Today's Reading
PROLOGUE
New Year's Eve 2021
The mothers are in the cellar of the pub when it happens.
Eight minutes until the new year, and the two friends are arguing. Standing between the barrels with their hands moving in the air. The one in the faded band T-shirt speaks quickly, shaking her head, thrusting back her curly hair as it falls into her face. The tall one in the green velvet dress presses her temples as if she's in pain. When her friend gives up pushing back her hair, she reaches out and tucks it behind her ears for her, with an angry, impatient intimacy.
The first thud reverberates over their heads. Louder than the rumble of pub noise; loud enough to make them pause and glance toward the closed cellar door. That's all it is, at first, just a pause. The woman in green frowns and touches the silver locket at her throat, her skin flushed from collarbone to chin.
When there's nothing more, they turn back to each other. Both talking at once, drawing closer together—skin still flushed, curls falling free again. Then a far bigger crash, an eruption of shouts, and they stop dead.
For a moment, they're still. Eyes locking. Chests moving up and down. Their argument is freeze-framed and dust particles hang in the air.
Then the cellar door flies open.
Alice! Chrissy! You need to come! You need to come now!
Instantly, they are running. Their sons' names are being shouted at them. Talk of an argument, an ambulance...
What? What is it? the mothers yell over each other. One trips on the stairs and the other pulls her upright. Are they hurt? What's happened?
In the dim chaos of the pub, a crowd blocks their way. They push into the gaps, clutching each other's hands, the crowd splitting wide open as people see them coming through. A hush falls. Heads turning, palms held over mouths. Spatters of red on the floor amid the trampled crumbs and spillages of the night.
The two women come to a halt in the space that has formed around them. One son is on the floor. The other stands over him. Somebody is sobbing in the crowd, saying they can't watch, they don't understand.
Is he breathing?
It all happened so fast.
The mothers each scream a different name as they break hands and run forward.
My darling boy... Tell me you didn't... What has he done?
Outside, the church bells start to ring in the new year and a blue flashing light streaks through the dark.
CHAPTER ONE
CHRISSY
Thursday, December 7, 2023
Chrissy clutches her phone and stares toward the tall metal gates. Where is he? What's taking so long? The whole place feels deserted and it strikes her that she's never been here in the morning before. The sky is winter white above the coils of barbed wire and the car park is only half-full.
She thinks of all the times she has waited in cars for him in the past. Picking him up from soccer matches, friends' houses, gigs in nearby towns. She used to crank her stereo up loud as she waited, Leo looking half-embarrassed and half-proud when he appeared. She was the only mum who listened to Nirvana live albums and Sabbath B-sides. The only one who owned a pub and sang guest vocals in her son's band.
Now she sits in silence, her stomach in shreds, waiting for him to come out of prison.
He really should've appeared by now.
...
