Wake Up Dead - an Undead Anthology (16 page)

I have home-school today with Mrs Drewery. She's quite nice, but her breath smells a bit strange, the way Daddy's does when he's been to the Saloon. I couldn't imagine Mrs Drewery in the Saloon, so it must be from something else.

I hope she doesn't try to teach me numbers again; I'm really good at them, it's just that sometimes she goes on and on and I just want to tell her to shut up. I can't, though. That would make her angry, and she would tell Mommy and Daddy that I was rude to her.

Mrs Drewery doesn't have a horse; she comes to the farm on a bicycle, which doesn't suit her at all. Sometimes, when I watch her coming down the path, I laugh because she's all over the place. I would laugh even more if she fell off. Hah, right into the chicken-poo.

Anyway, I'm going to get ready for lessons. Mommy says that people who are late should be hanged in the square like the rest of the outlaws, which I think is a bit harsh.

Mrs Drewery has gone now, on her bicycle as usual. She seemed to smell even worse today. I asked her if she had been eating anything funny and she just gave me a funny look. I think that means yes.

After lesson, she went into the kitchen to talk to my Mommy. I listened because I thought she was going to tell Mommy that I had been rude asking her about her breath, but she didn't. She said to Mommy, “Eight people now, all of them are at the jail. I think they just went crazy.” I don't know what she's talking about, but it sounds really interesting. Mommy told her that it was probably just something going around, or something in the water, but I don't think Mrs Drewery believed her.

After she left, I asked Mommy what was happening in town, and she told me to mind my own business. I think that she looked a little bit worried, though. I can always tell when Mommy is worried; her eyebrows tremble ever so slightly.

Anyway, I am going to play for a while. Daddy will be home soon. Maybe he will tell me what is going on in town.

I hurt my knee playing. It really stings now. Mommy says that it doesn't look infected, but it does to me. There was a lot of blood, and still Mommy said it was just a scratch. Sometimes I think grown-ups like to put a brave spin on everything. If it was Mommy's knee I bet she would feel differently.

What happened was, I fell off the rope-swing. I've never fallen off anything before; I'm usually really good at climbing. Daddy calls me the “Spidergirl”, which I think is the perfect name. Sometimes, at night, I dream of having eight legs and twelve eyes, climbing up onto the roof of the farm. It is a really funny dream. I always remember it when I wake up, and it makes me laugh.

My knee feels a bit better now. Mommy put some special cream on it, which sounds tastier than it actually is. Euerghhh.

I'm looking out of the window now, waiting for Daddy to come riding up the path. Can't wait to hug him. He smells sweaty when he's been at work.

Daddy was not in a good mood when he got home. I ran to hug him, but he told me to go back inside and get washed up for dinner. I could tell he was in a mood because he didn't even kiss Mommy on the lips like he normally did; he just walked past her into the house. Maybe he didn't get his wage-rise again; that Mr McGregor has a lot to answer for.

At dinner, Daddy was really quiet. Mommy said grace, which wasn't the same as when Daddy does it. I don't think Mommy knows what to be thankful for, so she just rambled on about trees and birds for what seemed like forever. I was starving by the time she finished.

By the time I went to bed, Daddy was drunk. Mommy shouted at him. “It's not your fault Eddie died,' she said, although I've never heard of him. Mommy told Daddy to stop drinking because he was going to be sick. I don't think I've ever seen Daddy be sick because of the drink. I think he's quite used to it, to be honest.

I'm in bed now, writing this. Robbie is looking at me with those big eyes of his. I'd love to know what he's thinking; if he's like me, he's trying to figure out what killed Eddie Smith.

Hope it's not catching.

Goodnight Diary.

Dear Diary, something is very wrong in town. Mrs Drewery was late for lessons this morning. Usually I wouldn't care, especially because it was History, and I sometimes struggle to remember what I had for breakfast. What worries me, though, is Mrs Drewery is never late. The only time I remember her not turning up was about a year ago, when her daughter gave birth, which I think is a pretty reasonable excuse to skip a lesson.

Maybe her daughter is with child again?

I don't know. Mommy told me not to worry too much, and that I should come to my room and study on my own. Well, here I am, and I suppose you could call this study. I'm writing, aren't I?

Anyway, I think that Daddy felt a bit sick this morning. Mommy told him, “You should have listened to me, you old fool,' but I don't think he paid her much heed. He went to work in a bad mood; I hope that Mr McGregor doesn't get on Daddy's nerves too much today, or he might end up fighting. Would he lose his job if he punched Mr McGregor? I don't know, but I don't think that Daddy would care too much at the moment.

It's raining outside, so I have to stay in all day. I can see outside the window, and there's a man standing at the bottom of the farm, on the other side of the fence. I've been watching him most of the morning, but he doesn't seem to be doing a lot; just walking up and down, up and down. If Daddy were here I'm pretty sure he would go out and say something, but Mommy said that the man is not trespassing so there's nothing she can do.

I'm going to keep an eye on him, though. As soon as he comes through that fence, I'm going to tell Mommy.

The man is still there, only now there is another one. I think it's a lady; it's hard to tell from this distance. Why are they walking around in the rain. I'll bet they're freezing cold, and soaked to the bone. I've told Mommy about the new one, and she just locked the door. “They're doing nobody any harm all the way over there,' she said, but I don't think that's true; they're doing harm to themselves walking around in the freezing cold rain. I think they might have been drinking; I saw the man stumble and fall over. It took him ages to get back up, and guess what? The woman didn't help him. She walked straight over him, as if he wasn't there.

It made me laugh, but also a little sad for the drunken man on the floor. Maybe they're married, and they decided to get up this morning and start drinking. Daddy says that marriage can do that to a person.

I can hear the man now. I think he is crying, but I can't be sure. I have to open the window.

Okay, he's not speaking words, but he seems to be groaning. I think it's a safe bet; they're as pissed as Daddy was last night. The woman just growled at the man, and tried to scratch his face. This is getting really exciting now. I hope Mommy is watching from the other window.

Oh, Daddy, where are you? The drunken couple climbed over the fence and are now walking up and down the farm. Mommy has made sure that all of the doors and windows are secure, but she's pacing around as if she's got a snake in her breeches. Daddy should be back real soon, though, and Lord help those fools when he is. I've seen him shoot; he can blow the leg off a fly from a thousand yards. It's true, I've seen him do it.