I leaned across my desk and opened the curtain a fraction. The lawn immediately below my window was full of people. Fifty students at least, and more appearing all the time. They were being summoned by the drum. I had a feeling they knew what to expect. Around the green, lights were on in every window and faces peered out. A couple of the braver ones jeered down at the crowd, getting abuse in return.
Talaith joined me at the window just as the crowd started to chant. Two words, over and over again.
‘What’s fresh wheat?’ I asked Talaith.
‘Fresh meat,’ said Talaith. ‘I think they mean you.’
A total surprise, that sudden stab of panic in my stomach. I let the curtain fall in place. This was for me?
‘What the hell do you mean?’ I asked the purple-haired, white-faced girl beside me.
‘It’s a stupid freshers’ thing,’ Talaith told me. ‘They did it a lot last term.’
‘Did what?’
‘It’s OK. I locked the front door.’
From the hall outside came the sound of banging and loud voices demanding to be let in. Then heavy footsteps.
‘I think someone just unlocked it,’ I said, still not quite believing this fuss had anything to do with me.
‘Get keys, quick,’ Talaith told me, striding towards the room’s main door and pushing it shut. ‘Mine are in my bag.’
She leaned against the door as I turned to find her bag. I had no idea where my own keys were. I’d picked up the small black leather rucksack when I saw the door slide inwards, Talaith’s full weight of something like seven and a half stone proving no barrier at all to the force that was pushing it open. Giving up, she staggered out of the way as three tall figures stepped into the room.
Three men, all of them over six feet tall, all powerfully built. All three were stripped to the waist and their fashionable jeans sat low on their hips. The flesh of their torsos was shiny with oil and had been painted with weird red and gold symbols. Two of them had slicked their hair up with gel to form spikes around their faces. The third had long dark hair that rippled down to his shoulders. All wore simple cloth masks covering their eyes.
Oh, to have been able to laugh, to pull my warrant card from my back pocket and tell them to get the fuck out of my room or I’d have the three of them banged up. Not going to happen. My warrant card was back in my locker at Southwark nick. As was all the authority I’d taken for granted over the past four years. I wasn’t a police officer in this place, just a student like thousands of others. And as the three of them came towards me, I felt something I’d hoped never to experience again, something that was verging on terror.
‘What the hell are you lot supposed to be?’ Talaith found her voice first. ‘Ninja bloody turtles? Get out of – no, leave her alone!’
The long-haired one had grabbed hold of me by the upper arms, the rough skin on his hands scratching my bare shoulders. He spun me round as the second closed in. I took a deep breath, bracing myself to swing both legs up and kick number two in the chest, hopefully hard enough to send him flying. Then before number one realized what I’d done, I’d drive one elbow back into his solar plexus. If he didn’t back off then, I’d go for his balls.
Except that, if I fought these guys with anything other than girly struggling and squealing, I might as well just announce who I really was. Emotionally damaged Laura Farrow would never get physical with three big guys. Shit, I would have to take what was coming with nothing more than a ladylike squirm and a few gasps. ‘Touch me and you’re fucking dead,’ I said, to number two.
OK, maybe a bit of strong language too.
I might as well not have bothered. Number two bent down and grabbed my legs and I was lifted from the floor.
‘Hit it,’ said the one who had my shoulders and we began to move towards the door. I twisted to get free and the third stepped in and grabbed me round the waist.
‘You wankers, it’s freezing outside.’
Talaith’s protests were fading away. By this time my arms were pinned to my side and my face pressed close to the bloke who’d picked me up. His chest hair was scratching my cheek and I could smell both shower gel and sweat. Number three had his arms around my hips and the second was holding my feet together to stop me kicking.
‘Swing it,’ said the long-haired man. We turned at the top of the stairway and began the descent and I had to bite my lip to keep myself from screaming.
The night air hit me like a slap. Another cheer went up as we appeared and the chanting got louder.
No, I could not scream. They were just kids messing around; it was nothing to be afraid of.
We’d reached a space in the middle of the green where the frosted grass was already brown with mud. A heavy chain lay around the central tree. At the front of the crowd I saw boys had formed a line and were passing along buckets from the nearest block. Water. They were going to throw water at me. That was all. It would be unpleasant and humiliating but I had no need to be afraid. I was on my feet, still held firmly from behind, as one of my captors bent down and grasped hold of my ankle. Then I felt something heavy and cold pulling down on it. They’d padlocked the chain round my leg.
The first bucket took me totally by surprise. Freezing cold water hit me full in the face, streaming into my mouth and nose. For a second blind panic hit me when I couldn’t breathe. A moment later I was coughing hard.
‘Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the St John’s wet T-shirt competition,’ yelled a male voice as the contents of another bucket hit me. Another cheer went up and I looked down to see that the cotton running vest I nearly always wear in bed was soaked through. And that something like seventy people, standing in a circle around me, knew what my breasts looked like. One of the masked twats actually had a video camera, and for a second fury got the better of fear. This was sexual abuse, plain and simple. Where the hell were university security? Why was no one calling the police?
The bloke with the video camera was closer than the rest and at that moment I really didn’t care if I blew my cover, I was going to land him one. Forgetting the chain, I ran at him. I got three feet and saw alarm in pale-blue eyes before a stabbing pain shot through my ankle. A split second later I found myself sprawled in the mud. More cheers. And voices rising from the crowd.
‘I think that’s enough now, guys. Come on, let her go.’
Whoever he was, they took no notice of him. Six more buckets of ice-cold water were thrown at me while I was on the ground. I’d like to think it was the need to maintain my Laura Farrow cover that kept me lying there, curled into a ball, hiding my head behind one arm, but I’m honestly not sure. I just wanted it to be over. I wanted it to be over before I started to howl. When I couldn’t stop myself shaking I heard several voices shouting that that was enough. Then a warm hand was on my ankle and the cold chain was lifted away. Someone took hold of me under the arms and I was on my feet again.
‘You all right, love?’ said a northern accent. Not one of the masked boys. They’d disappeared into the night.
‘Does she bloody well look all right, you effing moron?’ A bright-yellow coat was wrapped around my shoulders and I was being steered by my tiny room-mate towards our block. I raised my head and pushed hair out of my eyes.
‘Christ, the mud we’re bringing in. Like that lot are going to clean it up. Come on, sweetie, let’s get you in.’ I let Talaith lead me inside. I was walking over linoleum, my feet squelching mud with every step. Talaith was guiding me towards the bathrooms at the end of the hallway. Doors were opening; girls who hadn’t dared leave their rooms before were appearing in the hallway.
‘Is she OK, Tox?’
‘She doesn’t look too good.’
‘She’ll be fine. She just needs to get warm. Can someone make tea?’ We’d reached the door of the bathroom and Talaith ushered me inside. She reached over and turned on the shower. Steam began to rise. ‘Go on, love,’ she told me. ‘You’re filthy. Get yourself warm. I’ll get you some towels. Can you manage? The front door’s locked. They can’t get in.’
She was still talking as the door closed and I was left alone. Without even bothering to take off my clothes I
