David Peace
1983
The fourth book in the Red Riding Quartet series, 2003
For William Miller, John Williams, and Pete Ayrton -
thank you.
‘Oh, this is the way to the fairy wood,
Where the wolf ate Little Red Riding Hood;
But this is the riddle that you must tell -
How is it, if it so befell,
That he ate her up in that horrid way,
In these pretty pages she lives today?’
– Traditional
The last beg
Yorkshire -
The Summer of Love:
Jimmy’s dog is barking and the boys are crying, Michael screaming; Martin slaps him across his face and says:
‘Do you want to be next?’
The boys close their eyes.
He is going to teach me a lesson.
They tie my hands behind my back and kick me to my knees, forcing my face into the sod; Leonard’s dad pulls down my pants and asks:
‘Do you love me Barry?’
I close my eyes.
He is going to make me learn.
Part 1. Miss the girl
‘History does not repeat itself, only man.’
– Voltaire
Chapter 1
‘No more dead dogs and slashed swans for us,’ whispered Dick Alderman, like this was good news -