A Voice in the Distance Read Online Free PDF

through
a pile of papers.
    I try to find the page for him in the relevant book.
'The one about authentic texts?'
    'No, it was in the other book, the Kenyon one.
Something about period instruments . . .'
    I lift up books and papers from the coffee table, trying
to find the elusive book. 'Where's it gone? I had it
just a second ago. I'm so tired I'm seeing double. Isn't
that the Kenyon book, behind your—' I break off as the
tennis ball hits me squarely on the back of the head.
    'Jesus, Flynn!'
    There's a silence. I have startled myself with the force
of my shout. Harry pulls an embarrassed face and looks
down at his laptop. Flynn jumps down from the back of
the sofa and treads all over my notes, looking for his ball.
I grab it and hold it behind my back. He lunges at me.
    'Children, please . . .' Harry tries to add some
humour to the situation.
    Flynn grabs my arm. 'Give me back my ball.'
    'No!' I shout.
    'Give it back!'
    'No!'
    'Why?'
    'You're driving us crazy, that's why! Can't you see
we're trying to write this essay? We've got exactly eight
hours before it has to be handed in! You can either help
us with it or go to bed!'
    Flynn only grunts in reply, still trying to wrestle the
ball out of my hand.
    'Now, kiddies, come on,' Harry says.
    Flynn wins the struggle and whoops in triumph,
shooting the ball across to the opposite wall, knocking a
picture frame off the mantelpiece.
    'For God's sake!' I yell, furious now.
    Harry stands up and picks up his laptop. 'Let's go
back to the kitchen and leave Flynn to his game of
squash,' he suggests calmly. I follow suit, gathering up
books and papers. As I follow Harry into the kitchen,
there is a crash behind us and the sound of broken
glass.
    We finally finish our essays at half past four in the
morning. I am so tired I can hardly speak. But Harry is
worried about Flynn. He seems to think he is getting
manic again. I remind him that Flynn's always irritating
when he's drunk. I give my essay to Harry to take in and
watch him get into his car before stumbling into the
bedroom and pulling off my clothes. Flynn has passed
out, fully dressed, sprawled across the bed. I shove him
unceremoniously off my side and crawl under the duvet.
Sleep. At last.
    I'm awoken by a rustle and the tread of footsteps across
the bedroom floor, followed by the clatter of keys meeting
with the surface of the wooden desk. I emerge slowly
from the covers, groggy and blurry-eyed, as Flynn throws
open the curtains, flooding me with harsh white
sunlight.
    'Ugh . . .' I groan. 'What time is it?'
    'Nearly nine,' he replies. He is wearing his suede jacket
with the collar turned up and his cheeks are bright pink.
'You don't have lectures this morning, do you?'
    'What day is it?'
    'Tuesday.'
    'I have Professional Skills at eleven.' I yawn. 'And
don't you have Conducting?'
    'Skipped it.' Flynn throws himself across the bed,
propping his head up on his hand. 'It's such a beautiful
day. Let's go for a walk in the countryside.'
    I smile. Out of the two of us, Flynn is definitely the
more romantic. I brush the hair out of my face and lean
forward to kiss him. His face is pink and cold. 'Where
have you been?'
    'I needed to buy some stuff from Boots but it wasn't
open yet. Do you want breakfast in bed?'
    'I think I can make it to the kitchen.' I smile. 'God,
you were annoying when you were drunk last night.'
    'I wasn't drunk!'
    'Yeah, right,' I say disbelievingly.
    He kisses me again. 'I'll make it up to you. Let's skip
uni today and go to Chessington.'
    'An amusement park?' I roll my eyes. 'Aren't we a bit
old for that?'
    'Then let's go to the river and catch a boat down the
Thames. Or go on the London Eye! I know, I know, I'll
borrow Harry's car and we can drive down to the coast!'
    I laugh at his enthusiasm. Sometimes Flynn reminds
me of an overexcited puppy. I feel almost guilty at
having to dampen his fireworks.
    'Flynn, there's no way I can miss my Aesthetics
tutorial. I have to read out my essay today and I've