From: Oliver, Victoria | To: Reception | Sent: 06/07/05 15:45 | Subject: [Auto-response] Re: Bristol | I will be out of the office until Friday 8th July. If your enquiry is urgent please phone me on

‘But, Overseer, in our Perfect New World, everyone is supposed to have a job. This is what we are taught, and our teachers were adamant there would be no exceptions.’

Julie hears a sound she cannot name. Not yet. Naming a sound gives it meaning, and so far this sound has none.

I met my friend on the way into class. Are you finally going to join me at chess club tonight? he asked. I said I might, and he said I should. But I can’t play.

I’m waiting for a gap. A silver Picanto goes past, a red Shogun, a navy Golf changing lanes, a silver Prius, a black 9-3, another silver Prius, a blue V90, and a white Transit. Still no gap.

How can you have left us like this? That is the question that keeps going round and round my nucleus. I simply don’t understand.

A spaceship carrying two intelligent beings of distant origin powered down its engine as it entered orbit around the planet Earth.

I look around the pub while Dan is gone. It’s busy, but not full. I’m sat on the long, red leather couch that runs along the side wall. I like it here.

When we got back to our house, mom and I crept inside as if we were scared of being heard.

A woman walks past my stall every afternoon in this spot at 4:15. Never 4:10 and never 4:20.