Granddad nods at the board. ‘That it is your move. White always goes first.’

I look down at the board. I know the names of the squares and the chess pieces, but I’ve already forgotten what they do.

‘Granddad,’ I sigh. ‘This isn’t going to work. I’m never going to be able to remember all this – there are too many pieces and too many squares.’ I push back my chair and stand up. ‘I’m going outside. Mum told me not to stay indoors all weekend because it’s good for me to get fresh air.’

‘Well, we could always play on the patio,’ says Granddad.

‘No, Granddad!’ I snap. ‘You don’t get it. I can’t sit still all the time. I need to get out. I can’t concentrate in here.’ I walk towards the door. I feel bad for snapping. Granddad is so excited about me playing chess but I’m scared I won’t be able to do it, that my ‘problem’ will get in the way and I’ll let him down.

‘Felix.’ Granddad puts his hand on my shoulder. ‘You cannot just leave when you can’t do something. How will you learn? If you do this when you get a job they will dismiss you on the first day.’

‘I don’t care, Granddad,’ I say, walking towards the door. ‘I just need to get out of this room.’

The phone rings in the hall.

‘Don’t answer it,’ Granddad says sharply.

‘I won’t,’ I say. ‘I never do.’

I don’t know why he doesn’t just answer it, but he never did even when Grandma was here. She told me it’s because he doesn’t trust phones, but Dad told me it’s not that Granddad doesn’t trust phones, it’s that he doesn’t trust the people on the other end.

The ringing stops.

‘Okay,’ says Granddad. ‘Now where were we?’

‘We were just saying goodbye.’

‘Yes, we were.’ Granddad pauses. I wait for him to say something else, but all I hear is the ticks of the clocks. I look around the room. Not only is it dark but suddenly it feels empty – no picture or sound from the TV, just me and Granddad standing in silence, with Samson curled up on the sofa and Grandma smiling at us from her picture on the mantelpiece.

I want to go outside, but I don’t want to leave Granddad alone.

I sit down by the chessboard.

‘What are you doing?’ asks Granddad. ‘I thought you were going out.’

‘I was, Granddad,’ I say. ‘I just thought I might stay a while.’

‘Wonderful,’ says Granddad, sitting next to me. ‘So this one?’

‘Granddad,’ I say, ‘can’t we just sit here and have a break?’

‘Of course. Of course. We can have a break . . . Just for a while.’ His eyes sparkle.

I don’t think we’re going to break for long.

Dad, Help!