Elisabeth Carpenter

99 Red Balloons: A chillingly clever psychological thriller with a stomach-flipping twist


Скачать книгу

the only man I’ve ever met that would do swearing in front of a kid. My gran would have a coronary if she heard him.

      In front of us, cars are lined up in rows. There are little houses in the middle of the road that everyone is stopping beside. George turns round.

      ‘Listen, kid. They might call you by a different name, but it’s just a game. We’re playing at pretend. If you win, and they don’t guess your real name, then I’ll buy you some sweets after your dinner. Deal?’

      I nod. I just heard different name and sweets. I’m quite good at pretending. In my first school play, I was Mary – and I didn’t have to say anything. All the grown-ups believed I actually was Mary. ‘George’ might not even be his real name; I said it twice ten minutes ago and he didn’t reply. He was probably ignoring me again.

      He can’t sit still in his seat. He must have ants in his pants. He turns round again.

      ‘Are you all right? Just be calm, everything will be okay.’

      I am calm.

      He wiggles his fingers on the steering wheel.

      ‘Come on, man. You can do it. Ten grand, ten grand. All the booze I can drink. Come on, man.’

      He thinks he’s whispering, but he’s not doing it properly.

      The car stops. George winds down the window, and says something. It’s not English.

      He hands them some paper, but I can’t see what’s on it. He told me to look out of my side, so I can’t peek too much.

      A face appears at the window. A man with a grey beard. He’s wearing a flat hat, like a policeman’s. He points at me and makes circle shapes with his hand. It makes me laugh.

      ‘He’s telling you to wind the window down.’ George doesn’t sound mad, or happy.

      I grab the handle with two hands and wind it round until the window is halfway down. The man squints at me. He’s really close, but his nose doesn’t come through the window. Is he a policeman? Shall I tell him that I’ve lost my mummy? I wish I knew how to speak the way George does. I’m trying to smile but my eyes are watering.

      He stands back up and walks slowly round the car. He bends down to talk to George.

      ‘Die Kind ist acht?

      He’s talking like they sing in that song. I wish I knew more words than ninety-nine red balloons.

      ‘Ja weiß ich,’ says George. ‘Wir hören dass die ganze Zeit. Das arme Kind ist klein für ihr Alter.’

      The man in the uniform laughs, but I can’t hear what he says back. I wouldn’t be able to understand it anyway. The guard hits the top of the car twice and says, ‘Willkommen zurück nach Deutschland.’ And we drive away.

      After three minutes, George flings off his cap. He bangs the steering wheel three times with his fists. ‘Get the hell in! We did it, kid. That was the worst one – they’re right tough sods, those German border bastards. We’ve only gone and fucking done it. We’re in Germany, little one!’

      Germany? My mummy’s never been to Germany before. Why would she be here?

      I look out of the window, and it’s raining.

      So are my eyes.

       Chapter Fifteen

       Stephanie

      Why have I woken?

      It takes me a few blinks to realise where I am: on Emma and Matt’s sofa. Another few moments and I remember why I feel so ill. I need water – my mouth is so dry and my head is pounding.

