The Thirteenth (4 page)

Val stood up and went for him again. Surely two women could beat one man. As she hit the water cooler for a second time, she began to doubt that she was right. She tried to quickly suss out the situation; she couldn’t beat him and he was covering the counter so calling the police was out.

What transpired next caught Val totally by surprise. The woman had broken free and was running towards her. As she ran past, Val felt an uncontrollable urge to stand between her and the man who was now coming after her. She darted out in front of him, and he stopped dead, then slowly bent down to look straight into her eyes. Val was almost overcome by the smell of his rancid breath.

The woman was now in the corner, curled into the foetal position and crying hysterically.

“Great,” Val thought as she braced for imminent impact, closing her eyes and raising her arms in front of her face.

After a few seconds, when the expected blow had still not come, she cautiously opened her eyes. The man was still in front of her, but now he was gazing up at the ceiling. Val instinctively looked up too and to her disbelief, a large mass of water was floating above his head with steam emanating from the edges. It was like a balloon made of boiling water. The man glanced back at Val and she thought he looked scared. For a second Val felt as if the ball was strangely in her court. She was still wondering how that could possibly be when it fell. The whole lot, it seemed like at least a gallon, came down straight onto his head. He fell to the floor screaming in pain as his flesh turned an aggressive mottled red.

Val was left standing over the man, slightly damp, and unsure what to do next. Just when she was getting seriously worried, he sprang to his feet, knocked her out of the way, and ran out, slamming the door shut behind him. The bell rang almost off its hook.

Val managed to get herself up and made her way to the woman who was still cowering in the corner. “Are you OK? Do you know who that man was?” Val asked hoping that she would snap out of it.

“No, I’ve never seen him before,” the woman said. She was still sobbing and now had more than tears running down her face. Val fetched her a tissue from a tatty box she had found around the back.

“What happened? Where did all the water come from?” the woman asked shakily.

Val shook her head because she honestly didn’t have a clue. “Here take these.” She handed across a wad of tissues and as their fingers touched, a blue spark flashed between them. The woman watched in petrified disbelief as Val faded and then completely disappeared.

Val opened her eyes and waited for her stomach to return to what she assumed was its normal position. With a shock she realised that she was once again at the back of the bookshop, looking at the window in which she had originally seen the woman being attacked.

What on earth had happened and where was the woman now? Val wondered. She turned away from the window and was heading back towards the front of the shop when she heard the familiar scream of the woman she had just helped to save. This was followed by the ringing of the doorbell, which had once again been hit with such force that Val thought she would be lucky if it was still on the door when she got there.

At the front of the shop, Val jumped over a large pile of books that had been knocked to the floor during the wrestling match. The mangled remains of the water cooler were also on the floor. Surveying her surroundings, she realised just how much of a mess they had all made. Val felt like she was in a dream. How had all this happened? First the tattoo and now this. What was going to happen to her next? She decided to call the police and made her way to the counter to look for a phone. Then she starting thinking about how she would tell her version of the story. “Yes officer, I have a tattoo that appeared from nowhere, and I skipped through time and space to drop two gallons of boiling water onto a giant’s head.” Wow, that would go down well. Anyway, she realised that there was no phone; somehow she wasn’t surprised. This was the shop of the oldest man on the planet; she was surprised it had electricity.

All Val knew for certain was that she had to get the shop cleaned up before she left work. She couldn’t possibly let Wallace arrive back to find this mess. It would be hard enough trying to explain away the water cooler without trying to tell him why his precious books were on the floor. Val mopped up the water with a very dishevelled mop she found in the cupboard near the toilets. Wearily she locked the shop and headed for the bus stop.

As she passed the tattoo parlour, she glanced over the road at its open doors. There were still people hanging around outside, all standing around their precious vehicles, laughing and chatting. Val didn’t feel she could face the crowd. Plus, she rationalised, snatching a peek at her watch, she didn’t really have time to see Shane tonight. He would have to wait until the morning. She had more than enough on her mind already, and she had to get home in time for her party.

