Between the Prison and the Sewage Works by Maryline Suchley (snow like ashes txt) 📖

made it especially for me,’ replied James, as he smiled at Gerty, who was now giggling and smiling back at him.

‘Come on we’ll sit by Daniel,’ James said.

Although Mara would have preferred not to, she didn’t want to look bad, so agreed.

The afternoon was spent preparing for the week unless, you were in the teacher’s cabbage class, which Mara had smugly cracked jokes about to James who quickly reminded her that it wasn’t so long ago she was one of their teammates.

The first day of the inspection didn’t seem to go to bad, the students were subdued after the holidays and there was no shocking news on the grapevine.

However the rest of the week did not pan out quite as well. Some students decided to have a mini riot in the library while Boyo was teaching his English class. The Librarian had refused to let the same girls take out any books which provoked an argument between the Librarian and the girls. The girls had decided they were going to take the books out anyway and when the Librarian tried to physically stop them, they pushed her back and started throwing books around, all in view of an inspector.

Steffi had also been up to mischief and had asked for a meeting with an inspector so she could voice her concerns over issues in the school. Although no one knew exactly what she had said, it would have been reasonable to assume that it would have had a sexist angle.

The science department did not get of lightly either, as expected chaos was rife in Rogers’ classroom with senior management being called to the room by an inspector when she became frightened; the kids were doing a dissection practical which involved the use of scalpels and scissors. Graces lesson was also frenzied; the children taunted her until she cried. Piles completely forgot to turn up to teach one of his classes and the inspector had to go looking for him. Although Jeremy’s teaching wasn’t an issue, his health now was. Because of his colossal weight he wheezed constantly and was sat in a chair all lesson even nodding off to sleep at one point, something the inspector had picked up on.

Mara had done an average job but had to put up with Levi Lambert being integrated back into her class. Levi couldn’t control himself and called her a scanky ho and had to be sent out. The rest of the school had been a mixture of good, satisfactory, bad and appalling, while the kids had gone about their usual socially dysfunctional business.

The end of the week brought a huge relief for the school and there were drinks at the Pigs Gut on Friday, however the atmosphere was noticeably glum.

 

Chapter fourteen

14

 

Monday morning’s briefing was greeted with Jim walking through the archway with a serious look on his face.

‘I’m afraid we’ve had some bad news.’

Shit who’s died now? Mara Thought.

‘Alan has been stood down as Headmaster of this school and is currently suspended. In the meantime I am acting head of the school, with the lead OFSTEAD inspector Mr Parker as a consultant to help us get though this phase’

A silent shock wave raced around the room, Mara looked at James who looked at her as if to ask if she knew anything about this.

I wonder if this has got anything to do with Frank Frawey? Mara Thought.

Despite this being the topic of conversation amongst the staff, no one actually knew anything about why or what was going on with Alan. Most people were indifferent to Alan but agreed that he was better than Jim, who now had reason to behave as if the school was a part of his empire. Mara was probably one of the few who were glad he was gone.

As the weeks passed by the half term loomed and the year eleven students plus the six remaining year thirteen students had left the school on study leave. This also coincided with an increase in the rate of petty crime in the area. The rest of the students in the school could smell the end of the school year and were basically not giving a shit.

Piles was absent for a week; rumours circulated that he had been suspended without pay and was attending a teachers disciplinary hearing for conduct unbecoming of a teacher. No one knew exactly what it was but Mara suspected the images on the disc had something to do with it.

She had not decided what she was going to do at the end of term; she had to either hand in her resignation or commit to staying. Things were a little harder now that James was on the scene but she would talk to him over half term. He had agreed to spend the week in Somerset at her parent’s place.

 

Chapter 15

15

 

‘Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adultress will hunt for the precious life.

‘Mara what are we listening to?’ James asked curiously.

‘Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?’ continued the pastor.

‘It’s some religious station I use to get me out of bed.’

‘So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.’

‘Not exactly romantic is it? In fact it’s very off putting,’ said James switching off the radio.

It was the first day of the half term holidays. Mara and James caught the train to Taunton followed by the bus. Mara though it would be good for James to see a little of the scenery, she also wanted to show him off by walking through the village and was especially hoping to see her Mum’s friend Mo.

When they reached her parents home, her mother was looking after Ángelmí’s spawn who was so glued to the television he had not noticed they had arrived.

Mara’s mum fussed over James like she fussed over Ángelmí which he seemed to lap up too.

The week was spent doing day visits to different places and visiting friends.

They also caught up with Sam who came back to visit and see the village carnival on the Saturday afternoon.

Mara took James across the road to Sam’s house and rang the door bell.

