Alexander Monroe lives in Grasspatch, a town so small, the founders couldn’t even be bothered thinking up a proper name for it. He works at the newsagency/post office, where his duties include ordering newspapers and magazines, printing Lotto tickets, and delivering the mail. One morning he has to deliver a parcel to the mysterious Mr Christian O’Neill, who lives in an oddly-shaped mansion on the outskirts of town. Not much is known about Mr O’Neill, although there is certainly an abundance of rumours -- a faded rock star, a media-shy actor. Alexander can’t wait to find out the answers for himself. Rather than being odd, Christian turns out to be the most interesting person Alexander has ever met. In fact, he asks to come back, and with each consecutive visit, he learns more and more about Christian, and about the power of the mind and the wonders visualisation can bring. But even as Alexander learns how to get what he thinks he wants, he loses Christian. Is it too late to find him again? And if he does, will what they had still be there?

Cool Blue

Like a fox with the hounds on its tail he sped back to the lobby of the building he’d vacated only a few minutes earlier. He pressed the button to the penthouse, as Lorenzo had done when they first entered the building. The lift would take him to safety, albeit a temporary safety. What would happen when Christian came home? How was he going to get back to where he’d started from? He’d barely had time to consider his options when the lift doors opened.


Back in the apartment he looked again at the pictures, trying to focus on them so he wouldn’t worry himself sick. Only then did he realise his chances of being discovered were doubled. If the photo of plastic Christian and plastic Alexander was recent, then either one of them could come home at any time. Hell, plastic Alexander could even be in the apartment at that very moment. After all, he’d only seen plastic Christian leave.


Chapter 29