Darren Shan - Sons Of Destiny

In solitude, I call Gret every name under the moon the first night. Mum and Dad bear the brunt of my curses the next. After that I'm too miserable to blame anyone, so I sulk in moody silence and play chess against myself to pass the time.

They don't talk to me at meals. The three of them act like I'm not not there. Gret doesn't even glance at me spitefully and sneer, the way she usually does when I'm getting the doghouse treatment.

But what have I done that's so bad? OK, it was a crude joke and I knew I'd get into trouble but their reactions are waaaaaaay over the top. If I'd done something to embarrass Gret in public, fair enough, I'd take what was coming. But this was a private joke, just between us. They shouldn't be making such a song and dance about it.

Dad's words echo back to me "And the timing!" I think about them a lot. And Mum's, when she was having a go at me about smoking, just before Dad cut her short "We don't need this, certainly not at this time, not when "

What did they mean? What were they talking about? What does the timing have to do with anything?

Something stinks here and it's not just rat guts.