Free Face by Benjamin Zephaniah

Mark and then Matthew. ‘It’s me’ … ‘And me.’
    Martin sprang to life. There was much to talk about and he was glad to be speaking to people of his own age, better still his best friends. But the atmosphere was tense. It was his friends: they were nervous. Natalie perched on the edge of the bed, and the two boys took the seats.
    â€˜So, how’s the outside world?’ Martin enquired.
    â€˜The same,’ Matthew replied. ‘How come you ain’t got a telly?’
    â€˜I dunno, I haven’t really thought about television.’
    â€˜And radio?’ Natalie asked.
    â€˜I haven’t listened to radio either. Have you ever listened to hospital radio? It’s bad for your health.’
    They all laughed at Martin’s joke. Then there was an uncomfortable pause.
    â€˜So, you don’t even know what’s happened to West Ham?’ Natalie asked.
    â€˜No. What’s happened?’
    â€˜Nothing,’ she smiled, ‘they haven’t played.’
    Martin noticed that none of the three had looked him in the face while he was looking at them, but themoment his eyes were off them, he could feel them staring. The talk was trivial until Mark brought up the subject of the press. ‘Have you seen the Newham Echo?’
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜We’re in it, guy, and it don’t look good.’
    â€˜What does it say? Martin asked.
    â€˜It says stuff about the crash,’ Mark replied. ‘It says DRUG DEALER KILLED IN CAR CRASH. It named us, made me and you sound like druggies.’
    â€˜I don’t want to say this but I got to,’ Matthew interrupted. ‘I told you, I said you were mad to get in that car.’
    Voices started to be raised until Natalie calmed everyone down. ‘Look, newspapers always make things sound bad. Have you got any good music?’ Natalie looked towards the Walkman as she asked.
    â€˜I haven’t really listened to any,’ Martin replied, ‘but I’m sure it’s just my old stuff. Do me a favour and bring me some rap music in.’
    Natalie smiled. ‘No problem.’
    They had now been in the room for nearly half an hour and no one had said anything about Martin’s face until Martin himself asked Mark about his injuries. ‘So, what happened to you, then?’
    Mark lifted up his shirt to show that his lower torso was wrapped in a large bandage and his right wrist was bandaged. ‘A couple of broken ribs and a fracturedwrist – I was in the Henniker Ward for a couple of days. What about you, guy?’
    â€˜Well, what can I say? No broken bones, no fractures, a few cuts and bruises on my body and I am still here. I’m sorry, Mark, man, it was my fault. I shouldn’t have told you to get into that car.’
    â€˜Forget it, man, things happen. How were you to know things would end up like this?’
    â€˜But I should have been able to see that those two were nutters and that that car was nicked. It’s my fault.’ Martin held his head down as he spoke.
    Silence fell in the room. No one knew how to respond. Matthew felt he had to. ‘It’s no one’s fault. Are you in a lot of pain?’
    â€˜Yeah but I got used to it now. It feels pretty normal after a while.’
    â€˜Do you know when you’ll be out?’ Mark asked.
    â€˜No, but I know I’ll be out – soon.’
    Martin desperately wanted to ask his friends about his face. But he didn’t want to sound too serious.
    â€˜Do you think you could handle a friend as ugly as me?’
    There was another uncomfortable silence before Natalie spoke.
    â€˜Don’t say that, Martin, you’ll soon be better.’
    â€˜I won’t get much better,’ Martin replied. ‘So,’ he continued, looking at Matthew, ‘is there such a thing as the Gang of Three without me?’
    Matthew replied quietly, ‘As far as I’m concerned, you’re still my