The Kingdom by the Sea by Robert Westall
Author:Robert Westall [Westall, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-007-37819-7
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 1990-12-14T16:00:00+00:00
The next day was Saturday. Harry went across to the barrack in the afternoon. As he approached the door, it seemed unusually quiet. But he walked in anyway, and then he wished he hadnât.
There was nobody there. Except Corporal Merman, sitting on his bunk.
âWhereâs everybody?â Harry faltered.
âYour friend Corporal Blenkinsop had to march them down to the airfield for a shower. It was his turn.â
âWhat about you?â
âOh, Iâve had my shower. I have a shower every day, if I can. What do they say? Cleanliness is next to godliness?â
âTell them Iâll come back later.â
âNo, no, theyâve been gone over an hour. Theyâll be back any minute. Come and sit by me, boy.â He patted the bed beside him. âIâm expecting them back any minute.â
Harry hesitated. One part of him was yelling at him not to go near Merman at any cost. But another part⦠it was creepy⦠wanted to make friends with Merman, get Merman on his side, so he didnât have to be afraid of him any more.
âIâve got a Mars Bar here,â said Merman. âLike to share it with me? I know all you boys love Mars Barsâ¦â
That decided Harry, against his better judgement. He could never resist a gesture of friendship. Maybe the awful Corporal Merman was human after all.
He sat down. Corporal Merman got the Mars Bar out of his bedside locker, put it on top, unwrapped it neatly, without tearing the wrapping paper, just folding it back like a bedsheet. Then he got out his very sharp shiny clasp-knife and cut it in nine thin slices, like a loaf of bread.
He picked up the first piece, precisely, between finger and thumb, and held it up to Harryâs mouth. Feeding him like a baby. Harry did not want to open his mouth, but he had to. He did not like the feel of Mermanâs fingertips on his lips.
âYouâre a big strong lad,â said Merman. âYouâre very brown. Iâll bet you have lots of girlfriends⦠no? Not any? Not ever? I wouldâve thought youâd have had a girlfriend by your age. Arenât girls nice to squeeze?â He put an arm round Harryâs waist, found a fold of skin and nipped it very playfully.
Harry wriggled violently, and Merman let go and fed him another piece of Mars Bar.
âIâll bet you have fun with that dog of yours though. Running about the beach, wrestling in the sandâ¦â
Harry had a very nasty idea that Merman had been spying on him, when he hadnât realised Merman was there.
âAnd of course youâre a great friend of Corporal Blenkinsopâs. You spend a lot of time together, donât you? Walks in the woods and along the cliffsâ¦â
âWe do nature study,â shouted Harry, suddenly furious, for no reason he could quite work out. âWe watch birds anâ⦠foxes.â
âYes, of course. Nature study, of course. You must take me to see all these birds and foxes, some eveningâ¦â He fed Harry a third bit of Mars Bar, holding it so high that he forced Harryâs head back.
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