Pongo #55

Insa

Dear Ms Harver,

We have recently admitted an extremely disturbed individual into our care. We believe she is suffering from trauma-induced amnesia, as she cannot remember her own name and insists on giving different answers to the question. Despite this setback, however, we have been able to identify her as one Cadderine Jener Harver. Having tried to contact Cadderine's next of kin, her mother, we have met with no response. After a conversation with the patient herself, however, we believe that she is your sister. This information came more freely than her own personal details, if
you would believe it.

If this is indeed the case, and we are not relying completely on the patient's assertions, we would very much appreciate you meeting us for an informal discussion as to Cadderine's welfare. Please telephone to arrange an appointment at your convenience.

Yours sincerely

Dr N. Quellar M.D.

Five Chances Clinic
Fering Approach
Mayver

I re-read the letter as the train huffs off, then fold it back into three and weather the edges with my thumb as I think. I said as soon as possible, and they made time for me within the hour. The only food to go down me all day has been a cold pebble of pastry from the buffet car. I think my stomach needs a chisel to process it, but hopefully it should keep me going until I get to Mayver.

I wonder how they found her. Whether she was ragged and wild, like a premature burial, whether she came quietly or scratched and spat, whether she was naked or still in her note-perfect replica gown. That she remembered me is hopeful, and I am ridiculously touched that my name peeped through the curtains at her. Perhaps my sister is on her way home. Though if the lack of answer at Mum's is anything to go by, I'm not so sure home is any kind of sanctuary. I mean, she began there and now look what's happened. The nuthouse finally got her.

Haven't seen Andaw since our argument. I don't know what he's doing, what can help now. I'm missing something, I know. He's got one of those faces ' no, one those entire presences that sticks in your mind. Everything from his limping gait to the lattice of scar tissue across his left temple is buried like a bullet in me. Since I can't not think about him, I change my reactions instead. Anger is the most common, fire ants crawling all over me, but a close second is the feeling of really missing him.

Sometimes that leads to anger again. Sometimes in my mind his face melts and reforms itself into Cadderine's, and sometimes my mother's. It always squeezes itself back into Andaw before disappearing, though. His image is like a wax drawing beneath a watercolour wash. He pokes through like a dandelion, just this big, misshapen lump. A remedial clay model prodded in all the wrong places by a child with no concept of beauty. He is shavings of beautiful individuals, the pastry annexed by the heart-shaped cutter, a chaffball who will not go away. Yes, and even as I miss him, I am trying to either smooth or kill his image in my head.

Channel 22

As we were interrupted last week, the network have very kindly given us a specially extended episode slot this week! Channel 22 are over the moon to present a twintastic double bill, starring the tale-telling talents of Wret and Wrin Kamine! They will be telling us the classic tale of Beauty and The Beast, with a sexy twist. We'll find out more later. Just quickly though, a word from our sponsors Cooble Cocoa ' The Star Bar. Don't go away. Stay riiiiiight there.

Insa

I try to do a puzzle in the paper someone has left on my seat. A clueless crossword. I hunt for the Es first, and since I can't be sure the doubles aren't Ss or Ls, I try my luck with a Q, which will lead me to its sister, the U. So it goes on until the train pulls into the station, and a large man in a mac holding a sign for Insa Harver slides into view: a paragon of pointlessness on an empty platform.