‘It won’t be long,’ I assured him. ‘A doctor will see to you properly soon. It’s busy tonight, I’m afraid.’ I felt a bit irritated at the fuss he was making, but at the same time there was something about him which intrigued me. I think it was partly the strength of feeling that came from him, even though it was expressed through frustration, and partly the glimpse I caught of the side of his face not covered by the dressing. I saw the contours of a prominent cheekbone, a strong chin and eyes of the brightest blue I’d ever seen. I found myself staring in fascination.

I thought I’d try and take his mind off the pain. ‘My name’s Kate,’ I said. ‘Yours?’

‘Douglas Craven,’ he grunted, then added ironically, ‘Pleased to make your acquaintance.’ He spoke very carefully, wincing as he did so.

‘It’s bad out there tonight, isn’t it?’

‘Of course it’s bad,’ he snapped. ‘What the hell d’you think?’

‘What happened to your face?’

‘Don’t know exactly. I was on firewatch. There was stuff flying all over the place. Something stabbed right through my cheek – metal. I can feel it’s gone into the bone . . . Aagh – God!’

He started giving dry, tearless sobs, his lips contorting miserably. He had a little moustache which was clotted with blood so I couldn’t see its colour. His hair was blond though, so I assumed the moustache might be. For a moment I took his hand.

‘They’ll soon look at you. It must be quite awful for you.’

‘Damn it!’ He writhed beside me. ‘This is terrible.’

He communicated the powerful outrage of a fit man who has been struck down and slowed.

A commotion suddenly started up at the entrance, raised voices and more stretchers arriving.

‘I’ll be back.’

Everyone was talking at once, the ambulance workers, a doctor trying to be heard above everyone else. Then everyone saying ‘Ssssh.’

‘It’s the Carlton Cinema up Sparkhill,’ one of the ambulance workers told us. His eyelashes were white with dust.

‘The control centre warned us you were coming,’ said a voice. Everyone had fallen silent. ‘What’s the damage?’

‘Direct hit. Straight down in front of the screen.’ The man speaking looked really shaken. ‘There’s God knows how many gone. The blast got their lungs. They were all sat there in the front rows as if they were still watching the film. Never seen anything like it. Eerie as hell. They’re taking the rest straight to the General, and Selly Oak, I think.’

I hurried back to Douglas Craven. ‘It’s going to be very busy.’ I told him what had happened.

‘Oh damn, damn,’ he groaned.

‘Whatever’s wrong? Was someone you knew at the Carlton?’

‘I should have been over there.’

I stared at him in disbelief. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘I’m a reporter. If I hadn’t been on bloody firewatch I could have been over there – got the first look at it . . . And now I’m stuck here with my face in shreds . . .’