A Disappearance (4)

IV.

We see three of Danny's mates from the first scene in the pub walking towards his home.

FIRST MATE: I ain't seen 'im for two weeks now, like. Night 'e tried to get off wiv that bit of stuff wiv the orange 'air an' the ring in 'er nose. Remember 'er?

SECOND MATE: Too right! She looked down 'er nose at 'im an' told 'im to go fuck himself. Right shirty cow she was!

THIRD MATE: I told you then 'e was losing it. Turning all strange 'e was, like e'd lost it.

SECOND MATE: What you on about, you wanker.

THIRD MATE: I'm tellin' you, he'd lost it. You know, walk the walk, talk the talk.

SECOND MATE: You're off your 'ead, you are? I don't know what the fuck you're on about!

They reach the house, turn a key in the lock and continue their conversation as they climb the stairs.

FIRST MATE: I know what you mean, like. You fink about it, it was only a couple of days later that 'e lost 'is job. 'e'd been actin' strange for weeks an' then 'e gets 'isself sacked. I mean what was going on - 'e was the business in that job. There's no way 'e should ever 'ave lost it.

They reach Danny's flat and begin to look around. The flat is exactly as we saw it after the attempted rape. The bed is dishevelled, the crate on the floor surrounded by empty bottles.

They look into the living room, kitchen and bathroom. Danny is not there.

First mate returns to the bedroom and notices something by the bed. He bends down and picks up a postcard of a ravishing garden. He flips it over. On the reverse is written 'I have gone to prepare a place for you'. He flips it over his shoulder onto the floor where it lands reverse side up.

FIRST MATE: Well, 'e ain't 'ere. Don't reckon 'e can 'ave been for a week or so either. Let's go.

He bends down for a bottle from the crate, cracks it open and takes a swig. He exits swinging the door to behind him.

We see the credits begin to come up and hear 'Larry Norman's 97th Nightmare'

We hear the sound of their feet clattering downstairs at a gallop, the front door opening and closing, their chatter and shouts fading as they move off down the street, as we focus on the postcard lying ignored and misunderstood on the floor.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Larry Norman - Nightmare #97.