The News About Alfard.

Dear Toby,

This one isn't going to be very happy, so hold on to everything. After I'd finished writing last night, I texted Mum. For a while, there wasn't any reply, then at about ten, when I was just getting ready for bed, she rang me.

"Our bert," her voice was very quiet. "Sorry, I 'ad to wait for 'im to go to sleep. It's bad news."

"What's wrong, Mum," I asked, "Does Gwen know?"

"Gwen wasn't sure so she asked Kori to come, you know she sees fings no one else can. She knew. It's a thorn, Bert. A thorn of the low country. In 'is stummick."

My heart sank right through the souls of my shoes, Tobe. I'd heard of thorns of the low country, who hadn't? Horrible, painful, always fatal wherever they happened, but very rare among leps. Now here was Mum telling me my dad had been stricken. My Dad, the most stallwart, the best of leps, with years of life in him. The tears began to flood silently down my face.

"Does he know?" I managed to croak.

"Not yet." Mum says. "'e'll 'ave to, of course. We need to know what 'e wants to do."

"I can contact the healing gardens." I said. "They'll make it easier for him there. They'll let you go with him, Mum."

"Fanks, our Bert. I knew you'd 'elp out like that." she said. "But I doubt if 'e'll want to go. We'll see. If you'll come as usual on Sunday, we can tell 'im then, an' ask 'im what 'e wants."

I said goodbye and ended the call hardly knowing what I said or did. Then I just crumpled. I think anyone who knows me will know that is my normal reaction when I get bad news, but this time I don't think anyone would blame me. I tried to be quiet about it, but obviously I was not quiet enough.

"Bert," I felt L lifting me into her lap. "Darling, what is it?"

I explained, as well as I could. L wiped my face.

"A thorn of the low country?" she said. "What does that mean, I mean, what are the signs?"

I told her about the swollen stomach, the pain, the inability to take food. She looked serious.

"That sounds horribly like what we humans would call the big C. You must have heard it talked about." That made me stop and think. Of course I had heard of it. That word which no one even likes to say. But what did it matter anyway, knowing what it was. Humans had treatments which sometimes worked and sometimes did not. We had no way of treating it. A thorn of the low country was always fatal. I said as much to L.

"Can we do anything to help Alfard?" she asked. "You know that whatever we can do for your family, we will, and gladly."

"That's kind of you, L," I said. "If there is anything, I promise to let you know."

She left me then and I went drearily to bed. Soon after I turned out the light I heard Bytes arrive back from Aiden's. He got on to the bottom of the bed in his usual place, but then seemed to stop. I'm afraid I was crying again, my face buried in the pillow. I felt feet walking up the bed beside me. Next moment, a furry purple body was burrowing in beside me, winding its long, thin arms around my neck. I was inexpressibly comforted to have that soft, warm, fluffy thing to cuddle. Bytes chirrupped and licked my ear. I stroked his head. We fell asleep together.

He was gone when I woke up. Wearily I got on with the day, trying to act normally and not to let Lacey see how sad I was. I think L must have said something to her at some point, because she was extra sweet to me today, she gave me lots of hugs, went quietly on with her own activities and didn't ask me to play any games, for which I was grateful. I briefly told Jordy what was happening and he was good about it, he said to keep busy was the best thing, and he was right. I've worked as hard as I could today and now I'm feeling tired.

Bytes has something on his mind, he's been under my feet all evening, but to be honest I'm too tired to find out what it is, it can wait till tomorrow. He's gone off to see Aiden in a temper because I wouldn't give him the iPad to go into, so I think he'll stay there tonight. I just need to be on my own for a few hours.

Now I've finished, and I'll just post this, then go early to bed. I'm just looking at you as you're sleeping. You're so amazing. I love you, big eyes.

Love

Zan. (Dad).