"Five, four, three, two, one." "Go!" "Mummy, you blinked." "I won." "Yes, you did." "Now, in you get." "Tomorrow we're going to the seaside." "'So, if I'm going to show you my life, I better start here." "'My boy and Camber Sands." "'Why this and why now?" "I'll come back to that. '" "Mummy!" "'A force of nature, the midwife called him, 'when he came howling into this world four years ago." "'And he hasn't stopped since. '" "Mummy!" "'Me and him spent a lot of time together cos his dad is a right miserable bugger." "'To be fair, he wasn't always miserable." "'Or, maybe he was and I just didn't see it." "'I wouldn't be the first woman in my family 'to have her knickers charmed off her by some fella in the army." "'Anyway, for better or worse," "'I got my boy and he got me. '" "Mummy!" "Mummy!" "'I remember my mum took me to Camber Sands once." "'The one day she was sober." "'Lt was drizzling then, too. "Gets you out of the house, don't it?" she said." " Knock, knock!" " Who's there?" " I done a..." " I done a who?" "You done a poo-poo!" "'And that quiet rain fell all the way home." "'My gran told me that Adolf Hitler did us a favour when he bombed London." "'His incendiary bombs made the hole in Barnet Grove 'that they built our tower blocks in, 'and London burned with incredible noise and fury." ""'Lt's on account of Adolf," she said," ""'that we get a nice a view of the Georgian side of the street" ""'where the bombs missed. "'" "Mummy!" "I'm running." "I'm running really fast!" " You can't catch me." " Careful!" "If you think I can't see you in there, you're mad." "'We bought our flat off the council." "'Smells of chip fat, but Lenny says it'll be a good investment one day, 'cos it's within a stone's throw of the City." "'Third generation of tower block dwellers, we are." "'Lf you're interested, just type in chav, pikey or ned, 'and you'll find us in council estates all over London." "'Favourite food:" "Chicken Kiev." "Favourite TV programme: "Top Gear".'" "Ah... got you!" "'Religion:" "Arsenal Football Club. '" "Right, wait, wait and... go!" "Mummy, get him out now." "Mr Rabbit doesn't like going in the dizzy machine." "Mummy, get him out now!" "Right." "There you go." "That's better." "Hello?" "'Your mum's in a spot of bother." "She needs some help. '" "You mean she's arseholed and you're the one she's got to call me for money?" "She only ever calls if she wants money for booze." "I don't want to appear rude, but I need to keep this phone free." "Bye." " Is Granny arseholed again?" " What kind of language is that, hey?" "'And now the news at 6:00 with George Alagiah and Sophie Raworth." "This is the news with me, George Alagiah and me, Sophie Raworth." "Mummy, you blinked." "I won." "Yes, you did." "Now, in you get." "Mr Rabbit doesn't like going in the dizzy machine." "Yeah, but we have to keep him nice and clean, don't we?" "He said he doesn't mind being dirty." "Oh, he told you that, did he?" "And he said, you can come in here if you're scared tonight." "Thank you, precious." "Mummy's not scared." "Everything go OK?" "Still here, aren't I?" "1-0 to the Arsenal!" "1-0 to the Arsenal!" "1-0 to the Arsenal..." "Cheers." "Cheers." "I'm going to kill those bastards." "Drinking and shouting all hours." "I mean, there's families in these flats." "For Christ's sake!" "I'll check he's OK." "Hi, Pearl." "Can you listen for him?" "I've got to go out for a bit." " Sure, darling." " Thanks." "Key's under the flower pot." " How long since the alert went out?" " 40, 45 minutes." "I'll have to get in there." "Chemical?" "Looks like it." "Boy..." "look at that!" "Ta." "She is fit." " Twenty quid." " Yes, twenty." "Yes!" " You want the bet?" " Yes." " And I'll take her home." " Ooh!" "Excuse me... er... my friends think you're beautiful, and they bet me twenty quid I couldn't find out your name." "So tell me your name, we'll split the cash and I won't bother you again." " Twenty quid?" " Twenty English pounds." " Listen carefully." " Yeah." "Your friends are wankers." "Yeah... yeah." "So help me take their cash." "Ten quid each." "I don't need ten quid." "Right..." "Look, I..." "I don't need ten quid either, really." "So... er... maybe we could just have a talk?" " Do you come from round here?" " Over there." "Wellington Estate." "That's right opposite me." "I can see the Wellington Estate from my place." "Bet it's done wonders for the price of your house." "But I bet yours is nice... inside." "Yeah, it's all right." "Least we don't have a view of the Wellington Estate." "Ha-ha... yeah." "Are you here on your own?" "Waiting for my husband." "He's a policeman." "He works