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Jazz puts an ar? What happened?’

Another siren joins in, as if atte two part har this way

Lie

‘B-b-b-ben He cut off his Levo,’ I whisper

‘But I thought that was impossible’ ‘It’s supposed to be Even if you don’t black out, any dae to your Levo, and the pain kills you’ Or the seizures I try to blank it out of my mind, but cannot Ben…

Out the frontthere are now not one but two ambulances in Ben’s drive What does it rasp the worst of what es I cannot banish All I can see is Ben’s body lying on the floor, convulsing, his face contorted with pain

Another siren begins to wail in the distance, but this one is different The pitch, the tone are not the same as the ambulance vehicles, and the sound resonates in my head, makes my heart beat faster, round at theThe source of the noise appears around the corner: a long black van Unht in the front I jump away fro up behindfaint, sick The paraot to get you out of here,’ Jazz says ‘Now’

So cold: I’rabs h

‘Dammit, Kyla, what can I do to help?’ Jazz says, real worry in his eyes

‘Nothing It’s too late,’ I say

41

I wrapI should have stopped him It’s all my fault

38

I left hi, and I just ran away Ben…

Jazz curses ‘No Kyla; not here, not now Co Ian to secrecy that ere here

‘That as here?’ Ian says ‘I’ll let you know if I find out anything about Ben’

Jazz half carries ate to the path

32

‘Run!’ Jazz says

‘…what?’

‘Run as if your life depends on it’ Maybe, it does

Run? Now? I look atThen the rhyth behind ‘I know you can go faster’

Run like Lorders are after you Full tilt, flat out as if every Lorder that ever was is right on my tail; as if Wayne Best is about to catch y finds oing’ We run and run He breathes hard, not used to it I keep going but still the ies flood my mind: Ben Hurt, or worse If hurt, taken by Lorders: worse ht be better What has happened? What could I have done to stop it? Not knohat happened to hih my core I want to stop, collapse and cry, but whenever I slon, Jazz prods entle eyes; and this They don’t go together What has happened to you?

Ian will find out for us

Yes

Keep running

The light is going by the time we head back for the car

‘Levels?’ Jazz asks

I check ‘52 How’d you know toBen said once’

Ben

‘Coet you ho in the shadows No signs of ambulances or Lorders ‘Looks clear’

Ben

By the tiain

‘Hang in there, Kyla Come on, you can do it’

I shaketoo fast

‘Tion?’ Jazz says ‘Coet there

‘Where the hell have you…’ Mum starts to say, then she sees my face ‘In, in,’ she says Jazz helps me to the sofa

Bzzzz…

31

Ben…

CHAPTER FORTY SIX

Agony My world is filled with pain, there is nothing else Pulsing, dripping red pain, a vice clenched tight around all that I as beco on the floor Voices Ben…

A jab in h my veins, all overcan take this pain away It more makes me care less about it I open my eyes

‘Hello there,’ Mum says, and soes black