Tilly flashes Harper a look, catching the determined expression on her face as she jogs at her side, her little stubby pigtails bobbing up and down. And despite everything there’s something comforting about her sister’s confidence that they actually will finish the race.
The route takes them through Green Park, alongside St James’s Park and along the river, passing the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye. At Trafalgar Square crowds cheer them on in front of a backdrop of statues and fountains, and Tilly experiences a rush of energy, fuelled by the buzz of the people around her. She takes it all in, gazing up at the famous London landmarks as she runs, breathing hard now but still going.
As they hit The Mall, it begins to rain. There are yelps and groans from the other runners as the rain soaks the tarmac but Tilly just tilts her head back, enjoying the cool feel on her skin. As she glances to one side she sees that Harper is doing the same. Their eyes meet for a second but Tilly looks straight ahead again, focusing on the runners pounding in the rain down the wide tree-lined avenue leading back to the Palace.
As they continue on to Hyde Park, there’s more cheering and clapping from the crowds gathered along the paths.
‘You’re almost halfway there!’ comes the cry of someone waving a flag withGo Mum!written on it.
‘Jesus,’ groans Harper at Tilly’s side. ‘We’re not even halfway there?’
Harper’s thoughts match Tilly’s exactly. She thought she’d been doing all right but the prospect of having to run everything she’s already doneall over againfeels impossible. There’s a blister brewing on her left heel. Maybe this was a terrible idea, after all …
‘Tilly! Harper!’
The shout comes from over by the trees at the side of the path. Tilly and Harper turn to spot their parents huddled under a cluster of umbrellas, alongside Raj and Rachel.
‘Quick, get the banner!’ says their dad and they all shuffle about, unrolling a soggy paper sign and spreading it out between them, Raj and Tilly’s parents at one end and Rachel at the other.
MOUSE, DON’T GIVE UP!it says in brightly coloured letters.
A sudden gust of wind shakes the banner. They all scrabble to keep hold of it but it flaps so hard that it tears. One half flies off in the wind, leaving Rachel holding the other. They all look down at the message.
GIVE UP!
‘Not what we were going for,’ says Rachel.
Any time Tilly has glanced over to check if her sister is feeling as tired as she is, Harper’s face has been set in an expression of steely determination. But by the way she throws herself into Raj’s arms, Tilly wonders if her sister might be finding it harder than she thought.
‘How are you doing, love?’ Tilly’s mum asks as she hugs her.
‘I’m OK. Flagging a little bit.’
‘You can do this,’ her mum says, rubbing her arm.
‘Yeah, you’ve got this, Tilly,’ adds Rachel.
Tilly’s dad holds out two water bottles. ‘I’m so proud of you both. Now, keep going. You can do this, girls.’
After a glug of water and a wave goodbye, Tilly jogs back to join the flow of other runners, Harper at her side.
‘We’ll see you at the finish line!’ their dad calls after them.
Tilly falls back into a rhythm, trainers hitting the rain-soaked path, water splashing up her ankles. Her earlier doubts have been washed away with the rain.
She’s going to do it. She’s going to finish this race.
47
Tilly is drenched through, her hair and eyelashes dripping. But she’s still running. There are just a couple of miles to go. The balls of her feet sting with blisters, her legs shake, and her side aches from a stitch that’s been coming and going for the last two miles. She can’t quite believe she’s almost made it. As she runs down the sodden paths that lead towards Kensington Palace she pictures the finish line where her family and friend will be waiting. She pictures Joe stood amongst them, grinning at her and telling her,You did it, Mouse. I knew you could do it.
The thought makes her speed up, an unexpected burst of energy coursing through her. For a second she feels as if she is flying. And then her trainers lose their grip on the rain-soaked path. She stumbles to the ground, her hands crashing on to the gritty tarmac and a pain shooting up her left leg.
‘Tilly!’
Harper is immediately at her side, grabbing on to her shoulders to stop her face from hitting the ground. ‘Let’s get you off the path.’
Together they shuffle away from the flow of runners. Every movement brings a fresh surge of pain up Tilly’s leg, tears stinging her eyes. They sit down on the sodden grass, Tilly stretching her legs out in front of her.
