HELEN AND YOU AND THE BOMBED OUT FACTORY. Ought we to go in there?

Helen asked as you both stood outside the bombed out factory off Rockingham Street sure we should you said but its got STAY OUT signs on the big doors she said you looked at her with her thick lens glasses and her hair tied in plaits nibbling her finger in anxiety come on in you said nothing will happen to you while youre with me she didnt look convinced what if someone sees us? she asked no one cares around here kids are always going

on bombsites you said she looked around her eyes seemingly larger than they were are you sure? she said yes now come on and you took her small hand and pulled her through a small opening in the side where other kids had made an entrance she a pulled face on the other side of the gate and rubbed her arm where a line of blood showed look she said Ive scratched myself you dabbed at it with a grey handkerchief and spittle and she watched

as you cleared up the line of blood will it be all right? yes you said itll be fine and you walked on across the yard and into the bombed out factory by a door hanging on its hinges and into the dark interior she stood by the entrance inside and took in the semi darkness its frightening she said no one is here you said how do you know? she asked its too quiet you said she leaned closer to you and grabbed your arm what was that?

she whispered a rat probably what? she said a rat you said lets go out she said nothing will hurt you while Im here and you patted the toy gun in the belt of your jeans she looked at you then out into the semi darkness you walked in and up the stone stairs by a wall and she followed her breathing becoming louder as you walked up once at the top and along a landing you came to a small office

where the door was missing and there was a hole in the roof where a bomb had blown it off as well as other parts of the building you stood looking around the room where rain had rotted what furniture remained and on the floor were books soaked and rotting Helen said can we go now? you looked up through the hole in the roof and there was the afternoon sun and a white cloud moving slowly across a blue sky and she moved

next to you and kissed your cheek but you didnt know why.