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blame.
    “Well, no harm anyway,” smiled Crystal.
    Nobody answered immediately. Crystal and Rob wanted away, everyone else wanted them gone, but no-one knew how to initiate it. Crystal moved in quickly. “So, you guys ready for tomorrow?”
    “Yes”, Olissa assumed the role of surly spokesman.
    “That’s nice. You four spending one last night together?”
    “We just queued for food together,” said Olissa, “We’re going shortly, aren’t we Mélie?”
    Unt looked at Mélie and saw a hint of something he hadn’t seen there before. He also saw her mind at work, debating something. From her pocket, she took her dice. They were cut with elegant, rune-like numerals. She cast them on the ground and Unt saw a red one and a white four. “Yes, I’ll come,” she said, placing her half-full plate at her side and retrieving her dice from the floor.
    Crystal looked bemused but kept her smile in place. “Oh, well, don’t let us stop you,” she said.
    “No,” Olissa smiled back insincerely , “Don’t let us get in your way. You two enjoy this last night of innocence too.”
    Crystal blinked and smiled but didn’t answer. Rob stepped forward and gently made to lead her away. “Come on, Crys,” he said. He didn’t give the rest of them so much as a glance.
    Crystal let herself be led away. “See you all tomorrow,” she said as Rob guided her back onto Gate Street.
    “You too, sweetie,” said Olissa with a sneering smile at their backs. A few yards later and Unt’s group was forgotten. Half a minute more and the two lovers were out of sight.
    “Bitch,” said Olissa.
    “You guys aren’t really going, are you?” asked Bulton.
    “Well you don’t have the booze to go round, do you?” said Olissa, “Come on, Mel.”
    She started to walk away before Mélie had a chance to get moving. Mélie looked down at Unt, looked up Gate Street’s empty cobbles and stood up. “Bye. Sorry,” she said and followed after her friend.
    Unt watched her go, trying to work out what had just happened.
    “Well, there’s a turn up for the books!” said Bulton. “Those bitches use us to cut in the food queue then up and run because we won’t give up the good stuff too?”
    Unt didn’t answer so Bulton carried on talking. “Good riddance to them. Tomorrow, I’m gonna get me a wife and she won’t nag me for a few drops of moonshine.”
    “It could be one of them,” said Unt quietly. He slumped forward, eyes on the wasted food at his feet.
    “They’d better hope not,” said Bull. He paused while he used a toothpick to rive at some dinner in his teeth. “Ah well, let’s go back to yours and get hammered.”
    Unt thought about it. The thought of sitting at home getting drunk with Bull didn’t excite him right now and he didn’t like the idea of risking a hangover in the morning. On the other hand, he didn’t feel like any more Promenading either. He tossed his dice in the place Mélie had cast hers. He took in the numbers. Yes, he would go home. Yes, he would get drunk.
    “Lead on,” he sighed at Bulton.

3. The Fall
     
     
    Sunshine and birdsong: these were the twin delights that Unt woke to most mornings and today was no exception. It was a cliché to be sure but it was a pleasant one to live in.
    That trilling noise came in through the open window, carried in on the cool breeze that caressed the muslin curtains of the room. The morning sun beamed brightly through the gauze, the regular holes allowing squares of light to form a pattern on the opposite wall.
    Unt looked around and took a personal inventory. He’d got to his bed, which was a good sign and his clothes were crumpled on the floor. So far so good.
    Most importantly, there was nothing that shouldn’t be there: he hadn’t thrown up anywhere he shouldn’t have: doubly good. He still had his underclothes on which was unusual but no cause for concern.
    Now for the big test: he lifted his head from the pillow. It didn’t hurt, He sat up: no nausea