Me head was poundin me now wit pain. An then I started te get sick from the sudden sharp pain in me head when I moved it. I heaved up the sick, an the pain got worse. An then I started te panic from the thought tha Jackser’s waitin fer the coal an I can’t get movin. I started te cry, lookin aroun me wonderin what I could do. I bent down an picked up the sack, an started walkin outa the field, still roarin me head off cryin, an then stepped onta the footpath, headin off inta the country. I can’t go back there, everyone will see me. An I looked down at me legs, the blood still streamin outa me. What am I goin te do, God? I asked, lookin aroun at the empty fields, all shinin wit wet, an the bare trees, an no one te help me. I walked on slowly, keenin te meself. Jackser’s goin te kill me fer bein so long, but there’s nothin I can do. I can’t walk through the streets like this or go inta tha shop. So I wandered on, comin te the gates of the convent. They had a hospital here, too, fer people wit broken bones an people tha couldn’t walk.
I wandered up the avenue, hopin te find a rag or somethin, or maybe by some miracle a pair a knickers. Then I stopped at the front door, lookin at the brass plaque tha said Mother Mary Aikenhead, an I looked aroun me. Not a soul or a sound te be heard. The fields was white wit all the frost, an it was covered wit the January mist. I was standin so long lookin at the door an wonderin what I could do tha the frost was inside me bones now, an me teeth started te chatter. Tha was makin me headache even worse. Then I heard a sound, an I looked aroun. A little nun was headin towards me wearin a long black coat buttoned from the neck te her toes over her long black habit. ‘What do you want?’ she asked me, comin closer.
‘Eh! Sister, nothin,’ I said, freezin up. I put me knees pressed together an looked down at me frock wit the big red stain of blood in front, an turned away from her, not able te bear the shame.
‘Stop! Come here,’ she barked at me. I turned, lookin down at the ground. ‘What? Why?’ she asked me in a rush, lost fer words an lookin at me from head te toe. I lowered me head te the ground, feelin meself gettin very light, the shame smotherin me, an just hangin on, waitin fer her te feast her eyes on the terrible state I was in. An then say wha she had te say, an then I’d walk off, an she could leave me alone. It won’t kill me, I can disappear an never have te face her again. ‘Come with me,’ I heard her say. I lifted me head a little an she was walkin off. ‘Come on,’ she said, hurryin. ‘Follow me!’
I moved after her, an we came te a side door, an she opened the door an said, ‘Hurry.’ Then she headed off down a passage an went through another door an down a long passage wit doors on each side. ‘Go in there,’ she said, ‘and wait. I won’t be long.’ It was a bathroom wit a huge bath an a tilet an a sink. She shut the door behind me, an I waited, lookin at the bath. Me heart lifted. The nun is a saint, I thought te meself. Thanks, God, fer lookin after me. I heard footsteps, an then the door opened. The nun rushed in wit a towel an soap an a washcloth, an put them on the stool, sayin, ‘Have a quick wash here,’ an she put in the plug an turned on the tap an hot water gushed out. ‘Now, take off your things and step in quickly. I don’t have much time. I need to catch the bus.’ Then she looked at me. ‘What size are you? I’ll take a look and see if I can find you somethin to wear.’ I said nothin, just tried te smile at her, an I kept me eyes on the floor. Then she was gone out the door.
I whipped off me frock, an the blood streaked me chest an neck. It was a terrible sickly-sweet smell. An I wrapped it inta a ball an put it on the floor an kicked off me shoes an stepped inta the huge bath, shiverin. The steam was risin, an I left the water runnin. It was a bit hot te sit in, an I kept sittin an standin until I got used te the heat. Then I sat down, an it was lovely. The water turned red. An I pulled the plug, lettin out some of the water. Then I picked up the bar a soap. Palmolive, it said. The smell was lovely. I lifted me foot an soaked meself wit the soap, an the hot water poured down. Oh, thank you, God! This is lovely. But me belly was nervous at the thought of wha they were goin te say te me when I eventually got back. I’ll have te think up somethin. I put the plug back in an then ducked me head under the water. Might as well wash me hair while I’m at it. I was lovely an warm an covered meself in soap again, an dipped me feet under the hot tap, enjoyin meself no end. Ah! This is lovely. I’ll definitely have te think up some good excuse fer Jackser. But wha?
Then the door opened, an the nun rushed in wit clothes under her arm. She kept her face turned away from me. ‘What did you say your name was, dear?’