"I don't like leaving the island for that long, Eric. I'm sorry, but I get this horrible feeling in my stomach, as though there's a great big knot in it. I just can't go that far away, not overnight or… I just can't. I want to see you, but you're so far away."

"I'm getting closer." He sounded confident again.

"Good. How far away are you?"

"Not telling you."

"I told you my lucky number."

"I lied. I'm still not going to tell you where I am."

"That's not-"

"Well, I'll hang up now."

"You don't want to talk to Dad?"

"Not yet. I'll talk to him later, when I'm a lot closer. I'm going now. See you. Take care."

"You take care."

"What's to worry about? I'll be all right. What can happen to me?"

"Just don't do anything to annoy people. You know; I mean, they get angry. About pets especially. I mean, I'm not-"

"What? What? What was that about pets?" he shouted.

"Nothing! I was just saying-"

"You little shit!" he screamed. "You're accusing me of burning dogs again, aren't you? And I suppose I stick worms and maggots into kids" mouths and piss on them, too, eh?" he shrieked.

"Well," I said carefully, toying with the flex, "now you mention it —»

"Bastard! Bastard! You little shit! I'll kill you! You — " His voice disappeared, and I had to put the phone away from my ear again as he started to hammer the handset against the walls of the call-box. The succession of loud clunks sounded over the calm pips as his money ran out. I put the phone back in the cradle.

I looked up, but there was still no sign of Father. I crept up the stairs and stuck my head between the banisters, but the landing was empty. I sighed and sat down on the stairs. I got the feeling I hadn't handled Eric very well over the phone. I'm not very good with people and, even though Eric is my brother, I haven't seen him for over two years, since he went crazy.