A Bit of Earth Read Online Free PDF

is sleeping that well,’ Guy said. He stared down at the table, not wanting to say that Felix woke up in the night sometimes and cried, and that if he didn’t get there quickly enough the crying got more eerie, and then louder because Felix had frightened himself. Or that three times now Felix had wandered around asleep, looking and looking in all of the rooms. He had seemed to want to go up and down the hall again and again as though it were a long corridor. Guy hadn’t been sure what to do the first time, but then he realised that he should just guide Felix back to bed and tuck him in again, and wait and wait until Felix was properly settled.
    â€˜It must be very hard for both of you,’ she went on. ‘Also, he does seem to avoid doing the worksheets, but of course we haven’t been pushing him. Plenty of time for all that at school. We’ve got some for you here, these are ones he’s missed.’
    She pushed the folder across the table towards Guy. He opened it and flicked through. He tried very hard to focus, and to put all thoughts but those of the present, those of this very moment, out of his mind.
    Give these six mice a tail.
What, he thought, one to share? He pinched himself in the thigh, fearing that he was about to give a great honk, like some big crazy goose, or start guffawing.
Cut out the washing and stick it on the line.
The idea here was to put things in numerical order.
Billie is five. Draw some candles on the cake.
Did they know that Felixcould read?
Draw a ring round the things that begin with ‘M’. What else can you think of that begins with ‘M’?
    â€˜Sometimes he’s been a bit tearful, and he was once very vocal to Diane about the bikes and trikes. We just took him aside until he calmed down. He doesn’t seem to want to join in with any imaginary play at the moment either. He is quite withdrawn from the other children.’
    â€˜I suppose that’s all to be expected,’ said Guy.
    â€˜There was one incident today, he hid another child’s toy, Milo from the Tweenies, in the sandpit. That’s partly why we wanted to have a little chat.’
    â€˜Oh,’ said Guy. It was a terrible image. He tried to blink it away. ‘Well, we’d better be going. Come on, Felix.’
    â€˜Well …’ She seemed about to say some more. Guy got up. Felix had disappeared.
    â€˜He’s in the outdoor area. He does like digging in our cocoa shells tray. Probably the smell.’
    â€˜Thank you,’ said Guy. Outside Felix was pushing a tiny fire engine through a landscape of cocoa chips in a raised sandpit-type tray. ‘Time to go, Felix. You’ll be coming back tomorrow.’
    â€˜Don’t forget the worksheets!’ the leader called after them, but they seemed not to hear. She stowed the folder in the cupboard. Perhaps she should find out who the Misselthwaites’ health visitor was and have a chat with her. Perhaps what she should have been giving Guy was a Lexicon of Pre-School Ladies’ Words and Phrases.
    A little chat – something appalling to bring to your attention.
    A bit tearful – sobs uncontrollably.
Very quiet – miserable/friendless.
Quite withdrawn – catatonic.
Very vocal – crazy with anger.
    Stephanie from Personnel rang back whilst he was making some scrambled eggs for tea. Professor East’s mother would not mind him telephoning her. He wrote down the number (it was a local one), gave all the eggs to Felix, and set him to eat them in front of
Art Attack..
    The phone rang and rang. He was about to hang up when she answered.
    â€˜Mrs East?’
    â€˜Yes?’ It was a quavering voice, grief-stricken, he supposed, or a very old lady, considering the time she’d taken to get to the phone.
    â€˜Mrs East. My name is Professor Guy Misselthwaite. My wife was in the car, in the accident, with your son. I am sorry you lost your son. I’m sure you know that