Good morning Planet Camden

A young man is sitting at a sofa, leaning forward, holding a remote control, watching a broadcast programme on a slightly elderly television set.

Anchor: … of a large and ferocious fire broke out last night in the Underworld music venue. 25 people are known to have died in the blaze, although that total is expected to rise. Investigators are refusing to rule out arson, which would make the fire the first instant of crime since the notorious Art Wars nearly twenty years ago. Eyewitness report the blaze starting deep in the chill-out room.

Eyewitness 1 (wearing partial face mask): I was by the bar when I remember seeing, it was like, these loud bangs, flashes like indoor fireworks going off in the corner from behind the sofa. Then the drapes started going up, a few of us started backing off, you know? Then there was the big... noise, and the heat, I can still feel it (gently touches mask).

Eyewitness 2: You could hear it, the bang, two floors above. Everybody stopped for a moment. Then there was panic, everywhere, a huge surge for the door. Something, it looked like a flaming cocktail but bigger, something got chucked across the room. I know people got trampled. I thought the sprinkler system would go off. It didn't.

Anchor: While the investigation continues the future of the Underworld looks uncertain, however messages of condolence have started arriving on Camden, sympathisers have already set up a web page to collect them. Local authorities are expected to make a statement by this evening.

News theme music and shifting graphics.

Anchor: The fire in the Underworld nightclub has no precedent in living memory. We turn now to Aaron Fillmore, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Camden. Professor, what is fire?

Professor: Fire is a combustive chemical reaction wherein...

“Turn that shit off man”. Thom thumped down the stairs, holding his head, not in the best mood. The news broadcast grated against his hangover.

“Good night?” asked Johnny, sitting at the sofa, still watching the TV.

“You'd know” said Thom. “You were there”.

“No...” said Johnny, pointedly. Johnny switched the TV to mute with the remote and shifted to talk to Thom. “I wasn't...”

Thom, standing in the doorway to the room: “what'd you mean no? You came out with us, the Underworld... bar”.

“What were you up to, man? What were you drinking... or snorting?”

“You know I don't do that stuff” said Thom, defensively.

“I heard you on the phone... What was all that stuff about lines?”

“Acting, me duck, lines”. Thom shuffled away from the door frame. “Me and the guys from the repertory...”

“Where're you going?”

“Cup of tea?” Thom offered, from inside the kitchen.

“No thanks” said Johnny. “Get back in here... I'm talking to you... This is important”.

“Alright, hang on”. Thom filled the kettle, set it on and went rooting for a cup and bag. The cupboard was pretty bare, although they did have some extra strength GM tea. Just what the doctor ordered. Two minutes to boil, nice and black.

Thom padded back into the front room. “Budge up”. Thom plonked himself down, hard, on room made on the sofa. “Where were we?”

“The Underworld's burned down” said Johnny, “and you were there”.

“But you weren't?” said Thom.

“So... who was that?”

“Who what was that?”

“What?”

“Huh?”

“I don't know what you mean, Thom. I was up all night... here”.

“Here?”

“Yes, the Earth Music project...”

“Oh...” Thom eventually remembered.

“Well, it's a montage” Johnny added.

“How's that going?” asked Thom.

“It's at an interesting stage... Thom, The Underworld burned down last night and you were there”.

“But you weren't....”

“No, I wasn't Thom... Goodness me, how many shots did you have? You didn't mix drinks did you?”

Thom nodded ruefully. The TV was showing silent images of burned wreckage, cut to grim talking heads. “So... what was I talking to then... with the...” Thom, picturing something in his mind's eye, made vague gestures.

“I don't know” said Johnny, butting in. “What happened? What did you see?”

“It was just an ordinary night, a bit too ordinary. Are you sure you didn't come out last night?”

“No”.

“I'm sure you were the one who told us about the rave up on Hamster Hill... Anyway”, said Thom, getting back in track, “that's why we left. It was, some of the crew wanted to go and check out the rave. Oh but, Gideon, he said about these girls...”

“Women”, Johnny reminded Thom.

“Yes, these women he knew from the Fine Art course said they'd be at the Ursa Major bar. I went with Gideon... They weren't there... That was when we... The shots...”

“So you didn't see anything?”

“No”, said Thom. “Nothing unusual. Why?”

The kettle had boiled.