Outnumbered

Claire Grant

Description

Sophie's got a new job and a new home in rural South Australia. Finally able to escape her Catholic family and her five brothers, she makes her way to Plum, where she discovers that learning to be a physiotherapist and actually being one are very different things. She is determined to be a good person without any guidance from a ludicrous deity in the sky but she surprises herself by just how terrible she really is. She figures out that she's awful at her job and she might just be an awful person too.

Informations

• Publié par: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Date de parution: 29 novembre 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781528962193
• Langue: English

Extrait

OUTNUMBERED
Claire Grant
AUSTIN MACAULEY PUBLISHERS





About the Author




Claire Grant is from Adelaide, South Australia. She is a physiotherapist but has always had an interest in writing. She comes from a large Catholic family from which she draws inspiration for the anecdotes in her stories. She now lives in West Sussex and still works as a physiotherapist.




Dedication




This book is dedicated to my dad, who always believed in my ability to write great stories; and to my mum, who gave me the skills to do it.
Copyright Information ©

Claire Grant (2019)

The right of Claire Grant to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781528918121 (Paperback)
ISBN 9781528918138 (Hardback)
ISBN 9781528962193 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.com

First Published (2019)
Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd
25 Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London
E14 5LQ

OUTNUMBERED


About the Author
Dedication
Copyright Information ©
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Age 7
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Age 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Age 5
Chapter 7
Age 7
Chapter 8
Age 8
Age 15
Chapter 10
Age 17
Chapter 11
Age 10
Age 18
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Age 8
Age 18
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Peter
Age 8
Age 11
Chapter 19
Age 16
Chapter 20
Age 18
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
C h a p ter 3 0
Age 5
Chapter 31
Chapter 3 2
Chapter 3 3
A g e 1 2
A g e 1 3
Chapter 3 4
Chapter 3 5
A g e 1 1
Chapter 3 6
Chapter 37
A g e 4
Chapter 38
Chapter 3 9









I l i e on my ba ck an d l o ok u p a t the sky. T h ro u g h the d a rk, the st a rs p e e r c u ri ou s l y a t me f rom t h e l i ttle gap s in the m e sh t ent to p . L u ke is sou n d a sleep, eve r y th i rd o r fo u rth b rea t h is a happ y g r un t in the ba ck of h i s thro a t. He is c ur led into a comf o rta b le O - s h ap e in h is slee p i n g b ag . I a m ri g id in my bag , try in g to keep a s mu c h of myself i n side it a s p o s sib l e. If I l e t my sho u l d er o u t, wh a t c o u ld c o me g et m e ? I l i st a ll the thi n g s th a t c o u ld b e l u rki ng . Wh i speri n g softly to my s elf, “ Ro b b e rs, m u r d e r ers, c h i ld ren sn a tc h e rs, gh osts, r ab id d o g s.” A l l the thi n g s th a t c o u ld an d take me a way fr o m M u m an d D a d an d L u ke an d Pet e r an d M a tt h e w a re c l osi n g i n this v e ry seco n d , waiti n g for me to move to qu i c kl y , then they ’ ll g r a b me. I c a n see sh ad o w s m o vi n g o u tsi d e the tent d o o r. L u ke i s p r e tty s t r o n g ; if s o me t h i n g c a me to g et u s, may b e I c o u ld wake h i m up . I c o u gh . I wou l d mu c h r a ther h e b e a wa k e too, j u st in c a s e the h o rri b le l i st march o n e b y o n e thro u g h the d o or. Ro b b e r, m u r d e r e r , c h i l d sn a tc h e r, gh ost, r ab id d o g . L u ke d o e sn’t st i r. H i s g r un tin g , una fr ai d b reat h i n g c o n tin u es stro n g an d r eg u l a r. If p ossib l e, h e i s m ore a sl e ep th a n h e w a s b efore. I w ri g g le ov e r in m y s lee p i n g bag , i n ch b y i n c h , c a ref u l n ot to let my sh o u l d e r s o u t. F ina l l y, c l o se en o ugh , I ki c k h i m. H e ro l l s f u rther a way an d snor e s l oud l y . I w ri g g le ba ck to m y b it of fo a m mat t re s s, j u st a s c a u tio u sly a s I ha d w r i g g led a way fr o m it. I c o un t slowly in my h ea d , will i n g myself to f a ll a sleep. 1, 2, 3, 4 …5 68 …1 0 2 2. I a m in d esp a ir. I c a n ’t d o it. I th ough t I was b r a ve bu t I’m n ot. I’m n ot o l d en o ugh , n ot b ig en o ugh , n ot stro n g en o ug h . The f a stest I ha ve ev e r mo v ed in my l i fe, I rip o p en my sleep in g bag , unz ip the t e n t an d flee a s f a st a s I c a n , the n i g h t monst e rs a re h ot on my tai l . Th e re a r e b reat h s, c reep in g fi n g e r s, f l eeting g r a sps on my ba ck. I r u n an d r u n an d r un , l o o k i n g str a i g h t ah ea d . The d o o r! The c o ld m e tal hand le is in my fi n g e rs. I t is un l o cke d . I pu ll it o p en. Li g h ts g l a re d own on me. I feverish l y gro p e a ro u nd , m oment a ri l y b l i n d ed. Warm f ab ric in my fi n g e rs, I lo o k u p . M u m is lo o ki n g d o wn a t me in sur p rise. S h e is p a ck in g c l ot h es i n to the w a shi n g ma ch i n e. I a m in t h e l a und ry, ro u gh ly t e n me t res f rom w h e re the t ent is s et u p on the b a ck l a w n .
“ So p h ie, wh a t ’s w r o n g ?” M u m a sks, c o n cern in h e r vo i ce. I wa n t to tell h er t h a t I’m n ot b r a ve en o ug h to c a mp in the b a cky a r d . B u t I c a n ’t let h er thi n k I’m a bab y. M a y b e s h e won’t bu y me a t w o-wheel e r bike f o r C h ris t mas.
My vo i ce wob b l e s, “ I n e ed a d ri n k of wat e r , ” I say qu i ck l y. Dr a t , I took my d ri n k b ottle i n to the tent, M u m fi l led it u p f o r m e, I c an ’t rea c h t h e ta p . I’ve given my s elf a way.
Si l ly M u m s e ems to a c c ept my exc u se. “ OK , ” she sa y s. I let o u t a s i g h of rel i ef. S h e must ha v e forg o tten ab o u t the d ri n k b ottle. “ H ey, y o u kn o w wh a t , I thi n k I’d l i ke to c a mp in the tent,” s h e says. “ Let me g r a b my sleep in g bag , y o u g o a sk D a d f o r a d ri n k of wat e r. ” W o w, wh a t a s u cker, she thi n ks I a m ha vi n g so mu c h f u n s h e w an ts to c o me too! M u m c o mes ba ck with h er sleep in g ba g an d we g o ba ck t o the t ent. S h e l i es d own b e t ween L u ke an d me. I f o r g et a b o u t my l on g l i s t of p ote n t i a l dang e r s an d I c l o se my eyes. When I o p en th e m aga i n , i n stead of st a r s, I see b ri g h t g reen le a v e s fr o m the gu m t ree in th ei r p l a ce, the s u n is s h i n i n g a n d I h a d so mu c h fun on my f irst c a mpi n g tri p .
Chapter 1



