To Tell the Truth by Anna Smith Page B

doubt about that.
    ‘How far?’ Besmir asked the driver. ‘How long to drive?’
    ‘Maybe two hours,’ he said. ‘Roads no good. We don’t go the coast road as there is more traffic and people. But the small roads to Tangiers are not good.’
    ‘Then let’s go.’ Besmir poked his shoulder for effect.
    The girl had sobbed for a little longer, but she stopped when Besmir gave her some water and a soft sugar sweet Elira had put in the bag for the journey. The puppy licked her fingers as Besmir settled her down so she was lying across the seat. But she kept twisting herself around so she could lie with her arm wrapped across him. He automatically put his arm over hers. He looked out of the window.
    The car clanked and jerked its way along the road, which became little more than tyre tracks in the desolate scrubland. The young driver repeated it was better to keep away from the main roads, and kept turning hishead round to Besmir to reassure him that everything was alright. Besmir guessed he was about the same age as himself, but he could see that he was a little afraid of him, and he resolved to keep it that way.
    He didn’t like the little fat man and immediately sensed he couldn’t trust him. He was a bully. Besmir knew he’d made an instant enemy from the moment he had talked down to him at the start of the journey, but that didn’t worry him. He had met enough bullying little men on his way through life, and he feared none of them. You had to get the better of them straight away or they would crush you into the ground like a beetle.
    He looked out at the heat rising in waves across the barren landscape. They’d hardly gone past any villages, just miles and miles of empty track and a few straggling herds of goats, some – to his amazement – perched precariously in the trees nibbling on the leaves. He smiled to himself when he saw them teetering on the branches. The goats weren’t afraid to take a risk. He liked that.
    The driver pointed to a small stream in the distance and asked if they could stop for a few minutes to eat some food. He had been working since daybreak he said, and was hungry. Besmir agreed, and thought he should give the girl something to eat if she woke up. They got out of the car and the fat man lit a cigarette, walking towards the stream and opening his trousers to have a pee as he went. Besmir opened the back door and could see that the girl was waking up. He crouched down and looked at her face, smiling at her.
    ‘Hello, little Kaltrina.’ He lifted the bag out to look forsome food, then produced a piece of bread. ‘Look, Kaltrina. Hungry? You want some food?’
    The puppy jumped out and leapt up at him. He gave it a piece of bread which it devoured in one gulp. The girl giggled, and put her hands out for some food. Besmir broke off a piece of bread and handed it to her. She immediately stretched her hand towards the dog who leapt up and snatched it from her fingers. Besmir watched her face as she looked up at him, her blue eyes piercing in the sunlight.
    ‘Kaltrina. Look. Eat.’ He put some bread in his mouth and she put her arms up for him to lift her. He took her out of the car and sat her on the ground, kneeling beside her. Besmir broke more bread and some hard cheese from the bag and gave a small piece to her. He watched as she munched it, then put her hands out for the water and orange juice mix Elira had given them. She was thirsty, and gulped the lukewarm drink. Then she stood up. She fidgeted from one leg to the other, and clutched between her legs. Besmir looked at her, confused, then at the driver, who smiled a gap-toothed smile.
    ‘She want go to toilet,’ he said, pointing at her. Besmir felt awkward. He looked at the driver.
    ‘You want I take her?’ he said. ‘I have little sisters. Is no problem for me to take them to toilet.’
    Besmir said nothing but motioned with his hand to take the girl. He watched as the driver picked her up and went a few yards away. He