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He laughs and givesaway fros where they are, for now”

I look him up and down, embarrassed “You sure you don’t want to, um…”

“I’ boy, I’ll be fine I have soet done for Pamphrock, so I’ll be upstairs”

He practically darts out of the rooht do if he stays aroundroom and flick on the television, but when I do all I find are a ton of news reports about hts, even a few o back into the kitchen, deciding I’ll put the rubbish out

I tie it all up in a black bin bag and arden I’m almost certain I can hear somebody’s voice It’s a , or praying maybe It ceases immediately

I squintcross-legged on the grass

“Ira, what are you still doing out here?” I ask “It’s getting late”

Obviously it’s kind of stupid waiting for him to answer, but I do anyway I’m convinced it was him I heard just now

He sits still, watchinga word I put the bin down for abefore hiarden It’s dead quiet out here, and I can’t see any of the neighbours about It had to have been him I heard

“I thought I heard solance at hi about that, would you?”

Nothing, not even a nod or a shake of his head I’h, so I plonk s the same as his

“It’s sort of nice out here at night – peaceful,” I say

I et Ira closes his eyes and begins breathing deeply, as thoughthis a few times now

“You know,” I continue, “if you have a reason for not talking around everyone you can tell me I promise to keep it a secret That way you’ll have at least one person you can speak to”

He opens his eyes then and see at me in a speculative manner