No, I would never be able to hit the heights that you could reach. But that doesn’t mean I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m able and prepared. You’ll discover that very soon. And when you do, you’ll have witnessed the performance of a lifetime.
Chapter 39
Miles
It’s nearly dark, and Miles scans torchlight in all directions as he hurries down the path towards the hide. The sound of the downpour raises in pitch as he approaches, becoming a harsher din as rain rattles the roof and gushes through gutters and downpipes. Water drips from his hair and face. He pauses halfway up the steps and aims light into the hide as he creeps towards the door and peers inside. The yellow orb illuminates a figure sitting on the bench, his torso bent over, face aimed at the floor. Elis.
‘Hey,’ Miles says, doing his best to keep his tone calm, to hide his annoyance at having been dragged out here. The last thing he wanted was to come back to the hide, but he can’t just leave him out in the forest in a storm. ‘I thought I’d find you here.’
Elis turns his head to the side, wearily, but otherwise remains in his hunched position. ‘As opposed to all the other places to find shelter in this forest?’
Miles takes a seat next to him. ‘Look, why don’t you come back to the bus? George has calmed down a bit, now, and if you apologise—’
‘Apologise?’ Elis straightens his back and glares at him. ‘Why would I do that?’
‘You did punch him in the face. Quite hard.’
‘And he deserved it.’
Miles prepares to reply, then he reconsiders. Elis doesn’t appear to have calmed down at all – he is every bit as het up as when he stormed out of the van an hour ago. ‘Listen, mate,’ Miles says, eventually. ‘What George was saying, all that beg friend stuff. He knows it’s not true, he just likes to stir things up, get a reaction out of people. You shouldn’t rise to it.’
Elis mutters something, but Miles doesn’t hear. The noise of the rain pounding against thin metal has increased, to the point where it sounds like a train is speeding past them.
‘Come on,’ Miles says. ‘Let’s go back.’
‘So, we’ll all just return to being happy campers, shall we?’
‘Why not?’
The question hangs unanswered, and Miles feels his pulse tick a little faster. Why is everyone getting so dramatic about tiny things? Falling out over nothing. As someone who has experienced real stress, Miles wants to grab them all by the ears and give them a shake, let them know how bloody lucky they are.
‘Why not?’ Miles repeats, eventually. ‘We’ll be moving on tomorrow, exploring somewhere new. There’s no reason we can’t all get along. Let’s put this behind—’
‘Well, it’s not exactly been a fun trip, so far, has it?’
Miles shakes his head. ‘Tell me about it.’
Elis cackles a little too loudly, and not in a way that suggests he’s found anything amusing.
‘What?’ Miles says.
‘Well, this trip hasn’t been such a drag for you, has it, hanging out with your new girlfriend and your treasured schoolmates.’
Miles’s brow creases. ‘Are you serious? She’s hardly my girlfriend – I’ve only known her a few days. And have you forgotten everything that’s been happening? Tome?’
‘Oh, I remember everything. It seems to me like you’re the one with the short memory.’
‘What the hell are you talking about?’
Elis shoots him a withering look, and Miles breaks eye contact. They both knowexactly. The agreement was they’d never speak of it again, but, apparently, that agreement hasn’t lasted very long.
‘It wouldn’t kill you to show a scintilla of gratitude,’ Elis says.
‘I am grateful. What makes you think I’m not?’
Elis scowls. ‘George. Out here, you’ve been acting like the sun shines out of his arse. It’s like I don’t exist. You take his side on everything.’
‘George is one of my oldest friends.’ Miles’s voice is raised to match Elis’s volume. ‘I’ve known him since we were five.’
