CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 14

After the first time the Beast left:

Sally was bringing David his breakfast when it happened. He was still in bed and she wanted to do something nice for him, to reach out and bridge the gap that had opened up between them. She’d made kippers, mushrooms, and fried tomatoes, with wholemeal toast and hot tea.

As she carried the steaming food up the old wooden stairs on a tray, Sally began to think about why she was reaching out to him and what had come between them. She wondered why she was always the one who tried to make peace and why David never met her halfway. She was the one who had to put up with him and look after him, the least he could do was let her in on what was going on.

By the time she got to the bedroom she was livid. Her arms were vibrating, and her anger was like a white hot light—its glare washed out every detail of the room. Without saying a word she lifted the tray and flung it at David’s head.

Luckily, her aim was poor, and the kippers, the tea and t