‘Come on now, Herb, I only got out of bed for some water.’
Herbert went silent and watched the rain begin to fade to merely a shower while Derek went for a tall glass of water. He gathered a few breaths then, while taking a stab at judging Herbert’s mood.
‘I had moments of superstition at sea of course,’ he told Herbert as if he was already halfway through a thought. ‘Everyone does, because everyone at sea experiences something that they cannot explain. That said, I don’t know what real hope any of us have in finding answers, the mechanics of these things. It might not even be any of our business to know. Is that the sort of thing that you meant?’
Herbert turned to Derek. ‘I just had communion with something alien, Uncle.’
‘Yes, you do look a touch pale. How did that happen?’
‘Telepat
