Now. We must flee. But with dignity of course.

‘My son,’ he said. ‘I shall call him Coin.’ A NAME AS GOOD AS ANY OTHER, said Death politely. His empty sockets stared down at a small round face wrapped in sleep. Despite rumour, Death isn’t cruel – merely terribly, terribly good at his job.

After that one thing sort of led to another and pretty soon everyone was fighting to get something – either away, out or even.

Little particles of inspiration sleet through the universe all the time travelling through the densest matter in the same way that a neutrino passes through a candyfloss haystack, and most of them miss.

THERE WAS A man and he had eight sons. Apart from that, he was nothing more than a comma on the page of History. It’s sad, but that’s all you can say about some people.

There was a pause full of philosophy.

But the third was the voice. It was beautiful. It sounded like wild silk looks.

It made you knurd.17

Abrim laughed. It wasn’t a nice sound. It sounded as though he had had laughter explained to him, probably slowly and repeatedly, but had never heard anyone actually do it.