So Vile a Sin (42 page)

Thandiwe woke up the next morning when the sunlight creeping in through the door reached her face. She lay there for a while, thinking.

When she looked at the floor, she could still see a pale line where she’d poured out the milk, just the way Mama had described. She’d put the flask on the floor with the lid off.

She leant over the edge of the bed and checked. Nothing. No more Monster Under the Bed.

She went out into the sunshine to see if any of the grown-ups were awake. She glanced back at the hut, remembering the words she’d – heard? dreamed? – last night, just before she’d drifted off to sleep.

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Thanks for the milk. Next time, could you put some brandy in
it?

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Ackknowledgements

Kate here. After Ben’s troubles with writing
So Vile A Sin
, including a disastrous hard-drive crash, I stepped in at the last minute to finish it. Some of the book survived the crash, other bits existed as printouts, and Ben provided me with extensive plot and background notes to complete the bulk of the story.

I can’t match Ben’s prose for intelligence, wit and sheer unpredictable style; but I hope you’ve found my efforts entertaining. I was so desperate to read this book that I’d even write it myself!

I want to thank everyone for their encouragement and good wishes. Special thanks go to my beloved Jon Blum, who not only had to put up with my becoming Stress Kitten Kong as the deadline approached, but also understood the plot when I didn’t!

Ben, for his patient help. Rebecca Levene and all at Virgin.

Greg McElhatton and Jon again for read-through and comments.

Andrew Orman, my unpaid military adviser. The experts of sci.astro for some heavenly advice. Jennifer Tifft, poet, costumier and visionary. And Karifa, for not eating his father’s telephone.

Special thanks to Special K.

This book was brought to you by the alkaloid caffeine and by the benzodiaprene alprazolam.

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Document Outline

• Front Cover
  
• Back Cover
  
• Contents
  
• The body on page one
  
• Prologue
  
• Part One: Iphigenia
  
• Part Two: Cassandra
  
• Part Three: Valhalla
  
• Epilogue
  
• Acknowledgements