‘So what’s your dad really like?’ Tidge, nonchalantly, as all four of them are lying on their backs on the bed, counting spots on the ceiling, and everyone’s getting a different amount.
‘What do you mean?’ A new voice.
Careful, Tidgy, tread light. Not now.
‘Well, you know’ — he skates merrily on — ‘sometimes you can love a person, but not really … like them. Know what I mean?’
‘Pardon?’ Pin sits up. A stoplight in his voice.
Mouse covers his face with his hands, grimacing, needing his klutzy pickaxe of a brother to stop this right now, fast.
‘My father’s done a lot for this country.’
‘But my mum says if no one speaks out… then lies become truth. And the truth can get lost.’
Oh, boy, boy, boy.
‘So what exactly does he do, your dad, can he help us?’
‘Do? He works incredibly hard to make this country a better place. And it’s not easy with people like you. We need men like him. He says he’ll die working because of me.’
‘To keep you in computer games,’ Mouse throws in, trying to loosen everything up.
‘Thank you, yes.’
‘But do you have any idea what’s really going on? Really truly?’ Tidge persists.
‘Would you like to see? His baby is the Persuasion Unit. Have you heard of it? I can arrange for you to be shown if you’d like.’ The voice with the grown-up already in it.
‘No thank you,’ Tidge murmurs.
Soli’s hand is at her mouth like she’s going to be sick.
Mouse rolls away from them all and curls tight on the edge of the bed. Because he’s heard of this Persuasion Unit, late at night, when Motl and you have been talking about your country and then you’ve stopped and gone very quiet and the weight of that place has sat between you and your little boy has felt very cold, and small, and stunned, in his hiding hole under the stairs, winded by the listening and knowing he shouldn’t be eavesdropping on your talk let alone writing it down. He should be tucked in his bed in the warm snuggly quiet, not knowing any of this. What grown-ups do. When they’ve lost their light hearts.
Pin gets up. Walks out. All the cosiness in their room vanished like a candle blown out. Your heart pebbles with it.
Do battle against them until there be no more seduction from the truth.