Page 23 (1/2)

In stark contrast to the previousas I could I lay on my back with my head buried under the covers, al toapart at the seaan to think that I rief I was, after all, the coirlfriend had accused ainst irl see to self-destruct Normally I would have confided in Rob and asked hi I told him seemed to be freely shared with his alien friend I ain I had spent a sleepless night staring at the walls and ceiling of my bedrooe, cold and eed to convince myself that it really was e in the behaviour of many other people aroundmy mind seemed much more probable than the bizarre alternative - that Siobhan, Penny and Joe Porter had sorip on reality

Just after seven I had heard the front door sla less and less of him each day, not that that was a proble alien in tow There were only three hundred and sixty-odd aliens as oppose to Christ kno many millions of humans in the country So why did that one in particular want to spend all his tiht o&039;clock slowly passed, as did nine and then ten I watched the figures on my alarm clock as they marched on mercilessly towards eleven Minutes before the hour I finally forced o to the toilet than for any other reason As soon as I was up I felt dangerously vulnerable, tiptoeing through the house in ainst the bitter autuot up earlier I would have been warht of going back to bed again was dangerously te behind the soft ar of my duvet and sheets

The kitchen cupboards were bare I didn&039;t even have enough milk for a cup of tea and I quickly reached the inevitable conclusion that I was going to have to go down to the shops The thought filledI wanted to do was speak to people The prospect of traipsing along the cold, wet andDejected, I showered and dressed

Outside was as grey and unpleasant as I had expected I stepped out into the bitter lateair, locked the door behind me and then turned round to face the world My breath condensed aroundclouds and I shoved my hands deep into my jacket pockets in a vain attempt to keep warm The streets below looked fairly quiet The entire scene looked lifeless and drained of colour - alreen hillside upon which my house stood was now covered in spiky, brittle-branched trees Their spiteful, spindly wooden bodies seemed to climb, twist and claw their way up into the o to escape

I met Tony Wilson halfway down the cobbled footpath which ran past the front of my house and down into the centre of Thatcha towards e He had h I wanted to keep myself to myself at all costs, I knew that I had no option but to acknowledge hi, Tony,&039; I said when he was only a short distance away

Tony said nothing

Perhaps he hadn&039;t heard ain, this time a little louder

Wilson lowered his head and quickened his pace The footpath was narrow and he barged pastme to one side I turned and watched hinorant bastard,&039; I hissed under e towards the centre of the village Ken Trenthaer&039;s Sett, was standing perfectly still at the side of the ainst a laainst thedown at his sides His yappy little dog was sat at his feet, barking incessantly True to for area of Thatchah street lined with a ift shops, offices, banks, charity shops and a single et everything I needed from that one shop For the sake of et out as quickly as possible

I walked inside through the clattering automatic doors and picked up a battered wire basket for , To me for a second I turned and saw that it was Ray Mercer, the landlord of The Badger&039;s Sett

&039;Morning, Ray,&039; I replied &039;How you doing?&039;

I suddenly felt a little more positive I had finally found so to speak to me and as still civil, friendly and rational

&039;I&039;&039;

&039;Considering what?&039; I asked instinctively

He shook his head and shrugged his shoulders

&039;Nothing,&039; he mumbled &039;You knohat they&039;re like&039;

&039;Who?&039;

&039;Women,&039; he whispered secretively

&039;Tellmore than he knew

&039;I just don&039;t knohat&039;s going on from one day to the next,&039; he continued &039;She was all right yesterday Don&039;t knohat I&039;ve done to upset her today&039;

&039;Who? Brenda?&039;

He nodded

&039;Married for thirty-two years and hardly ever a cross word Thisherself to talk to me&039;

&039;What happened?&039;

&039;I left the kitchenopen&039;

&039;What?&039;

He shrugged his shoulders again

&039;That&039;s the only reason I can think of Stupid, isn&039;t it?&039;

&039;What&039;s she said then?&039; &039;Not a lot She&039;s screamed at me quite a bit - like a bloody banshee she was - but she hasn&039;t actually said a fat lot that I&039;ve been able to understand Bloody hell, Tohttoday&039;

Ray&039;s words immediately struck an uncomfortably familiar chord with me His rift with Brenda was as unexpected as mine with Siobhan The pair of them had been inseparable in the time that I&039;d known them both Their warmth and friendliness was the main reason why their pub was always the busiest pub in the village Okay, so Brenda liked a drink (ruin with her breakfast) but she lived in a pub - it was part of the job I could tell from the empty sadness and confusion on Ray&039;s face that what he&039;d seen thisto do with alcohol

&039;I know just how you feel,

&039;Do you?&039; he said, obviously not believinghiht have helped hi happened with &039;s fine one minute, then she went off on one like your Brenda&039;

&039;Sorry to hear it,&039; he sighed He was obviously preoccupied with his own probleenuinely concerned

The conversation dried up Ray looked up and down the shelf next to him and picked up a box of cornflakes He put the box into his basket and then began to trundle down the aisle His body seemed haunched forward and heavy It was al on his unwilling shoulders

&039;See you later,&039; he et back Don&039;t want to upset our Brenda any ht, take care then Ray,&039; I said as I watched him shuffle off I felt sorry for him Normally jolly and effervescent, today he was a shell of a

He turned back ht, Tom?&039; he asked hopefully

&039;Probably,&039; I s as noncommittal as I could

He nodded and went on his way I turned etting horuff, croaking voice say from the next aisle Thesee in unison to watch as happening I peered round the end of the display rack and sao oldto wrestle a bottle of whiskey off the other

&039;Get another bottle,&039; one of the et yourself another bottle&039;