18

Session 8 (13/9 – 8.32 a.m.):

the harbour side was a mess it was difficult enough to make your way through the crowds of sailors stevedores sightseers and vendors at the best of times but today the heaps of fallen masonry and tangle of broken nets and machinery made it more like threading a labyrinth than strolling along the quay

in all the confusion tela hardly noticed the scuffle going on directly in front of her until a large calloused hand reached out and grabbed her by the arm

not so fast laddie give it back

shocked at the unexpected contact tela said nothing but tried to pull away the mans grip tightened he was big and fat with a black beard and looked extremely angry by now the crowd was beginning to form a circle around them eager to watch the free show

give it back i said

give back what i havent taken anything she blurted out

you wont mind being searched then will you said the man as the crowd roared with laughter two others had pushed forward by now to hold her arms more securely

no you cant but his hands were already groping through her tunic looking for whatever it was his purse a ring maybe nothing at all perhaps he was just trying it on

in any case she could see his eyes widen as the hands worked their way inwards to her skin what the youre no boy

his piggy eyes gleamed with astonishment now was her chance before he began to see the possibilities she brought her foot up as hard as she could right into his groin her cousins had taught her that one and shed learned the lesson well

the eyes clouded over with pain as he subsided into a heap the other men loosened their grip on her arms for a moment in surprise and she wriggled out of their grasp leaving half her tunic behind

quick this way she heard a voice in front of her as she darted into the crowd moving as fast as she could to duck the grasping hands there was a girl standing