GOYLEGATE

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Copyright Michelle Dry 2011
This book is shall not be lent, resold or hired out by way of trade or otherwise without the author’s consent. All rights remain with the author: Michelle Dry


Part I
What does a kid really remember?

CHAPTER 1
The fastest pace throughout the chase.

TIME: TODAY
LOCATION: ENGLAND

Davina hated being chased. So why was she in that situation? She glanced behind her. The men dressed in black were catching up. She gritted her teeth, put her head down and ran her absolute fastest. Effortlessly, she wove through the crowds at such speed and agility that she was barely noticed. It was as if a warm breath had been exhaled, then she was gone.
In all directions, the men yelled into small lumps of black.
‘Cut her off!’ screamed the voice in charge.
Davina couldn’t understand how it had grown so out of hand: one minute she was eating from the large, black container on the street. The next she was being chased. What was the problem? She had watched a hairy man with a long jacket do the same. So why were they picking on her? Had they been informed of her arrival?
‘Stop right there!’ a person dressed in black had hollered.
Instinctively she had scarpered. The chase began with one angry-looking man and now there were already ten pursuing her. She had done nothing wrong! Well, certainly nothing she could remember.
Across an expanse of dark grey, screeching sounded from the wheeled, metal cages carrying the men in black. They intended to surround her.
There was no way! She was at that designated place for a reason, but just couldn’t remember why.
Davina rounded a corner and searched for an escape or somewhere to hide. The crowd parted and watched her curiously. She wasn’t panting or making a noise, so why were they staring? Maybe it was because she was running, climbing and jumping at a rate none of them could manage. Or, maybe she was more agile than many children her age. Actually, what was her age? That was a completely different matter.
Ahead of her, two burly black-suits blocked her path. She glanced behind her; four more black-suits closed in. The onlookers expected her capture and stopped in the street gawking. Why couldn’t people mind their own business? What did it matter what she had eaten or where she had obtained it from? Maybe it wasn’t just the food. Had they been monitoring where she had been sleeping too? Had they followed her to the place where people pulled down their trousers and sat for a while before they left again? Maybe another watcher had reported her when they saw her at that same place during the night. All she did was climb through a small, square window when the moon rose. It was completely opposite to her usual routine, but she had to blend in with the masses.
During the hours of darkness, she stayed in that warm environment until the sun climbed back onto the horizon. What was wrong with that?
Sprinting towards the two male black-suits blocking her path Davina grinned mischievously. ‘Idiots!’ she muttered, ran sideways up a wall and used a dustbin to jump clear over them.
Some of the onlookers applauded.
Davina continued running. As she raced along, she glimpsed a reflection in a window. The two male black-suits huffed at each other, puffed out their chests and lolloped back into a heavy-footed run.
Frantically, she searched the area. Where could she hide? Instinctively, she ran towards the church; the same church she had woken up outside of on that first day. She hurdled the wall, sprinted the graveyard but ground to an abrupt halt. Something about the figures leaning out of the church jogged her memory. Were they associated with her mission?
She darted to the nearest wall and used all her upper body strength to navigate the carvings up to a balcony. Urgently, she climbed past all the strangely familiar faces and wedged herself into a tiny alcove on the roof.
When she stepped on one of the stone Gargoyles, she could have sworn she heard a growl of welcome. Was she mad? Davina looked down; behind her, a small pile of steaming stones appeared. They tumbled heavily to the ground. Plop, plop, plop!
Cautiously, she traversed the edge of the church and found a small nook where she could hide. Unfortunately, it was not enough to conceal her from what was overhead. The whirring of blades from a metal flying machine captured made her jolt. Up in the sky, men shouted into the dark talking machines and called in her location. She caught her breath and clung to the ledge. The wind from the machine was strong and blew her hair across her face. Davina scraped it back and erratically scanned the area for escape. She considered fighting the black-coats directly, but that would give her away. She wasn’t supposed to draw attention to herself during the visit. If she slayed the black-coats, then they would know she was something else... Davina sighed, if only she could remember. ‘Whatever you do Davina - do not draw attention to yourself. She will send people to capture you. This is all you are supposed to remember,’ was all that remained.
What had she done? She had already drawn attention to herself and that meant trouble.
Davina gazed up at the whirring, flying machine and glanced below. The black coats beneath circled like starving dogs. She had to take action. Her only possible escape was to leap to a nearby tree then across the adjacent field. Could she make it?
Davina took a deep breath, launched herself and swung to the end of a branch. From there she descended to the ground and scrambled to a nearby field.
In all directions the black coats swarmed, each screaming her location into their communication devices. Davina was surrounded. Whether she liked it or not she was going to have to surrender. If she went without a struggle or a fight, she might manage to get to her destination at the right time. Maybe she should play innocent. She could use the fact she didn’t have proper memory. It would to keep her safe and stop outsiders discovering her mission.
The mass of black-coats herded her towards an armoured van. She stood still. Silent. Davina shook her head and stared at the ground. She had an enormous amount to work out: who was she? Who was the person trying to capture her? Time was running out. She was there for a reason and that reason was greater than any outsider would ever understand. In that moment, she studied the black-coats. Why did she call them outsiders?


CHAPTER 2
Brain drain what a shame.