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4QAYRXhpZgAASUkqAAgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/sABFEdWNreQABAAQAAAA8AAD/4QRIaHR0cDov L25zLmFkb2JlLmNvbS94YXAvMS4wLwA8P3hwYWNrZXQgYmVnaW49Iu+7vyIgaWQ9Ilc1TTBNcENl aGlIenJlU3pOVGN6a2M5ZCI/PiA8eDp4bXBtZXRhIHhtbG5zOng9ImFkb2JlOm5zOm1ldGEvIiB4 OnhtcHRrPSJBZG9iZSBYTVAgQ29yZSA1LjMtYzAxMSA2Ni4xNDU2NjEsIDIwMTIvMDIvMDYtMTQ6 NTY6MjcgICAgICAgICI+IDxyZGY6UkRGIHhtbG5zOnJkZj0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMTk5 OS8wMi8yMi1yZGYtc3ludGF4LW5zIyI+IDxyZGY6RGVzY3JpcHRpb24gcmRmOmFib3V0PSIiIHht bG5zOnhtcE1NPSJodHRwOi8vbnMuYWRvYmUuY29tL3hhcC8xLjAvbW0vIiB4bWxuczpzdFJlZj0i aHR0cDovL25zLmFkb2JlLmNvbS94YXAvMS4wL3NUeXBlL1Jlc291cmNlUmVmIyIgeG1sbnM6eG1w PSJodHRwOi8vbnMuYWRvYmUuY29tL3hhcC8xLjAvIiB4bWxuczpkYz0iaHR0cDovL3B1cmwub3Jn L2RjL2VsZW1lbnRzLzEuMS8iIHhtcE1NOk9yaWdpbmFsRG9jdW1lbnRJRD0idXVpZDo2ZDFlNDZk Yy01Y2EwLTRkMDAtOTM4MC04OTYyZmFmZjQxODgiIHhtcE1NOkRvY3VtZW50SUQ9InhtcC5kaWQ6 NzJFRUY5MjE2OTQ2MTFFN0FGNzI5ODY2QkJGRDcxQTYiIHhtcE1NOkluc3RhbmNlSUQ9InhtcC5p aWQ6NzJFRUY5MjA2OTQ2MTFFN0FGNzI5ODY2QkJGRDcxQTYiIHhtcDpDcmVhdG9yVG9vbD0iQWRv YmUgUGhvdG9zaG9wIENTNS4xIE1hY2ludG9zaCI+IDx4bXBNTTpEZXJpdmVkRnJvbSBzdFJlZjpp bnN0YW5jZUlEPSJ4bXAuaWlkOkY5Njk2MjE3REMyMDY4MTE5MkIwREM5Njg3N0VEOEVFIiBzdFJl Zjpkb2N1bWVudElEPSJ4bXAuZGlkOjRGODAxRTBGNUQyNTY4MTE4QzE0ODBFNUY1ODQ0RkVCIi8+ IDxkYzpjcmVhdG9yPiA8cmRmOlNlcT4gPHJkZjpsaT5ncmFyemY8L3JkZjpsaT4gPC9yZGY6U2Vx PiA8L2RjOmNyZWF0b3I+IDxkYzp0aXRsZT4gPHJkZjpBbHQ+IDxyZGY6bGkgeG1sOmxhbmc9Ingt ZGVmYXVsdCI+RnVsbCBwYWdlIHBob3RvPC9yZGY6bGk+IDwvcmRmOkFsdD4gPC9kYzp0aXRsZT4g PC9yZGY6RGVzY3JpcHRpb24+IDwvcmRmOlJERj4gPC94OnhtcG1ldGE+IDw/eHBhY2tldCBlbmQ9 InIiPz7/7QBIUGhvdG9zaG9wIDMuMAA4QklNBAQAAAAAAA8cAVoAAxslRxwCAAACAAIAOEJJTQQl AAAAAAAQ/OEfici3yXgvNGI0B1h36//uAA5BZG9iZQBkwAAAAAH/2wCEAAYEBAQFBAYFBQYJBgUG CQsIBgYICwwKCgsKCgwQDAwMDAwMEAwODxAPDgwTExQUExMcGxsbHB8fHx8fHx8fHx8BBwcHDQwN GBAQGBoVERUaHx8fHx8fHx8fHx8fHx8fHx8fHx8fHx8fHx8fHx8fHx8fHx8fHx8fHx8fHx8fHx8f H//AABEIBCYC7gMBEQACEQEDEQH/xADWAAABBAMBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBAUGBwgJAQEAAwEB AQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBAUGBwgQAAIBAwMCBAIFBgUNCwoCCwECAwARBCESBTEGQVETB2EicYEy FAiRsdFCIxWhwVJiM3KCkqKy0lNzsyR0NRbhwkOTNJR1Nhc3GPDxY4PTVCVVRlbio8NEhGRFJidH V0ikEQACAgEEAQIFAQUGBQMEAwEAARECAyExEgRBUQVhIjITBnGBkaFCFLHBUnIjM/DR4WI0UyQV 8YJDFqJzNUT/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/APNubmzjkMoGV/6VrWJ86qylk/Bl4cHEy8dZIcidXKkn5tLj 6a7K4q2Wh5N+5lpaHBj0XlI8qaHGyWZ4T4mxYH+Cs1VptI675aXondbjMHKyRlv99M0sUGropOhP nUUhPUnM/kXBpNmfgzMaSNnjLSDrYMdK6lZHkXxWTh6EeRKwT9mCrggnU6ga1FvgXopepDHmOI2O 7U3IVyQQahWL2xJsmTkZZIQAPnX9Usf/ACtVucozeBJkcTTx6OzftNWIJ+Wq10L2i37C0mZIsbbZ Dro2prTkYPEm9iFcvIWS+8lW8ST1FUlmjxVaF+/yrKEMoZT43NwetHYj7KamCR8z0pGkLgsGF2uf yVMpOSqxclEFTL5GSHkkzXY+i6lCATYEDSsr2i/I6MWHljeNesl2LPiaOMSFlkceZ8a3rbQ5rYWm 42HiVEdl9Qs8fQAnxqSrq2ttyObKYpaNnAJ1udaq2Wrj11JUkCOLyO1/1bmryUdZWxMcjHEYcFlk BsVDGxHnUyZ8LTHghlmLXAc2ve9z9dRJpWvwAzXUMjncvjuJpIVfVEX3rKFgJWAbpr41Esv9uvoR tk5KKRvJB8bmkl1jq/AwZuQUILEX6XJ6VXky32qyNM8+l3Nh0NzUyTwr6CHInttLt9NzUcgqV9Br TyjpI35TR2JVF6ELZMwuC7C/XU1V2Zosa9BBPLssHa4OmpqJJ4KdjFtyGTBlTb5HN/sjcfO9c7cM 9StOeND8XMmmzyUlcoRexY6X60prYyzKMcMyMkuQCfnb8probOCta+g315rfbbXxuaiS3BCGScIS JGNvHcaEpKdhFnlFv2jG/wDONJDqIZ5tx/aMB/VGoklIX75MunqMfrNJIeNMYcuY6iRx/XGkllSB DkT/AOFc/wBcaiSwevL4yvb+qNCU2KJnI0lf4fMaENsU5EliRK9/6o1JEMb94nI0kex/nGoJgYZc m/8ASPb+qNCyYetPt1lfr03GgkPvE99JX/sjUCRrTz2/pX/sjQsmIMif/Cv/AGRoJEM+QdBK/wDZ GhMijIyP8K9/6o0IkPXnH/Cv/ZGgkcJ8g6eq/wDZGhEh6046yuP640YkPvWQbgSMB/VGhECmbIFj 6r69PmNBJKmXLuG6Rj56mrSZ2pJbXNOxtzt06AmrSc7xa7EMmY72Adhb+caqa1pA3fKDpK1vgTUQ WkVncj+le/0m1SQm0R75vCV/7I1EF+Qoecf8K/8AZGkDkMM2T/hH/sjSCZI5Zcn0z+0f+yNVsi9L amNiyst5Qpne2vjWK3O6zismQE+Rb+le/wDVHpWyRxuw4ZE46ysf640Ksk9fJBt6jfH5jQoOWeYm /qPb+qNSVYryzjpI1yNfmNAmQ