Here's a pivotal scene from Tina's Torment which sets up the entire series. Enjoy.
The following summer felt like a huge anti-climax. Pete and Simon spent the first three weeks on a football training scheme. They were too old and far too cool for antics at the den. We rushed down there on the first two days and re-lived old memories, but it wasn’t the same without them. On the third day, I had some errands to run so we arrived late, only to find two unknown boys, a little older than us, treating the place as though they owned it.
The dark haired, stocky one seemed vaguely familiar – maybe I’d seen him at school. Taller than me, with spotty skin, the dark frown made him mean, moody and tough. The other one was taller still, slim and obviously in charge. The sun raised highlights in his blond hair, giving him the appearance of a young Greek god, and I felt a peculiar sensation inside.
“Get out of here, this is our den,” he glanced at Chloe, “and no girls allowed.”
“Get out yourselves, we were here first.” My defiance surprised the dark lad as I continued. “Where were you last year, or even yesterday?”
“Well, it’s ours now, so beat it.”
“What are you going to do about it?”
Even before my challenge was out, he’d leapt across the stream knocking me to the ground. We rolled over as I struggled to get up, fending off his punches.
“Leave her alone,” screamed Chloe.
The other lad must have figured it out as he pulled his mate off me with a shout. “Stop it Justin, she’s a girl.”
I’d been trying to land a few blows of my own, but was outraged by Justin’s next words.
“Doesn’t look much like one to me.”
Even through the hurt from his words I could see his point – he wasn’t the first to make that mistake, and it was even more marked than normal. Three weeks earlier, I’d discovered my little sister with a hoard of half-eaten sticky lollies. In my frantic efforts to get them away from her, one got tangled up in my hair, and I’d cut it out in a panic. Mum didn’t throw a fit as I expected, she simply marched me straight down to her hairdresser friend who chopped all my hair to the same length – ultra-short. So in my shorts and tee-shirt handed down from Simon, and with my height and build, I must have appeared more male than female.
The dark-haired boy had a grim expression as he helped me up, but close up, I saw his eyes were kind. Chloe belatedly registered the situation, hugging me theatrically.
“Come here, Danny,” commanded Justin.
He complied with the resignation of one used to obedience. Justin whispered to him for a few minutes, and then planted himself in front of us with an implacable air. “If you want to play here you’ll have to join our gang. But first you must prove yourselves worthy by passing the initiation tests. If you fail any of them you’re out – no second chances. Are you up to it?”
“Of course we are.” My answer was pure reflex. I didn’t stop to consider Chloe, who seemed doubtful.
The next few days were tough as he devised new tasks for us: climbing trees and fences; standing one legged on the iron bridge for five minutes; jumping off the top of the stile – the list seemed endless. Each time he made me do it first, and then gave Chloe an easier option – a smaller tree, shorter time – even glancing away when she was at risk of failing. When I pointed out his injustice, he warned that if I wanted to be in his gang I must learn to take orders.
I wanted so much more than to be in his gang. I wanted him to look at me the way he looked at her – or at least to like me. Lyrics about angels making a dream come true flitted through my head in Karen Carpenter’s velvety voice.
The final test was to leap across the stream. This time Chloe was first, and he chose the narrowest part for her jump, which she managed easily thanks to previous practice. Then he walked down to where it widened out considerably and pointed to a place where the opposite bank was a foot higher. I took one peek and crossed myself, preparing to die.
Chloe protested that no-one could jump there. I blinked back the tears of self-pity which sprang to my eyes.
Justin saw them and taunted, “What’s up cry-baby? It’s easy peasy.” Then, to Danny, “Show her how it’s done.”
Danny jumped across with ease and held out his hands. “Come on, Tina. I’ll catch you if you fall.”
Not mean at all.
I saw the scorn in Justin’s eyes as I walked away, but it was merely to get a longer run-up. I took a deep breath, counted down from five to psyche myself up, and started running. As I launched myself off the bank, Chloe screamed, ruining my concentration. My first foot landed safely, but the second hit the edge which began to crumble away. Chloe screamed again and hid her face in Justin’s shoulder, but Danny reacted quickly and grabbed my arm, hauling me up. The momentum was too much and we landed in a heap, gasping for breath.
As we sat up, he touched my arm. “Well done. Knew you could do it.” A rare smile lightened his features.
Justin sniffed. “Told you it was easy.” He walked away.
So we were allowed to join, at first as honorary boys, taking the same identities: explorers; cops and robbers; cowboys and Indians – all the usual boys’ games.
I had to admire Justin’s skill when it came to inventing new situations, making each one more authentic by the props he would provide – guns, swords, hats, even rope and handcuffs. As the days went on, however, Justin devised more and more games where Chloe starred as the heroine; a nurse trapped by the war or a kidnapped film star, and he played the hero who had to fight past Danny and I to rescue her.
Eventually I got fed up with playing a man and being battered around – he didn’t pull his punches. At the end of one particularly rough game, I complained and surprisingly, instead of his usual sarcasm, he agreed.
The next day, Chloe played a princess with me as her maid, he ruled as king with Danny a knight at court. Then they were highwaymen who captured us and tied us to a tree for ransom. Justin became a prince, leading to a spectacular fight before he could get to us. Exactly like in an action film, they leapt from bank to bank, up and down tree stumps and in and around the trees. Neither gave an inch as they fought with all their might – a real grudge match. Finally, Danny tripped on an unseen root and Justin made the most of his victory, crowing like Peter Pan.
Then Danny became his squire and started untying Chloe when Justin stopped him with an imperious raised hand. “Wait – first she has to prove she’s the princess.”
“How?” Danny seemed as surprised as we were.
“She has to give me something.” His tone sounded dark.
“But I haven’t got anything to give you.” Chloe’s expression emphasised her innocent tone.
“Then you’ll have to give me a kiss.”
“No,” I shouted. “Mum said you mustn’t.”
“If you won’t give it to me, I’ll take it.” Justin delivered the line like a hero from a movie as he stepped up boldly and kissed her on the lips. Danny and I watched in a mixture of horror and fascination.
When he released her, his eyes slid over my body. “She’s only the maid. You may kiss her, Squire.” His lip curled as he turned away. “But only if you want to.”
This must have presented Danny with an awful dilemma. From what I’d seen of him so far, kissing any girl would be the last thing he wanted to do, but he seemed sufficiently sensitive to realise I would have been insulted if he declined.
I closed my eyes and received his peck on the cheek with fists clenched against the humiliation of Justin’s stage whisper. “Ugh, it’s like two boys kissing.”
That night, I cried myself to sleep, dreaming of being a slim, beautiful princess rescued by a prince. It wasn’t Justin, but a strong, handsome Danny who bent to kiss me.