in bomb disposal." "He got called out on a job and I'm waiting for him to come home." "Christ, bomb disposal, eh?" "Cut the red wire!" "Cut the green wire!" "That was ridiculously insensitive." "I'm sorry." "I apologise." "I feel like I'm about to go off myself, I'm so full of nerves." "We've got a little boy, he's four." "He's an handful." "I mean, he's beautiful, but... full of energy." "He's obsessed with a toy rabbit who smells." "Won't even let me wash it." "Are you OK?" "I'm not in the habit of spilling my guts to strangers in pubs." "Don't apologise." "I understand, if you need to talk, I'm a very good listener." "I'll get us another couple of drinks and then you can start at the very beginning." "These new bomb scares have kicked it off again." "He never used to be like this." "God, it must be so tough." "Makes me feel so terribly shallow." "Why?" "What do you do?" "Oh, I'm a journalist for one of the national newspapers. "The Express"." "What do you write about?" "Anything from sleazy politicians to fraudulent city institutions." "My name is Barry Lavis, I'm here to inspect your VAT receipts, as authorised by the VAT act of 1968." " People believe that, do they?" " Sometimes, yeah." "And if I can't get into their heads, I'll try and get into their beds." "What do you tell people when you need to get into their beds?" "I like you." " Does that work?" " I don't know... does it?" " My girlfriend's away." " Oh?" " She's in Paris." " That's nice." "He isn't back yet." "Car's not here." "Well, if he isn't back yet, why don't you come back to mine?" "For a coffee." "No." "I'd better get back." "You all right?" "Yeah." "A stomach virus." "Maybe you should go and talk to somebody." "It's a stomach bug." "Are you going to the Arsenal game on Saturday?" "Chelsea are going to slaughter you." "Nice view." "Yeah." "I think it would be better if I left." "I think it'd be much better if you stayed." "How did it go?" "I'm still here, aren't I?" "Yeah, love, you still are." "10-0 to the Arsenal!" "10-0 to the Arsenal..." "You're shit and you know you are!" "You're shit and you know you are!" "I wish you wouldn't take him to the match." "It makes me nervous." "What doesn't make you nervous?" "Oh, nice." "0-60 in 5 seconds flat." "You could take her up to 170, 180." "You'd have to be in a chopper to catch someone in one of these." "I'll go down the shops and get something nice for tea." "Choc-choc chip ice-cream to celebrate a win." "Crisps." "Get some beers." "I'm on duty tonight, love." "What?" "How come?" "I thought you had this weekend off?" "You could say no sometimes, Lenny." "Bye-bye, precious." "I am precious, aren't I?" "Yeah, you are." "I'll see you later." "Hand!" "Can I take my jacket off now?" "No, you heard your mum." "Hello, there." "That's a nice car." "I bet it does, what?" "0-60 in 5 seconds?" " 180 miles an hour?" " Gosh, I never knew you knew cars." "Just goes to show, you don't know anything about me." "I wouldn't say that." "Look... the other night was a mistake." "I never should've done that." " So where are you going?" " Going to the match." "You're gonna be late." "Still, if you're motor does 180 miles an hour you might just make it." "Do you want to have lunch with me?" "I thought you just told me you were going to the match and I'm sure I just said I don't intend to have sex with you again." "Jesus!" "You just say exactly what's on your mind." "Yeah, I do." "You should try it some time." "OK, OK, OK..." "I think you're the funniest, sexiest, realist East End slapper I've ever met, and, in case you hadn't worked it out., I don't give up that easily." "Look, I was going to cook myself fish fingers and watch the match on telly." "Sounds good." " How many?" " Sorry?" "Fish fingers?" "I don't know." "I've never eaten them before in my life." "Four, then." "With chips." "What?" "What do you mean, "what"?" "What do you want from me?" "There you go, getting straight to the point again, clearing the air." "If you need a new girlfriend, I'm not her." "I've got a family and I love 'em." "I like you." "You bypass the endless bullshit." "Different from all the people I know." "About a hundred grand a year different, I should've thought." "You make me feel like I'm missing out on the simple things in life..." "like fish fingers." "You bother me." "Does this bother you?" "What about this?" "Does this bother you?" "No." "No, not really." "This?" "Now I don't know what to say." "And this isn't what I had in my mind at all." "Don't take this the wrong way, but if we wait around till we knew what you had in mind, we'd be here all day, and my husband and boy