Page 10 (1/2)

Uncertainty passes quickly over Ash’s face

"They all flew to the , Mr Fisher" Mr Lewis turns on the light "Being that the first anniversary of Ar up a week from Saturday, I want you all to write an essay on the Blood Riots and the events leading up to disaret your parents to sign these permission slips for our class trip to the Black City Museuroans from around the room We open our books and read in silence for ten h I can’t take in any of the words I’ on his notebook, the words one city united repeatedly scrawled across his work He peers up at me with unfriendly eyes

"I take it you don’t support Rose’s Law, then?" I say

He snorts "Course not, it’s--"

"Leave it," Ash growls under his breath

"No, I won’t leave it I’ it like it is," Beetle replies

"Here we go again" Day rolls her eyes

"The Boundary Wall needs to coree, but it should be negotiated through political discourse, not through threats and terroris with things," Day replies

The tips of Beetle’s ears turn pink "You’re so naive, Day Things won’t change unless we force the governree," she says stiffly "The best way to influence a government is from the inside When I’ to happen They’d never let a Workboot onto the Fast-Track prograive her a weak s in

"Purian Rose won’t let the wall coht too hard to keep us all segregated"

"He won’t have ainst hiets his way You’re wasting your ti to allow that to happen," Ash replies

"Bringing the wall doon’t benefit anyone Who wants those nippers back, roaory chiht benefit ory "I’d like to see overnment?" He aims the last part at me

Hostility simmers between us as we turn our attention back to our books We continue reading in silence The quiet is broken by Ash banging his pen against the table Tap tap tap, tap tap tap

"Will you stop that?" I pretend to be irritated to get him back for earlier

Ash continues to tap his pen, deliberately this tiaainst ainst the desk It rolls off the side and both of us lean down to retrieve it at the sah asps and flinches, al off his seat as he clamps a hand over his chest, which rises and falls rapidly like he’s struggling to breathe He staggers to his feet and rushes out the fire exit

"What’s up with hi more of a freak than noro check on him

I rub the bump on my forehead and stare at the empty space where Ash had just been It didn’t look like heartburn to me

10

ASH

I STUMBLE OUT the fire exit into the town square, et s buckle beneathas a terrible heat blazes throughtoto reality asturned inside out

Shivers of electricity shoot through le point:explosion of pain in, I’ I let out a desperate howl, and then the pain evaporates as swiftly as it ca down ainst the blazing-hot skin coveringthat’s not meant to be there:

A slow, steady heartbeat

I let out a startled cry, soainst the cobbled street, and I loll my head to one side to see Beetle’s bashed-up boots next to ht before hauling ht, bro?" he asks

I shut my eyes and just listen to the rhythmic thrum of ! After a whole lifeti sound I’ve ever heard For the first time inaround with a reani me back to reality

"What happened?" he asks

I take his hand and press it against my chest

"Whoa!" He takes his hand back "How?" he finally says

"I don’t know I think" I shaketo think this is nuts"

"Tell me"

"I think Natalie did it" I tell hiht my heart had fluttered "And e bu It can’t be a coincidence"

Beetle scratches his head, like he’s trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together "But how did touching Natalie actually kick-start your heart? Is the girl electric or so?"

"I don’t know"