Chapter Eleven

‘Creep’
Radiohead, 1992

Dave

DAVE’S ALARM WENT off at five thirty. He slapped it off and turned over with a groan. He cursed Rave for suggesting he bond with Jonno. But once he was awake, training with Jonno was more fun than he’d ever admit. He was standing at the gate by five fifty. It was freezing so he wore a jacket under his granddad’s big coat. Jonno finally came running, just after six. Dave was so cold he cycled around in circles trying to keep warm. Jonno was decked out in just a woolly hat and a tracksuit but he’d already run from home and he continued to jog on when Dave broke his circle and cycled towards him.

‘Are you right?’ Dave said.

‘Good.’

‘Let’s go, then.’ Dave pressed the button on his da’s stopwatch. ‘Let’s break some records.’

Jonno started running, through the gates and along the narrow tree-lined rocky road that led to the reservoir and past the trickling stream that threatened to leak into his runners. He ran past the few pretty houses, two snarling guard dogs and a man exiting his driveway transporting a boat. The air was crisp. Except for the possible loss of a few digits to frostbite it was just how he liked it. Jonno looked good. Even the break over Christmas hadn’t diminished his form.

‘How am I doing?’

‘Pissing along. Come on! Focus! Stay the course.’

Jonno nodded and picked up the pace. Every time Dave thought Jonno had shown him all he had, he went into another gear. It was impressive. Dave was lagging behind: he found it hard to keep up. Jonno had wings. Dave’s coat was dragging him down and one of his gears kept sticking. Jonno glanced back at him as they reached the reservoir.

‘Just keep going, man! Don’t slow down!’ Dave shouted.

Jonno nodded and ran on. He was near the bridge when he slowed to a stop. Dave couldn’t see what was impeding him. He worried that he’d pulled a muscle. It’ll take me all bleedin’ day to get him home. He made his way to the bridge as quickly as his stupid broken gears would allow. When he got there, Jonno was hanging over the railings. He’s puking, grand, he’ll get over that. But then Jonno turned to face him and the horror on his face told a different story.

Dave got off the bike and walked forward, just as Jonno stepped back, another figure beyond him in the gloom. Dave struggled to accept the reality of what he was seeing. It took a millisecond to adjust. It was definitely a boy holding onto the railings of the bridge and it was clear he was going to jump. Rave? Rave? Is that you?