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RICARDO

‘Yes, I’m fine,’ I said automatically, although it had never been so untrue in my life.

‘Anyway, I brought you some things,’ she said, holding a plastic bag up to the bars. ‘This is Tim’s old pullover – it might be a bit big for you, but it’s warm. And a blanket. Some antibiotics. And there’s some food in there, too. We thought you might be hungry.’

‘Thank you. Thank you so much. I don’t know what to say . . .’ I stammered as she handed me the bundle through the bars. A guard came over and wanted to inspect the contents. Sylvia said something to him and he went away.

‘Thanks. Thanks so much. You don’t know . . . I mean. You saved my life.’ My words came out all over the place. There was so much I wanted to say but none of it came out right. ‘How did you . . .? I mean . . . thanks for everything.’

Sylvia smiled kindly, but I continued to stare at her stupidly until I made her so embarrassed that she had to look away. She glanced down at my hands. The blood had drained from my fingers and the knuckles had turned white from gripping the bars so tightly. The impatient guard came back and muttered something to her again and she nodded.

‘He says I have to leave now. I’ll come again in a week. Well. Until next time, I suppose,’ she said kindly, and both her hands came forward to touch mine. She wrapped her fingers around my fists and squeezed firmly. My hands were so cold that they had almost frozen, but hers were warm. I felt a warm energy go through me, surging slowly from my icy hands, up through my wrists and arms, then buzzing over my whole body. I remember staring at her hands and thinking how delicate and white they looked against my dark skin. Her fingers were so tiny; how could something that small have given me so much energy?

When I looked up, Sylvia had disappeared. I stayed glued to the spot, staring after her, until the guard on my side of the interview bars indicated that I, too, must leave. There were three or four chocolate bars in the bag and I ate them immediately. Again, the guard told me to leave. As I walked down the steps, still feeling slightly dazed, I looked once more at my hands. I thought that I could see the outline of Sylvia’s little hands where they had gripped mine.

I had no other place to go, so I started heading back to my abandoned building. As I passed through the courtyard, I heard a voice behind me call out in English.