From the corridor, Davina listened to the two adults talking in hushed voices. They assumed she couldn’t hear. Sergeant Riley, wearing his black, police uniform, noisily sipped from a cup of tea while Ms Kirk flitted about the office 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 with a wind-swept presenter talking about a church with ten extra Gargoyles. Coincidentally, it was the same place they had captured the girl.
‘Did you see that?’ asked Sergeant Riley.
‘What Sergeant?’
‘That there church is where we were today. Where the girl was rounded up.’
‘What are they saying about it then Sergeant? Is there anything about her?’ asked Ms Kirk sharply.
‘Nothing about Davina, just that the statues were miscounted in the middle ages. 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. I think the girl running there is a coincidence Sergeant. 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,’ he replied.
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 and huffed, ‘Ms Kirk it was an anonymous tip-off. Anyway, she doesn’t seem to remember doing anything. What’s more, she seems fascinated by some of the simple things that 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, ‘are you completely sure that she remembers nothing at all?’ she said leaning close 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 is 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 fibbing,’ said Sergeant Riley.
‘You can never tell. Some children are so well trained at lies that they don't even know when they are lying 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. Although, she seems quiet and 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.’
‘Hmm, what exactly did they say?’ she asked, scratching her chin.
‘I don’t know the details but my Gov gave me orders to round up a girl fitting her description. He said she was around twelve or thirteen, highly athletic with caramel skin. Her description stated that she had green eyes and long, black hair. His source said she was dangerous and that we had to catch her before she…. Well, before she got violent.’
‘And?’
‘And… 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.’

Behind the wall, Davina paced. Did she want to stay in a place where they kept naughty children? Who had tipped them off? Had they mixed her up with someone else? As far as she could see it, she had done nothing wrong! Yes, she had eaten out of what they called a ‘bin’ to survive. That was because 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 leant against the wall and waited for the adults to inform her of their plan. They took ages. For some reason they wanted to discuss her further.
‘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.’
‘You know 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? You know this school is still in its trial stages. 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.’ 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 will 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, which scanned every movement for fault. Yet something about the woman did not feel right. Her skin seemed grey, actually no, it had more of a blue glow and her eyes were pale, so pale that 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 is 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 parents have disowned all the children here. Do you understand? The parents do not want these kids anymore because they’re bloody awful! How does that make you feel? Now I assume you are bad because your parents got rid of you. I am correct aren’t I?’
Davina’s lower lip quivered. ‘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 that same story. How long have you been practising this?’
‘I haven’t been practising,’ said Davina.
‘Likely story!’ Ms Kirk sighed, adjusted her dark ponytail 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 own country? Doesn’t matter... 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. But be warned, if anyone else arrives we will kick you out. 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. 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 consider 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, ‘I don’t get it.’
Ms Kirk shook her head in aggravation, ‘haven’t you listened to a single word I said? These unwanted children are here because their previous parents could not cope. There are always do-gooders who believe they can convert them. It never works, they always return within three months... Once bad, always bad. You cannot 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!’
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!’

CHAPTER 3
Learning to lie and not to cry.

A tall, gangly girl with matted, curly, brown hair led Davina to a vast dormitory. 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 on the bed. Ms Kirk 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 have 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,’ she replied matter of factly.
Davina unconsciously shook her head and folded her arms. ‘What made you do that?’
‘’Spose it seemed sensible at the time.’
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. 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. ’
Davina sucked her bottom lip under her teeth, she didn’t like lying. ‘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 want to discipline ‘em before they let ‘em back on the streets or into normal ‘omes.
‘Discipline?’ asked Davina curiously.
Rose rolled her eyes. ‘They can whack you if they want. They ain’t told you about the Head of Corporal Punishment then.’
Davina shook her head.
‘Mr Whacker, we call him. You’ll get to meet him soon enough.’
‘What they actually hit you?’
‘Yes Davina they hit ya,’ she said demonstrating.
‘But that’s Barbaric!’
‘Mate just don’t get in trouble… Otherwise you won’t be able to sit down for days… 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,’ said Rose with a yawn.
‘It’s the truth.’
‘Truth ain’t welcome. You need to make up somef’ing real bad. Somef’ing sick like. You know so I don’t want to go near ya. So why are ya ‘ere?’
‘I ate my parents.’
‘Ha! That’s more like it... ’ said Rose folding her arms.
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.’
Rose sighed and sat on the bed. ‘I don’t know wev’er you’re good liar or wev’er you’re a bit screwed up like.’
Davina studied her nails, ‘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.’
‘Okay, that’s pretty ‘arsh. I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes,’ she replied.
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 by the confused expression on Rose’s face.
‘Let me give ya some advice. 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.’
‘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 nice homes to learn to be nice little darlings. They’re just not like that. You’re a cosy kid, I can tell… and ya won’t survive a month ‘ere.’
Davina fidgeted, was she right? ‘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. Snarl or something.’
Was Rose winding her up? Davina searched her mind for animal sounds… Nothing came to mind, so she guessed. Naturally, she made a low rumbling tone, which developed into a roar. ‘Like that?’
Rose sat back and stared at her incredulously. ‘What on earth?’
Davina shrugged.
Rose crossed her arms, shifted away and appeared to be studying her clothes. Davina’s looked down. Although mucky, they didn’t look as though they were ‘normal.’
‘There’s somef’ing real strange about you Davina and I don’t know what it is. I think ya need to get that memory of 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 arcs at the top of the windows, 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 tussle and quickly grew bored. Instead, she studied the grounds. The 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... The one 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.’
‘Davina come closer and watch what ‘appens,’ said Rose excitedly.
One of the boys crept 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 chance to react. Davina watched the silent boy take the other boy to the ground, remove his jacket and tie him up. He then returned to where he was sitting cross-legged 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 and 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.’
‘What did he do to get here?’ asked Davina curiously.
‘Nobody knows. One day he was just dumped on the steps. In his hand he held 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!