The collected stories Read Free Page A

the phrases of the question in his mind because he dreaded the simple answer he saw whole: yes. He felt afraid of her, and more deaf and clumsy than ever, like a helpless orphan snatched into the dark. He wanted her to say that he had imagined the lover, but he knew he would not believe words he craved so much to hear. He no longer trusted her and would not trust her until he had the child's word. He longed to see his son. He started up the stairs.
    Kathy said, 'He's watching television.'
    On entering the television room, Robarge saw his son stand up and take a step backward. Richard's face in the darkened room was the yellow-green hue of the television screen; his hands sprang to his ears; the blue fibers of his pajamas glowed as if sprinkled with salt. When Robarge switched on the light the child ran to him and held him - so tightly that Robarge could not hug him.
    'Here it is.' Robarge disengaged himself from the child and crossed the room, turning off the television as he went. The toy was gift wrapped in bright paper and tied with a ribbon. He handed it to Richard. Richard put his face against his father's neck. 'Aren't you going to open it?'
    Robarge felt the child nodding against his shoulder.
    'Time for bed,' said Robarge.
    The child said, 'I put myself to bed now.'
    'All by yourself?' said Robarge. 'Okay, off you go then.'
    Richard went to the door.
    'Don't forget your present!'
    Richard hesitated. Robarge brought it to him and tucked it under the child's arm. Then, pretending it was an afterthought, he said softly, 'Tell me what happened while I was away - did you see anything? 1
    Richard shook his head and let his mouth gape.
    'What about Mummy's friend?' Robarge was standing; the question dropped to the child like a spider lowering on its own filament
    of spittle.
    i didn't see him.'
    The child looked so small; Robarge towered over him. He knelt and asked, 'Are vou telling the truth?'
    And it occurred to Robarge that he had never asked the child

    WORLD S END
    that question before - had never used that intimidating tone or looked so hard into the child's eyes. Richard backed away, the gift-wrapped parcel under his arm.
    At this little distance, the child seemed calmer. He shook his head as he had before, but this time his confidence was pronounced, as if in the minute that had elapsed he had learned the trick of it. With the faintest trace of a stutter - when had he ever stuttered? - he said, 'It's the truth, Daddy. I didn't.'
    Robarge said, 'It's a tank. The batteries are already inside. It shoots sparks.' Then he shuffled forward on his knees and took the child's arm. 'You'll tell me if you see that man again, won't you?'
    Richard stared.
    'I mean, if he steals anything?'
    Robarge saw corruption in the unblinking eyes.
    'You'll tell me, won't you?'
    When Robarge repeated the question, Richard said, 'Mummy doesn't have a friend,' and Robarge knew he had lost the child.
    He said, 'Show me how you put yourself to bed.'
    Robarge was unconsoled. He found Kathy had already gone to bed, and though the light was on she lay on her side, facing the dark wall, as if sleeping.
    Robarge said, 'We never make love.'
    'We did - on Wednesday.'
    She was right; he had forgotten.
    She said, 'I've locked the doors. Will you make sure the lights are out?'
    So he went from room to room turning out the lights, and in the television room Robarge sat down in the darkness. There, in the house which now seemed to be made of iron, he remembered again that he was in London, in World's End; that he had taken his family there. He was saddened by the thought that he was so far from home. The darkness hid him and hid the country; he knew that if he appeared calm it was only because the darkness concealed his loss. He wished he had never come here, and worrying this way he craved his child and had a hideous reverie, of wishing to eat the child and eat his wife and keep them in that cannibal way. Burdened by this guilty thought, he went upstairs to