Think Yourself Lucky by Ramsey Campbell

Author:Ramsey Campbell [Ramsey Campbell]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2014-12-28T16:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-ONE

"Why are you listening to that, David?"

He'd hoped the radio was on too low to waken Stephanie. He managed to find an innocent smile before he faced her. "Just for something," he said, "something to do while I'm making us coffee."

"Why the local station? You don't have it on normally."

"Maybe I'm not normal, then."

"I don't know anyone who's more so."

He could tell she was still puzzled, and he'd no sooner made up an explanation than he let it out. "That's why. Listen to the language."

The news bulletin had begun. The guvvament was gunner bring in a bill to help struggaling families, and a minister would be interviewed in the next ow-er. A mum accused of neglecting her chiyuld had been released on police bayil. Fiyer crews were dealing with a blaze at an oyil refinery. A leading athalete would be retiyering from sport next yee-ar. The overnight rayin was moving north to leave a cleyar but cold day for the region... That was the end of the news, and David switched it off before he realised how this might betray why he'd had the radio on. "I didn't know words bothered you so much," Stephanie said. "Maybe you're shaping up to be a writer after all. I'll have to watch my language."

"It's me that ought to. I need to stop my words getting away from me."

The gurgle of the percolator gave him an excuse to turn his back. Once he'd handed Stephanie a mug of coffee he took his to the bathroom. A version of himself came to meet him, though it didn't seem eager to look him in the eye. The shower felt harsh on his skin and yet remote, so that he found it hard to judge what temperature he could bear. He saw off most of a bowl of muesli topped with yoghurt to prevent Stephanie from wondering why he hadn't more of an appetite, which seemed to be somewhere else as well. "You aren't coming downtown with me, are you?" he said.

"Not unless you want me to talk Ms Randall through my dishes."

"You know where I am if you need me," David said and felt as though he was trying to reassure himself.

As he left the house the inert sunless morning fitted its chill to his hands like frozen gloves, to his face like an icy mask, but that wasn't why he shivered. What had he done last night? Had whatever he'd brought about happened yet? Had he made Newless more real? His doubts and fears had caught up with him while he'd lain in bed, afraid to stir in case Stephanie wasn't as asleep as she'd seemed. Could he take back the wish that he'd hardly even put into words? Wouldn't that be like wishing the worst for his mother instead? How could he be less concerned for her than for somebody he would never meet and, by the sound of it, wouldn't care to? How fearful did he need to be when Mick's fate

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