The Night Walker

Patricia Elliott

A Conversation Between Daniel & Ash

Chapter 14

“My heart jumps. It takes me a moment to pull myself together, and even then I'm trembling with shock.

‘It was your footsteps overtaking me just now,’ I say weakly.

Then I realise what I've said. ‘Tonight, and before that — all these long nights and after school — it was your footsteps I heard.’

‘Ah, Daniel, you've got it at last.’ He looks at me, his dark head on one side, a triumphant smirk creeping across his face. ‘It took you a long time. I was keeping an eye on you, that's all. I like to stay close.’

I look back at him straight, and, although I'm so scared, I've got to ask him stuff. I need to know about Cora.

It helps that he's lounging on my duvet, putting his spiky hair against my pillow, just as if he owns the place, owns me. That makes me angry, and drives away the fear.

And he's had the nerve to light up, so that the cigarette smoke mingles with the fog — or maybe its even causing it — and he's flicking ash on to my carpet. He's holding the cigarette in a clumsy way, as if he's smoking to show off — like a kid. I can see him reflected in the mirror of my chest of drawers. His face is still grinning at me in the glow from the cigarette and it's lit up horribly, like one of those pumpkin heads they carve at Halloween.

I pull myself together, trying not to be mesmerized by him, like I always am. ‘Where's Cora? I know you've got her.’

‘Are you going to come looking for her, Daniel?’

He's taunting me.

‘She doesn't belong with you. She belongs here, with her family.’

‘With you, you mean. But I'm the one who's got her, She's very beautiful, isn't she, Daniel, very grown up? But she's all mine.’

‘Why are you doing this?’ I try to sound fierce, but my voice quivers. ‘What do you want with her?’

‘A bit of company, perhaps. I'm bored with all those little kids.’

‘You can't keep her!’ I say incredulously.

‘Oh, yes, I can — for ever and ever.’ He cocks his head. ‘Do you think you can stop me, Daniel?’ More ash on the carpet and his teeth gleam. ‘You can't challenge me, you know, I'm much too strong now.’

I know that's true. How have I let that happen?

‘I did challenge you once. I destroyed you.’

‘But you let me back in, didn't you, Daniel?’

I can't answer. That's true, too.

‘OK. Say I let you come looking for Cora.’ He's pretending to ponder. ‘But perhaps I won't let you find her. I'll see.’

Is he bluffing? I never know with Ash. But he's delinquent, dangerous. I do know that. I've got to be very careful, and I'm scared.

‘This isn't a game, Ash. It's not like the old days.’

‘But it's still fun.’

‘Fun? You've stolen my stepsister!’

He's thinking. ‘If you manage to take Cora away from me,’ he says, ‘I'll want something in return.’

I've got to trick him.

‘Anything,’ I say, nodding slowly as if I've something really precious to give him in exchange. ‘I'll give you anything you want.’

‘Is it a bargain?’ He knows that word now. I taught it to him. Didn't I?

I nod again, pretending reluctance. He's highly amused now, pleased with himself. He's chortling with glee, like a child. He still thinks this is a game, like the ones we used to play when we were little.

But it's a lethal game, this time.

‘Done!’ He puts out his hand, palm out, for me to clap in agreement.

Only when I do, there's nothing there, of course. Only air.

He's gone.”