Her school friends, all wearing the same uniform of blue blazers, white blouses and pleated grey skirts; short grey socks and flat black shoes. The di...ference with Amber was that I knew she was wearing a pair of white knickers – not the ones with the polka dots, the ones with the tiny red and pink hearts. For I’d become quite the expert on little Amber’s knickers since that first fleeting glimpse.Every morning without fail, Amber came out of her house in a state of partial undress, shut and. ‘Excuse me, Ma’am? Are you alright?’ he asked ‘Ma’am I don’t mean to intrude but are you ok? Can I be of assistance?’ He heard a quiet sob muffled by a hand and the swish of fabric as he stepped behind the tomb where he had seen her briefly, only to find nothing. The melody began again, the gut wrenching emotion of the lyrics and the sadness in her voice sending the hair on the back of his neck on end. Now the sound seemed to be coming from everywhere, with dozens of voices echoing repeatedly. My gaze was interrupted by Sarah coming into the room to announce that they'd run out of coffee, "I'll run to the shop and grab some" she said. I told her not to worry but she insisted. So she picked up her purse and rushed out of the door."So Mike, how's work been?" I asked."The usual really, sweating like a pig in this weather though." I bet, must be hard work". He came and sat next to me by the window to smoke a cigarette. He lit one up, and blew the smoke in my face, moving his closer to. ’ ‘Here let me get the nightlight.’ I said, without thinking. I reached over and hit the switch, forgetting that all I had on was the flimsy little pullover nightie top, it barely reached the bottom of my fanny. Jerry was standing there wearing nothing but a set of briefs, he looked at me, then up and down in surprise. It hit me that I might as well be naked. ‘Oh! Sorry.’ I reached again for the switch. ‘No problem.’ He looked away, then walked across the room to the bathroom. I went back to.