The Master's Child のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 161 - チャプター 170

Semi-supported by my hold, she doesn't fall all the way, but hangs poised, scraping those pointed heels over the concrete, trying to regain her feet, trying to break away.But on the slick surface, there no grip to be had and the heels scrape uselessly at the concrete. She cries out, face contorting as she tries to twist free of my grasp. Shrieking like a banshee, screeching like a fishwife... "Fuck you!" ... she struggles and squirms and twists...... then abruptly, changes tack, flinging herself forward, and head down, drops to my hand, sinking in her teeth.Pain stabs up my arm and involuntarily, briefly, my fingers slacken. And in the instant before I regain my hold, with a shriek of triumph, she's pulled free.As she slips loose of my grip, she drops, landing with a bump on her ass, scrambling backwards, shoving herself along on palms and the ridiculous silver-vinyl boots. Hurling myself after her, forward and down, I land with a jarring thud, arms at full stretch, stra

A dozen throws later, I concede that I'm not going to succeed this way. My makeshift lasso has ample range to reach but, the palm lying flat to the ground, I can't get the loop around. At the least, I need to snag a hand to have any hope of towing Juliana closer...No...A finger would do it...It just needs a good hold...Picking at the knot to my loop of rope, I unravel it. Irritatingly, the soaking in the water, or maybe the subsequent drying, has shrunk the cloth a little and the knot has tightened. It would do my soul good to curse and fling the wretched thing against the wall, but resisting my own temper, I work away at the snarl of tattered cloth and frayed threads until it unravels.My thinking is frayed too...Dehydration?I treat myself to a break, unfolding stiff joints to stand up and taking the time to allow myself a real drink: enough to quench thirst. Refreshed, I settle down again to re-tie my lasso, this time with a slip knot, and making my loop only a fe

Richard"... so with the works completed on B Site, we'll be in a position to open the riverside park by July as originally planned. Excellent! I think that rounds off a good morning's work. We can tell the mayor this afternoon at the meeting. Good work, James. I think it was one of my better decisions bringing you into my company."Some men might beam at that. My sombre fellow director merely gives a small smile. "Thank you, Richard."My intercom buzzes."Yes, Francis?""Mr Haswell, this is for James, I have Georgie on the line..." A small pause, then, "She sounds quite upset. She says she's called several times but you didn't answer."Alarm crosses James' face. "No, I'd barred calls while Richard and I were talking. Pass her straight through, please."A click and then a voice bawls out. "Dad! I've been ringing and ringing and...""Calm down, Georgie. What's wrong? What's the matter?"Her voice blurts out over the conference room. "Dad, I went to the stables. And she

Will she come?Charlotte sits at the breakfast table, hard-eyed. Scooping up mushrooms and bacon, she eats with a kind of gritty determination.She's barely spoken to me since yesterday."One egg or two, Charlotte?" Pan in hand, I hover by her."Two, please." The words are polite but terse.I return to my spot by the hob, Michael giving me an All-Boys-Together look of sympathy. "It'll come right," he murmurs.I swipe a hand through my hair. "Christ, but I hope so. This is just a mess."Bread-knife in hand, he pauses over a loaf, voice low. "Where's everyone else?""I asked Mitch, Richard and Beth to make themselves scarce. If there's any unpleasantness, I don't want them caught in the back-blow. Neither do I want any questions over why they are here."Michael sucks at his teeth, widens his eyes. "Mmmm... Quite..." Then, over his shoulder, "Would you like some more toast, Charlotte?"She nods, still chewing; curt, silent.The doorbell rings."I'll go." All but sp

KlempnerI stab into the cement with my steel 'pick', then thump at the shaft with my fist, hoping for that rotten-tooth-in-socket nudge that might say it's finally working loose.Nothing...My stomach twists and churns. Beyond hunger now, my craving for food is a constant, griping, gnawing ache that drains energy and spirit.I could just lie down and wait for the end.Fuck that...My shoulders ache. My limbs ache. I keep changing from one hand to the other for my work, but now, knuckles and fingers are a mass of small cuts and abrasions which spike painful reminders at me with every move I make.Sleep.Sleep will help.Creaking upright, I fill my cup, gulping down the water. It fills easily, more of a flow than the usual trickle, and I gulp down more, trying to convince my stomach it's being filled with something solid.There's an odd smell, sweetish...Disgusting...I cast an eye over the water channel. It ripples oddly, yellow foam bobbing, bubbles blupping u