Читать книгу The Anxiety of Kalix the Werewolf - Martin Millar - Страница 43

CHAPTER 37

The repercussions of events in Scotland were already beginning to affect other members of the werewolf clan. While Kalix was hiding from the world, Beauty and Delicious were puzzling over what had gone wrong.

“Something’s not right,” said Beauty

“I know,” replied Delicious. “Ever since I got up this afternoon I’ve felt that something isn’t right.”

“What is it?”

Beauty shuffled around in her seat. “Maybe it’s the couch. The springs are going or something. We need a new one.”

In keeping with the rest of the furnishings, the couch was a very expensive piece of furniture, but it was now showing the effects of years of ill treatment.

Delicious agreed. “It’s not the couch it once was.”

“It’s boring buying furniture,” said Delicious.

“Dominil will do it for us.”

The twins sat vacantly in front of the television, which was new and very large. Dominil had ordered it for them online, after the twins had finally managed to annoy her sufficiently by continually complaining about their old one. Each twin had a glass of the MacRinnalch malt in their hand. In front of them on the coffee table was a large bowl of a pickled onion Monster Munch, which counted as breakfast. The twins had steadfastly resisted all encouragement to change their habits.

“What’s wrong with crisps and whisky for breakfast?” Beauty had said to Dominil only last week. “We get healthy again when we’re werewolves anyway.”

It was true. No matter how much the twins abused their bodies, they were always revitalized by their regular werewolf change.

“I don’t think it’s just the couch,” said Beauty after a while. “Something else is wrong.”

Delicious flicked between music channels. “Are we meant to be doing something?”

“How would I know? I never know what we’re meant to be doing. I just wait for Dominil to tell us.”

The twins had never been good at remembering engagements. Since Dominil had taken over as manager of Yum Yum Sugary Snacks, they’d abandoned any attempt to remember anything. If they were due to play or rehearse, Dominil would tell them.

A dim thought struggled to emerge in Delicious’s mind. “Where is Dominil anyway?”

Beauty looked at her sister. “Of course. That’s what’s wrong. Where’s Dominil?”

The twins were mystified. Dominil should be around, telling them what to do, but she wasn’t. She had been trying to get them a spot on a tour, supporting some well-known band. The twins had been rehearsing to make sure they were ready, but they had no idea when the next rehearsal was.

“Is it today?”

The twins had an uneasy feeling that it might be. The rest of the band could be waiting for them in the studio. Beauty became angry at Dominil.

“What’s the idea of not being here to tell us if we’ve got to rehearse? She knows we can’t remember things like that.”

The twins looked hopelessly at each other. “The boys get really mad when we don’t turn up,” said Beauty.

They sat on the couch feeling annoyed at Dominil, and wondered what could possibly account for her absence.

“And we’ve run out of Monster Munch,” said Beauty, her voice full of sadness. “Everything is going badly. Dominil is the worst manager ever.”