Never Let Me Go

Front 1

Tommy’s tantrum

Back 1

Everyone was talking at once, about how Tommy never even tried to be creative

Front 2

Tommy and Kathy’s talk by pond

Back 2

Tommy, that’s a funny thing to say. Are you sure you got it right?

Front 3

Madame incident

Back 3

Ruth had been right. Madame was afraid of us

Front 4

Horse / sandpit

Back 4

This absolutely delighted me, but I made a show of weighing her up before giving a reply

Front 5

Secret guard

Back 5

I waited for her to explain what she meant, but she didn’t

Front 6

Chess incident

Back 6

But I made sure to say nothing, and went along with her for a while

Front 7

Pencil case incident

Back 7

“Why were you looking at the register?” Ruth asked quickly

Front 8

Madame tape

Back 8

I used to listen to it again and again, on my own, whenever I got the chance

Front 9

Told and not told

Back 9

We’d been “told and not told,” as she’d put it

Your futures, all of them, have been decided

Front 10

Zip elbow

Back 10

What Tommy was asking me now was to help tie a split on the arm to keep it rigid through the night

Front 11

Miss Lucy scribbling

Back 11

Scrawling furious lines

Front 12

Tommy and Ruth break up

Back 12

You’re the only one I trust

Front 13

Tommy talk with miss Lucy

Back 13

Listen Tommy, your art, it is important. And not just because it’s evidence

Front 14

Ruth imitating veterans

Back 14

It wasn’t long before Ruth realised the way she’d been carrying on with Tommy was all wrong for the cottages

Of course she claimed not to, so I patiently explained

Front 15

Kathy’s sexual urges

Back 15

Come to think of it, I suppose you haven’t been that slow making friends with at least some of the veterans

“That’s strange Kathy” she fixed me with a concerned look

I was focusing on the faces

Front 16

Norfolk trip

Back 16

her whole posture froze up

I noticed Ruth nodding with a lot of authority

And the more we heard her and looked at her, the less she seemed like Ruth

we had nothing but fun and laughter before us

I wish I’d found it

Front 17

Tommy deferral theory

Back 17

whoever decides . . . they need something to go on

Front 18

Ruth discovers the tape

Back 18

Neither of you told me

Front 19

Tommy / Kathy / Ruth argument

Back 19

It’s not just me, sweety. Kathy here finds your animals a complete hoot

But I didn’t say or do anything

Front 20

Kathy leaves cottages

Back 20

I wasn’t long after I made my decision, and once I’d made it, I never wavered

Front 21

Talking about being a cater

Back 21

You’re demoralised

I’ve figured out how to get my voice heard when I have to

Front 22

Meets with Laura

Back 22

looking vacantly towards the motorway

Front 23

Boat expedition

Back 23

I kept you and Tommy apart

That was the worst thing I did

Front 24

Tommy and Kathy

Back 24

It was amazing really, the way the years seemed to melt away

Front 25

Madame and deferrals

Back 25

We sheltered you during those years

We’re all afraid of you

Front 26

Tommy last tantrum

Back 26

Raging, shouting, flinging his fists and kicking out

Front 27

Last moment

Back 27

I just waited for a bit, then turned back to the car, to drive off to wherever it was I was supposed to be