would be home, and my husband would kick your teeth in." "Fair enough." "I always try to be fair." "'And there's the whistle to get us underway." "'Looking around this magnificent stadium, 'you can really sense the feeling of excitement now." "'We've been looking forward to this game for a long time... '" "'What on earth?" "I'm not sure if you can still hear me..." "'Something quite catastrophic has happened here... '" "'Some breaking news for you." "Reports of a major incident in North London." "'Possibly an explosion at a Premier League football stadium. '" "Fuck!" "I've gotta get to the paper." "'Lnformation is sketchy but reports suggest..." " Take me there in your car." " What?" " I need to get them home for their tea." " Oh, God, I wasn't thinking." "I'm sorry." "Please, please don't let them be hurt." "Please, God, don't let them be hurt." "We won't even get down there." "The roads'll all be blocked." "I don't care!" "Just get me there!" "Stop there, sir!" "Back it up!" "I can't believe my eyes, mate." "It's mayhem." "Keep people away from the area!" " Oi!" " My boy's in there." "He's four." "It's not safe." "Move back behind the barriers." "Excuse me." "Have you seen a little boy?" "He's four." "Excuse me." "Did you see a little boy?" "Lenny!" " Baby, where are you?" "Excuse..." " You're going the wrong way, love." " Let's get you out of here." " No!" "Aargh!" "Come on." "Come on!" "Daddy!" "Daddy!" "Please..." "Please, God!" "Please, God!" "Please..." "Daddy!" "Daddy!" "'The death toll as a result of the May Day bombing has risen to 920." "'But police estimate there will be more." "'Forensic experts believe that six suicide bombers 'were responsible for the attack." "'Three in the grounds 'and three in service vehicles 'parked near the stadium perimeter. '" "'Mummy!" "I'm running." "I'm running really fast!" "'" "'The investigation is making progress." "'But I would still urge communities 'to give us the names we need." "'Not because of race or religion, 'but because at base we are all humans 'and we understand human cost." "'And make no mistake, we have already collected 2,500 CCTV tapes. '" "'This has angered community leaders, 'anxious that young Muslim men will become the main target of searches. '" "'It's an echo of the London skyline from another time." "'During the blitz of World War II, 'when barrage balloons floated over London 'to protect the nation from enemy aircraft. '" "'We can now bring you live pictures 'of an extraordinary ceremony 'taking place in London." "'1,000 balloons launched over the capital in memory 'of the victims of the May Day terror attacks." "'Many of the victims' relatives are there to see the balloons' release." "'So, too, is the Prime Minister." "'Each one carries an image of one of those who died." "'They're calling it the cemetery in the sky." "Hello." "Oh, God." " No, don't touch!" " Oh, sorry." "I'm sorry, OK." "OK..." "I..." "I didn't know if I should come." "Is someone looking after you?" "Someone from your family?" "Your mum, your sister or something?" "Probably think it's peculiar, don't you?" "Bet you thought, "She's an East End girl, bound to have a gran and a mum all rallying around saying, "You'll get over it." "How about a nice cup of rosie?"" "A bit unfair." "It's unfair my boy's got a slapper for his mum." "Why wasn't it you who died?" "I came because I..." "I wanted to give you something." "Oh..." "You have been in the wars, haven't you?" "Oh, you lost your paw." "I'll fix that for you." "It's just a needle and thread." "You're a brave bunny." " Let me walk you up." " No." " Will you be all right?" " Fine, thank you." "You're usually chasing bimbos round red carpets up the West End." " You want footage of May Day?" " For fuck's sake!" "Can you do it or not?" "No, Jasper." "I'm a sports reporter, not Carl fucking Bernstein." "But because it means so much to you, lover man, I think I know a man who can." "'We are here today 'to honour the dead and to pray for their families and friends." "'An act of terrorism is unpredictable, arbitrary." "'Lts purpose is to kill indiscriminately." "'Whether mother or father, 'sister or brother, 'parent or child." " Run that again for me will you, Gary?" " Is this the one I copied?" " That I'm not supposed to have seen?" " Yeah." "This book is my life, my reason." "But today I lay it down." "For Muslims and Christians, words have no meaning." "Today, the dead have more to say." "Here, rewind that bit." "Zoom in and rewind it slowly." "Yeah." "Shit." "So if this is one of the bombers and the police must know that, why aren't they telling us?" "Did you go back to the trauma