The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike) Part 1171 by Angharad Copyright © 2010 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

“Where have you been?” demanded Simon.

“I needed to think.”

“Couldn’t you have done it at home?”

“No; no I couldn’t. I’ve also been to the college. She went in for the morning.”

“How come the scooter was where it was, then?”

“If I knew that, I’d probably know where she was.”

“You realise it’s bonfire night?”

“I hadn’t particularly.”

“The kids asked if we were going tonight.”

“Can you take them?”

“I can’t watch all of them can I? You’ll have to come.”

“I hate bonfires and I’m not that struck on fireworks.”

“It’ll do you good to get out for an hour.”

“I’ve just been out for an hour and all you’ve done is complain about it.”

“Pardon me for breathing,” he snapped and walked away. I was too tired to argue, not that I wanted to anyway. I felt like shit. I made some tea and found Simon, he was in the dining room standing looking out of the window.

“Would you like some tea?” I asked him.

“What?” he answered absently.

“Would you like some tea, I’ve just made a pot.”

“Dunno–drinking tea won’t bring her back will it?”

“No, but it helps us to deal with missing her.”

“Does it–it hasn’t so far.”

“I’m sorry–I’ll be in the kitchen.” I left him to his thoughts.

Jenny arrived a few minutes before Stella, Jenny had taken the girls to school and Stella had taken Danny, who was apparently upset at not finding Julie in her bed when he went to wake her as usual.

“Where did you get to?” They both asked me and I explained I’d been to the college to offer money.

“Won’t the police see that as dangerous?” asked Jenny, meaning the reward money.

“I don’t care. I’d happily pay a thousand or two to get her back.”

“I just meant in giving people ideas to either defraud you with duff info or give whoever is holding her the idea that she could be ransomed.”

“That’s the only reason I can think of for her abduction.”

“What, ransom?”

“Yes–I just hope she’s okay.” I felt tears roll down my cheeks and Stella hugged me.

“I’d better see to the baby,” said Jenny excusing herself.

“Simon wants to take the kids to the firework display.” I told Stella.

“Well you can’t do anything very much can you?”

“No, but it seems insensitive to be out enjoying ourselves while she’s missing.”

“But don’t the kids deserve some form of outing now and again?”

“I suppose so. You think we should go?”

“Yeah, it’ll take your mind off things for an hour or so.”

So that’s what we all agreed we’d do. Jenny would collect the girls in the Mondeo and we’d take two or three cars with us to the fireworks display at the rugby club. I’d get us a quick dinner and we’d go to watch the money burning–as you can see, I’m a keen firework fan.

Simon phoned his friend at the rugby club and we were told if we arrived early, the kids would be given sparklers–until they ran out, we’d also get to see the bonfire being lit. So he agreed we’d be there for six thirty.

Jenny came back from the school and I served up a thick vegetable soup with home-made bread, and some rice pudding afterwards–good stodge to keep them warm and stop them feeling hungry. Simon had two lots of each and we ate both the loaves I’d made that day.

We were ready to leave at six, everyone was wrapped up warm and Tom agreed to stay and keep an eye on the babies. I’d not eaten too much as I’d had to feed tiny wee, and I had a pile of chocolate bars in my handbag for the children afterwards.

We parked the two cars, Simon drove the Mondeo with all the girls–except Julie of course–and I drove with Jenny, Stella and Danny. We were there at six twenty and the kids were each given a couple of sparklers which they’d be lighting after the bonfire was set ablaze. It was a pretty big one with a guy on the top and I hoped they’d checked it for hedgehogs looking for places to hibernate.

It was quite dark and getting cold, so I stood to the windward of the fire–not wanting to smell like a kipper or Arbroath smokie. As the brand was lit which would start the bonfire, I could see the size of the fire properly for the first time–it was very big and the guy on top was life-size.

The fire was started and the flames lit up the surrounding area and for the first time I could see the guy in more detail, the clothes looked more female than male, so did we have a gal rather than a guy. I looked again, they were familiar. Oh my God.

I pointed at the effigy on top of the now growing fire–“Those clothes they’re Julie’s,” I said to Simon.

“Don’t be daft, you’re just hypersensitive.”

I watched again and I was sure a hand moved. “There’s someone in that–it’s not an effigy.”

“What?” gasped Simon. I pointed and we saw a leg twitch. “Holy shit,” he ran off towards the clubhouse as the fireworks began.

“What if it’s Julie?” I said out loud. Then I grabbed my penknife from my handbag, told Stella to watch the kids and dashed on to the fire, braving the smoke and flames. I reckoned I had no more than a couple of minutes before it was too late to save whoever it was.

People were shouting and yelling at me to get off as I was spoiling the event. However, I stuck to my task and cut the ropes holding the arms legs and torso of the victim. I could hear them coughing, so they were still alive.

My eyes were streaming with the smoke and it was getting very hot, I had a feeling the rubber on my shoes was melting and some of the flames were coming very close.

Moments later Simon jumped up to help me carrying a fire blanket which we threw over the ‘guy’ and between us we just managed to drag them off the fire and roll them on the ground to dowse the odd flame.

People from the club now came to assist, and we were all taken well away from the fire. I was coughing and spluttering and my legs were stinging a bit where my jeans had scorched.

We laid the ‘guy’ down on the grass and still clutching my penknife I cut away the sacking over the face and hands, it was a young woman–oh no, I fainted and I think Simon caught me–I don’t really know.

I woke up in A&E in the QA attached to an oxygen machine. Simon was sitting with me, still covered in dust and soot from the fire. I smiled at him. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, how’s Julie?” I enquired.

“I’m not sure, they were still working on her.”

“Who would do such a thing? Such a wretched thing?” I asked my eyes filling with tears.

“I don’t know, Babes, but if you hadn’t spotted her, she’d have had an agonising death, that’s for sure and much of the evidence would have been lost.”

“She was drugged and gagged,” I said sobbing, “she nearly died, who could hate anyone enough to do that?”

“I don’t know, Babes, but if ever I find out, someone will be in deep, deep shit.”

“Can I go and see her?” I asked the young doctor who came in to check my vitals.

“No, you just stay there–she’s in ICU, she’s very poorly.”

I made to get off the bed and Simon pushed me back. “Just rest there,” he said and I coughed and brought up a whole pile of grey black sputum. “Get your sea legs back first–eh?”

I lay back and wept.