I eagerly nod. ‘So,anyQueen Ego song?’ I clarify.
‘That’s right.’
We are still for a beat. Then it’s like someone flips a switch and we all stagger around each other in the rush to get back to the main corridor in search of the perfect post-it.
I’m cautious of being too confident… but surely this task isn’t going to be difficult.
As long as I’m fast, this prize is as good as ours.
‘Why are so many of Queen Ego’s lyrics fuckingnonsense?’ Hennie exclaims.
‘I don’t know anything about this band! I don’t know anything!’ Josh shrieks, running down the hall as his head whips frantically from post-it to post-it.
‘I think we’ll need your expertise here, princess,’ Elliot deadpans, staring after him.
Hennie’s muffled shout of, ‘Wait!’ from behind a wall gives me pause, and she appears to grab my hand and lead me down the corridor. ‘I’ve got one, I’ve got one! I swear I just saw it!’
We race around another corner where she comes to an abrupt stop.
‘Ah,thisone!’ She plucks it off the wall and hands it to me with pride. Owen and Elliot look over my shoulder to read the message:
I want to fall out of love with her
‘Which song?’ Elliot asks.
‘It’s “Never Mind” to the absolute core,’ she says, looking affronted.
My lips twist. ‘Ah, “Never Mind” isn’t really a break up song though, babe. It’s about leaving a friendship in the past.’ I put the post-it note gently back on the wall.
‘It is?’ Elliot asks, just as Hennie exclaims, ‘What? Since when?’
‘Aga tweeted about it once. Said it riled her up that people assumed the song was about a romantic relationship,’ I say apologetically.
‘Wow.’ Hennie nods. ‘You really do know everything about this band. Bit scary, actually.’
‘Might be useless if my brain doesn’t start working,’ I say with frustration as I start to pace.
‘We’ve got this,’ Hennie says, moving in the opposite direction.
My eyes jump from post-it to post-it, barely absorbing a single word. My attention is too scattered. I can’t concentrate. My adrenaline is peaking and my brain power is dwindling becausethisis the moment. This is the moment that this whole treasure hunt has been leading up to. And the pressure is on for me to find the right post-it note. Right now. Not only for me, but for Elliot’s brother.
The sound of rapid footsteps echo and rattle through the warehouse.
I force a deep breath out and focus on one post-it that sits at my eyeline.
I want to be famous
I clamp my eyes shut for a moment, already knowing that no Queen Ego song springs to mind. I open them again and read the one below it.
I want to lick Johnny’s chest !!!
Great. No.
I want my dad to come back
I want to sleep for a year straight
I want my baby to be okay
