Free This is Shyness by Leanne Hall

theories?’
    â€˜What theories?’
    â€˜You know, theories for the Darkness. Everyone’s got one.’
    Wildgirl turns to me and manages a weak smile. I won’t ask.
    â€˜Sure.’
    â€˜Here goes. Armageddon has already happened—even though no one remembers it happening—and we’re living in hell. Of all the locations on earth that God could have chosen for hell, he chose Shyness.’
    Everyone in Shyness knows these theories. We all get the leaflets. We all hear the godbods’ megaphones blaring as they drive around in their salvation van. Wildgirl looks interested so I continue. ‘The Darkness is punishment for our sins. Why it’s only Shyness getting punished no one can say. I guess you have to believe that people living in Shyness are bigger sinners than everyone else.’
    â€˜Well, I don’t believe in sin or hell so neither of those works for me.’
    Wildgirl is so damn sure about everything—that’s another thing I like about her. There are a lot of grey areas in my life. I can’t say for sure that the sun didn’t fall because of something I did wrong.
    â€˜The government is trying to find a solution for global warming and they chose Shyness as the testing ground. They think if they can keep the earth in total darkness for a few years then it will cool down enough to reset the climate.’
    â€˜I like that one,’ Wildgirl says. ‘Anything involving government conspiracies and I’m into it.’
    I’ve exhausted my theories. Paul’s got a complicated one involving bio-responsive shields and aliens, but to be honest I barely understand it. But I’ve managed to drag Wildgirl back from where she was. I can tell she’s actually seeing what’s around her now: the streetlights and the abandoned buildings, and me.
    â€˜What do you want to do now?’
    â€˜I don’t know. What do you want to do?’
    Maybe we should do something quiet for a while. Something safe. We could listen to music at my house. Would it sound sleazy if I suggested going to my house?
    â€˜You know what I want to do? I want to go somewhere really full-on, with loud music and lots of people, and I want to dance.’ Wildgirl’s face turns disco-ball bright. Talk about quick recoveries.
    It wasn’t what I was expecting but if that’s what she wants then I know where to go. If Thom and Paul didn’t show up at the Diabetic after we left, then they’ll almost definitely be at Little Death instead. We need to cut back through Shyness, towards O’Neira Street. I text Thom, asking him where they are now and to get our names on the door at Little Death. Wildgirl thinks I’m a minor Shyness rock star and I’d hate to disappoint her. The downside of all this is that I’ll have to introduce her to Thom and Paul. I’m not sure I want her to meet my friends.
    We pass Quarrel’s Alibi Agency and then I take us down the next street on the right. As we turn in to the darker side street, Wildgirl walks closer to me again. I reach down and take her hand, hoping my palms don’t suddenly turn sweaty. Miraculously, she laces her fingers through mine, rather than shaking me off. I know she grabbed my hand earlier, but that was when she was scared. This wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be.
    â€˜Do you think they’re still there?’
    â€˜Who?’
    â€˜The little tarsy things.’
    â€˜Maybe.’
    Definitely. There’s a dark speck on a nearby lamppost, and a bobbing movement or two on a rooftop across the street. I doubt Wildgirl can see them though.
    No one knows how the tarsier got to Shyness. There aren’t many other places in the world you’ll find them. They appeared around the time the Kidds got organised, and they’ve been here ever since. Everyone thinks they’re dependent on the Kidds, but I’m not so sure. Tarsier are small and fast, and