Twenty-Six Years Ago

The phone rings and he picks it up… “Hello?” … then jolts as he hears the voice.

“Davey? Is that you?”

“Shelley? Yes, it’s me.” He pauses, looks over his shoulder then around the doorway into the lounge. “Shelley, Stephen’s not here right now, but I’ll have to talk quietly. How are you? Why are you calling? After all this time, why are you calling now?”

“Davey…” Her voice trembles. “I was wondering if… Would it be possible for me to come home?”

“Home?” He holds the receiver as though accusing it of lying. “You want to come home? Shelley, has something happened? Are you alright?”

“Yes, something’s happened, and… no, I’m not alright. Do you think I could come? Would that be... possible?”

“Permanently you mean? To leave the City?”

Clumping sounds in the background; Stephen coming down the stairs. “Who is it?”

“Ah… no-one.”

Stephen looks at him askance. “No-one? What’s that supposed to mean?”

David takes a breath. “It’s Shelley.”

“Shelley?” Stephen looks upstairs. “And what does she want?”

a hand. “She wants to come

the way she did. I thought it would kill

“Steph…”

hand. “Shelley. You’re not coming back here. Don’t ring again. You’re not

don’t mind, I’d like to talk to

sister of mine. And she’s

“Davey, I’m scared. Something has happened and… Oh, God, please

see what I can do Shelley, but I can’t make any promises.

she was

Steve, show a little

and she’s not

*****

The Present - James

on the

A grunt; “Door’s open.”

site schematics spread flat, pinned at the corners with ashtrays, a spanner and a

He jerks his chin to a stack

“Thanks, yes.”

shouting outdoor instructions up gantries and scaffolding, and across acres. He pours from the kettle

for boiling

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