Darkness fell and no police came, Annie spent the time putting new glass in Paul's window and picking up the broken pieces, so . 72 that when they came they would see nothing suspicious. Unless they look under the lawnmower, thought Paul. But why would they do that? Before she left, Paul asked her to bring him some paper so that he could continue writing the book while she was away. He needed the drug of writing. She shook her head regretfully. 'I can't do that, Paul. I'd have to leave the light on down here and someone might see the light through the windows. And if I give you a torch or a candle you might try to shine it through the windows.' He thought of being left alone down here in the cellar in the dark, and his skin felt cold. He thought of the rats hiding in their holes in the walls, waiting for darkness so that they could come out. He wondered whether they could smell his fear. 'Don't leave me in the dark, Annie. The rats.' 'I have to. Don't be such a baby. I've got to go now. If you need an injection, push the syringe into your leg. Don't worry about the rats, Paul. They'll probably recognize that you're a rat too.' She laughed at her joke and continued laughing all the way up the stairs. When she closed the door to the kitchen it became totally black. He could hear her drive away. He imagined that she was still laughing. In the darkness his imagination soon began to play games with his mind. He imagined that the young policeman came to life in the barn and crawled up to the house; he imagined that he came through the wall into the cellar. He felt one of the policeman's cold, dead fingers touch his cheek - but it was only a large spider and Paul realized that he had been dreaming. His legs were painful now and he gave himself an injection. Then he fell properly asleep, and, when he woke up, the dull light of early morning was filling the cellar. He saw a huge rat sitting in the plate of food which Annie had left, eating cheese. He screamed and the rat ran away. He took some Novril and looked round the cellar. He saw the 73 Suddenly on idea burst into his mind like a bright light. He looked at the idea from all directions and it still seemed sweet. barbecue stove with all its tools and equipment, and remembered burning Fast Cars . . . and suddenly an idea burst into his mind like a bright light. He looked at the idea from all directions and it still seemed sweet. At last he had a plan which might be successful. He fell asleep again with a smile on his face, dre............