The mobile phone was lying on a red cloth in the boot of the car.  

        It was the only thing the man had for sale.  He was young - about 22 - but his face was  thin and pale and he had dark rings round his  eyes. He looked ill and a bit scary, so Ryan  just gave the phone a quick glance as he  walked by. It was beautiful - a gold colour and  with a huge screen.  
     
        Ryan spent over half an hour walking up  and down looking at all the things people had  for sale. The car boots and the stalls were mostly filled with junk, and he kept thinking  about that mobile phone. He was sure it was  sold by now.
 
        But when he went back, it was still there. And this time Ryan stopped. The day was quite  warm, but the man was hunched up as if he  was cold and his hand shook as he pointed to the phone. "It's a bargain, mate.

        It's amazing. Got voice control. Picks up TV. Music and video  download. Satellite tracking. It's got things  like things like you've never seen."

        The man's voice began to tremble, as if he  was going to cry. His eyes were small and  dark and he looked scared. Ryan wondered if  he was on drugs or if the phone was stolen.  

        "How much?" he asked.  

        "Thirty?" the man said.  

        "Thirty?" Ryan said in surprise, thinking that it would be at least £100.  

        "OK - twenty," the man said.  

        Now Ryan was sure the phone was stolen  so he shook his head and turned to go. But the  man grabbed his arm.  

        "Ten, then. Take a look at it - you'll love it.  Go on - pick it up. Play with it."  

        Ryan bent and picked the phone up. A small electric shock ran up his arm. The  phone glowed warmly in his hand. It felt great.  

        "How do you turn it on?" he asked, holding  it out.  

        The man put his hands behind his back as  if he didn't want to touch the phone.  

        "It's all voice controlled. Just say 'Open' or  'Close' to turn it on and off."  

        "Open," Ryan said.  

        There was a burst of light on the screen  and for a split second he thought he saw a  strange face, but it was gone before he could  be sure. Then letters and numbers swirled  around the screen until they suddenly came  together to read DIAVOLO 666.  

        "Just ask for whatever you want," the man  said. "Phone, TV, video  - and it goes straight there. You load your address book by voice  and select calls by voice. It's simple. No  charger needed - it charges itself. Solar  power, I think. Texts and calls are free -  DIAVOLO have their own network."  

        "TV," Ryan said, and the screen switched  and came up with a list of channels. He  selected one and spoke the name, "Sat Movie.”  The screen switched and a movie was  playing on the screen. It looked like a horror  film.  

        "See? It's a phone to die for," the man said,  darting a nervous look at the screen. "Come  on, make up your mind .- I've got to go."  

        "Ten, you said?"  

        "Yeah, ten's fine.    

        A shiver of doubt ran through Ryan, but  then he took a £10 note out of his back pocket  and handed it over.  

        "Is there anything else I need to know?"  Ryan asked, but the man had already slammed  his boot shut and was almost running to the front of the car. He got in and locked the door. A moment later the car was bumping across the field towards the exit. The car turned the  corner and the scared young man was gone.  

        Ryan looked down at the screen.  

        The movie had stopped. In its place, in  large bright letters, were the words "Welcome,  Ryan”.  

        It was so cool that it made him smile. Then  it hit him. How could the phone know his name?  

        Something ran from his nose and a big drop of blood splashed down onto his hand. Then another hit his shoe. And another splattered onto the ground.




 


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