got picked up by the police because I was eating out of a bin and sleeping in some public toilets.’
‘That isn’t even in the remotest bit scary.’
‘It’s the truth.’
‘Truth’s not welcome ‘ere. You need to make up somef’ing real bad. I’ll try ya again and ya ‘ave come up with somef’ing sick like. You know so I don’t want to go near ya. So why are ya ‘ere?’
‘I ate my parents.’
‘Oh my God! That’s more like it... ’
Davina rolled her eyes.
‘What did they taste like?’
‘Chicken.’
‘Wicked! You’re good at this. So why’d ya really eat them?’
‘Because they ran my hamster over.’
‘What?’ laughed Rose. ‘So what’s the real reason?’
‘I didn’t eat my parents. I don’t even remember if I have parents or anything at all. I don’t even know how old I am, or which country I am in, or even if this is my own country.’
Rose sighed and sat down on the bed. ‘I don’t know wev’er you’re good liar or wev’er you’re a bit screwed up like.’
Davina shook her head, ‘imagine not remembering and not knowing where you are. All you know is that you have something to finish, but you don’t know what it is. Now tell me honestly wouldn’t you feel a bit weird about it all?’
‘Okay, that’s pretty ‘arsh. I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes.’
Davina shrugged, ‘look I have a cut by my ear. I think I must have fallen or something.’
Rose studied the cut; the blood wasn’t the usual colour: it was a dark blue.
Davina sensed something was wrong. Rose was staring at her again. ‘I’ll give ya some advice right for you. When the potential parents come- suck your thumb and do ya best ta look sweet. You don’t belong ‘ere, that’s somef’ing obvious. Hang out wiv me, and when the new parents come we’ll watch ‘em to decide who suits ya. Then when we line-up you’ll do ya best to get chosen. That’s definitely the best ‘fing for ya to do.’
‘Do the others pretend to be good too?’
‘Don’t think so! You don’t get it do ya? The others ‘ere don’t want to go to nice homes and learn to be nice little darlings. They’re just not like that. You’re a cosy kid, I can tell and I can tell ya won’t survive a month ‘ere otherwise.’
Davina chewed her lip, Rose seemed wise. ‘Is there anything else I should know?’Asked Davina.
Rose nodded, ‘how are ya at animal noises?’
Davina frowned. ‘I don’t get it?’
Rose sighed, ‘look there are some real nasty pieces of work ‘ere. When you’re in trouble make an animal noise at them.’
Was Rose winding her up? Davina did her best to remember the animals she knew of. She liked pumas, so she gazed at Rose and made a low rumbling tone which developed into a roar. ‘Like that?’
Rose sat back and stared incredulously at her. ‘What on earth?’
Davina shrugged, ‘I guess I like pumas or something.’
Rose crossed her arms and shifted away. Davina sensed Rose’s reaction and noticed Rose’s gaze, she was studying her clothes. Davina’s looked down, although mucky, they didn’t look as though they were made of normal materials.
‘There’s somef’ing real strange about you Davina and I don’t know what it is. I’ll keep an eye on ya, but I think ya need to get that memory or yours working so we can find out why you’re ‘ere.’
There was a moments silence while Rose thought. Davina glanced about the room; she liked the large glass windows facing out onto the grounds. The arc at the top of the window and the fact it reached from the floor to the ceiling made it kind of cool. Was the building once a manor house?
‘Oh one more thing, some of the boys here are real nasty. Be careful... Come and look,’ said Rose, signalling for Davina to follow her to the window.
Outside a group of boys were fighting on the lawn.
‘Watch them,’ said Rose.
Davina watched the boys whack each other then run away. Davina wasn’t impressed; instead she took the opportunity to study the grounds. It seemed the Nadim School was set amongst a vast forest. It worked perfectly as a deterrent against escape. What child would risk making their way through a massive forest to freedom? Davina sighed; she had to work on an escape plan.
‘See that one over there... standing on the far side not moving?’ said Rose pointing to a lone boy. ‘Keep an eye on him ‘cause there’s somef’ing real weird about him too. He doesn’t talk, he doesn’t fight and no-one knows ‘is story. All we know about him is he’s dangerous.’
Rose grinned, ‘look they‘re going to ‘ave a go at him.’ The nasty boys stopped fighting each other and ran in the pale boy’s direction.
Rose had an air of excitement, ‘Davina come closer and watch what ‘appens.’
Davina peered out of the window; one of the boys walked towards the silent boy and went to slap him. Before impact the silent boy twisted and moved in such a way that was so graceful and fast that the attacker had no idea how to react. Davina watched the silent boy take the other boy to the ground, remove his jacket, tie him up and return to where he was sitting staring at the building.
Rose glanced at Davina. ‘We ain’t got no idea what’s going on with him neever. He keeps to himself, no-one has ‘eard him talk. You wait ‘til you see his eyes, they’re different colours and one is almost white. You keep an eye on him. Some of the boys call him Ghost ‘cause he keeps appearing from nowhere and when he sleeps he sleeps with his eyes open and hums.’
Davina was intrigued. ‘What did he do to get here?’
‘Nobody knows. One day he was just dumped on the steps with a note saying ‘DANGEROUS!’’
Davina shook her head, it was all too much. The home was weird, the people were weird and she wanted out.