Qu i et l i es h ea v y o n t o p o f m e. I sta r e u p at the c eil i ng . The cracks r unn i n g th r o ug h the wh i te p laster a r e s o far a w a y, th e y c o u ld b e sp i d erwe b s. M aybe t h ey are? I sh u dd er. C o mfo r ti ng ly, t h ere is a t least f o u r met r es o f e m p t y, cl e ar, un o c cu p ie d , si l ent sp a ce b e tw e en the cra c ks a n d me. A t h o m e , t h e t o p s o f d oo r fr a m es scra p ed L u ke’s h ead e v e ry t i me h e was a l i ttle to o p r e - o c cu p ied to r e m e m b er to low e r h is lo f ty h ei gh t. Ex ce p t, I r e mi n d my s elf, th i s is h o m e n o w. This qu iet sp a c e where I a m a l o n e with j u st the cree p y cr a wlies. I t’s d i stur b i n g ly qu iet.
This m o r n i n g, Dad h el p ed me h a u l i t e m af t er it e m f rom m y r o o m a n d pu t them o n the fro n t law n . We pu t the se a ts d o wn o n my ti n y Mitsu b is h i l a n cer, p ac k ed, stuffed a n d strai n ed a n d then s h o o k o u r h eads in d espa i r. We unp acked a n d rep a c k ed m y car. I d o n ’ t o wn m u ch, r eally, bu t when t r yi n g t o jam my p o s s ess i o n s c o l l e ct e d o v er 22 ye ars i n to m y p o o r l i t tle c ar, they b al l o o n ed a n d ex p a nd ed l i ke b e a ten egg whites. T wo h o u rs late r , m y k e y b o ar d , tw o su i tca s es o f cl o thes a n d b a g s o f kitchenwa r e were p recar i o u sly b al an ced a g ai n s t the win d o ws. M u m tut - tut t ed as I l u gg ed a b o x o f n ic k- n acks i nt o the g ara g e th a t were to o sent i mental t o t h row o u t y e t n o t l o ved e n o ug h to g o i nt o m y n e w h o m e.
As I che c ked m y b a r e b e d ro o m, M att b r u shed p a s t me a n d d u m p ed s om e cloth e s o n the g ro und . “ Mi n e n o w , ” he g r i nn ed.
“ Oi, ca n ’ t y o u wait un til I d rive o ff b ef o r e y o u ta k e o v er ? ” I p ro t ested, j u m p i n g o u t o f the way as jock s , s o cks and jum p ers s c attered at m y f e et.
“ N o , ” he gr inn ed, d i sa pp ea r i n g . H e retur n ed with a qu i l t, which he c hu c k ed o n the b ed; h is be d . C h rist o ph er a n d A n t h o n y were o u t in the l i vi n g r oo m, kicking a s o c c er b all thr o ug h the p assa g ew a y d o o r, which w as a t a 90 o a ng le t o my, o r r a ther, Matt ’ s r o o m. I sc o wled, b r u sh i n g A n tho n y, the g o alkeeper, o u t o f m y w a y t o e xit i n to t h e l i vi n g r o o m. H e b ar r elled g o o d - nat u red l y i n to me as he b l o c k ed the b al l .
“ OK, I ’ m g o i n g n o w , ” I a nn o un ced t o M u m. S h e was pu tti n g away d is h es w i th the i n te n sity o f a su rg e o n r e m o vi n g a t u m o ur. S h e’s a s m al l , p a l e wo man with m o u sy b r o wn h ai r . N o o n e w o u ld ex p e c t h er to b irth such tall, ro bu st c h i ld ren with d ark h air a n d skin that w a s n e it h er wh i te n o r b r o wn bu t s o me sh ad e o f wall p ai n t in b e tw ee n . S h e l o o ked u p at m e with a ra i sed e y ebr o w, a s i f I w a s i n t e rr u p ti n g th i s vital w o r k, n o t j u st sl o wing the p r o g ress o f the d i n n er p lates b ei n g pu t aw a y. S h e ratt l ed h