behind him and William is back on the inside, leaning heavily against the wall, nudging aside the improvised coat-stand, panting fiercely and having to hold his heart in his hands.
This had all happened before, so Spencer didnât immediately panic. He loosened another button on Williamâs open-necked shirt. He positioned his shoulder under Williamâs arm, noting objectively that William was breathing erratically and his face had gone very red. Spencer then manoeuvred him past the telephone table and through the entrance hall towards the dining room.
Although Spencer was managing very well on his own, and this had happened to him at least twice or even three times before, William wasnât getting any lighter. Spencer could have managed on his own, and he wasnât panicking, but Hazel was only a few rooms away and all she was doing was reading an old potboiler of a crime novel. William was a big man and really quite heavy, and he certainly wasnât improving as far as breathing was concerned. Spencer tottered forward a little, called out to Hazel, then stumbled backwards, almost losing his balance.
âHazel,â he called out, although he could have dealt with Williamâs panic attack entirely on his own. âHazel!â he shouted, louder now, hoping sheâd come very soon. Not because he needed her, it was important to understand, but only because he wanted to make her feel involved.
5
Two in five teenagers believe sex at 15 is acceptable, with little difference between boys and girls.
THE TIMES 11/1/93
11/1/93 M ONDAY 10:24
Britain was awful, horrible, dangerous, exciting, frightening. It was so
busy
, and you never knew what was coming next. It was dirty and disorganised and not at all what heâd been expecting. It was a vicious mixture of red double-deckers and disguised IRA scouts and loud shops and vampires in disarray. Heâd seen the last day of Britain and the first day of Europe and it wasnât pretty out there. All the same, lying on the sofa in the dining room, wrapped in a thick green blanket, William was faking it.
âWhat day is it?â he murmured weakly, trying to squint a good look at the girl.
âItâs Monday all day,â she said.
âAnd who are you?â
âSpencerâs friend. My name is Hazel.â
âWhereâs Spencer?â
âHeâs making tea.â
William pushed away the blanket, lifted up his head, and meant to swing his legs to the floor. He then pretended to feel a fainting fit coming on, and lay back down again.
âIâm sorry,â he said. âIâm not always like this.â
This was a shamefaced lie. Here in the house, safe in the dining room, William was once more undeniably himself. No change had taken place, and this was a day no different from any other, unfit for miracles. He was still unable to go outside, and nothing would ever change for the better. He took another sly look at the girl. It was some time since heâd last experienced a woman in real life, but he recognised that even by the standards of television she was a decent roundly shape and she was very blonde. She was also wearing a curvely woollen dress, but this only briefly distracted William from contriving the quickest way to get rid of her.
âA standard phobic anxiety attack,â she said. âA surge of panic followed by heart trouble and possible loss of consciousness. Often, these physical reactions combine with a sense of doom.â
âYouâre very knowledgeable,â William said, meaning oh yes, a very smart young woman.
âMy sisterâs training to be a doctor,â Hazel said modestly, which was all very fascinating coming from a stranger, William thought, but letâs stick to the essentials. Iâm more than twice your age and this house belongs to my brother so you canât come waltzing in here upsetting the excellent arrangement I have with Spencer. How old was
This had all happened before, so Spencer didnât immediately panic. He loosened another button on Williamâs open-necked shirt. He positioned his shoulder under Williamâs arm, noting objectively that William was breathing erratically and his face had gone very red. Spencer then manoeuvred him past the telephone table and through the entrance hall towards the dining room.
Although Spencer was managing very well on his own, and this had happened to him at least twice or even three times before, William wasnât getting any lighter. Spencer could have managed on his own, and he wasnât panicking, but Hazel was only a few rooms away and all she was doing was reading an old potboiler of a crime novel. William was a big man and really quite heavy, and he certainly wasnât improving as far as breathing was concerned. Spencer tottered forward a little, called out to Hazel, then stumbled backwards, almost losing his balance.
âHazel,â he called out, although he could have dealt with Williamâs panic attack entirely on his own. âHazel!â he shouted, louder now, hoping sheâd come very soon. Not because he needed her, it was important to understand, but only because he wanted to make her feel involved.
5
Two in five teenagers believe sex at 15 is acceptable, with little difference between boys and girls.
THE TIMES 11/1/93
11/1/93 M ONDAY 10:24
Britain was awful, horrible, dangerous, exciting, frightening. It was so
busy
, and you never knew what was coming next. It was dirty and disorganised and not at all what heâd been expecting. It was a vicious mixture of red double-deckers and disguised IRA scouts and loud shops and vampires in disarray. Heâd seen the last day of Britain and the first day of Europe and it wasnât pretty out there. All the same, lying on the sofa in the dining room, wrapped in a thick green blanket, William was faking it.
âWhat day is it?â he murmured weakly, trying to squint a good look at the girl.
âItâs Monday all day,â she said.
âAnd who are you?â
âSpencerâs friend. My name is Hazel.â
âWhereâs Spencer?â
âHeâs making tea.â
William pushed away the blanket, lifted up his head, and meant to swing his legs to the floor. He then pretended to feel a fainting fit coming on, and lay back down again.
âIâm sorry,â he said. âIâm not always like this.â
This was a shamefaced lie. Here in the house, safe in the dining room, William was once more undeniably himself. No change had taken place, and this was a day no different from any other, unfit for miracles. He was still unable to go outside, and nothing would ever change for the better. He took another sly look at the girl. It was some time since heâd last experienced a woman in real life, but he recognised that even by the standards of television she was a decent roundly shape and she was very blonde. She was also wearing a curvely woollen dress, but this only briefly distracted William from contriving the quickest way to get rid of her.
âA standard phobic anxiety attack,â she said. âA surge of panic followed by heart trouble and possible loss of consciousness. Often, these physical reactions combine with a sense of doom.â
âYouâre very knowledgeable,â William said, meaning oh yes, a very smart young woman.
âMy sisterâs training to be a doctor,â Hazel said modestly, which was all very fascinating coming from a stranger, William thought, but letâs stick to the essentials. Iâm more than twice your age and this house belongs to my brother so you canât come waltzing in here upsetting the excellent arrangement I have with Spencer. How old was
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