Dead Gorgeous

by Malorie Blackman

  35. Jake and Jude

  ‘All clear?’ Jude whispered.

  Jake peered down the stairs, looking left and right. The hall and, more importantly, the reception desk were deserted. ‘All clear.’ He gave the thumbs up.

  He crept down the stairs, hiding behind each banister post in turn. He was Jake Clibbens, super-spy, the best secret agent in the universe. Jude slid down the banisters backwards, leaping off with a perfectly practised skill just before reaching the bottom to land on the bottom stair. Dad popped up from behind the reception desk.

  ‘Jude, which part of “Don’t slide down the banisters!” are you having trouble with, because I’d be happy to explain it to you,’ Dad said, annoyed.

  Jude turned an accusatory look on his twin brother.

  ‘It’s a trap,’ Jake declared. ‘Run!’

  ‘Not so fast, you two.’ Dad moved like greased lightning to appear in front of the stairs before the twins could get past him. ‘What’re you up to?’

  ‘Nothing!’ Jude said, with Jake nodding vigorously in agreement.

  ‘Try again!’

  ‘We’re looking for the ghost,’ Jake admitted.

  ‘What ghost?’ Dad frowned.

  ‘Nova’s ghost,’ said Jake. ‘The one she saw yesterday that made her scream.’

  ‘She made that up,’ said Dad. ‘She just saw a spider and freaked – remember?’

  Jude and Jake exchanged a look.

  ‘Off you go and play outside,’ said Dad. ‘And stay out of mischief.’

  ‘Where is everyone?’ Jake asked, looking around.

  ‘I saw Raye go into the lounge earlier,’ Dad replied. ‘And I have no idea where Nova is. She’s like the Scarlet Pimpernel these days!’

  ‘Who’s that then?’ asked Jude.

  ‘Someone who used to help French aristocrats escape from the guillotine centuries ago,’ Dad replied. ‘But he was very elusive – which means very mysterious and hard to pin down – and the French authorities had trouble catching him.’

  Jude and Jake turned to each other, their eyes agleam with the possibilities.

  ‘Shall we play the Scarlet Pimpernel?’ asked Jude.

  ‘Yeah. Sounds cool!’ said Jake.

  ‘Er, just a minute, you two,’ Dad said hastily. ‘Remember what I said about staying out of trouble.’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ Jake smiled.

  ‘I’m your dad. That’s my job!’ Dad informed them.

  The twins skipped off, grinning, leaving Dad to watch them, a loving yet rueful smile on his face.

  ‘I wonder why Dad said Nova’s ghost doesn’t exist?’ said Jake.

  Jude looked at Jake curiously. ‘Because he doesn’t. There’re no such things as ghosts.’

  ‘Yes, there are. Nova’s ghost exists. I’ve seen him,’ Jake replied, surprised by Jude’s response. And Jude didn’t often surprise him.

  ‘You heard Dad. Nova just made it up.’

  ‘No, she didn’t,’ Jake argued. ‘His name is Liam and he’s about the same height as Dad and he wears jeans all the time.’

  ‘What’re you talking about?’ Jude frowned.

  ‘Liam. The ghost.’

  ‘Stop winding me up. There’s no such things as ghosts.’ Jude’s smile was hesitant as he regarded his twin.

  Jake was just as stunned. He couldn’t believe he could see Liam and Jude couldn’t. There wasn’t anything in the world that Jake and Jude couldn’t do and hear and see together – until now, that is.

  ‘You’re just making it up, aren’t you?’ Jude said uncertainly.

  Jake considered. ‘Yeah, I’m just making it up,’ he agreed at last, his fingers crossed behind his back.

  36. Joshua Jackman

  Joshua led the way along the beach away from the hotel. Nova looked up at the cliff face as she walked beside him.

  ‘Are you sure what you saw was an entrance to one of the tunnels?’ she said. ‘It could’ve been just a big hole in the cliff that goes back for a bit and then stops.’

  ‘You see that ridge up there?’ Joshua pointed.

  Nova nodded.

  ‘The cave is just up from that. That’s why you can’t see it from the ground. It looks like a small, oval depression in the cliff face, but I’ve been up there and it’s narrow for about a metre but then it opens out into a tunnel high enough to stand up in.’

  Nova stared at him. ‘Have you been along it? Did you see . . . anything?’

  Joshua shook his head. ‘It was too dark and I didn’t have a torch or a compass on me. But I do now.’

  ‘So you’re going back into it now?’

  ‘I’ve waited almost eleven years to find my brother. I’m not waiting any longer,’ Joshua told her.

  ‘But you can’t just go in there. Don’t you need all kinds of proper equipment?’

  Joshua held up the rucksack he was carrying in his hand. ‘I’ve got everything I need in here: compass, torch, spare batteries, rock hammer, rope, water. I don’t need anything else.’

  ‘Let me come with you,’ Nova began.

  Joshua shook his head. ‘No way! You stay out here.’

  ‘But the tunnels aren’t safe. Liam said so.’

  ‘All the more reason for you to stay put,’ Joshua pointed out. ‘Don’t worry. I’ve done this before. I know what I’m doing. Besides, I’m hoping Liam will show me the way – somehow.’

  ‘What if something goes wrong?’ Nova said desperately.

  ‘Which is why I need your help,’ said Joshua. ‘I want someone I know and trust to be here in case I get into trouble. Give me an hour exactly. If I’m not out by then, you can go and get help.’

  Nova was growing less and less enthusiastic about the whole plan. What had seemed fine in theory now seemed mad and, worse than that, dangerous.

  ‘So will you help me?’ asked Joshua.

