第18章 The Last Walk

Nissa walked out to the marsh again at three in the morning on the fourth day, alone, with nothing in her hands. She had not gone to sleep. She had sat at the kitchen table with the slate in front of her, and the slate had gone cold by the time she got up, and the slate had gone warm by the time she was at the door, and the slate had gone cold again by the time she was on the shingle, and the slate had gone warm again by the time she was at the first step. She walked the first step to the ninth, and the marsh was dry, and the marsh was white, and the marsh was warm. She walked past the ninth step and out across the flat, past the point where the mapmakers had stopped, past the flat, and out into the water that was not water, and where Ashenholt stood. Ashenholt was not a town. Ashenholt was the shape of a town, standing out of the mud, and the shape of a church with a squat tower and a door that faced the marsh, and the shape of a tower with a bell that had not rung in four hundred years. The child was at the door of the shape of the church. She sat on the step with her slate on her lap, and the slate was empty, and the slate was warm. The boy was at the door. He sat on the step with his slate in his hand, and the slate was empty, and the slate was warm. Barsham was at the door. He sat on the step with his coat buttoned and his collar up and his hands in his pockets, and his eyes on the door of the shape of the church, and the door was closed. Nissa stood at the door. She did not open it. She did not knock. She stood there. "Barsham," she said. Barsham did not move. He did not speak. He did not look at her. "Barsham. Where is the child." The child was on the step with the slate on her lap. She did not move. She did not speak. She did not look at Nissa. "Where is the boy," Nissa said. The boy was on the step with the slate in his hand. He did not move. He did not speak. He did not look at Nissa. "Where is Barsham," Nissa said. Barsham was on the step with his hands in his pockets. He did not move. He did not speak. He did not look at Nissa. Nissa did not move. She did not speak. She did not open the door. She did not knock. She did not come to the shape of the church. She did not come to the child. She did not come to the boy. She did not come to Barsham. She stood at the door. The bell rang. It came from the tower of the shape of the church. It came from the marsh. It came from inland. It came from the village. It did not stop. It rang for an hour. Nissa did not move. She did not speak. She did not open the door. She did not knock. She did not come to the shape of the church. She did not come to the child. She did not come to the boy. She did not come to Barsham. She stood at the door. The bell stopped. Nissa walked to the child. She put her hand on the slate. She did not take the slate. She put her hand on the child's shoulder. She held the child's shoulder. "Come home," Nissa said. The child did not move. She did not speak. She did not look at Nissa. She did not come to Nissa. She sat on the step of the shape of the church with the slate on her lap. "Come home," Nissa said. The child did not move. She did not speak. She did not look at Nissa. She did not come to Nissa. She sat on the step of the shape of the church with the slate on her lap. "Come home," Nissa said. The child stood up. She put the slate under her arm. She walked to Nissa. She did not come to Nissa. She did not speak. She did not look at Nissa. She walked to Nissa. Nissa walked the child home. She did not speak. She did not look at the child. She walked the child home across the flat, past the ninth step, past the eighth, past the seventh, past the sixth, past the fifth, past the fourth, past the third, past the second, past the first, past the shingle, up the lane, to the Saltwyke house. She put the child at the door of the Saltwyke house, and the door was open, and the kitchen was warm, and the fire was going, and the pans were cold, and the slate was on the kitchen table, and the slate was warm. The child did not come in. She did not speak. She did not look at Nissa. She stood at the door with her slate under her arm, and the slate was empty, and the slate was warm. The child came in. She did not speak. She did not look at Nissa. She did not come to the kitchen table. She sat on the step of the Saltwyke house, and the step was the step, and the step was the step, and the step was the step. Nissa did not move. She did not speak. She did not come to the child. She did not come to the door. She stood at the door of the Saltwyke house with her hand on the frame, and the door was open, and the kitchen was warm, and the fire was going, and the pans were cold, and the slate was on the kitchen table, and the slate was warm. At four, the child walked home from the Saltwyke house. She did not come to Nissa. She did not speak. She did not look at Nissa. She walked home from the Saltwyke house to her father's house at the harbour, and her father's house was at the end of the village, and her father's house was at the harbour, and her father's house was at the boat, and her father's house was at the pan, and her father's house was at the salt, and her father's house was at the marsh. At six, the child came back to the Saltwyke house. She did not come in. She did not speak. She did not look at Nissa. She stood at the door with her slate under her arm, and the slate was empty, and the slate was warm. At eight, the child walked home from the Saltwyke house to her father's house at the harbour. She did not come to Nissa. She did not speak. She did not look at Nissa. At ten, the child came back to the Saltwyke house. She did not come in. She did not speak. She did not look at Nissa. She stood at the door with her slate under her arm, and the slate was empty, and the slate was warm. At twelve, the child walked home from the Saltwyke house to her father's house at the harbour. She did not come to Nissa. She did not speak. She did not look at Nissa. At two, the child came back to the Saltwyke house. She did not come in. She did not speak. She did not look at Nissa. She stood at the door with her slate under her arm, and the slate was empty, and the slate was warm. At four, the child walked home from the Saltwyke house to her father's house at the harbour. She did not come to Nissa. She did not speak. She did not look at Nissa. At six, the child came back to the Saltwyke house. She did not come in. She did not speak. She did not look at Nissa. She stood at the door with her slate under her arm, and the slate was empty, and the slate was warm. At eight, the child walked home from the Saltwyke house to her father's house at the harbour. She did not come to Nissa. She did not speak. She did not look at Nissa. At ten, the child came back to the Saltwyke house. She did not come in. She did not speak. She did not look at Nissa. She stood at the door with her slate under her arm, and the slate was empty, and the slate was warm. ---