“What happened then?”  Moondog was all ears.

“An old spinster aunt came and looked after us for a while.  Until we were 18.  By then she’d had enough.  We were more than a bit of a handful…..especially John.  So, when I was at University, we were left alone again.”

“Just like me and Di?” Moondog asked.

“Exactly.  Just like you and Diane.  That’s why I wanted to help kids.”

“So, you’ll help me escape now?  Get Di and go to Dublin to look for her Mum?  The gippos would hide us until doomsday.  They’re used to being on the run.”  Moondog looked her in the eye.  She seemed hesitant.  John had now slumped into the armchair and was looking like he was miles away.  “Come on you guys.  You know why I had to do it.  You’ve been there, done that and bought the t-shirt!”

Ruth looked like she might be thinking about it.  John was on his feet again and over, trying to shut the door again.  The sight of the body of his Father sitting in the chair, his eyeless sockets staring at him accusingly, was clearly disturbing him.  His remains were little more than a skeleton held together by strands of mummified tissue, and dressed in lank and dusty oversized clothing.

“You can get me to the Station and put Di on the next train.  I could meet her in Dublin.  We’d be home clear.  I’ll pay you back.  Honest.  Just a loan.”

“Social Services have Diane.”  She looked apologetic.  “She wanted to get it all off her chest.  She tried to make them understand your side of it Moondog.  She didn’t mean to turn you in.  They’ll have made her a ward of the court by now.  She’ll have to stand trial for her part in it.  I can’t help her now Moondog.  I can’t get her.  It’s all out of my hands.”

“Aw fuck sake!  Why’d you let the bastards take her?”  Moondog was visibly angered and on the verge of tears.  Frustration was etched heavily on his young features.  He thumped the arm of the armchair sending a dust cloud flying.  “Damn!  Damn!  Damn!”  He swirled around, agitated and looking for an answer.