Above the Vaulted Sky - Page 14

          ‘I love this book so much,’ Penny says, holding it close to her like a beloved old acquaintance, her face changing drastically, lifting her out of her slump. ‘I love the way Thacker writes.’
            I’m a little taken aback. I didn’t know anyone knew about The Alchemist. As far as I know it’s out of print. I didn’t do a lot of reading in those days. I’m known as the science nerd at St Bartholomew’s. It’s why I can’t quite fathom my current state of being. My spiritual presence can’t be explained by physics, biology or anything in between. Me, Benjamin, and everyone else I can feel in the world are anomalies. Existing above and beyond everything we think we know about the world.
            But we exist without a purpose. As I sit, inexplicably beside my own memory, talking about a much loved book, a shared passion between two tiny people who should never have met and shared anything at all, I wonder why I’ve been given this gift, if it is a gift at all.
            ‘Do you read a lot?’ she asks, and I can feel my unease at having to answer.
          ‘Sort of,’ I say.
            ‘He reads comics,’ dismisses Graham, obviously looking for revenge. ‘Keeps them in boxes under his bed like they’re porn.’
            ‘Do you mind?’ snaps Yasmine, giving him a death stare. ‘Easton, you can stay,’ she says, looking back at me. ‘But if you’re just going to sit here and annoy people, Graham, could you please leave and do everyone a favour?’
             ‘Whatever,’ says Graham. ‘Come on Easton.’ He stands up.
           ‘Think I’ll stay a while,’ I say, and I’m proud of myself for being solid. ‘I’ll see you later?’
             ‘Fine.’ Graham hits his sides like a child who hasn’t got his way. ‘Well you can forget the lift home.’
             Graham’s older brother usually gave us a lift home in his crappy old Nissan Micra. I really don’t mind getting the bus that day if he’s going to throw his toys from the pram.
             ‘What comics do you read?’ she asks as he walks away, hands buried in his pockets.
             ‘Err… all sorts,’ I say.
             ‘What’s your favourite?’ Penny continues, genuinely interested.
             ‘I guess my favourite’s the Iron Captain,’ I say.
           ‘Oh, like the film coming out in summer?’
             ‘Yeah,’ I say, ‘I don’t know about the guy they’ve cast though.’
             ‘I feel your pain,’ she says, holding her hand to her chest. ‘Book adaptations never go well.’