Gloomy Sunday (4/8) By Joe Hakim

(1/8), (2/8), (3/8), (4/8), (5/8), (6/8), (7/8), (8/8).

We both sat for a minute, not knowing what to say. Eventually Kate said: "There was one thing...he'd been having nightmares for the past couple of weeks." Her words hit me like a hammer to the skull. "What kind of nightmares, did he tell you what they were about?" "At first he said he was deep underwater, and there was something after him, but he didn't know what it was. But this thing was trying to tell him something. A couple of nights ago, he had a really bad one.

"He said he was on the foreshore and this thing was beginning to take shape...I just thought...I just thought it was because he was seeing these dead whales...I didn't think it was anything to worry about." The crying became more intense now, and she rocked back and forth as she wept. "Do you think the dreams had something to do with it? Oh God, I should have done something, got him some help..." "Look, there was nothing you could have done, the nightmares were probably nothing, please, don't blame yourself."

I left after that. Although I tried to convince her otherwise, I was sure that the nightmares meant something. I was sure, because I'd been having the same ones.

I'm crawling out of the water. This thing won't stop. It's there, behind me. I dig my hands into the sand, pulling myself up. I can feel something in my ears, in my eyes, in my head. And this thing, It's telling me That It's Nearly All Over...

My dreams were becoming worse. Every time I closed my eyes, they were there, waiting for me. As a result, I slept less and less. I buried myself in my work, dosing myself with caffeine and nicotine to keep awake. The days began to blur. I managed to exist on a superficial level, writing crap for the paper and avoiding sleep as best I could. I was sat in the office one day when my phone rang. "Hello?" I said. There was a pause, and then a voice, coated in gravel and tar said: "Is this Ben Ernest?" "Yeah...what can I do for you?" "I need to speak to you, in private." "Who is this?"

"My name's George...you were the guy who was writing about the whales, right? Look, I don't want to say too much on the phone. Is there somewhere we can meet?" I was wary, but intrigued. "I don't mind meeting up with you, but I need a clue as to what this is about." There was another pause, and then the caller took a deep breath before continuing, "It's about Mike Connor, the marine biologist." "Ok," I said finally, "give me a time and a place." "Sailmaker's Arms in about an hour. I'll be at the bar," he said, and then he put the phone down.

Continued...Next Page (5/8)

People - An Interview With Meg Gardiner By Steve Rudd
	Meg Gardiner is an incredible Thriller writer, brought up in the US but currently residing in the UK. Her debut novel called China Lake provided the perfect showcase for her amazing talents, and since its publication there has been no stopping her when it comes to writing novels, with Mission Canyon, Jericho Point and Crosscut being other well-known books of hers that been Read more...

People - DJ Chris Plant Heads for the States
	DJ Chris Plant is heading to America in an effort to make his dream come true. Chris, 23, a former resident DJ at Fuel and various other nightclubs, has a quite breathtaking CV. He worked for Sunshine Radio in Ibiza, has commentated on live football matches in Chicago and was Agent X on Foxy & Tom's Viking FM breakfast show. However, after trying to crack Read more...

People - An Interview With Edwina Hayes By Steve Rudd
	Edwina Hayes is an acoustic singer-songwriter currently enjoying success opening Jools Holland's Rhythm and Blues band tour. Dublin born and raised in Lancashire, Edwina now resides in Yorkshire. Here she talks to Steve Rudd about her music. Hi Edwina, how are things? Hi Steve, really well thank you! What have you been up to lately, and how has 2005 been in general? Read more...

People - Interview with Bob Sinclar by Toni Tambourine
	Bob Sinclar is the French DJ currently making his mark with the Defected label. Toni Tambourine took some time out to interview the man known as 'music's premier playboy superstar..' What were your initial ambitions and dreams for Yellow Production? Do they remain the same, or if not, how and why have they changed? It's amazing having people asking me to do promotion! Read more...

People, Interviews - Interview With The Paddingtons By Joe Hakim. Photos By Ray Ribeiro and Darren Rogers
	I've had to bite the bullet and start working again. It has to be done, and there are two reasons for this. Firstly, starting any new job means starting at the bottom again, which is a good method for keeping the ego in check. Secondly, it brings cash back into your life, which after nearly two months of bumming off people is a welcome relief. You can only live on luck alone for so long; take the piss and you burn it all up. Read more...

People - Introducing The Kipper Kids by Jane Foster
	The Kipper Kids are a performance art duo consisting of Brian Routh and Martin V. Haselberg. Brian now lives in Hull and Martin is married to Bette Midler. The two met while at England's experimental, avant-garde East 15th School. Taking their name from a fellow student nicknamed Kipper Face, the duo started performing their 'scatological slapstick' Read more...

People - An Interview with Black Wire By Caroline Murphy
	A month ago, Dan Tom and Si (AKA Black Wire) were simply three hot guys in a picture, who also played damn good music. Now however, they're still three hot guys in a picture, but in reality they're larger than life and a million times hotter than you could ever dream! Their set was simply awesome, and more than a fitting support to The Cribs. Read more...

People - Interview with John Hassall By JG Photos by Michelle Dee
	Surely everyone's heard of The Libertines, but it seems like so far, only a fortunate few have heard about Yeti. With their debut single Never Lose Your Sense Of Wonder receiving very little radio airplay, there are bound to be a lot of people left wondering who they are and what they sound like. John Hassall may be better known as being the bass player in one of Read more...

People - An Interview with Joesolo by Nick Quantrill
	Joesolo is the alter ego of Paul Thompson, formerly of Hull guitar-pop outfit Lithium Joe. As the band's songwriter and vocalist, Paul played in excess of 350 gigs as the group released a string of self-funded records through their own label, Resolve Records. After a musical hiatus, 2004 saw Paul commence recording as a solo artist with his Read more...

People - An Interview with Jeff Caudill By Nick Quantrill
	After reviewing Jeff Caudill's latest album, Album Reviews - Jeff Caudill - Here's What You Should Do (Fortunate Son Records) By Nick Quantrill (Fortunate Son Records) Nick Quantrill also interviewed Jeff via email. Thanks to Jeff for kindly agreeing to take part. Nick: You're probably best known for your work with American punk-pop band Gameface. What has been Read more...

People - An Interview With Carol Ann Kerry-Green (Arthur C. Clarke Judge) By Lynne Taylor
	By day Carol Ann Kerry-Green works for the local authority writing up reports and having meetings but by night she can be time travelling to the distant future or experiencing life in a colony on another planet - all because of her passion for science fiction novels. Carol, who has been fascinated by the what if' from her teens, began her career in British Science Fiction more than Read more...

People - An Interview with Neils Children By Caroline Murphy
	Ok, so it's official, Neils Children rocked Cari's World! Yup, the Earth moved, and all that stuff... and that was just the sound check. I caught up with John, James and Brandon on their first visit to Wolverhampton from the Big Smoke, as they headlined at the Little Civic (All those of you who went to see Papa Roach Read more...

People - Jim Muir Slideshow By Michelle Dee
	It's the packaging that catches the eye first that and the fact you have to slice open the CD envelope with a sharp implement. Due to the popularity of the first EP, I have only the second two before me. The Slideshow are storytellers first and foremost. Jim Muir began writing the songs during 2000 and 2001. He says that he writes to Read more...