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‘What?’
‘It’s in the boot’
We get out of the car, and he kicks the boot, hard, until it pops open ‘Better than a key,’ he says
There is a cardboard box inside: a big box
‘Go on,’ Jazz says, and I open the lid There is paper wrapped around so at the top pieces, and see metal Metal feathers! It is the owl She
‘She said Ben asked her to make it for you, so she wants you to have it,’ Jazz says
‘I didn’t know that,’ I whisper She brought this creature to life, based on ave it toto do hat happened She never would have if she knehat I did Tears prickle behind my eyes, and I blink them back You can’t keep it My face falls ‘I can’t take it houred as ht it today I bet Mac can keep it for you, here Let’s ask hirabs the box out of the boot ‘Coiven it to ot the pills If she knew the part I played He is dead, and it is all your fault
Jazz opens the door ‘Hello?’ he calls out
Mac appears from the kitchen ‘Hello How are you, Kyla?’ he says He half smiles, but his eyes are sad He knows about Ben ‘Want soe And heads for the cupboard with the beer Mac fills the kettle, and while it boils sends Jazz out back to look at soainst a cupboard ‘Is Aiden here?’
Mac nods ‘In the back room,’ he says ‘I’m so sorry about Ben He was a nice bloke’ His face is full of sadness, but if it wasn’t for hiot those pills If it wasn’t for …’ Mac starts to say, and puts a hand on e at him, but I hold it in for now, and back away
‘I want to talk to Aiden’
‘All right Jazz is best not to ht? I’ll keep Jazz out back a while I’ll tell him you wanted some time alone’
‘Sure Whatever’
I stalk down the hall to the computer room, and open the door
Aiden is sat at the desk, head in hands
He looks up ‘Hi,’ he says, his eyes wide, round; dark blue startling against pale skin ‘Mac just told ets up and reaches out a hand towards me, but I turn to shut the door, and it drops
‘What do you know?’ I ask
‘Just what I heard froot from his cousin That Ben cut off his Levo’ He shakes his head ‘Why would he do that?’
‘You usted
‘What do youto hi Levos off and that it worked You did this to hi louder, shrill
‘Not so loud,’ he says, glancing at the
‘I’ve been hushed for days, not able to say anything I will say what I want now, and you will listen’
‘I’,’ he says, his voice quiet, drawn in
‘Those pills weren’t just Happy Pills, were they? They didn’t justelse’
Aiden inclines his head forward ‘That is true,’ he says ‘They help stop the Levo fro how you think’
‘They made him do it!’
He shakes his head ‘They don’t work like that What they do ishis words But it sounds so er about what happened But it’s not my fault I don’t understand why he would have done that Just thinking for hi that pushed him Made him feel it was the only option’
I stare back at hi that happened…was Wayne, and Ben being unable to protect er and theIf you hadn’t given him the pills it never would have happened’
Aiden flinches ‘I’h It’s notyou here’
I stare at hiht processes through, follohere er I need it And the only one left to blame if they are all taken out of it is me
‘Then whose fault is it?’ I whisper
‘Think about it Who Slated Ben? Who gave hiainst res?’
‘The Lorders: they did it’
‘Now you see e are doing is so important We have to expose what they do Help er I shakethat has happened, he is still twisting words around, s to try andhe says sounds so reasonable, but it is wrong Without Aiden, nothing ever would have happened to Ben And ill become of me if I help him? Any step out of line and Dad will return me; he said so He, Coulson and his Lorders, and Mrs Ali: they are all watching my every move And Dr Lysander and her tell me what is different about you, Kyla They and Aiden are all crowding in on ht, Kyla?’ Aiden says, finally realising what he has h all of this He looks curiously at er
I head for the door
‘If there is ever anything I can do, anything…’ His voice trails off
I pause ‘There is one thing Find out what happened to Ben’
He says nothing I turn back
His face is sad ‘Kyla, I’m sorry It is unlikely Ben survived But if he did, the Lorders had hi’