Secret Gardens Read Online Free Page B

hear a deep voice. Stefan returns.
    “That man said he was your uncle,” he tells Nadimah. “He’s the one who came before. I don’t think he’ll give up easily.”

Chapter 17 - The Sea
    We have to run away. But where? It has to be a place I can find work. I ask Karl.
    “This is summer,” he says. “Lots of jobs at the seaside.”
    “How far is the seaside?” I ask.
    “Nottingham is as far from the sea as you can get,” Karl tells me. “Over a hundred miles.”
    I travelled thousands of miles to get here. A hundred miles is nothing.
    “There are buses and trains,” he adds, and tells me where to get a timetable.
    Later, I show the timetable to Nadimah.
    “Where will we stay?” She sounds unhappy.
    “I don’t know. But I think we have to go.”

    We go on a Saturday. The bus is mad. Everybody is going on holiday. Some wave buckets and spades. They sing songs.
    We’re going on a summer holiday
    Doing things we’re not supposed to do
    It is nine in the morning, but some people drink beer. Everybody but us is white. We don’t talk to each other. Nadimah keeps her head down. When people try to talk to me, I pretend not to speak English.
    I look out of the window. At first I see places I know. Carlton. Arnold. Then Southwell. Next is Newark. After two hours we get to Lincoln. Nobody gets on or off.
    The land around Lincoln is flat. It is nothing like Nottingham. Karl said there were many farms near here. He said I could find work: no questions asked . We stop at a town called Horncastle. Again, nobody gets on or off. When we set off again, the singing gets louder. Kids run up and down the middle of the bus.
    “Keep it down!” The driver shouts.
    “Don’t be so mardy!” Someone shouts. I sort of know what mardy means, but can’t put it into words. Nothing is allowed to spoil our journey.
    Half an hour later, the bus gets to Skegness. People cheer. The streets are full. The shops look bright and full of colour. Some have plastic toys in piles outside.
    We stop. People hurry to get off the bus. We wait until most have gone. Then I say, “Come on”.
    Something is wrong. Nadimah won’t get up.
    “What is it?”
    She’s crying.
    “Any more for Skegness?” The driver shouts.
    I thought this was the last stop. But there are still a few people on the bus. I don’t know where it goes next.
    “What is it?” I ask Nadimah again.
    “Too many people,” she says. “I can’t.”
    “But we only paid for a ticket to Skegness!”
    “I can’t.”
    The bus starts off again.

Chapter 18 - Last Stop
    More people get off at the next stop. A sign says Butlin’s Holiday Camp . The camp is behind a big fence. Nothing would make me go in there.
    A few minutes later, the bus stops near a caravan park.
    “Can we get out here?” Nadimah asks.
    She likes caravans. They make good places to hide in.
    “There won’t be any jobs,” I tell her.
    I hope the bus driver will not throw us off the bus. There are still six other passengers. I look at my timetable. I have not heard of the other places we are going to. We stop at three villages. The third one is by the sea. Two people get out.
    “Can we get out here?” Nadimah asks.
    “It’s too small,” I tell her.
    All of the last few stops are close together. Soon there are only two stops left. Trusthorpe and Mablethorpe. Thorpe means village. We did it in school. Trusthorpe is too small. People would notice us here. Nobody gets off the bus. The last stop is Mablethorpe. It looks better. The streets are wide. It is like Skegness, but not as big.
    “We have to get out here,” I tell Nadimah.
    “OK,” she says.
    We follow the last four passengers off the bus.
    “Hey!” says the bus driver. “Let’s see your tickets!”
    I show him.
    “You only paid to go to Skegness,” he tells us.
    I pretend not to understand. I think he will ask for more money. He frowns and shakes his head.
    “I take your sort to Skegness sometimes, but not Mablethorpe. Are you meeting