Back in Main Reception, chaos reigned. The receptionist had called the police, Darcy was photocopying a short notice for students to take home to parents, and another staff member was answering calls from the press and concerned parents living near the school.

Biff Hooper burst into the foyer. Frank had urged him to hurry and to tell Joe that everything was okay. He hadn’t given him any details but had sounded stressed and aggravated. Unfortunately, traffic had delayed Biff. He had seen the smoking remains of a car in the staff car park as he had arrived and decided that it was not a good sign. ‘Just get to Joe and tell him not to worry,’ Frank had told him. Was he too late?

Biff tried to get the receptionist’s attention.

‘I’m here to pick up my brother early!’ he called out impatiently.

‘Yes, well I’m afraid you’ll just have to wait, young man. We’re dealing with more important issues at the moment,’ replied the woman, obviously flustered.

Just at that moment, a tall, red-headed boy approached the office window.

‘Ms. Jones needs some help,’ he announced anxiously. ‘The new kid’s flipped out.’

Not wanting to waste anymore time, Biff told her the ‘new kid’ was his brother and took off after the red-headed boy.

Once he reached the classroom, Biff cautiously approached Joe. Flanked by the teacher and AJ, Joe was as rigid as a statue. Joe’s hands still gripped the sill. His eyes were glued to the scene outside.

‘And you are?’ asked Ms Jones softly, as Biff approached them, although she immediately felt that this tall, blonde young man must be Joe’s older brother.

‘It’s okay Ms. Jones,’ AJ told her, stepping aside and displaying remarkable sensitivity. ‘This is Biff Hooper.’

Acutely aware of the concern and dismay Joe’s behaviour had generated, Biff drew Ms Jones aside for a moment.

‘He lost someone close to him in a car accident,’ he explained. Ms. Jones nodded her understanding and gestured to AJ to give the brothers some space.

Biff put his arm around the younger boy and placed his mouth close to Joe’s ear.

‘Joe,’ he whispered, ‘Frank wanted me to tell you that everything’s okay.’

There was no response from Joe. Biff looked out at the firemen hosing off the wreck. He suspected that Joe was a long way away.

‘We need to go home,’ he urged Joe.

Joe slowly turned his face to Biff now. Biff was startled by the depths of despair in the normally sparkling blue eyes of Joe Hardy.

‘Again. Nothing left. Again,’ Joe managed to choke out before collapsing into Biff’s embrace, his body wracked by loud sobs.

Biff had enjoyed playing the role of Joe’s big brother for the last week and a half. It had been fun, and he had kind of liked the feeling of responsibility that went with looking out for Frank’s ‘kid’ brother. But now, painfully aware that he was not the big brother Joe was mourning, he felt pathetically inadequate and unprepared. As he soothingly patted Joe’s back, Biff looked out at the wreck. Had Frank been in the car? If he hadn’t been, where was he now? And how could the impact of the explosion on Joe be justified? If Frank HAD been incinerated…. Biff shuddered involuntarily at the thought.