Trafika Europe 9/10 - UK in Europe

Ritual, 1969 [two stories]

would become her envoy, making others see her in a whole new light. As they began down the drive to the house, he gave no sign of surprise at its majesty. But then he had no idea of her relationship to the house, she might have been a live-in skivvy for all he knew and lived in a caravan around the back. ‘Here it is.’ He stepped in and looked around. She had almost stopped seeing how grand the hall was, but now she could see its magnificence reflected in his gaze. ‘How many people live here?’ ‘Just me.’


‘Just ... you?’
 ‘I’m the caretaker.’

He seemed relieved to hear that. She smiled. How easily the lie had come to her. ‘Well...’ she began, but then she sensed a presence near her, very close by, and a fleeting touch of something cool and very slightly moist on the back of her hand. A quick glimpse and there they were, fading and drying already, two bare footprints that seemed to be waiting, hungry for attention. ‘You okay?’ he said.
 ‘Yes, just tired. Let’s find you a room, eh?’ 
When they were halfway up the stairs, he said, ‘You

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