Chapter 38
The room was dark apart from small cracks of light around the edges of the chipboard that had been hammered against the window frame. The gloom made it hard for Maria to see but when their eyes adjusted, there was nothing to focus on anyway. A lone bed, with sheets, a blanket, and a sidelight placed on the carpeted floor was all she could make out. She held her arm around Joe and they sat on the floor, leaning against the wall.
“What do they want, Mum?” Joe’s voice broke the silence.
“I really don’t know, Joe, but don’t worry, we’ll get out of this.”
“I’m not worried,” he said, almost as an act of bravado for his mother. Maria couldn’t help smiling in the gloom, despite their grim situation. That was typical Joe, always the brave one.
“I know you’re not, but it’s okay to be
