Sally interrupted, “I watched it with you, you bone head”.
“Oh yeah, I forgot”, replied Alex
Disturbed by their bickering Daniel spoke,“ the sudden discolouration of leaves is typical for this time of year”
Sally said, “I think it’s beautiful”.
Salad cream slopped down onto Alex’s denim jeans from the sandwiches that Sally had prepared before the journey to Manchester.
“God you’re so immature”, said Sally
Daniel contradicts Sally, “ It is actually a proven fact that the female species matures much quicker than the male species”.
Alex and Sally turned and looked at Daniel sitting on the back seat of the car. He was covered in books as if he was a bookshelf.
‘BANG’.
The car came to a sudden halt.
“Oh my god, what was that?”, screeched Sally.
Everyone looked at each other, clueless. Alex stepped out of the car followed by Daniel. They couldn’t see anything but the darkness and outlines of the trees as if giants were standing, swaying violently back and forth. Alex could hear something approaching them; he quickly turned and looked, “ahhh” he screamed, “a rat, a rat”. Daniel laughed. Agreeing that it was most probably an animal they had hit, they went back to the car. They got back into the car, telling Sally it was just a deer.
“Just a deer, just a deer, oh no, I haven’t killed it, have I?” Sally said frantically
Daniel spoke reassuringly, “it is better dead than alive and in pain”.
Sally thought to her self, “I should have been more careful, there are signs everywhere, warning me to watch out for deer’s”. Sally was very distraught.
It was silent the rest of the way to Manchester. Daniel was dropped off on the town centre. He said quietly, “thank you” but no one replied in speech. Sally glanced over. Alex shook his hand with a firm hold. Alex noticed that Daniel had very rough hands like sand paper. Daniel walked away slowly, and then quickened his steps as he crossed the busy roads. Sally took Alex to his flat, “See ya”, she said enthusiastically. Sally couldn’t wait to get home, have a cup of tea and then curl up in a nice cosy bed.
Driving home she felt very alone and wondered why there was a sudden change in mood when they were driving home. She made her way home, through the door, up the stairs and into bed.
Many days had passed, when Sally got a knock on the door. The knock was hard and blunt. Opening the door she was surprised to find two tall gentlemen in very smart suit dominating her door way. The older one of the two spoke, “We’re from the ‘murder investigation team’, and we would like to speak to you about the murder of John Pickles on Bickenhill Wood Lane on Friday the 13th of October.”
Sally was very confused.
She spoke, “oh!”
By Penny Clarke
