‘I think that sounds fabulous. I’d love to!’ She did her best to contain her delight, knowing that to whoosh around the room like a firework, fizzing with anticipation, would not meet Elaine’s approval. But an invitation to Mulverton! It felt a lot like acceptance. Not only was she keen to have a look at the grand house, she also knew it was the perfect way to all get to know each other. It would help seal the deal with Archie.
‘Splendid.’ Archie’s mother gave a tight-lipped nod of approval.
‘Ouch! Oh my God!’ Ashleigh yelped.
It was sudden, scary, and painful. Ashleigh jerked, as her arm shot out. And there she rested, doubled over briefly, and leaning to one side with a sharp pain that tore through her left shoulder and arm, so acute it caused her to catch her breath.
‘What’s the matter?’ Archie held her hand with a look of concern.
‘Should we get you a seat?’ Elaine looked over her head, as if searching for a chair.
‘No, no, I’m fine!’ She straightened and took a second to breathe slowly. It was the most curious thing. Almost as quickly as it had occurred, the pain went. She rubbed her shoulder and flexed her wrist. She was desperately not wanting to make a fuss and a little overawed at the severity of the discomfort that had, thankfully, been brief.
‘What on earth happened?’ Archie stood in front of her, and seemed to study her face, looking for clues.
‘I don’t honestly know.’ She forced a smile. ‘It just came out of nowhere, a sharp pain, like an electric shock in my shoulder and arm, but it seems fine now.’ She rolled the shoulder that carried the faintest lingering twinge of discomfort, but nothing compared to the searing pain that she feared returning. Her breathing was a little laboured.
‘Have you been doing any vigorous exercise today?’ Elaine asked with a tone of concern.
Archie grinned at her, and she felt her blush spread over her face, neck, and chest.
‘No, no, not really no.’ She looked at the floor.
‘How very odd.’ His mother again looked her up and down.
Ashleigh could only agree: it was.
Remy
The blue light on the top of the van spun around, flooding the market square with its eerie glow. Remy took great comfort from its presence, which felt a lot like coming to rest on the dock beneaththe safety of the lighthouse. Finally out of the water, thankful to be on solid ground. Safe.
Their attackers were duly cuffed and thrown into the back of the meat wagon, spitting, snarling, and swearing at those who arrested them as they went. She couldn’t look directly at them, but rather concentrated on the cloud of their venom that hovered above them, venom with the power to infect them all.
Sitting up now, and in spite of her trembling limbs, she breathed a little easier, knowing they were gone and couldn’t hurt her anymore. Straining her neck, she tried to glimpse what the medics were doing with Tony as they crowded around him on the cobbled floor. She could see they’d cut his jacket and shirt and were bent low, busy, attentive, and she was grateful for their urgency.
Don’t die, Tony ... Please don’t die ... I love you so much ...She silently pleaded with the universe to help her friend, to spare him. She wished Ashleigh were there, wished her twin were holding her hand, right by her side, remembering when they’d crouched on the floor of the cubicle at their primary school, Ashleigh crying, holding each other tightly, knowing that to be in such close proximity made everything feel a bit better.
‘Please ... please ...’ She spoke quietly into the ether, part praying now, part wishing, part asking for help from whoever and whatever might be listening.
‘Let’s get him into the ambulance.’
She watched as two paramedics carefully lifted him on to a stretcher and carried him to the vehicle, where two open doors awaited.
‘Here you go.’ She looked up at the sound of a voice, a nice voice, kind, as a tall boy of about her age slipped his jacket around her shoulders. She was grateful for the warmth it offered.
‘I don’t want to get blood on it.’ Her voice carried the slur of one whose lip was split, bleeding and swollen.
‘Don’t worry about that. Where are you hurt?’ He knelt on the pavement by her side.
‘I don’t know.’ It was as this fact registered that her tears sprang and offered something close to relief.
‘Don’t cry. You’re going to be okay. I promise you. What’s your name?’
‘Remy,’ she managed.
‘Rennie?’ He cocked his ear.
She shook her head. ‘Remy.’ She tried again.
