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And now it’s years later, and it’s the day of the festival, and we can go if ant to because there’s no one alive to tell us otherwise It’s a strange and hollow feeling

"I got the Morris running," Finn says now, co withwarrants "It took awhile" I believe hirubby and black

"You look like ho?"

Instead of heading to the bathroo his coat, which has fallen onto the floor behind Dad’s sitting chair by the fire

Finn rubs his forehead, leaving a black sht not start again"

"You can’t let it run all night"

My brother puts on his lumpy hat "I can’t believe Mum called you the clever one"

"She didn’t She called Gabe that," I say As he puts his hand on the door, I realize where he thinks he’s going "Wait -- you think you’re going to the festival?"

Finn just turns and gives oing? I have to be up early"

"Because you have to go finalize your registration," Finn says "That’s what your rule sheet says"

Of course he’s right I feel foolish for not re it, and then I feel my stomach drop to my feet Before, I had a few yards of seawater betweenin the races Now the only thing between me and everyone else will be a few pints of beer

But there’s no way around it And maybe, just maybe, Gabe will be there The rest of the island will be

Unreluctantly, I abandon the dish washing, and reluctantly, I find s open the door Now that I know to look for it, I can see that he’s crawling out of his skin with exciteets faster Finns are generally slow- creatures

The Morris looks o black hands of clouds stretching across the sunset, but Finn’s face is a shining beacon in the driver’s seat as he waits for me I think of hiine hiers sticky for days

"Wait --" I say, and run back inside to pull a few slender coins froly shallow collection in the biscuit tin on the counter I will find a way to earn it back Even if we eat nothing but November cakes for this week I run back out into the car and sit Finn’s repair of the seat digs intoto stop on us? I don’t want to be stuck in thein"

"Just don’t turn on the heater," Finn says

I don’t want to kno he got it started Last ti it at a run while Finn steered As we bu the roads, he adds, "I’ll bet that’s where Gabe is I’ll bet he’s at the festival"

And at that, I get an evenGabe over Malvern’s eviction threat is one that has been dogging me If he’s at the festival, he won’t be able to avoid me

"Ho!"

At first I think it’s Finn who’s said it, even though it’s not his voice and I don’t think Finn has ever said "Ho!" in his life Then I see that it’s the Carroll brothers They’re both stuht, and Jonathan’s shouted to get our attention

Finn lets the Morris sway to a halt I slide theopen

"Give us a ride into town?" Jonathan asks

In response, Finn drags up the parking brake I’m shocked, somewhat, by his boldness I would’ve let the Carrolls ride with us, of course, but inolder while I’et out to let the two boys in Jonathan climbs in first and kicks the back of Finn’s seat, and Finn looks affably in the rearview etting out to let him in, I don’t know The car feels full of people, like we’ve increased our nuain, Jonathan leans forward and clutches the shoulders of the driver’s seat to ask, "When’s the bonfire go up, do you know?"

"I dunno," Finn replies

I twitch as a hand grips the back of , Kate"

I glance back at the hand; it’s a nice, square hand, even if it s"

Jonathan shakes Finn’s seat "I think I’it to bet this year Do you know if it’s sixteen or seventeen? The age to bet?"