Free Don't Look Back by S. B. Hayes

until I was asleep to make the image … but … it’s so detailed, way beyond his capabilities.’
    â€˜Maybe it’s a giant transfer,’ Harry suggested. ‘You moisten the back and the image is transposed on to a surface – that wouldn’t need any skill.’
    I tugged my hair in frustration. What was I missing? I clutched my head and did my impersonation of
The Scream
painting. It usually made Harry smile, but not today. His tongue rested against his top lip as if he was brooding on something.
    When he spoke his tone was subdued. ‘I think I noticed some letters in the bottom right-hand corner of the mural … they might be a signature.’
    â€˜Why didn’t you tell me before?’ I asked crossly, sloshing my coffee over the worktop.
    I went back to the living room, asking Harry to grab a pen and some paper. But every time I bent down to study the wall, he did the same and I had to point out that he was blocking the light and we should take it in turns. Ittook us both over ten minutes to decipher all the letters, and even then we were unsure if they were correct because some were indistinct and others written back to front.
    â€˜It’s too long to be a name,’ I said. ‘It could be another maxim, like
Tempus fugit
.’
    Harry’s fingers busily keyed in words on the Internet, his brow furrowed with concentration.
    â€˜Any match?’
    â€˜Bingo.’ He turned my laptop towards me and grinned. ‘
Sic transit gloria mundi
– So passes away earthly glory.’
    Passes away … time passing … earthly glory … reminding us of our mortality.
    OK, Patrick. I’m starting to get the picture, but what’s this all about?
    Harry read from the screen. ‘It was the motto of a mission house that used to be based in Brick Lane. Now it’s the Treatment Centre, a charity for recovering addicts.’
    I clutched Harry’s sleeve, my heart lifting. ‘Patrick used to check in there sometimes. He might be there now, just waiting to be brought home. Will you come with me?’ I begged, heading for the door and checking the time.
    Harry gave me a hard stare. ‘I want you to stop looking for Patrick.’
    â€˜What? Why?’
    â€˜I don’t have a good feeling about all this, Sinead. He’s leading you into danger, knowing you can’t resist. You’re worried about him being in trouble, but what about
you
?’
    I was itching to leave. I wedged the door half open, myfoot already edging outside. ‘I can look after myself. Really I can.’
    â€˜No, you can’t,’ Harry said, unusually fierce. ‘You think you’re somehow responsible for Patrick’s problems – you even feel stupidly guilty about being born. Nothing about Patrick is your fault and you shouldn’t be following him. I know I said I’d help you but that was before this got too heavy. You should walk away … now, Sinead.’
    â€˜I can walk away any time,’ I insisted. ‘And I have to do this.’
    Harry turned his baby blue eyes to me. ‘Part of your
quest
? Still following his footsteps?’
    My eyes narrowed. ‘Maybe. I have this weird feeling that if I find him … I’ll be free of him for good.’
    He nodded slowly, with a crooked half-smile. ‘OK then, Sinead. Let’s go.’

Nine
    â€˜There’s no point taking my car,’ Harry said, following me down the steep chapel stairs. ‘The one-way system will take us miles around, and there won’t be any parking spaces.’
    â€˜We could walk it in fifteen minutes,’ I suggested, matching his broad stride. ‘Cut up Victoria Street, then down by the Cross Keys, shortcut through the university, bypass the multistorey and we’re there.’
    â€˜Speed up,’ Harry mocked as my breathing grew more laboured as we walked uphill.
    â€˜Keep pace, Harry,’ I retaliated, and