I need to sleep.

Now hear the heavens roar.

I can’t escape.

Now we have time to kill …

A ship moved across the deep water of the tiny bay. The patterns in the water spread behind it like a peacock’s tail.

Kill the shadows on our skin.

He could go home now. He slithered down from the wall, scraping the back of his right hand against the stone. He just had to go back.

Kill the fire that burns within.

It would only be a temporary measure. Killing time, my friend. Until such time. His behind was wet. Brendan would half-kill him, but then he was going away. Everything would be the way it was before then. Well …

Only a temporary measure. It was the shadows that hid the truth. The shadows … fearful. His legs were stiff with the unaccustomed walking and the dampness soaking through his trousers. She would understand. She would forgive him. She … He was hungry now. Mam would half-kill him for not having gone to school. If he was half-killed by Brendan and half-killed by Mam it didn’t leave much of Joe. Ah well …

She didn’t even ask him where he’d been. She indicated his chair. He sat down. His back ached. He wasn’t cut out for the energetic life.

‘Let there be no more fighting,’ she said, putting his plate down in front of him. ‘Your Daddy is ill with it all. Lying up there moaning and groaning as if his last hour had come.’

There was no sign of Brendan that evening, nor was he in his bed when Joe got up the next morning.

‘Where’s Brendan?’

‘Is he not in his bed?’

‘No.’

‘He must be working so. He said nothing to me. He was in a wild state yesterday and he leaving the house.’

She laughed, for some reason of her own.

‘You shouldn’t have said those things to him. I thought he was going to kill you.’

‘So did I.’

They both laughed. How odd that they should be sitting there laughing. Odd. She didn’t know just how odd.

‘Who was this girl anyway?’ She was still smiling as she asked the question.

‘A girl he knew. A teacher … don’t remember her name.’

He shook some corn flakes into his bowl. The laughter had left him now. He didn’t want her questions.

‘Was it true what you said about her?’

‘I heard it around.’

‘Was it true?’

‘How would I know? He annoyed me, so I said it.’

‘If only you wouldn’t fight.’

He hurried through his breakfast, hoping to get away before she started again.

‘You shouldn’t say things like that if they’re not true.’

‘Maybe it’s true.’

Mam frowned.

‘I’d like to get her for messing around with Brendan.’

‘Ah, Mam …’

‘I would.’

He got up.

‘I’d better go.’