counsellor at the hospital?" "Yeah." "He told me to write a letter to Osama Bin Laden." "Did you?" "I don't know his address." "Well, if you find out, perhaps you would let us know?" "There was a Muslim nurse at the hospital." "Her God wasn't a bombing God." "It's not their God that bothers me." "It's the buggers that sell them semtex." "People fool themselves that they can understand the mindset here." "At the end of the day, this is a war between two different species." "I'm not paid to understand the mindset." "I'm paid to prevent." "You didn't prevent May Day, did you?" "No." " I've got to go." " I'll take you back." "No..." "Thank you." "'He looks like you, I think." "He's got a funny head. '" "'Look, he's dreaming. '" "'Hello." "Hello, bubblechops." "'Mr Rabbit's getting dizzy, isn't he?" "Isn't he?" "'Yes, he is. '" "'You can see it." "There it is." "Wait." "Go on a bit... a bit." " 'Go on. ' - 'Pigeon." "Catch pigeon. '" "'Ah, you chased it away. '" "'Wave to Mummy." "There's a good boy. '" "I'm sorry." "I know..." "I know you said to leave you alone." "I would've died that day if I hadn't met you." "But I need to understand why this happened." "There's a man in the footage of the crowds... and I think he's one of the bombers." "All the people in those seats are listed as "missing, presumed dead"." "So I don't know why the police would withhold his identity." "His wife contacted the paper after May Day to say that he was missing." "Her name's Ghorbani." "Then suddenly she stopped looking and moved away." "I traced her to St Albans." "I tried to talk to her." "She won't speak to me now." "She'll want to protect their child." "They had a son." "I'm sorry, we don't have them." "I can order them for tomorrow." "Thank you." "'Dear Osama," "'I wonder, did you celebrate when you heard my boys got killed?" "'Did you turn on the radio and hear them say 1,003 dead?" "'Did you put down your mat over the rocks and kneel down to pray?" "'I prayed." "'I prayed for the death toll to go up to 1,004 and take me, too." "'They told me at the hospital to write down my pain in a letter." "'I don't know if revenge is what they had in mind. '" "'I've heard it said that grief is like an animal, Osama." "'With a life of its own and we are at its mercy." "'I don't know about that." "'Grief is the stillness of the world the moment my boy left it." "'Lt's that quiet rain that never stops falling." "'They say that grief transforms us." "'I know it's transforming me, but into what?" "'Owing to a power surge at King's Cross, 'all overground and underground trains have been cancelled until further notice." "'We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause." "'Replacement bus services are available outside the station. '" "I think I've seen you on the train from St Albans." "That's where I've got to get back to." "Do you want to see if we can find a bus?" "I think it's where all these other people are going, too." "So, where have you been today?" "I've been to meet my Dad." "'I've been to meet my Dad. '" " Jasper Black." "I called earlier." " Which department are you, again?" "Victims' compensation." "This list should give me a comprehensive run down on everyone who was there that day, names, seat numbers?" "Not everybody." "Some people buy tickets, don't turn up." "Access to server seems to be denied." "Says here to refer to the anti-terrorist unit." "Oh..." "OK." " You're not having that." " I've only got this much." "You can't have it, then." "You're 30p short." "I'll get it." " No, it's fine." " No, it's all right." "And something for him to drink, too." " Do you work around here?" " Yeah." "Why have you got that rabbit?" "It's my little boy's." "Let's see." "He could do with a wash." "Where is he?" "Oh, erm..." "He's er... he's gone away with his dad for a bit." "When does he come back?" "I don't know... soon." "How come you're always skipping off school, then?" "I don't like it." "I don't know anyone there." "And I have to meet my dad." "Where is he?" "Where's your mum say he is?" "He doesn't live with us." "She says he won't come back." "I know he will, cos he promised he'll buy me a cricket bat for my birthday." "He told me to meet him at the shop to get it." "That's where you go all the time, to wait for him at the shop?" "Yeah." "'Lt's funny what we choose to believe in, Osama." "'They say you believe in paradise." "'My husband and my boy didn't believe in paradise." "'They believed in Arsenal Football Club and it took you to destroy it." "'To make me realise that paradise was a grey day, 'on an English beach with my boy. '" "I don't know why I didn't think