‘Right! The queue is beginnin te move, Martha. We’ll walk over slowly an wait our chance. You take one side of the bag, an as soon as he’s busy, we’ll make a move.’
‘Quick, Ma!’ We pushed forward as he was pointin out directions fer a train te some woman.
‘Platform four, Madam!’ he was sayin as he turned in our direction.
‘Keep movin, Ma. I think he’s seen us.’
‘Jaysus! Is he lookin?’
‘I don’t know. Let’s move faster.’
We were nearly gallopin, wit the bag bangin against me legs. I kept me eyes on the open door an held on until me ma jumped up, then I let go of the bag. Me ma nearly tumbled out wit the weight of it overbalancin her. She screamed an grabbed a hold of the bar, half in an half out. I rushed forward, givin her a push back, an she landed on her arse, takin the bag wit her. ‘Fuck ye, anyway!’ she roared at me, tryin te get up off her arse. ‘Ye nearly kilt me!’
‘Come on, Ma! Get up! Are ye hurt?’
‘No thanks te you I’m not!’ An she stood up, rubbin her back an arse, an brushed her coat down. ‘Come on, we’ll get an empty seat an have the bit a comfort while we can. He won’t be along fer a while.’
We were flyin outa London, an I sat back in me seat, enjoyin watchin all the houses an buildins flashin past, an smoke blowin outa the chimneys, when me ma stood up, gettin nervous. ‘Come on, Martha, we’d better go. We can’t take the chance of the ticket man catchin us here.’
‘No! Ye’re right,’ I said, lookin back at the people sittin in their comfortable seats, enjoyin themselves at their ease, lookin out the winda.
We made our way te the tilet an locked the door. ‘Say a prayer he doesn’t catch us,’ me ma said, leanin against the wall. I sat down on the bag, cos it was takin up most of the room, an we stayed quiet, waitin te hear the ticket collector. Charlie’s face came inta me mind, an me heart fell down inta me belly. An all the other childre. Oh, dear God, please look after them. If only we had them wit us. But we’d have nowhere te bring them. We have te try an find somewhere te live. Then me ma can take them as fast as possible. I feel terrible in meself, leavin them behind te the mercy of Jackser. But I couldn’t bear te stay wit him. I had te run an take me chances wit me ma. It’s hell on earth fer the poor little things not knowin wha’s happened te them. They must be sick an cryin day an night fer me ma. We have te do somethin. But wha? I’m afraid te ask me ma in case she takes it inta her head te run back te Jackser. So I’d better keep quiet. We have te find somewhere first an then start plannin. Yeah! We have te do tha. We sat lookin at each other an listenin. People moved up an down the passage, an then we’d hold our breath when we heard a knock. Time was passin, hours an hours. We didn’t talk, just sat, me ma dozin on her feet, restin her back against the wall.
At last the train pulled in. ‘We’re here, Ma!’
‘Right, get ready,’ me ma whispered.
She opened the door an went out first. ‘Come on!’ she whispered. ‘They’re gettin off.’
We walked wit the crowds an got through the ticket collectors, me goin first, an me ma pushin behind me. ‘We made it, Ma!’
‘Yeah! Let’s get a bus over te the Social Welfare.
‘This is it!’ me ma said, lookin up at the buildin. We went in, an me ma said, ‘You sit down here an mind the bag.’ She pointed te a bench. I sat down an watched me ma go over te a hatch an sit down talkin te a man. I tried te listen, but I can’t hear wha they’re sayin. The man was talkin te me ma an then lookin at me. I wonder should I go over an see if I can help her. The man keeps shakin his head like he’s sayin there’s nothin he can do. An me ma looks worried. She keeps lookin from side te side like she’s not able te get through te him. Then he gets up an walks aroun te me. An me ma gets up an comes over an takes the bag off me.
‘Will you come with me, please?’ an he takes me arm.
‘Eh, Martha!’ me ma is standin lookin like she’s in shock.
‘Wha, Ma? Wha’s happenin?’
‘Come with me, please,’ the man says, pullin me arm. I hesimitate, me heart in me mouth.
‘They’re sayin ye have te go inta a home until I find accommodation.’
‘A home, Ma!’ The room starts te blur, an me ma doesn’t know wha te say or do. I let meself get taken by the man inta an office. An he’s talkin on the telephone an says I’m te sit down on a chair at a table an wait. Me ears are roarin, an me heart is pumpin, an I can’t take in wha’s happenin. Time is passin, an I sit here while the man fiddles wit papers an writes an talks on the telephone. How did this happen? Why did we come here? Me ma said we’d get help, but this is worse than the police.