Page 200 of Atlas: The Story of Pa Salt

‘My boat won’t ever sink,’ asserted a proud Atlas.

‘That’s what they said about theTitanic...’

‘Yes, but I’ll be much more careful than Captain Smith was.’

‘Whatever you say, Atlas.’

The boys kept walking, and eventually reached Cronus’s grave, which Kreeg had marked with a large piece of timber he had found. They stood in silence for a while, Kreeg awkwardly shuffling his feet. ‘I never know what to say,’ he admitted.

‘Do you miss him?’ Atlas asked.

‘Of course,’ Kreeg replied.

‘Well,’ Atlas soothed, ‘just say that then.’

Kreeg coughed. ‘I miss you, Dad.’ He turned to Atlas. ‘You know, I’ve heard you talking to your father outside the house,’ he went on quietly. ‘Sometimes it sounds like you’re having a conversation with him.’

‘It feels like I am.’

Kreeg nodded. ‘Lucky you. Anyway, let’s go.’ He began to walk down the hill.

Atlas hurried to catch him. ‘I thought you hated Maxim?’

‘I do, but it’s better than being up here.’

‘You know that your mother doesn’t love him, don’t you?’ Atlas said, and Kreeg shrugged. ‘She does it for the bread.’

‘I wish the bread was better then.’ He smiled.

When the boys walked back into the house, Maxim had Rhea pushed up against the wall, and was kissing her forcefully.

‘Boys, I thought I told you to go out,’ Rhea said, smoothing her skirt.

‘We live here,’ Kreeg replied. ‘You can’t make us leave.’

‘Did you just speak disrespectfully to your mother?’ Maxim asked, turning towards Kreeg.

‘I would never speak disrespectfully to my mother. I just do not like the company she keeps.’

‘Kreeg...’ Rhea pleaded.

Maxim slowly crossed the kitchen, until he was face to face with the boy. ‘Now tell me, child. Why is that?’

‘Because they are like warthogs at a watering hole.’

After a tense pause, Maxim threw back his head in laughter. ‘I am a warthog?! Did you hear, Rhea? Your son called me a common pig!’ Then, quick as a flash, Maxim slapped Kreeg across the face with such force he fell to the floor.

‘Kreeg!’ Rhea cried.

‘Now, now, Rhea, the children have to learn that they must be polite to their elders.’ He spun round to face her. ‘Mustn’t they?’

‘Yes, Maxim,’ Rhea said, lowering her eyes. ‘Kreeg. Take note from Atlas. Now, boys, get yourselves into bed.’

Atlas ran over to Kreeg and helped him stand up. Unusually, tears were running down his face. Atlas had only seen this once before, on the day his father died. The boys scurried into their shared room, which was no more than a converted storage cupboard. Maxim had procured an ancient double mattress for them to share. Kreeg threw himself onto it, and continued to cry quietly.

Atlas perched on the other end of the mattress and gripped his knees. ‘Are you all right, Kreeg? That was very hard.’

‘I’m fine,’ he replied.