‘Well, I’m no good at names and dates and stuff. Here, write down your new address on this paper the dried flowers were wrapped up in, then I won’t have any excuse for forgetting next time. Carrucan—that’s way out past the airforce base somewhere, isn’t it? Never mind, no worries. I’ll be able to buy another car with what I make from my craft market sales. Something really jazzy, a little four-wheel drive, maybe. I’ll whizz out to Carrucan and pick you up and we’ll go on safaris. Oh, don’t I wish I had that car right now! I’d be out that gate and away, right to the edge of the map and off!’

Seymour glanced around at the other patients. Most of them were young, like Angie. He studied the faces of the visitors. They chattered brightly, ribbons of cheerful sound festooning the air like bunting, but it somehow sounded false and laboured. The eyes in the bright faces of the visitors didn’t somehow link with the chatter. Sad, worried eyes…everywhere he looked.

‘You’re always talking about…about nicking off to places,’ he said jerkily.

‘So what if I am? Any law against it? What’s the matter with you, biting my head off like that?’

‘It’s true. It’s the way you always carry on. I bet even if you did have that car, the nurses wouldn’t let you take off in it. Your hands are all shaky. You couldn’t…’

‘There’s nothing wrong with me!’ Angie said rapidly. ‘Just a little bout of flu, that’s all it was. Why, I could have stayed home in the flat and got better all by myself. It was just everyone fussing—you know what parents are like. I’m feeling fantastic now, really I am. I still look pretty. I look terrific, don’t I? Come on, Seymour, you’re my pal, don’t you reckon I look terrific?’

‘About as terrific as everyone else in here,’ Seymour said, carefully not looking at the other patients and their visitors.

‘Them? What’s that supposed to mean? I don’t look a bit like them! They’re all absolute no-hopers, that lot—that skinny guy over there, he’s in and out of this place like a yoyo! And Samantha, that twit with the frizzed up hair, she’s nothing but a…Some friend you are, saying…Specially when I never even asked you to barge in here and poke your nose into my affairs, you little twerp! Bothering someone in hospital…Go away! Go on, nick off!’

‘Okay,’ Seymour said. ‘No point in hanging around if you just jump down my throat every time I say anything. I’ll go, then.’

‘Good! I’m certainly not stopping you!’