Ghosts on Board Chapter 3 ‘Chips,’ announces Jacob. ‘What we need after an extra-terrestrial experience like that is chips.’ Jacob joins the queue outside the fish and chip shop. Eric hovers nearby, not exactly joining, not exactly walking away. He’s almost certainly thinking about birds. I stand midway between them, thinking 3 per cent about birds, 3 per cent about theme parks, but mostly thinking about the cold and the mist and the odd people looming out of the glitter. I can’t get Eric to concentrate on them – he’s miles away with the seagulls. ‘Hello boys.’ Grandma appears on the pavement, a basket of shopping on her arm. She prods the huge melted plastic ice-cream cone with her toe. ‘Nice,’ she says. ‘Jacob?’ I nod. She stares at Eric. ‘Anything the matter?’ ‘No,’ I say. ‘Yes,’ says Eric. ‘Everything. They want to build a theme park on the bird sanctuary. It’s – it’s abominable.’ ‘Oh, that,’ says Grandma. ‘Don’t worry, it’s a long way from happening.
