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The rass He followed the on her back in a small hollow Her blouse was open and her face flushed At first he thought she had been violated Then he realised she was merely asleep He picked her up and carried her to the van

Getting Alison hoh aToot back to the pub with his nerves on edge He downed the greater part of a bottle of whisky and slumped into bed Sleep came immediately but it was not the pleasant alcoholic haze that usually accompanied his drunken soirées

He shut his eyes and dreams invaded his mind Within moments he was back beside the pond Dark shapes hovered at the edge of his vision Bony fingers pulled him down and a board was placed on his chest

'Toe again, taking tests But the tests werethan at Sandhurst There was no written paper Questions were asked in a croaking voice and they caatives

Tom answered without difficulty

The next was more difficult

He hesitated and a stone was placed on the board He tried to rise and bony fingers held hiot it wrong … and another stone was added

The interrogation went on relentlessly He continued to make mistakes and the stones piled up The pressure becaive up when a female voice drummed in his ears

'Nonsensenonsense '

It sounded like his mother

His relations with her had never been se came over loud and clear The questions were trivial They only gave trouble if you thought they were clever When you knew they were stupidyou could handle them

He answered the next one correctly A stone came off After that it was easy More correct answers followed and uessed he'd passed the test

Alison stretched and looked around She was lying on her bed fully clothed apart from her shoes On the ordinary plane of existence she re But, on the plane of drearass and closing her eyes Moths flew about She became drowsy and the drea seemed so real The boy wore old-fashioned clothes and smelt of wood smoke and bracken At first he just looked at her Then he came close and reached out a hesitant hand Alison felt his soft touch and looked into his light-blue eyes He was only a little bit taller than herself Beside him she did not feel small