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two tablets in the palm.
    â€˜I told you - I ain’t taking no more vitamins. What is it with the vitamins anyway? When I was a bub, you said if we ate a healthy diet we’d get all the nutrients we needed - right? So why, the minute we get to twelve, does The Assembly start pumping us full of vitamins? Maybe, instead of sending all the pres to T.R.E.A.C.L.E., they should send all the nurturers to nutrition class, eh?’
    â€˜Just take them - please.’
    He took the tablets and put them in his pocket. ‘I’ll take them later.’
    Vivian sighed. ‘Thank you. But you can’t go out, you have homework to do.’
    â€˜And?’
    She sighed again. ‘Just because you’re about to graduate, it doesn’t mean you can give up on your education. You’re out roaming the streets every night. When are you going to knuckle down and start acting like the adult you’re going to be in a few weeks?’
    Monkey eyed her with contempt. ‘What - one of those adults you’re so fond of downing at every opportunity?’
    â€˜Here we go again,’ his sister, Penny, groaned.
    Instantly, Vivian turned to her daughter and her voice softened. ‘It’s all right, darling.’
    â€˜Oh yeah - she’s your darling ! I’m just some fegging piece of crap you can’t wait to pack off to the good-riddance heap...’ Vivian slammed her hand down on the table. ‘I am sick of you and your foul mouth!’ she railed.
    His grand-mov, Sarah, piped up, ‘We wouldn’t have stood for it in our day. Mind you, we weren’t trying to be everything to everyone...’
    â€˜Thank you - I really don’t need this right now!’ Vivian snapped at the older woman. Vivian turned her back on Grand-mov and tried to position herself between her son and the door. ‘You are not going out tonight. I forbid it.’
    â€˜Forbid it?’ Monkey gave an ironic chuckle. ‘Really?’
    â€˜Yes, really! Now, go to your room and do your homework.’
    â€˜Go boil yourself in crap,’ Monkey said, calmly pushing her to one side and leaving the house.
    It was a ritual they went through most nights and Vivian never won. It was amazing to Monkey that she hadn’t given up by now. There’d be anguish again tonight when he got in, but what was new? After all, what could she do? Ground him? Fat chance of that! He’d just go out anyway. Corporal punishment was illegal and, if she even tried to lift a finger to him, she knew he had twice her strength. So, if he retaliated, she’d come off worse - and then have to explain herself to the authorities; probably even lose her job. She was in a no-win situation, whichever way you looked at it.
    â€˜How dare you!’ Vivian yelled down the path after him. ‘Come back this minute!’
    Monkey ignored her. He pulled the hood of his jacket over his head, covered his nose with the chequered scarf of the Mooners and tossed the vitamin tablets to the ground. He breathed a sigh of relief to be out of the house and felt for the security of the blade in his pocket. OK - he was ready.
    His walk through Moonstone Park was uneventful with the exception of a group of pre-nurturers, whispering and giggling as their skirts swished by, rushing home from T.R.E.A.C.L.E. before curfew. Monkey recognised a couple of them from a younger division at school but he averted his eyes, pulled his hood lower and tucked his injured hand up his sleeve to conceal any distinguishing feature that might identify him later.
    As he approached the disused loco bridge, a lone figure was leaning against the wall, one leg bent, raised foot pressed into the bridge, head bowed. The garb was the same as Monkey’s: hood pulled low, nose and mouth covered, hands pushed deep into the pockets.
    â€˜Woz happenin’?’ Monkey asked.
    Angel pulled down the scarf and smiled. ‘I’ve been waiting ages. I was starting to