The Half-life of Snails by Philippa Holloway

Author:Philippa Holloway
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-913640-58-3
Publisher: Parthian Books
Published: 2022-04-07T00:00:00+00:00

His eyes flick to hers and he nods, smiles. The one thing that gives her a lift. The frequency of these fleeting signs of happiness in him are increasing. He has become her challenge. She leaves the laptop and walks in thick woollen socks to the big kitchen, sets the kettle on the stove. Paces the floor while it comes to the boil. She has little experience of children, beyond Jack and her own memories of childhood, but she knows something is wrong. Dropping him off at school, without work to rush to, she waited, watched him walk in, avoiding the other children who huddled together or ran around playing games. He skirted their social packs and stood, alone, under a tree at the side of the playground. Studying the bark, it seemed, intently, until the bell rang.

She mixes chocolate powder with milk while the tea steeps, pops the cup in the microwave to warm. Wonders if Helen is aware of his difficulties. She’s asked Jack repeatedly for the names of his classmates, thinking she could call their parents, invite them over and nurture some sense of friendship, but he shrugs every time.

Before going back to the lounge she chops an apple into slices and scoops a dollop of peanut butter onto a saucer.

When she takes it through, Jack is lying on the floor, the movie ignored, staring through the curved glass of the jar at his sleeping snails.

‘Sit up, your drink’s here. And a snack.’

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