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answer all the questions going around inside his head.
    Shannon was making tea for everyone, I watched her bustle about, whilst Mitch who had come in from the garage washed his hands in the sink. I liked Mitch. He was in his late fifties, solidly built, with a bit of a beer belly, but otherwise in good health. He was a very calm person, never losing his temper even with the most difficult of residents…like Seb.
    Mitch had been a soldier for many years, rising through the ranks to Sergeant, doing 30 years from the age of 18 and retiring when he was 48. Since then he had worked as a driver, at first for a trucking company before coming to Thorncroft six years ago. He was a sensible man who unlike Adag, the Gorilla and Shannon had no family to worry about. He was divorced, childless and had lost contact with his siblings.
    Adag was divorced, but she had a grown-up daughter who lived and worked in London. The Gorilla had family in Sheffield, but he didn’t appear overly worried about them at that moment, he was still of the opinion that everything would be sorted out once he got back from town. Shannon’s family and boyfriend lived locally and she was itching to make sure that everything was ok and it was nothing, but a stupid hoax.
    I could tell that Adag wanted to believe that as much as Shannon did, Mitch was reserving judgment I could tell.
    Shannon took the tea out to the residents and we drank ours in the kitchen. For once, I had sugar in mine, three teaspoons; I noticed Seb did the same. The sickly sweet taste gave me a feeling of calmness that I actually didn’t feel.
    We talked for a bit more, about the flashing red message on every link on the computer and as to why our mobile phones were not working, but the landlines were. Finally, we had to make a decision about going into town.
    The Gorilla had his own car, and it was agreed that he would drive into town and find out what was happening. Shannon asked if she could go with him, Adag refused at first, but Shannon insisted.
    “I just need to make sure my family are ok,” she said, “And I will be with Gregory.”
    Adag finally agreed and the Gorilla went to get his coat and car keys. Shannon rushed to get her coat and belongings and clad in her powder blue parka, her handbag swung over her shoulder, she smiled at me, trying to be upbeat and said lightly, “We will be back soon.”
    I nodded my head, out of the corner of my eye I saw Seb looking at me. For once, he didn’t make any sarcastic remark; he muttered something about going to speak to Phoenix and Adag asked me if I would check on Paul.
    I watched Shannon as she followed the Gorilla out of the door. I remember her long blonde hair falling down her back and resting on the pale blueness of her shiny new coat she just bought during one of our outings. She always wore boots to work, smart knee high brown leather boots that fitted snugly around her ankles. I envied her slim long legs in tight drainpipe jeans, her trim figure and healthy gait. It was a good memory and one I hold onto because that was the last time I was to see Shannon. The last time any of us saw her.
     
    I checked on Paul who when I entered his room was being sick into a basin. Luckily, I am not squeamish, too many times in hospitals myself had made me immune to vomit and shit, though I wasn’t a big fan of needles.
    I went and got a bowl, warm water and some flannels from the store room. I also got a bottle of cold water from the fridge.
                  “Where’s Shannon?” Paul rasped when I entered the room. His hollow cheeks and sunken eyes showed the toll the treatment he was having was taking on him. When he had arrived at Thorncroft apparently, he had been a stocky teenager, with a mop of curly red hair and he had meat on his bones. He wasn’t fat, but he had, had a healthy glow about him. Now he was stick thin, had lost all his hair and his skin was bruised and paper thin from so many bloods tests and cannula’s