I close my eyes so I can focus. ‘Really big, like huge.’
When I open my eyes, Meg is glaring at me. ‘Thanks, you’re painting such a vivid picture.’
‘Well, I’m sorry, but it was actually massive.’
‘Yeah, that’s why they didn’t call it “theTiny”.’ She laughs. ‘Give me more than that.’
I close my eyes again and breathe. I picture a monstrous ship, the funnels towering above it like skyscrapers. Smoke billowing.
I keep my eyes shut as I describe what I can see. ‘The sides of the ship are red: bright red. Smoke fills the sky as it moves through the water. People line the deck. Not loads, but some people. Men mostly, crew. Women in large hats. The ship, it looks… It looks too big for this world. It’s dark. It’s…’
‘Sad.’ Meg lets out a breath and I open my eyes.
‘What?’
She rubs her temples. ‘That was weird. I got the strangest feeling, almost like I was there, like it was déjà vu. It…’ Her cheeks go red. ‘Doesn’t matter.’
My arms prickle. ‘What is it?’
She leans in. ‘When you started describing it…it was like suddenly I could see it. No, notseeit. I could feel it.’
I can’t with this.
‘What do you mean?’ I say.
‘I could feel the air on my cheeks. I smelled the smoke. And there was this…sadness. How did you do that?’
Tingles on my neck. I felt that too. ‘I don’t think I did anything. I just told you what I saw.’
‘And when you did, I felt it. I truly felt like I was there. That was like actual time travel.’
What have I done to her? I step back. ‘No, it was just your imagination.’
‘That’s not true. I—’
‘Meg, you pictured it and felt a breeze.’
She frowns. ‘Are you calling me a liar?’
‘No, of course not. Sorry, I’m saying you were imagining—’
‘Oh, I was just imagining it, was I? I didn’t realise you could read minds.’ She walks off towards the museum.
I hurry after her. ‘Look, you’re an artist, so you were able to picture what I was seeing.’
She turns back. ‘I’m not lying, Michael. I felt something. I really felt something.’
No.
‘Why won’t you believe me?’
I grip my fists. ‘Because it’s too weird. It’s too much, OK? I want—’
‘What, Michael? What doyouwant?’
‘I just want to be normal!’
Meg looks like she’s swallowed something disgusting. ‘Normal?’
