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‘Because if it e’d have been the first to go’

I stare back at hiht – still up fro to what he said, crawling like little spiders I shiver He’s right We’ve talked about Tori being returned, and those others taken fro on Much worse than anything Phoebe did or said

But nothat somehow it must bethings fro about Phoebe, and, so else,’ Ben says ‘Why someone took your cat to Phoebe She looks after loads of animals, injured ones; for people who can’t pay the vet She has a ith them’

Who will care for theain

We overshoot the village hall where Group is starting soon, and keep going And as round and my body pushes past tired and into exhaustion, I think of all the things I didn’t tell Ben About Lucy Connor, the girl reported ; about Robert – Robby – who survived the bombs, but is still on theto be late,’ I say

‘Are we?’ Ben shrugs He’s always late But somehow I’m not sure Nurse Penny’s special dispensation for his ti will spill over to me

We race into the hall fifteen minutes late

‘I was about to call your mum,’ Nurse Penny says to me, a hand on each hip No word to Ben

‘Sorry! It’s alle didn’t have enough tiht then, sit down you two We were just beginning to go through everyone’s goals for the next few oes around the Group My goals: keep as far as possible from Lorders, and stay out of trouble And find out what happened to Phoebe an insistent voice whispers in ets to es my shoulder

Penny frowns ‘Try to stay with us, Kyla Perhaps the running is too oals you’d like to share?’

Not many; not out loud But what I finally say has echoes of hts: do well at school, and stay out of trouble

Group is finally over

‘Take care,’ Ben says, squeezes o and wish I could follow

The others trickle out; I head for the door, but Penny calls out ‘Wait, Kyla I want a ith you’

So I turn back ‘Yes?’

‘Is everything all right?’

‘It would be good if people didn’t constantly askI colour up ‘I’ht be one of the ones keeping tabs on hs ‘Sit down, Kyla’

I sit

She shuts her netbook, sits next to me

‘I’m on your side,’ she says And her words are so much like Mrs Ali’s, I draw back But she looks distressed ‘Don’t, Kyla Don’t look frightened of me like that Off the record, we can talk off the record Do you understand? I’ you say You can trust , I believe she ht do for ood?

‘So tellWhat is it?’ she asks

Though irl was taken from school today By Lorders I knew her, that’s all’

‘Oh dear What happened?’

‘Two of the pushed into a black van’

‘Do you knohy?’

‘I’s she said’

‘There is more to this story, isn’t there,’ she says, then holds up a hand ‘But don’t tell irl: how old was she?’

‘I don’t know She was in my class at school’

‘Year 11?’

I nod

‘Listen, Kyla This is very irips ht, and stares into ood Do you understand o Sood week, my dear’

She marches out; I turn and Mum is at the back of the hall I walk over to her and she raises an eyebrow

‘Is everything all right?’

‘Yes, fine,’ I say Then, with sudden inspiration, add: ‘We were a little late fro me off’

Mum frowns ‘Punctuality is important, Kyla’ And she carries on a lecture all the way home

The next afternoon, Year 11 students file in for Assembly, just like every Friday afternoon But it feels different this week

Everyone is carefully putting their feet in front of each other There is little conversation, no jostling, no weekend plans made The Head isn’t even here yet But everyone knows about Phoebe, and they are scared