Chapter 14
Amelia’s feet were hurting her; it was a long way to the town. Some tried to hitch rides by standing on the back of trucks carrying wood and metal fixings. Sometimes the drivers were nice; sometimes they stopped and beat off the person that had tried to get a ride while the vehicle had stopped in a queue. Peto offered her a piggy back and she jumped on. He told her jokes and sang her songs trying to take her away from the atmosphere of the road. Along the road were many police who kept everyone moving towards the town. There were some areas, half dune, half field, where people tried to stop and pitch up, but the police moved them on shouting angrily. Some trucks passed and offered people work in the countryside. Amelia heard the men bartering and felt sad at the amount of money the men offered for work, just a ten coin for two days work; these were big men how could they work in the hot sun for such a small amount?
‘Police want you out of West beach. You beach bums don’t have no other option but me, ‘said a farmer driver to some men, and a few of them jumped aboard. Amelia was sad at how the children were talked to by the police. The children tried to smile and joke with them; the little ones asked if they could go back to the beach, but the police were stern. If only they knew who Don Oro was.
‘Why do we have to all move?’ Amelia asked a policeman
‘It’s the Mayor. He has some tourist companies that want to build a hotel, and he wants the beach clear to sell it,’ said the policeman. So it wasn’t just Don Oro’s phone call, thought Amelia.
After an hour of walking they got to the town. It was very busy with lots of traffic and people crossing across the main roads. Buses whizzed by.
‘Where are we going to sleep?’ she asked Peto.
‘I think I know a place, follow me, it’s cool. It’s a Guy, he sells fruit. Sometimes he lets you sleep in his warehouse.’ She followed him, her feet still hurting. The people on the street here looked mean and menacing like the people in the city. They didn’t look like the ragged people on West beach who looked as if they had just heard a joke or were about to tell one. There seemed to be two classes of people. People with shoes and clothes who looked well fed and walked down the centre of the pavements, and hungry homeless street people who hid in the shadows of doorways, pushed out of the way. The street children looked sadder than the West Beach kids. Peto had started off by talking confidently saying things like,
‘It’s just down here. We will wake up smelling of peaches. I was so lucky to have met that man. You’ll see I’m luckier than Prince for you. He went off without you.’
‘Yeah but you introduced me to that woman who stole all my money.’
‘Forget that, it’s just down here.’
They walked through some streets that had warehouse buildings. Peto started to look unsure.
‘But wait, I’m sure it was this corner,’ he said. Where they were was an area sealed off by builders with a crane in it and heaps of gravel. He took her round and around the streets looking. She believed in him and followed silently. She had a future. It was just a few days away; she just needed to get through the night. Peaches were fine with her. Peto stated to look sad as if he were about to cry as they rounded back around the corner to the marked off area.
‘Hey, did this used to be the peach warehouse?’ he asked a man in ragged clothes.
‘Yes they sold it and now they are building. I can show you a tap where you can get water.’
Peto started to cry silently, and they followed the man to a toilet.
‘Tap in there works. People will even charge you for using a tap in town.’ Peto wanted to ask him some more questions, but he hurried off saying
‘I don’t want no children bother me,’ and spat. They went in the toilet and drank from the tap trying to ignore how bad it smelt.
‘What are we going to do?’ asked Amelia.
‘All I can think of is a building near the bus station. Many kids stay there.’
Amelia thought of the desperate children she had seen at the bus stop when she was with Star Strummer, but she just nodded. She had Don Oro’s money still, but that was to go and see him. She felt very anxious not about going back to the beach and meeting up with the fisherman or fisherman Papa to take them to Don Oro to set her up for the future. If this was not on her mind she could probably have sorted a better plan. She felt angry with herself that she had left the beach. She should have gone to the fisherman that she had asked where Prince had gone, and made him open the hut for her. On the walk to town Peto had boasted that,
‘Town aint no trouble. I can survive there. You’ll be fine with me,’ but she watched his eyes, and he looked a bit frightened. The sun had started to go down and at least it wasn’t burning hot any more, but the air in the town was polluted and smoggy. Desperate, dirty looking children sitting on cardboard begged passers-by and were ignored, each rebuff cutting into them, increasing their sadness. They got to the bus station and Prince led her down a street to a deserted building. He showed her a window that they climbed through. Inside it was dark and dusty. It was full of the sleeping homeless. Peto smiled at people and was ignored stonily.
