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Dessert is a wedge of soly pass off as chocolate fudge cake Only the truly mad can eat it I pass by the drinks dispenser and fill e and pick up so cuisine I make for a table that is eown is drooling into her food She looks like a zoer, at what they have done tohere I shouldn’t be here

My eyes collide with another’s—a woman at another table who stares at me murderously My first reaction is to walk up to her and slap her hard in her face, but, of course, that would be contrary to what is expected of amy eyes off her, slowly lick the plastic blade She flinches and averts her eyes That’s bullies for you Always cowardly in the face of true power

I fork the ‘food’ into my mouth It is horrendous, but I have already learned that those who don’t eat are put on special watch My plastic knife slices through the overcooked carrot I spear it, slip it between my lips and s the watery mush

A woman comes and perches timidly on the empty chair beside me I turn and look at her She has a wild, haunted look about her startlingly large, light eyes I sigh inwardly

‘Be very careful,’ she warns in a frightened whisper ‘There are spirits in this place They are restless in theirto attach the,’ I say, and turn resolutely away

She floats away, a ghost herself

‘Everybody’s curious about you,’ so, terribly common obviously, but not chronicallyHer clothes are terrifically unfashionable, but her fingernails are beautifully done in baby blue Hernails, which means she must be a model patient She plonks herself in the chair vacated by the ghost

‘Are you really a lady? Most of the people who call themselves lord or lady around here are just barhtly ‘I’ve neverin here’ She quickly makes herselfat the indignities I a subjected to, but I sined coffee could taste so bad

A olfing trousers and his cheeks are so red it looks as though he is about to have a heart attack at any time

‘Why are you here?’ he dehter red

‘I’ my own business You should do the saht answer He nods as if iirl,’ my unwelcome companion approves

I turn towards her She holds her hand out Her nails, beautifullyin that place ‘Welcome to the uts not to be floating around on their mind-fuck pills all day I’ton

We fly into Thailand in the afternoon heat Thailand, let iant sauna The hu the short walk from the plane to the air-conditioned airport In the car, I realize that I am nervous, and as soon as we arrive at the Banyan Tree, I leave Blake to check in and go up to our suite, while I make my way up to Billie’s roo