of looking for you here." "You're a very difficult woman to track down." "I'd have thought you'd have your hands full, fighting Islamic terror." "Well, even terrorists take an occasional weekend off." " So, where's that leave you?" " Well..." "Actually, I was rather hoping to enlist your help in an ongoing project of mine." "You know what the best thing about caravans is?" "No." "Best thing about caravans is, they're always exactly the same." "My dad used to say that." ""Wherever you tow them," ""when you close the door at the end of the day, you're home. "" "Doesn't matter what day I've had, if I imagine closing the caravan door, I feel better." "Now that feeling's gone." "Ever since May Day, it's as if I can't close the caravan door any more." "I can't leave the horrors outside." "That's what those bastards have done, got inside my caravan." "If you don't mind my saying so, Terrence, you sound like a right nut job." "You are a remarkable woman." "You know that, don't you?" "You look nice in civvies, Terrence." "No one'd ever guess you were an off-duty police officer." " You're married, aren't you?" " Yeah, 15 years." " You love her?" " Oh, what sort of a question is that?" "Sort of question you ask a bloke who tried to pick you up at the Bomb Squad fancy dress disco, dressed as a gladiator." "I was very drunk and er..." "I hadn't realised you were the wife of a colleague." "I was dressed as Pocahontas at the time." "Actually, she has asked me to move out." "My wife, Tessa." "So, I've been living in a Travelodge, off and on." " Sorry." " That's all right." "No need to be." "Travelodges aren't actually that bad." "She's says I'm married to the job." "Do you think it's possible... to love someone and betray them at the same time?" "Yes." "Would you like another drink?" "I've got to go to the toilet, anyway." "I'm standing by in case any misfortune is befalling you." "I thought you might be in trouble." "The man is wearing a green polo shirt." "He's wearing a lime green polo shirt." "I'm not blessed with much fashion acuity, but I know a plonker when I see one." "I'm worried about you." "You should go home, Jasper." "Good night..." "Thanks." "Can I just tell you something?" "As long as it's not about caravans, Terrence." "I er..." "I sometimes imagine you and me together." "Not in... not in that way." "Not..." "Just erm..." "Just that it's the morning and we're away somewhere in a caravan, and er..." "And the sun's pouring through the window and we're lying in bed... and we're miles from London." "And you can see those little specks of dust glowing in the air above us." "And it's very quiet and still." "We're chatting away and all of a sudden you turn to me and you ruffle my hair." "That's all... you ruffle my hair." "And we smile because we understand one another." "You could just grunt or something, just so I don't feel like a complete prat." "Sorry, Terrence, I didn't quite catch any of that." " What about your wife?" " I'm not sure we'd take her." "It's quite a small caravan, you see?" "Where would we go?" "Oh, Camber Sands, maybe." "Camber's lovely." "It's got lovely sand dunes and swaying grass." "Sound of the waves at night." "You seem like a good, decent man, Terrence." "But I think it's only fair to point out that I'm not a good or decent person." "Please don't waste your time caring for me." "It doesn't matter what you say." "I'm not going to go away." "I will find every piece of your heart that has been blown to smithereens and I will put it back together again." "And it will probably take a long time, but then I'm a patient man." "And, above all, I'll be your friend." "You ain't much of a bowler, are you?" " What?" "You think you are?" " I am, actually." "Come on." " It's great here." " Yeah." "I came here with my little boy once." "We went digging for sand worms." "Is he back yet?" "No." "No, not yet." "I wish my Dad would come back." "Do you think he'll come back?" "Yeah." "What's your dad like?" "He does impressions of people." "Does he?" "Who?" "Erm..." "Arnold Schwarzenegger." "Yogi Bear." "Let's check the trains to St Albans." "We'd better get you home." "I'll get the tickets." "Wait!" " Wait!" " Leave me alone!" "'Asian suspect running through the main concourse." " 'All units. '" " Responding." " Police!" " Wait!" "He's not dead!" "'Mummy!" "'" "'Mummy!" "I'm running." "I'm running really fast. '" "'Asian youth with a backpack running towards platform two. '" "Stop!" "Wait!" "Wait for me!" "'Mummy!" "'" "Stay where you are!" "Don't move!" "'Confirmed on cameras 1, 5 and 8.'" "Stand still!" " 'Subject is wearing a backpack." " Take position." " He's