‘That’s why I like West Beach. The people are more friendly man. Come morning let’s make our way back. This aint no place to be.’ He motioned them over to an empty space. Amelia was so tired she did not care. There were many children crying, some of them just little toddlers. How could the rich let them sleep in a place like this that stank of urine and worse. If there really was a King and Queen they should be ashamed, she thought. She cuddled up with Peto and went to sleep.
Amelia woke to some shouting outside the building. It was night with just the light of one street light. There was the sound of a scream and she heard someone say.
‘No my dog is too weak. I’m going to take a look inside for some fresh meat.’
The voice sounded menacing and familiar. She saw the sacking in the window move and a person come through with a torch light shining it on sleeping faces. Another figure came through the window after. She shuddered in fear. The figures came nearer and she pretended to be asleep. They shone the torch on Peto
‘Hey I know this dog from West Beach. He is tough. He will be my fighting cock.’ The figure moved up to Peto and pulled him up. With fear Amelia recognised the figure, it was Torro. He said to Peto, who woke up not knowing what was going on,
‘Move outside. Now! You have work.’
‘I’m not going anywhere with you!’ said Peto rubbing his eyes. Amelia saw a glint of metal. It was a knife that Torro pointed at Peto
‘Move now!’
Peto’s eyes smarted with tears and Torro dragged him towards the window and pushed him through. Amelia didn’t know what to do she shivered and blinked, hoping it was just a nightmare, but it was real. She heard jeering in the street. She wanted to know what was happening she followed towards the window where a boy was up looking nervously through.
‘What’s happening, why do they want Peto?’ she asked him
‘It’s for fighting. They make one boy fight another, and gamble who is going to win. Amelia felt her whole body go acid in disgust. Peto never fought, he hated the idea of people being hurt. She heard Torro
‘Okay my boy. See that boy, I want you to damage him and come out the winner. You could make it big and fight all over the city.’ She heard Peto cry
‘But I don’t want to I’m not a fighter. He is five years older than me.’
She heard a big crowd of people shout,
‘Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! and she felt pains of worry in her stomach. She wanted to see what was happening, yet couldn’t bare to look. She climbed through the window, she had to save Peto. Outside a crowd of people stood in a circle. Through the gaps she saw Peto with Torro. He was being forced forward by Torro with the knife. There was another boy, a desperate, sad looking ragged boy. Another man gave him a piece of metal and said, ‘beat him on the head.’ The boy nodded and walked forward to Peto. Amelia screamed and ran forward shouting, ‘N
o!’ She felt herself be knocked to the ground and she passed out. She came round a few minutes later not wanting to reawaken into the nightmare. She heard a car horn and a man shouting in another kind of voice.
‘All of you disgusting people get away from here. Come. Are you alright boy?’ She heard Peto’s voice.
‘Thank you sir, I am alright.’
‘Do you want a ride somewhere? I will take you to my friend with a church.’
‘I have to find my friend we are from West Beach’ said Peto. Amelia stumbled up and rushed towards the car. Peto hugged her.
‘Is this your friend?’ said the man who was the tallest man she had ever seen
‘Yes this is Amelia.’
Amelia looked into the car, and in the back, fast asleep, she saw Prince
‘Prince!’ she squealed
‘You know my great grandson?’ asked the man
‘Yes. I am Amelia. I stayed with Prince in the hut on West Beach.’ Amelia felt her heart stop beating so fast. There must really be an angel looking over her.
‘I am Melchior. Did you hear about me? I am the most powerful man on the Coast. What are you doing here?’
‘The Police made everyone leave West Beach. They said the Mayor was selling a hotel to tourists and they didn’t want any ragged people around.
‘Nobody sells anything without my permission. I own half of that strip.’
As they were talking a few of the men who had wanted the fight came back angrily shouting and pointing with a knife at Melchior
‘Quick get in the car,’ he said and they jumped in the back next to Prince. Melchior got in, rolled up the windows and started the engine. The fight men banged on the car with their fists but he pulled away and drove down the street. Peto had a gash on his eyebrow where the boy had hit him. Amelia cradled his head in her hands as he whimpered softly
‘I was so afraid,’ he said. Amelia looked at Prince he was asleep still. They drove through the sleeping town. She saw people sleeping in doorways and at the front of shops. She didn’t ever want to come back to the town. She wanted to go back to West Beach, sort it out with Don Oro, and live in the little cottage overlooking the sea. As they were driving Melchior told them all about what he owned on the beach, the restaurants the shops nearby. He winked at them and told them everything would be different now he was back. Amelia and Peto held hands and smiled at each other. Melchior said he could take Peto to the church, but Amelia said they were together. She felt a kind of steely wish to show those Police who had made her go from the beach: that here she was in a big car, coming back.
