Discordant sound thrummed through the trees. He was too far from the bandstand and too many people walked and talked around him to pick up the melody. Heart beats tripped over themselves, jumping to a new tune. Face grimaced around clenched jaw, he forced his mouth open to drag in more air.
A running child bumped into him, knocked him into an older couple. He swirled to apologise, berate, but no words came out.
‘Are you all right there, young man?’ the woman asked.
Clement couldn’t respond. He didn’t know. He lurched away, legs heavy and wooden, a puppet with no strings. Heat radiated from the centre of his body, prickled across his skin, itched its way through hair and armpits and groin. He loosened his tie, unbuttoned his blazer, swept the hat from his head, clawed his fingers through
