The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More Part 18

"Then I must tell my mother."

"You can't. You can't use that phone."

"Why not?"

"It goes only to G.o.d."

"What did you say I was?"

"Missing, believed killed."

"That's not true. It's a lie. It's a lousy lie because here I am and I'm not missing. You're just trying to frighten me and you won't succeed. You won't succeed, I tell you, because I know it's a lie and I'm going back to my squadron. You can't stop me because I'll just go. I'm going, you see, I'm going."

I got up from the red chair and began to run.

"Let me see those X-rays again, nurse."

"They're here, doctor." This was the woman's voice again, and now it came closer. "You have been making a noise tonight, haven't you? Let me straighten your pillow for you, you're pus.h.i.+ng it on to the floor." The voice was close and it was very soft and nice.

"Am I missing?"

"No, of course not. You're fine."

"They said I was missing."

"Don't be silly; you're fine."

Oh everyone's silly, silly, silly, but it was a lovely day, and I did not want to run but I couldn't stop. I kept on running across the gra.s.s and I couldn't stop because my legs were carrying me and I had no control over them. It was as if they did not belong to me, although when I looked down I saw that they were mine, that the shoes on the feet were mine and that the legs were joined to my body. But they would not do what I wanted; they just went on running across the field and I had to go with them. I ran and ran and ran, and although in some places the field was rough and b.u.mpy, I never stumbled. I ran past trees and hedges and in one field there were some sheep which stopped their eating and scampered off as I ran past them. Once I saw my mother in a pale grey dress bending down picking mushrooms, and as I ran past she looked up and said, "My basket's nearly full; shall we go home soon?" but my legs wouldn't stop and I had to go on.

Then I saw the cliff ahead and I saw how dark it was beyond the cliff. There was this great cliff and beyond it there was nothing but darkness, although the sun was s.h.i.+ning in the field where I was running. The light of the sun stopped dead at the edge of the cliff and there was only darkness beyond. "That must be where the night begins," I thought, and once more I tried to stop but it was not any good. My legs began to go faster towards the cliff and they began to take longer strides, and I reached down with my hand and tried to stop them by clutching the cloth of my trousers, but it did not work; then I tried to fall down. But my legs were nimble, and each time I threw myself I landed on my toes and went on running.

Now the cliff and the darkness were much nearer and I could see that unless I stopped quickly I should go over the edge. Once more I tried to throw myself to the ground and once more I landed on my toes and went on running.

I was going fast as I came to the edge and I went straight on over it into the darkness and began to fall.

At first it was not quite dark. I could see little trees growing out of the face of the cliff, and I grabbed at them with my hands as I went down. Several times I managed to catch hold of a branch, but it always broke off at once because I was so heavy and because I was falling so fast, and once I caught a thick branch with both hands and the tree leaned forward and I heard the snapping of the roots one by one until it came away from the cliff and I went on falling. Then it became darker because the sun and the day were in the fields far away at the top of the cliff, and as I fell I kept my eyes open and watched the darkness turn from grey-black to black, from black to jet black and from jet black to pure liquid blackness which I could touch with my hands but which I could not see. But I went on falling, and it was so black that there was nothing anywhere and it was not any use doing anything or caring or thinking because of the blackness and because of the falling. It was not any use.

"You're better this morning. You're much better." It was the woman's voice again.

"Hallo."

"Hallo; we thought you were never going to get conscious."

"Where am I?"

"In Alexandria; in hospital."

"How long have I been here?"

"Four days."

"What time is it?"

"Seven o'clock in the morning."

"Why can't I see?"

I heard her walking a little closer.

"Oh, we've just put a bandage around your eyes for a bit."

"How long for?"

"Just for a while. Don't worry. You're fine. You were very lucky, you know."

I was feeling my face with my fingers but I couldn't feel it; I could only feel something else.

"What's wrong with my face?"

I heard her coming up to the side of my bed and I felt her hand touching my shoulder.

"You mustn't talk any more. You're not allowed to talk. It's bad for you. Just lie still and don't worry. You're fine."

I heard the sound of her footsteps as she walked across the floor and I heard her open the door and shut it again.

"Nurse," I said. "Nurse."

But she was gone.

About the Author: .

Roald Dahl's parents were Norwegian, but he was born at Llandaff, Glamorgan, in 1916, and educated at Repton School. After taking part in an expedition to explore the interior of Newfoundland, he joined the Sh.e.l.l Oil Company in London. Four years later he was sent by the company to Dar-es-Salaam, but the next year, on the outbreak of war, enlisted in the R.A.F. at Nairobi. He was severely wounded after joining a fighter squadron in Libya, but later saw service as a fighter pilot in Greece and Syria. In 1942 he went to Was.h.i.+ngton as a.s.sistant Air Attache and it was there he started to write short stories. Later he was transferred into Intelligence and ended the war as a Wing Commander. His first twelve short stories, based on his wartime experience, were originally published in leading American magazines and later as a book, Over To You. Over To You. His later short stories, which have received extraordinary acclaim, have been translated into many languages and have been best-sellers all over the world; among the t.i.tles are, His later short stories, which have received extraordinary acclaim, have been translated into many languages and have been best-sellers all over the world; among the t.i.tles are, Someone Like You, Kiss Kiss, Twenty-nine Kisses from Roald Dahl Someone Like You, Kiss Kiss, Twenty-nine Kisses from Roald Dahl and and Switch b.i.t.c.h. Switch b.i.t.c.h. Anglia Television have dramatized a selection of these short stories which are published in Penguin as Anglia Television have dramatized a selection of these short stories which are published in Penguin as Tales of the Unexpected Tales of the Unexpected and and More Tales of the Unexpected More Tales of the Unexpected (which includes four new stories). His other publications include his highly praised novel, (which includes four new stories). His other publications include his highly praised novel, My Uncle Oswald, My Uncle Oswald, a collection of his finest short stories, a collection of his finest short stories, The Best of Roald Dahl, Roald Dahl's Book of Ghost Stones The Best of Roald Dahl, Roald Dahl's Book of Ghost Stones and two volumes of autobiography, and two volumes of autobiography, Boy Boy and and Going Solo. Going Solo. As a tribute to Roald Dahl on his seventieth birthday, Viking published As a tribute to Roald Dahl on his seventieth birthday, Viking published Two Fables Two Fables in 1986. in 1986.

Roald Dahl is one of the most successful and well-known of all children's writers. His books, which are read by children the world over, include James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Magic Finger, Charlie and the Great Gla.s.s Elevator, Fantastic Mr Fox, The Twits, The Witches James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Magic Finger, Charlie and the Great Gla.s.s Elevator, Fantastic Mr Fox, The Twits, The Witches and and The BFG. The BFG. Winner of the 1983 Whitbread Award, Winner of the 1983 Whitbread Award, The Witches The Witches was described by judges as "funny, wise, deliciously disgusting, a was described by judges as "funny, wise, deliciously disgusting, a real real book for children. From the first paragraph to the last, we felt we were in the hands of a master." book for children. From the first paragraph to the last, we felt we were in the hands of a master."