‘Okay. I am going back to West Beach. We can stay at the hotel. I am the owner.’
‘You own the hotel?’ asked Amelia incredulously.
‘Yes. I haven’t been here for many years. I have been very busy. I ship many things: gold, oil, Sugar, coffee. I am a very busy man. I can’t get distracted or else people would not sell their produce and they would starve in the country.’
Amelia looked at his eyes in the wing mirror. He could have done so much to help people if he had money. But he didn’t look unkind, and Amelia felt safe with him. She felt a rush of warmth as they pulled up to the West Beach hotel, as if she were at home. She would have to tell Hat Boy all about it. Melchior woke up Prince and he jolted.
‘Amelia? Is that you? I thought you were going to be a singer with a band and you forgot all about me’
‘I could never forget you Prince,’ she said as they walked to the hotel. She hung her head realising that this was not true. When she was with Star Strummer she had forgotten all about everyone. There was a police van outside the hotel and a policeman got out and questioned Melchior as they walked up to the hotel. Melchior showed him his papers and told him he was the hotel owner. The policeman stepped back. Amelia looked at him with hate. If they didn’t have money he would have made them go. They walked into the hotel. Melchior made them sit down in the lobby. The hotel receptionist gave them a discouraging look. Melchior told her that he was the owner and these were his children, if she had a problem with that she could find other employment. She didn’t seem to believe him and rang the manager on her phone. He appeared a little later, and recognised Melchior. He bowed and shook his hand and they talked for a long time. Amelia, Peto and Prince were finding it hard to stay awake.
‘Come celebrate! You are West Beach children returned. Show them they can’t push you around!’ boomed Melchior
The children tried to smile but they were exhausted.
‘I want to sleep grandfather,’ said Prince
‘Of course, of course, you are just babies,’ said Melchior and told the receptionist to take the children to a room. She gave him a funny look, but did what he said. She took a key and motioned to the children toward the lift. They got in after her and went up to the first floor. Amelia had never seen anything so grand as the hotel. They got out of the lift and she led them to a door. She opened it with a key. Inside were four single beds. There was a jug of water and a plate of fruit. Peto drank thirstily. The woman looked at his cut eye and spoke under her breath about rough children and what was going to become of the place now that the owner was here and he was mad, letting in all kinds of riff raff children. The children just ignored her and fell down on the beds.
‘Ai-ee.’ Said the receptionist, ‘you must wash first before touching the bed linen.’ She showed them a door with a bathroom in it continuing to curse them under her breath. She left leaving Prince the key
‘Watch, I will tell my grandfather about her, and she won’t keep her job,’ said Prince.
Amelia laughed, but washed her feet and face in the sweet smelling soap and dried them on the luxurious towels. She couldn’t wait to lie down in between the beautiful white sheets. She took off her dress and hopped in, in her vest and pants. The room was bright with moonlight. Peto and Prince made their way into their beds and they all groaned with pleasure.
‘We must be the luckiest kids alive!’ hooted Peto.
They boasted about their luck. Then they told Prince about having to leave the beach.
‘They can’t do anything to us now. Melchior is our protector.’
‘What do you think has happened to all the others: Pinky and Pearl, George and Beno, Jasper?’ asked Amelia
‘ We will have to find them. I saw the tailor women hide Pinkie and Pearl so they will be safe. George and Beno will still be out on the boat.’
Amelia thought about Jasper who didn’t have much luck, and started to cry imagining him having a hard life in town.
‘Don’t worry, don’t worry everything will be fine. Melchior is here now,’ said Prince, but Amelia’s mind was in a blur. There were so many desperate people in town. Why should any of them suffer? Melchior couldn’t help all of them. Life was so unkind.
‘Why are you sad? We are living it up now! Said Peto
‘Life is so unkind,’ said Amelia
‘Girl smell the bed you are in. You ever smell anything so sweet? We are blessed.’
Amelia sunk her head into the pillow. She had seen too much sadness to feel happy. She would never be rich when there were people going without food. She imagined herself in a ragged dress giving out bread to never ending queue of poor. She would give them soap and food and clothes. There was a smile that the poor gave you when you gave them something, as if they were not used to anyone being kind. Amelia wanted this more than someone smiling at her because she had on an expensive dress. She dreamed off thinking of them smiling, exhausted.