She looked at all the people waiting at the bus stop and wondered if any of them had had the same sort of day as she had had. When she boarded the bus, the driver looked at her suspiciously from under his hat, and for a second she thought he might know something. Val felt uncomfortable under his intense gaze.

“Feeling better today are we, luv?” he asked inquisitively, looking her up and down.

He must have been the driver from yesterday. Val couldn’t remember much and his unattractive beard and bottle glasses certainly didn’t stick out in her blurry memories. “Yes, thank you for asking,” she smiled a wry polite smile back at him. She supposed it was nice of him to ask, but he was definitely creeping her out. She found a place to sit next to an elderly lady who proceeded to spend the journey apologising for her gas, rubbing her chest and telling Val all about her many disorders in great graphic detail. What could be worse than ending your day like this? Well, having to wear the thin-strapped dress your mother had bought for your birthday while displaying a raging black tattoo on your arm would be a good attempt at making things worse!

Val’s mum was in the hall waiting like a tiger ready to pounce. The stressed look on her face said it all. Before she became part of the Saunders Birthday Circus, Val wondered why people put themselves through so much hassle for a party, when the guests would eventually complain that there wasn’t enough food or booze and that the weather was awful etc, etc.

Susan started firing words in Val’s direction. “OK, upstairs, get changed, now. You look a mess. Please, just for me, just today, put on some lip gloss.” Susan ushered Val towards the stairs flicking her hands in a pushing motion.

“Can I get a drink first?” Val was thirsty and she looked at her mother in the hope that not every glass in the house was taken.

“No. You can drink later. Go and get ready before I faint due to stress. Do it.” Susan was now pushing Val with all her strength, which wasn’t much, towards the stairs. At this point Val could see she was onto a loser and did as she was told.

As she made her way to her bedroom, Val’s father burst out of the bathroom at a trot heading towards her. A loving smile crossed her face. Although he was a very boring man, his sense of adventure shone through in the shirts he wore. His offence for this evening was a sort of surfer slash Salvador Dali attempt and Val felt intimidated just looking at it.

“Hi honey. Best get ready, your mother is having kittens as usual,” Mike cheerfully chirped as he hugged her.

“Looking good, Dad.” Val gave him a two thumbs up sign and they both smiled. Mike believed Val really meant it.

Val found
the dress
laying on her bed. She sighed. It really was offensive. Not only did she hate wearing dresses, but how on earth was she going to hide the tattoo? The dress was a soft baby pink with thin straps and a layer of what looked like spider’s silk over the top, which Val had to admit flowed beautifully when she had it on.

As she searched in her wardrobe for something to wear over the top, she began to get a sinking feeling that this wasn’t going to go at all well. Val pulled out the only two cardigans she owned. One was a sort of multicoloured long old tatty thing that really should have been dumped years ago, but she loved it. The other was a faded grey, waist length thick winter cardigan. She had no choice but to go for the grey. As she pulled it on over her dress, she knew her mum wasn’t going to be happy, but she could deal with her.

Val headed to the bathroom to brush her hair and put on some of the dreaded girl paint. She always felt like a doll putting on lipstick. It almost felt like she was trying to glue her mouth shut. Val had very nice lips and when painted they brought her even more attention than usual, but in her eyes that was never good. Her thoughts were abruptly broken by her mother’s calling for her to go downstairs as Val’s (or her mother’s) guests were arriving. She sounded like she was on the edge of a nervous breakdown.

“I’m coming now,” Val shouted to reassure her mother so her stress levels could drop just a little. Val smiled to herself as she went down the stairs, wondering which family member was going to get drunk first and make a fool of themselves. She had a few favourites. Her mum had two brothers, Uncle Julian and Uncle Matthew; they were very competitive and it was always a race to the drinks for them.

As she got to the bottom of the stairs, the door bell rang. “Get that will you please, Val?” “Yes Mum,” Val called, and walked through the now heavily decorated hall to the front door. She prepped to give her best fake smile and opened the door.