not dead!" " Stop!" "Stay where you are!" "You said he'll come back." "He is coming back!" "He texted me to meet him." "I kept it." "Look." "'Proceed with highest caution. ' No, please!" "Don't move!" "No!" "Oh, you're back with us." "You're going to be all right." "The bullet grazed the orbital plate near your temple." "I'm going to ask the doctor to come and see you..." "Would you like to tell me what's going on?" "It was 28th April." "It was 4 days and 12 hours." "That's how long I had left of him... both of them." "And then they'd be gone forever." "We went to the seaside for the day, just him and me." "My mum took me to Camber Sands once." "It's the one perfect memory I have of us, and the day I took him was perfect, too." "Eight weeks ago, you see, he was here." "I had him to... you know, to..." "I had him to hold." "I could smell him." "I could touch his cheek with my lips, and now..." "He's never coming back, is he?" "I now know everything there is to know about you." "That's very kind." "It's nice of you to take an interest." "These are strange times." "And we find ourselves with more than one area of mutual interest." "You need to learn when to leave well alone." "To not take what isn't yours." "And I would like to think that I could offer you the counsel of a wiser head." "Taking what isn't yours could lead to very serious consequences." "If I was you, Jasper Black, I'd take solace in the antics of love-rat vicars, or whatever it is you write about, rather than things of which you know nothing." "Otherwise, you might find yourself becoming the headline." "That's very kind of you, Terrence." "I'm indebted to you for your advice." "The Crown vs Mohammad Ahmad, 2002." "Sonny Ghorbani was a suspect in that case." "You had him under surveillance five years ago." "I'm guessing no one wanted that little cock-up exposed until there was some glory to cover it up with." "You know the real reason it could never work for you and her?" " I thought you were finished." " Because every time she looks at you the only thing she'll see is that day." "I didn't know you were a Chelsea fan." "That squash bag you cart around with you on your days off." "I must find out where I can get one." "'There's a lot of things we got in common these days, Osama." "'Betrayal is one of them." "'That must be something you think about a lot." "'How often do you look your men in the eye 'and wonder if you can really trust them?" "'But if you murdered life that day, then I murdered love." "'And now I have to live without it. '" "Recently, Terrence, I've found myself imagining you and me together." "Yeah?" "I never thought I could, but but sometimes I let myself." "So please tell me that it isn't true." "What?" "Tell me you didn't go to the match that day because you got stuck in traffic, or you gave your ticket to a friend as a present." "Just tell me it's not because you knew." "I keep thinking Lenny would've understood." "My child was four years old." "He understood 'f... ' all." " I didn't believe they'd die." " What?" "We believed there might be one suicide bomber." "Our worst casualty estimate was below 50." "The chances of either of them dying was 500-1." " You worked out the odds." " No, we assessed the risk." "You got it wrong." "I..." "I had no choice." "I had no choice." "We'd a mole in a terrorist cell and they'd been planning an attack on Whitehall." "A chemical explosion a hundred times worse than May Day." "That's what we were working towards, but our mole got a message to us an hour before about the bomb at the stadium." "But if you'd had a warning, you could have stopped it." "The message was that a football ground would be targeted by a suicide bomber." "We didn't know which one." "If we'd stopped every game, then panic..." " My baby!" "My baby!" " There was no way to be sure." "But you felt sure enough not to go!" "Your friend really has been doing his homework, hasn't he?" "If we'd acted to stop May Day, the cell would've realised and changed everything, their people, their places." "We'd have lost all insight into what they were planning." "We couldn't let that happen, do you understand?" "The stakes were too high, there were thousands of people, years of intelligence, and in this war, and it is a war, intelligence is the only weapon we've got, all right?" "Oh!" "My baby!" "This was a decision taken at the very highest level." "My baby boy!" "My four-year-old baby boy died in screaming agony!" "I don't believe they died in vain." "Of course they died in vain!" " Ah!" " Please wait." "Please wait!" "'Mummy!" "'" "'Mummy, I'm running." "I'm running really