[00:00.51]now for the final part of the four-part Late Night Tales story Flat of Angles
[00:04.88]written by Simon Cleary and read by me Benedict Cumberbatch
[00:12.19]I didn't know anything could be so perfect
[00:17.30]the lights of the Mirabal
[00:19.65]a thousand swirling eyes
[00:23.57]I dream of relaxing nights
[00:26.80]there are loads of people in my flat when I got home
[00:29.81]I'm already one for big crowds
[00:32.11]makes me want to retreat into my shell
[00:34.45]I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out
[00:38.45]this is a reconstruction
[00:41.21]I can't tell how it happened
[00:42.76]there are too many angles,too many reflections
[00:45.36]the harder I look at another,the more I see myself
[00:49.03]it feels like I'm here alone in this crowd
[00:51.43]myself projected round the room
[00:53.22]the Mirrorball,a beam splitter
[00:57.03]when contentment comes upon me ,I have to find ways to destroy it
[01:01.88]I slide the hairs in the coffee cup up its walls
[01:04.05]click the Catalan while it rushes and hisses
[01:06.51]I danced with spiders
[01:08.27]one of those spindly ones or legs and angles made up of lines is feasting on its prey caught up in a mesh
[01:14.53]the kettle clicks off
[01:16.03]my skin creeps and my head hurts
[01:18.83]I need to suffer more
[01:20.95]I was feeling too comfortable for a second there I guess
[01:25.27]he was there to save me
[01:28.23]alone in a freezing wooden flawed flat which I couldn't heat
[01:32.80]he sent me this Mirabal ordered on the Internet
[01:37.26]he came later
[01:39.35]I'd had no money for a fewdays
[01:40.56]he was desperate for a cigarette
[01:42.13]I remembered that when I was younger
[01:43.53]I'd hid some in a tin full of movie stubs
[01:45.69]and limited edition chocolate bar wrappers
[01:47.47]I found that in and inside was one single cigarette
[01:50.09]throwing the stuff aside
[01:51.41]I placed the cigarette carefully on my dry lips and patter caked my pockets in a panic
[01:54.66]located lighter and flicked the flame into existence
[02:00.18]I drew deeply tobacco and paper
[02:04.24]crackling my alveoli filled my blood vessels roared
[02:05.94]my scalp tingled and stomach turned
[02:09.80]hairs on my arm stood up and so did I
[02:12.57]lunging headfirst for the window flung open in one motion
[02:16.33]drinking down the black cool air as my mind shrieked
[02:19.96]I can't feel my arms
[02:25.82]now I'm here who's been a happy person
[02:30.57]I work hard and try not to let people down
[02:33.07]if they would not be there
[02:34.22]there would be no one to let down
[02:36.09]things have to be a certain way
[02:37.34]there is a beauty in order
[02:39.50]I've cleaned this flat today before leaving for work there
[02:41.70]I cleaned the storeroom arranged items in
[02:44.33]the window smile that the customers
[02:47.18]chose appropriate music wrap gifts gave
[02:49.18]change smile that the staff told them stories of my past
[02:51.48]smoked a cigarette by the bins,ordered sage colored visors from the parlaying catalogue
[02:54.85]lay down on the four-poster bed with no mattress
[02:57.95]glanced out of the window ,cleaned the windows ,warm some soup,dusted the labs ,waited for the Sun to set,counted listened locked
[03:04.63]and then it was time to walk home
[03:08.60]this is not my town ,but then again where is?
[03:12.80]these are not my people,but is anyone really?
[03:17.02]he is here again
[03:19.65]wind milling round the rooms
[03:22.47]knocking ashtrays over
[03:24.52]bellowing to be heard
[03:26.47]desperation in his eyes
[03:29.42]I know how he feels
[03:32.32]but he does something about it
[03:35.98]he gets out of his face ,waits for a gap in the conversation
[03:39.18]and jabbers his philosophy without solicitation
[03:43.26]our eyes meet across the room
[03:44.68]and I feel a little like the spider
[03:49.78]I gathered the spent cans in a blue plastic off-licence bag and smile as I stoop
[03:55.39]how is your weak beam
[03:57.50]well work was quite good sold the chiminea last and looking forward to tonight
[04:07.75]you've been listening to Late Night Tales
[04:09.40]Music and stories worth staying up for