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‘She couldn’t catch h, since she wasn’t there

‘Where is she now?’

‘At a friend’s house, I think,’ I say, trying to be vague

‘She didn’t come home with you after you hurt yourself?’

‘Uh…’

Her e’

I stay in irl on the bus; I knoas There was no conscious thought or plan, it was ininto a fist My body reacting

I’m not supposed to be able to do that My Levo should stop me Any trace of violence, and it is supposed to knock h to 5 through the whole thing

Ben and the others just sat sh they all knew one of them had been deliberately hurt And it’s not like they don’t care Ben came and helped me, didn’t he? More like in their happy little Slated brains it is not enough to create a ripple

I’ like them

I don’t understand

The front door opens below; I hear voices

Heated voices

Minutes tick past, then there are footsteps on the stairs The door opens: Aht?’ She crosses the rooot to hurt’

I shrug ‘A little’

‘Good’

She picks up her book by the spare bed, her robe on the back of the door All her bits and pieces that have spilled intowith oes into her roo the door behind her with a definite slam

Like he knows by some feline empathy trick that he is needed, Sebastian peeks into the rooainst my arm until I pet his, and I lick it off

Green trees blue sky white clouds green trees blue sky white clouds…

‘Dinner!’ Mu Sebastian froo down to the kitchen

‘I made soup for you; easier to eat with that lip’

‘Thanks’

I sit

Muoes to the bottom of the stairs

‘Dinner, Amy,’ she yells, then walks back into the kitchen ‘Well, if Miss can’t be bothered to join us, she can go hungry’ She plonks herself down at the table

I look at my soup

‘Well, try it I made it just for you’

I pick up the spoon

‘Are you all right, Kyla?’ She grabs hs ‘You didn’t just trip on the bus, did you’

A on

‘Tell ; just stir the soup

‘It’s Ao of the spoon, slury with htmare! Boys are so much easier Wait here’

She stomps up the stairs; moments later returns with Amy, and yanks her into the kitchen

‘Sit!’

A, all right? About your silly little boyfriend, or driving in his insane car, or anything I put it together all byto eat by the TV’ And she picks up her plate and sto the door with her foot

Aht you must have told her’

‘She’s like aAnd you can’t keep secrets; your face is an open book no matter how you try I should know that I’m sorry’

She starts on her dinner, doesn’t say much else But I can see it in her eyes: she won’t tell ht, she stays in her own roo me to sleep alone

The driver lays on the horn Why, I don’t know They aren’t going anywhere: it is gridlock The road has becos with a sign hanging in front: ‘London Lorder offices’ Trapped like rats in a nest

I screa! Open the doors! Let them out!’

But he doesn’t knohat is about to happen He can’t hear ht, a concussive BANG that rips throughstarts

Choking s at s that don’t open;Another whistle; a flash; an explosion There is a gaping hole in the side of the bus, but h in the s fuel,just goes on and on

Then, it stops

And I’m not there any more I’m somewhere – soone Not a one A drea hide and seek with other children in ht dots of purple and yelloildflowers I scrunch down behind some bushes, and I see: my hands, my feet They are small I am small My heart thuds a pleasant thuame Will they findI open the the wall to the , pull the curtains aside and look out There is noto ht the house down, no blackouts A nearly acceptable 48 on my Levo