‘Hi Sam new tune?’ it was the song Danny Boy.

‘I know!’ Sam replied rolling her eyes.

‘This is James,’ proudly introducing him to her friend.

The three of them walked down into the village to find a good spot to watch the Carnival.

‘This will do,’ said Sam. ‘I haven’t seen the Carnival for years, I think the last time was when we were in year nine.

‘Yeah, year nine. It was quite good though,’ Mara said to James who was vigorously wiping dog mess of his shoe.

‘Yep, I’m looking forward to it; people around here seem to rave about it. The woman in the newsagents said it was one of the village’s draw cards.’

‘Don’t expect it to be on the scale of Rio de Janeiro,’ said Mara.

‘Oh the first float is coming around the corner,’ pointed Sam.

The float was a three-wheeler car painted pink with a pig nose and a pig tail. The two people in the front seats were dressed as butchers, trailing this was a group of brownies dressed as gnomes, followed by the village dieters club dressed up as cup cakes. There was a gap for a couple of minutes then a tractor turned the corner pulling a float which had loud music playing the birdie song and people dressed up as different types of poultry.

‘That turkey looks pissed,’ said James watching a man in a turkey suit sway energetically to the music.

A couple more children’s groups and the town crier followed the tractor before another break.

‘I hope they hurry up, I want to go get a pint,’ said Sam.

Five minutes passed and then the small crowd started to disperse.

‘Is that it?’ asked James.

Both Sam and Mara looked embarrassed and baffled.

‘Must be!’ replied Mara.

‘I think it’s probably gone downhill a bit since we last saw it. Let’s get a pint,’ suggested Sam.

They spent a couple of hours in one of the local pubs talking about the spectacular failure the carnival was this year and how they wouldn’t bother going again.

While James was learning to play skittles from one of the locals called ‘three teeth’, Sam told Mara that he was gorgeous in every way and not to let him go missing. When Mara asked about how things were going with her it was clear that she was now starting to realise that Ángelmí was pretty much a pointless exercise and had started seeing someone in Bristol.

The evening was spent having a few drinks at home and Mara’s mother had invited Mo over.

‘Oh Mara you finally have a man!’ she said.

James just grinned at Mo.

‘Yes it took a bit of persuading but she agreed to go out with me,’ James said sitting next to Mo. He had been pre warned by Mara about Mo incessant babblings concerning Mara’s single status.

‘Well we were starting to worry about her you know. It’s not normal a girl that old being on her own; even thought she might be like that female tennis player; Martini Pavlova.’

At this point Mara had had enough and interrupted by asking her if she wanted another gin and tonic.

‘Yes please and don’t forget the ice and lemon,’ replied Mo unable to take her eyes off James.

‘Would anyone else like a drink?’ asked Mara.

Both her mum and James said they would.

James seemed to find Mo amusing and like Ángelmí, nonsensically charmed her until she was giggling manically at his quips and jibes.

They said their goodbyes to Mara’s parents and caught the train back to the stark contrast which was home.

James said he really didn’t want to go back to his flat because it felt empty and the thought of going back to school made it feel even more depressing.

Mara suggested staying with her. It would also give her the chance to talk about what he was planning next September. She didn’t have to the heart to bring it up while they were in Somerset for fear it would ruin the break.

After dinner Mara brought up the subject.

‘James what are you planning to do after this year is out, I mean in terms of teaching and London?’

‘I hadn’t really thought about it, I suppose I’ll just stay on here, I sort of wanted to give London a go for a few years then move on,’ he replied.

‘What about you?’ he asked her.

‘Um well I thought about leaving, but that was before, when my life was a mess and I was in danger of being a failure as a teacher. I’d been thinking about overseas,’ she replied apprehensively.

‘What about now?’ he asked quietly

‘Well now I don’t know, but I don’t know how long I can stomach that school and this part of London.

‘To be honest James, I don’t really know,’ she added.

‘I see,’ he said.

‘I see what?’ Mara questioned.

‘Food for thought I suppose,’ he replied.

‘Have you thought about us moving in together and giving the school another year then looking at going somewhere else, chances are that we’ll be made redundant when they close the school and we get a payout,’ suggested James.

‘You’re hoping! If they close the school where do all the students go? The juvenile unit at Belmarsh won’t take that many kids! I suppose if we do what you suggest it will give us a little longer to decide where to go,’ said Mara, now smiling within herself realising she might actually be in a serious relationship going somewhere, unlike her previous relationship at College of Education which was doomed from the start.

With that brief conversation, it seemed to be decided. Another year at the Poly!

It was different running the gauntlet into school with James. He couldn’t understand why