fast." "'You can't catch me!" "'" "'La-la-lah, la-la-lah..." "'La-la-lah, la-la-lah..." "'La-la-lah... '" "'Mummy!" "'" "Mummy, Mr Rabbit doesn't like going in the dizzy machine." "Quick!" "Get him out, now!" "Mummy, get him out, now!" "OK." "OK, let's do it." " That's better." " There he is." "Five, four, three, two, one." "Go!" "Mummy, you blinked." "I won." "Yes, you did." "Now, snuggle down." "Mr Rabbit doesn't like going in the dizzy machine." "Then he doesn't have to, cos he's perfect just as he is." "And he said you can come in here if you're scared tonight." "Thank you." "You know what?" "Mummy would like that, cos Mummy is scared." "Now move over." "'We soon got into a routine, me and my boy, Osama." "'Life went on just like before. '" "'Where are you?" "Here I come. '" "'Are you there?" "Where are you?" "'Where are you hiding?" "I'm going to get you." "'Mummy, Mummy, quick!" "There's something in my room." "'What is it?" "' 'Tricked you. '" "'I'm not sleepy. ' 'Will I have to fetch your dad?" "'" "'My dad's the best daddy in the world." "He's better than monkeys and..." " '..." "Ribena!" "' - 'He's that good?" "'" " 'Ls Granny arseholed again?" "' - 'What kind of language is that?" "'" "'We tape newspaper to the window to keep out the cold." "'And we found a use for all the unpaid bills. '" " Do this." " OK." "Oh!" "It's all right, precious." "I'll be OK in a minute." "It's all right, don't worry, love." "Mummy's fine." "Mummy, you look lovely." "Thank you, angel." "You stay put till Mummy gets back." "What shall I bring you?" " Chocolate fingers." " Oh, that's a good choice." "I'm sorry." "We were looking for your house." "Is there somewhere we could talk to you?" "Do you have time for?" "No, there isn't time." "I've got to get back." "I left him by himself." "I..." "Well, we wrote you a letter and I wanted to make sure that you got it." "It's not like I think I can turn up and just say sorry." "Say it like you said before..." "like in the letter." "If I could give your child and your husband back to you I would do it." "My boy's all right." "He's safe." "But I got to get back." "I left him by himself for too long." "I'm sorry." "Please, God." "Please, God." "Please, God." "Please..." "Please, God..." "Where's my baby?" "Baby!" "Mummy's coming, darling." "'Mummy!" "'" "'Daddy!" "What does this say?" "What's it say?" "'" "'It says there was a big fire in London 300 years ago 'and the whole city burnt down. '" "And it says, "And London burned with incredible noise and fury. "" ""And London burned with incredible noise and fury. "" " That's right." " What happened after that?" "Well, we all just took a deep breath and put the kettle on." "Come on." "'What do you want to do?" "' 'Watch the train from the bridge?" "'" "'What, again?" "' 'Yeah, again, again!" "'" "'Then, what?" "' 'Pizza and chips. '" "That's a good idea." "Is mummy coming with us?" "Mummy!" "I can't come with you now." "'My grandma took me to see the monument of the Fire of London, 'and then we took the boy." "'People thought it was the end of the world, but the world didn't end." "'So they rebuilt the city in three years, stronger and taller." "'London is a city built on the wreckage of itself, Osama." "'Lt's had more comebacks than "The Evil Dead"." "'Lt's been flattened by storms and flooded out and rotted with plague." "'Even Hitler couldn't finish it off." ""'Bethnal Green was like hell," my grandma said," ""'just one endless sea of flames. "" "'But we built on the rubble, 'and we kept on coming like zombies." "'I am the city, Osama." "I am the whole world." "'Murder me with bombs and I will only build myself again and stronger." "'I'm too stupid to know better. '" ""'The Sun" says you are an evil monster, but I don't believe in evil." "'I know it takes two to tango." "'I know you're vexed at the leaders of the Western world." "'Well, I'll be writing to them, too. '" "Oh..." "'I know you're a clever man, Osama." "Much brighter than me." "'But if I can make you see my son with all your heart for just one moment," "'I know you would stop making boy-shaped holes in the world." "'Lt would make you too sad. '" "Hello." "Hello, there." "'Love is not surrender, Osama." "'Love is furious and brave and loud." "'You could hear it in the noise that my boy made when he played with his cars." "'Vroom!" "Vroom!" "Vroom!" "'" "'I wish you could've heard him, Osama." "'That noise is the fiercest and the loudest sound on earth." "'Lt will echo till the end of time." "It is more deafening than bombs. '" "'Come to me... come to me, 'and we will blow the world back together with incredible noise and fury."