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On the eve of Christmas Eve a Thanksgiving Service was in progress in the University
Chapel and, as a result, the women's dormitory was almost empty. Elizabeth was,
however, working in her room with her door open and Angel was next door. Mike Blessing and Peter Bodley walked along the dormitory corridor and stopped outside Angel's door. Mike knocked, Angel called 'Come in' and Mike entered while Peter went to Elizabeth's door and stood in the hallway staring at her making no attempt to knock or enter. After several minutes the muffled sound of shouting from Angel's room caused Elizabeth to look up and see Peter. Immediately he moved forwards saying, 'Hi, Lizzie. Can I come in?' Elizabeth frowned, being deeply immersed in work, not particularly pleased to have a visitor, especially one she was not enamored of. 'You didn't go to the service then?' Peter grinned inanely. As usual these days he was a little tipsy. 'Waste of time those things. Mike and I, we thought... well, they'd never miss us. I suppose you thought the same?' Elizabeth stared at him. Peter seemed agitated, standing on one foot and then the other almost. 'Did you say Mike? Is he around?' 'Yes, somewhere.' The noise from Angel's room had stopped. Upon seeing Peter Elizabeth had forgotten it anyway. She asked if he would like some coffee and he entered the room, closing the door and sat on the bed. The color had left his face and she could see that he was trembling. As she poured the coffee there was a thump against the wall in the next room. 'Sounds like Angel's breaking things again. Are you alright? You don't look too well.' 'I'm just fine, thanks.' The scratching, and scuffling sound continued from the room next door and then there was a scream. 'What on earth is going on in there?' Suddenly Peter grabbed her and pulled her halfheartedly towards her on the bed. With a cry she fell beside him and he climbed on her and kissed her on the mouth. His hand reached inside her blouse to touch her breast. 'Get off!' she said angrily, easily pushing him backwards onto the floor. At the same time there was a louder scream and she wondered if it came from her. Then the scream was repeated from Angel's room. As she tried to get up, Peter grabbed her wrist. 'You have to wait!' he shouted, clinging on, then Angel's door slammed and there was the sound of someone running down the corridor. She slapped Peter hard across the face with her other hand and rushed out into Angel's room. Angel was on the floor, with her head resting on the bed. She was crying slightly, her garments were torn and her arm was slightly scratched but she was not hysterical. 'Are you alright?' Elizabeth stared at Angel, dumbly fascinated. Angel said coldly, 'What are you staring at? Help me up and find me something else to wear.' She went into the bathroom and began to wash herself in the basin there while Elizabeth found a robe in the closet and stood in the bathroom doorway with it, still staring dumbly. She wanted to say 'What happened?' but she couldn't. Angel took the robe without a word, staring at Elizabeth. Her look showed incomprehension, shock. She removed her clothing and put on the robe, regarding herself in the mirror, blowing her nose. Finally Elizabeth said, 'Peter...' 'Pete Bodley, too?' Angel looked at her through the mirror. 'I don't believe it Lizzie. You don't look any more torn apart than usual.' 'I heard your scream.' 'I'm glad that no-one else did,' said Angel. 'Now I'm going to take a shower.' When Elizabeth went back into her room Peter was still in there lying face down on the bed. 'Go away,' he said. 'Go away.' He began to sob and shake and eventually looked up bitterly from his cupped hands. His face was white. He said through clenched teeth, 'We do that to women at the front. We thought you ought to know. First we fuck them then we kill them.' Elizabeth got out of there. She returned to Angel's room and locked the door and the two girls sat together quite silently for many hours. |
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