Interlude Part One

Linda is at her wits end when the doorbell chimes. She's of a mind to ignore it, there's too much going on and she doesn't know what to do, but the caller is insistent. Once it chimes, then a second time, then a third. “If you're a bloody hawker...” Linda mutters, before banging on the dining room door once more. “Nathan?” she shouts, turning the handle. It moves, but the door is blocked from within. “Nathan,” she shouts again. “Don't do anything stupid.”

She listens for a moment, but there's no sound from the dining room. The doorbell chimes a fourth time.

Answering it, Linda finds a young woman in a red mac with short brown hair and a big smile.

“Oh, hello,” the woman says, “I've come about the trouble.” Her eyes flick meaningfully towards the dining room, before returning to Linda.

“Oh, of course,” Linda replies, unsure. “How did you know?”

“Oh, you know,” the woman replies, this time her eyes scan the neighbours houses. “Can I come in?” She asks, pushing past Linda before she can answer, sniffing the air as she does.

“Are you from social services?” Linda asks.

“Something like that,” the woman replies. “Call me Brittany.”