The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
I sensed the days were passing because there were times when I awoke and thought I could see sunlight coming through the slats in the shutters. Once or twice I was sure I heard someone knocking on the door and voices calling my name, but after a while they stopped. Hours or days later I got up and put my hands on my face and found blood on my lips. I don't know whether I went outside or whether I dreamed that I did, but without knowing how I had got there I found myself making my way up Paseo del Borne, towards the cathedral of Santa Maria del Mar. The streets were deserted beneath a mercury moon. I looked up and thought I saw the ghost of a huge black storm spreading its wings over the city. A gust of white light split the skies and a mantle woven with raindrops cascaded down like a shower of glass daggers. A moment before the first drop touched the ground, time came to a standstill and hundreds of thousands of tears of light were suspended in the air like specks of dust. I knew that someone or something was walking behind me and I could feel its breath on the nape of my neck, cold and filled with the stench of rotting flesh and fire. I could feel its fingers, long and pointed, hovering over my skin, and at that moment the young girl who only lived in the picture I held against my chest seemed to approach through the curtain of rain. She took me by the hand and pulled me, leading me back to the tower house, away from the icy presence that had crept along behind me. When I recovered consciousness, the seven days had passed.
My new book is amazing, it has made the last 2 books seem worthwhile as they have led me inadvertently towards this one.
Tonight has been interesting. My mum has spoken to an old neighbour who was a good friend of my grandma's in the late 1940's in Devon. She still remembers my grandma as the little lady, she was only 4ft 7. The old lady had said that all the women had it really tough back in those days, we can't imagine what life would have been like pre welfare benefits, NHS and young children to care for. My mum is really pleased to speak to this lady and I am really happy for her.
I met my estranged uncle again today which is still a little unusual. Ashley is feeling unwell which I am not happy about, he will pick up and bounce back to perfect health. We've been sat at the dining room table for most of the evening, him working, me reading and the pair of us cuddling up. The house was so peaceful which is lovely but I still prefer to hear the sound of children and people.
I want to paint a portrait of Nat as he is now, to capture this part of his adolescence. It wont be long before he leaves home and becomes his own person but for the shortest time he remains my boy. I want an image that I can look at in years to come and see as a time capsule. Nat has always looked outwards, which is not a criticm, he's always looked further than me. He wont be a homebody wanting to stay living close to me, he will want to forge his own way. I can see this and I'm happy that I've brought up this strong independant person. I still remember and cherish the time when he was younger when I couldn't see where I began and Nathaniel ended.
My lovely neice Maya has been in a performance tonight at the Blue Elephant Theatre in London. She will have been brilliant and will have lots of treasured memories of tonight. I need to get some photo's printed of Maya and us, she has a family album and there are no pictures of me in there which I am not happy about and which I mean to rectify asap.
My kitty cats are in trouble, they are getting fed roast chicken by one of my mum's neighbour's. Apparently Nemo ate 3 bowl fulls the other day, and Emo goes for the food occasionally. At lease Farni is faithfull to me and does not stray from the back garden and Daisy of course but that's because she annoys the neighbours by constant barking at flies, leaves and swirls of air.
Going now, nighty night peeps
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