Страница 28 из 68
"Year Eight, they were putting on Peter Pan and Iknew I'd get the lead if I could get through auditions in one piece. And I also desperately wanted to be on thesoccer team. Managed to scrape in as areserve, and the day before my first chance to play some bright spark haddisappeared my shoes. Team members areresponsible for their own kit, and if I couldn't get replacement shoes I'd besitting out the match, and somehow no-one had any my size they could possiblyspare. Only got a lecture when I ranghome for money.
"Nash was one of six in my dorm room, new that year andkind of a big deal because of his family. His life's been all boarding schools and film sets, and he's met a hellof a lot of industry people. Everyonewas trying to cultivate him, and he was being incredibly polite anddistant. On the day of the match, hegets a package from his sister – stuff for cricket, a fencing mask. And one pair of soccer shoes which were waytoo small for him. I didn't figure outfor months that he'd simply ordered everything himself that morning, and had itcouriered over.
"Then, on my way to the auditions for Peter Pan I was shoved into a cupboardand locked in. Just a joke, Rickard. Can't youtake a joke?" For a moment Panbecame the essence of smug mockery, self-satisfied and unassailable. "Nash let me out. I was foaming with rage, wanted to go getmyself beaten up trying to black a few eyes. The best revenge was getting the part, of course, but I doubt I wouldhave remembered that without Nash."
"I'm begi
"Yeah." Pan grimaced. "I'm not that bad, really. Well, I went to counselling, and I'm not thatbad any more. Nash talked me into that. Nash has pretty much saved my life the lastcouple of years, and no-one could be a better friend. We got gay-boy taunts, of course. Well, I did. Rushies has very strict policies abouta
He leaned forward, sighing gustily. "I've been sitting here thinking aboutall the guys in my class who died from the stain, and not being able to get Gavback, and searching for a way to protect Nash. We're all trying to think of ways to protect each other, but not evenFish has come up with anything. It'sjust too big."
"We're still gathering information, remember."
"More information really isn't helping." He reached back and grabbed a tabletcomputer, tapped through screens and handed it to her. "Watch that. I'm going to get started on breakfast."
He'd brought up a YouTube clip.
"Mom, stop."
An American accent, and a wildly jiggling image whichsteadied on a tearful boy of ten tugging at the arm of a woman packing asuitcase into a car. Beside them a girlof five sat on the driveway, wailing.
"Why are you going?" shouted a different girl– the one holding the camera. "Howcan you leave us?"
"It's my duty to serve, honey," the womansaid, her voice soothing, unperturbed by the distress all around her. "La-Saalneeds me."
She came back toward the camera to collect another suitcase,and Madeleine saw that she was a Green, though the kids didn't seem to bestained.
"We need you more!" the boy said. "They're monsters, Mom. You gotta stay awayfrom them!"
The woman ignored this, packing the second suitcase into theback seat of the car and slamming the door shut.
"I won't let you!" The boy darted forward, snatching somethingfrom the front seat before the woman could move, stepping away hands held tohis chest. "You're staying here,Mom. You're supposed to be with us, notthem!"
The woman backhanded him across the face. He spun to the ground as the camera-girlshrieked, then the image bounced dizzyingly as she ran forward, and the camerafell. There wasn't clear vision afterthat, just sobs and shouts, and the sound of a car starting, and driving away.
"There's a lot more like that," Pan said, crackingeggs in the kitchen. "The Greensare...they're still people, but any of them who were within range of theSpires' song have packed up and headed in to where the possessed Bluesare. They just ignore or avoid theuninfected, unless someone tries to stop them."
Madeleine had belatedly processed the morning's silence. "The song's stopped, but they'restill–?"
"Yeah, it doesn't conveniently wear off, and it doesn'tmake any difference if you take them out of range. They respond to some questions, but not veryusefully."
"They're not all standing about the Spires arethey?"
"I wish. Worstnews first: road blocks. They did themain roads, then moved on to all the little streets, driving cars acrossthem. A couple of cities even havefootage of Greens talking together, marking off street maps. I don't know if they'll manage to get everystreet, but we can't hope to simply drive away. Equally bad news: they're searching the cities. Collecting bodies mainly, but also flushingout Blues. We did a lot of brainstormingabout what to do if they come here – check the fridge."
A list had been added to the collection of flower andsuperhero drawings.
Everyone – own rooms and en suites.
Pan – TV, walkway monitor.
Min – patio & patio door.
Nash – phones, random belongings.
Emily – kitchen.
Maddie – mainbathroom.
Fisher – fresh rubbish.
Noi – this list!
"It's no good us hiding in that study if the sinks arewet, fresh food is sitting on the table, and there's a handy monitor shrieking'intruder!'. So orders are to keep roomswe're not in spotless, and don't leave your belongings about. The second the monitor alarm sounds, clearyour main room task, check your own room, then straight to the study. Strictly speaking Noi wanted us to not cookfor the next few days, because, well, the cheery scent of pancakes is a bit ofa giveaway as well." He lifted asizzling frying pan. "But she alsowants to use up the eggs before they go off, so I figure this is early enoughin the day to be safe, and we clean up straight away. Wa
They made enormous stacks of pancakes and were washing upwhen the others began to drift out of their rooms. Min and Noi paused to talk by the diningtable, then went out on the patio together. Min set a small statue of Buddha up against the planters, and they bothlit some incense and prayed. Fishercollected pots of jam and honey and laid the table while Emily ran through theavailable cha
"I didn't realise you were Buddhist, Noi,"Madeleine said, after they'd drifted out to sit on the patio. The planter hedges thankfully shielded themfrom most angles, so they'd decided it was safe to venture.
"Technically, Buddhisty-Catholicy." Noi shrugged. "Usually I'm a bit laid-back about it all, but I'm having a ping-pong of faith at the moment." She gazed in through the patio door at theboys cleaning up plates and putting them away. "It helps me when thinking about the people who are gone, but it'snot so comforting when considering the ones still around. Especially Gavin."