The Devil’s Hand by Mark Mulholland

But you are nine now, Mam will say, nearly ten for goodness sake, shouldn’t you know better? That’s what she’ll say about it. And she’ll be so mad.

I was on the way out from the big game when I reached up and didn’t look, was just trying to keep my feet in the push from the crowd and all I could see was the dark amongst men and the flickering grey of the road below as I was pressed and all I could do was to try to stay up and to not fall and to not get too scared and to not cry out and so I held Dad’s hand. But it was not Dad. Don’t worry, he said. Don’t be frightened. But I was frightened so I said nothing and I went with him because I didn’t know what else to do and because he said he’d help and because I was already holding his hand and because . . . because I don’t know why.

And he took me to this place, wherever this place is, maybe it’s his house, I don’t know, it’s not a nice house. And he tells me not to scream or shout or cry or he’ll cut me up and he shows me the knife. And he licks my face. And he opens my coat. And I want to cry and shout and scream, but I don’t want him to cut me up. And my face is wet from his licking. And I can’t stop shaking. And I can’t breathe without crying. And I can’t cry because he’ll cut me up. And I can’t think. And Mam will be so mad. And his hand is on me.

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Mark Mulholland is the author of the acclaimed novel A Mad and Wonderful Thing. His short fiction has been published in the USA, Ireland, and the UK and has been shortlisted for the Dorset Fiction Award.

Photo: Annie Spratt