“Hello…” Val stopped almost instantly, catching her breath, and then letting out a scream of joy. “Oh my God! You’re here! How did you? When did you?” Val threw her arms around Delta’s neck. “I need to talk to you,” she gabbled. “So much has happened. There are things going on and I don’t know where to start.” Val was now almost in tears.

“Well if you let me in, that would be a good first move. Then maybe letting some oxygen go to the rest of my body would be pleasant too,” Delta twanged in her very American accent. She had to almost peel Val off her so she could go into the hall.

Val realised she was causing a scene and instantly let go. For a moment, she just stood smiling at Delta who straightened her dress and re-composed herself.

“OK, now we are unattached and a little calmer, first things first.” Delta smiled putting out a hand to stop Val from grabbing her again. “I came home early for your party. How could I miss your 18
^th
birthday?”

Delta could sense Val was itching for another hug so she grabbed her hand in an effort to stop her from falling onto her again. “I like your dress, although you need to get rid of the cardigan,” she said plucking at Val’s grubby grey sleeve. All the events of the past few days came rushing back into Val’s head; she was desperate to talk, to share what had been happening with someone who might actually try to understand.

“We need to talk. Now!” Val grabbed Delta’s other hand and started to walk backwards towards the kitchen, pulling her along.

The doorbell rang again and Susan came out this time to answer. “Val, why are you wearing that awful cardigan?” she shouted after her, but Val was in too much of a hurry to acknowledge her mum at that moment. She dragged Delta into the kitchen where every surface was now covered in food.

“Wow!” exclaimed Delta. “There’s enough here to feed five thousand.”

Val had to smile. “Well, you know my mum! Here theory is that you can never have too much food.”

Val’s dad marched in and grabbed a crate of beer. “Hi Delta, lovely to see you,” he enthused. “Tell your dad I’ll be round for a game of golf,” he said, patting Delta affectionately on the shoulder.

“Will do, Mr Saunders. Love your shirt,” Delta shouted after him in her sweetest voice.

“Creep,” Val sniggered.

“And your point is?” Delta shrugged her shoulders.

Now they were alone and face to face, Val started to explain in detail the events of the past days.

Delta, for once reduced to silence, listened with her mouth slightly open, wondering whether her friend had taken to drinking alcohol.

When she had finished, Val quickly pulled up the arm of her cardigan, revealing the tattoo in all its glory. “See!”

Delta took a sharp intake of breath and looked at Val’s arm. “Right, if I understand this correctly, you are saying that this thing appeared over night, that you don’t know where it came from, that you think you teleported today at your new job, and you aren’t sure, but maybe you can make water boil in mid-air. Would that be correct?” Delta now looked almost sorry she had come home early.

“Yes, that’s it.” Val nodded, watching Delta and searching for a response.

Delta seemed transfixed by the tattoo and stood silently shaking her head.

After a few seconds, Val started to feel slightly annoyed that her best friend didn’t seem to believe her story. “Delta it’s true,” she whined, visibly frustrated.

“Yes, I’m sure you believe that, but as an outsider it’s just a little far-fetched, and I’m sure your parents will feel the same way,” Delta responded. “It’s a bit of sorry excuse for getting a tattoo.”

“You’re supposed to be my best friend, but if you don’t believe me then fine, I will have to deal with this on my own.” Val was now really fuming with Delta. On top of that, Delta had a stupid, gawky look on her face, as if Val had a massive spot on her forehead. “What are you looking at?” she snapped at Delta aggressively. “The, the, the…” Delta stuttered and pointed her finger over Val’s head.

“There is no need to be stupid about this you know,” Val said.

Delta was still pointing over Val’s head and managed to release the word “Look!”

Val turned around. There, about a foot away from Val’s head were five floating balls of what seemed to be Coca Cola, apparently from glasses that Val’s mum had poured out for the party.

The shock of what she was witnessing ran through her body, replacing the anger she had been feeling seconds earlier. The balls immediately fell to the ground, splattering all over her mother’s precious kitchen floor.