"No, you're not," I said, bracing my feet against the bars. "I'm going to get you out of here."
She sounded off with her crazy, high-pitched laugh. It sent spiders' legs up and down my back.
"They won't let me out," she said. Her smile was sad and cunning. "They know what I'll do to them. I'm going to do it to you." Her face tightened, her eyes narrowed. "I'm going to tear your throat out."
I got my feet against the bars, and suddenly heaved back-backwards. I broke her hold and I fell against the wire screen, slid to the floor.
She glared at me, beating her hands against the bars. As I struggled to sit up, she flopped down on her knees, grabbed my ankle. I kicked at her with my free foot, but I couldn't reach her because of the bars. She held my ankle between her two hands and hauled. I choked back a yell of fright as I felt myself sliding across the rubber floor. I grabbed at the wire screen, but she jerked, breaking my hold. She hauled me towards her like a landed fish.
I kicked and twisted, but I couldn't get my leg free. The raddled old woman was watching, giggling with excitement.
"She'll cut your heart out," she whispered to me.
Sweat ran down my face, and I struggled and writhed in blind panic. There was something about the mad woman's face and the way she laughed and muttered to herself that scared me silly.
I was now against the bars. She released my leg and grabbed my coat again. Our faces were
close. I could smell her sour breath. She turned me sick with horror.
"What's the matter with you?" I panted. "I'm going to get you out of here. You and the kid next door."
"You're not touching her," she snarled. "They've done enough to her. I'll stop you and I'll stop them touching her again. Come closer, copper. I want to get my hands on your dirty neck."
I tried to pull away, but she dragged me closer, her hooked fingers moving in little jerks up to my neck. She was so intent watching my face that she didn't see that I'd drawn back my leg.
I placed my foot gently on her chest, then kicked out with all my strength.
She shot over backwards, the breath rushing out of her body. Released, I staggered to my feet, reeled against the wire screen. I was trembling, and could scarcely stand.
"That gave you a fright," Edna Robbins sneered.
I went cold, turned.
Edna was standing just inside the grill. She was watching me. Her small, sharp nose looked pinched, her eyes dangerous.
The raddled old woman had disappeared to the back of her cell. The mad woman lay on the floor, gasping and wheezing for breath.
I straightened my torn jacket, ran my fingers through my hair. I felt like hell.
Edna came down the gallery.
"I told you to scram, didn't I ?" she said bitingly. "All right, wise guy, you're going before the Warden."
I backed away, my eyes darting to the cell next to the mad woman's. I could see a woman lying on the cot; a woman with honey-coloured hair. My heart lurched. I knew who that was.
"Don't get mad," I said in a croaking voice. "I didn't mean any harm. I wanted to see what this cuckoo looked like."
Edna smiled spitefully. "Well, you've seen her. I've a mind to stick you in with her and let her
work on you. Come on, you rat, you're finished here. The Warden will fire you out."
I knew then it was Edna or me. I eyed her small body over. She looked capable, but I was sure I could handle her. I had to get my hands on her throat before she could raise the alarm.
I slouched towards her, looking crestfallen, sullen.
"You might give a guy a break," I muttered, as I reached her.
"You'll get no break from me ..." she began.
I shot out my hands, seeking her throat. Then I got the surprise of my life. Moving like a lizard, she caught my wrists, pulled me towards her, bent. The next second I was flying through the air. I thudded against steel bars, bounced to the floor. I lay there, stunned.
"I told you I could handle anything on this floor," she said, standing over me. "And that includes you." She drew back her foot and kicked me in the face. "Get up, and come quietly, or I'll break your goddamn neck."
Gritting my teeth, cold with rage, I rolled towards her, grabbed at her legs. I heaved. I heard her quick gasp as she lost her balance, but she was smart enough to throw herself forward, breaking her fall on me.
I clutched at her body, hard as steel under my fingers. I tried to jab her in the face with my head.
She hit me in the eye with bony knuckles, rammed her knee in my chest and caught hold of my wrist with both hands. She was strong and full of jiu-jitsu tricks. She was getting a lock on my arm which threatened to break it. Pain crawled into my brain.
"I'll teach you to fight me," she panted, heaving down on my arm.
Somehow I rolled over, taking her with me. She clung to my arm like a bulldog as I threw her about. Each heave I gave sent fresh waves of pain up my arm. My sinews cracked.
I caught a glimpse of her blonde head and I slammed a punch at it. My fist caught her in the neck. She let go of my arm, flopped on the floor.
I got slowly to my knees, my right arm useless. There was| no keeping her off. She raised up, swearing softly, her blonde hair down to her shoulders. She came back at me. I was ready for
her, and socked her in the ribs with a left that travelled about three inches.
She went over, completed a somersault and was on her feet before I could get to mine. She scared me. She was as tough and as dangerous as any man.
This time she didn't rush me, but spun on her heel and ran towards the grill gate. I was after her in a lurching run. Whatever happened she mustn't give the alarm.
I grabbed her as her finger was reaching for the red button of the alarm bell. I tried to close with her.
She clutched me to her, fell straight back, her feet in my stomach. I shot over her head, crashed against the grill. By the time I sorted myself out, she was climbing over me to get at the bell. I got my hands around her waist and pulled her down. She bit, punched and scratched. We rolled over. I pounded her body. At first she hit back, but after three or four of my punches she tried to keep them out with her elbows. They were hurting her as I meant them to hurt. She was panting and sobbing with rage. I caught hold of her throat, but she dug her thumbs in my eyes. I let go. I heaved away from her, my eyes streaming. She staggered to her feet, came at me again, wobbly, but out to finish me. I set myself and hit her with a long, raking left in her throat.
Her mouth opened, and she gave a thin wail as she fell against the door of the mad woman's cell.
There was a moment's pause. I, on my knees, she, with her shoulders against the bars, her knees buckling; then two greedy, claw-like hands shot between the bars and closed round her throat. She gave a wild scream as she felt the hands touch her. Her scream was throttled back into her throat almost before it sounded.
The mad woman, yammering with excitement, pulled backwards. The bars were a shade too narrow for Edna's head to pass through. She couldn't scream, because the mad woman's hands were squeezing her windpipe. She kicked and twisted. One of her shoes flew off and hit me in the face. Her knees burst through her stockings. I couldn't move. I stood against the grill, shivering, staring.