I turn off the water and shiver as I walk, wrapped in a towel, to my bedroom, where I dry off and pull on fresh pyjamas and a pair of fluffy bedsocks. My anxiety only grows, so I double-lock my front door and push a chair from the dining area against it, I close the doors to my bedroom, to the bathroom, and pad through to the living room-cum-kitchen. I make a cup of tea but can’t bring myself to drink it.

Sitting cross-legged on the sofa, I lift my MacBook and power it up, going immediately to Facebook and Twitter to see what, if anything, is being said about the attack on Liam Doherty.

Twitter doesn’t carry much more than the official police line that a man has sustained a life-changing injury in a ‘brutal’ assault – but Facebook? Facebook is another story. An unofficial ‘Derry Scandal’ page features a litany of posts, each wilder than the last, from people who claim to be in the know, or people who are theorising about what happened.

I heard it was Liam Doherty. Dragged him out of the house. Whole street was watching and not a being stopped them. Animals. That’s what they are.

I heard it was a fellah tarred and feathered for messing around with some wee young one. And the person who told me wouldn’t be one for making up stories. Dirty beast whoever he is. They should’ve cut his balls off, too.

Jesus! The rumours on this page. Derry people love a good gossip. Would you remember there’s a human being at the centre of this, and his family, too. For the love of God, don’t be spreading your nonsense.

Couldn’t have been Liam Doherty. Wee Kelly’s da? Why would anyone target him? You’d never find a nicer man. That family have suffered enough. Please, God, it’s not him and it’s someone who deserves it.

I heard it was just some tout that the dissidents wanted to teach a lesson to.

Naw, I’m telling you now. My ma lives across the street and it was definitely the Doherty house. But no one was dragged out into the street. First anyone knew of it was Bernie running screaming for help into the street. My ma says she was hysterical.

Maybe Bernie had enough of him. I think she’s losing the plot. Never been right in the head since that wain died.

So, it wasn’t all out there. That was something. And there was no mention of my car being targeted, even though I know a number of people saw the commotion at Foyleside. Then again, I’m not of any significance compared with the Dohertys. Nor am I arrogant enough to think I would garner an ounce of the sympathy or interest they would.