Simon Caspers is the pen name of duo Martijn Simons and Casper Vandeputte. Martijn Simons (b. 1985) made his debut in 2010 with the novel Summer Sleep. His second novel, My Name is Julius, was published in 2015. Both books were enthusiastically received. Casper Vandeputte (b. 1985) is a writer and director. Since graduating from the Maastricht Theatre Academy, he has been producing plays for several Dutch theatre companies.
Destiny doesn’t speak. She looks first at him and then at me. She might have no idea who I am. Her mother’s dead. Her grandfather’s laid out a week’s supply of Chinese food on the table and her grandmother’s sitting, as she’s done her entire life, motionless on the couch. ‘Hi Destiny, I’m your uncle Diederik, don’t you remember?’ My voice catches twice.
She nods.
I swallow. ‘Are you hungry?’ I ask. It’s the only thing I can think of to stop myself from bursting into tears.