  Nova nodded reluctantly. What choice did she have? ‘How’re you going to get up there?’ she asked, eyeing the ridge. It looked a lot further up than it had five minutes ago.

  ‘Like this!’ Joshua put on his rucksack and immediately began to climb up the cliff face, seeking out hand- and footholds with careful skill.

  ‘Shouldn’t you have a rope around you or something?’ Nova called.

  ‘No time,’ Joshua replied.

  Nova looked up and down the beach but they were alone. There was no one to help her talk Joshua down.

  He was already halfway to the ridge. How did he intend to get round it? One false move and he’d plunge down. And he’d probably break every bone in his body – or worse.

  ‘If you fall you could kill yourself,’ Nova realized aloud.

  ‘Either way, I’ll see my brother again,’ came Joshua’s flip reply.

  Joshua was almost at the ridge now. Terrified, Nova watched as he tried to swing out to grasp a handhold on the underside of it. Joshua had to swing his body out so that his entire weight was now supported only by his hands gripping scant handholds on the underside of the ridge. If he were to slip now . . .

  Nova’s palms were sweaty and, much as she longed to look away, she just couldn’t. ‘No!’ She clapped her hands over her mouth as Joshua lost his grip with one hand. He scrambled to find another handhold, his legs and body still swinging freely under him. Nova’s heart leapt into her throat and stayed there. She could hardly breathe as she watched him.

  ‘Liam, where are you? Liam, please,’ Nova whispered. ‘We need your help. Please.’ She didn’t dare speak over a whisper in case she made Joshua lose his concentration. ‘Liam, your brother needs your help. Please.’

  Joshua was now at the edge of the ridge. He tried to swing one leg up onto it but he didn’t swing high or hard enough. Even from where Nova was standing, she could see he was getting tired. He swung his leg up again, his foot just making the ridge. He pulled himself up using his arms and first one leg, then the other. Only when his whole body had disappeared out of sight did Nova breathe such a huge sigh of relief that she felt giddy from it. But it
didn’t last long. She glanced down at her watch. Joshua was about to go into a tunnel in the cliffs that would more than likely collapse down on him at any second. He’d asked Nova to give him an hour before calling for help but what if something happened to him before then? What if waiting that long actually cost Joshua his life? What should she do? She looked up and down the beach again. She was still alone. ‘Joshua?’ she shouted.

  No reply.

  ‘Joshua?’ Nova yelled so hard she immediately started coughing afterwards.

  Still nothing.

  Nova went over to the cliff face. Maybe she should go up after him? Tentatively she began to climb. ‘Nice and easy . . .’ she muttered. ‘Slow and steady . . .’

  She was less than four metres off the ground when she realized she didn’t have the physical strength to go any further. Her arms were aching already and her heart was pounding and perspiration kept running down into her eyes. She climbed down just as carefully, yelping when she caught her knee on a jagged piece of rock. She jumped down the last metre, wincing on impact.

  ‘Joshua?’ Nova tried again.

  Panic rose up inside her like a tidal wave. Where was he? Why didn’t he answer? What should she do now?

  ‘Liam? Liam, where are you? I need your help,’ she cried out.

  But her only answer was the sound of the waves lapping up on the pebble-strewn beach.

  37. Andrew and Raye

  ‘Raye, wait. Please wait.’

  Andrew was running after her. Raye could hear his footsteps crunching with quick regularity on the gravel. She carried on walking, quickly wiping her tear-stained cheeks. She turned off the gravel to cut across the garden. The dry autumn grass crunched beneath her feet as she tried to put as much distance between herself and Andrew as she could without actually running away.

  ‘Raye, please.’ Andrew ran in front of her, blocking her path. ‘Listen. I was on the phone cancelling the stupid bet. I swear I was. It was a moronic thing to do in the first place, I realize that. I’m really sorry.’

  ‘Why did you do it?’ Raye asked.

  ‘I don’t know. It was just me, mouthing off. Showing off to my best mate. I’m sorry,’ said Andrew.

  ‘You’re just sorry you got caught. Nova tried to warn me and I said some really horrible things to her—’

  ‘Nova?’

  ‘My sister.’

  Raye hadn’t spoken to anyone about Nova making herself sick after each meal. She’d dismissed both Liam’s and Nova’s accusations as ludicrous. But Nova had been right about Andrew. Suppose Liam was right too? Raye didn’t even know if what he’d said about Nova throwing up after every meal was true – and that in itself made her feel at fault. She should know. Nova was her sister, for heaven’s sake. It shouldn’t take a stranger to tell her that something was wrong with her sister. Liam had to be wrong, he just had to be. But Raye couldn’t do anything about his assertion until she’d personally spoken to Nova.

  But she had no idea where Nova was or what she was doing. They used to hang out together, but not any more. When had that stopped? Raye took a good look at Andrew and knew the answer. Nova was too much of a rugrat to be seen with and Raye had made sure she knew that. Raye was nearly sixteen, a grown-up, one step away from an adult. Nova ruined her street cred. So Nova had been ditched, without a backwards glance. For people like Andrew. She didn’t want what Liam had said to be true, but the fluttering wings of guilt in her stomach told their own story.

  ‘Raye, I do want us to be friends.’ Andrew brought Raye out of her reverie.

  ‘Then tell me the truth.’

  ‘About what?’

  ‘About everything. About yourself. No lies and no lines this time.’

  ‘I don’t understand.’ Andrew frowned.

  Raye thought for a moment. ‘Do you have brothers or sisters?’

  ‘No. I’m an only child.’

  ‘Spoilt?’

  Andrew looked startled at the question. Then he unexpectedly smiled. ‘Yeah, I guess so.’

  ‘Your mum was a bit concerned about you yesterday. What was that about?’

  Andrew shrugged. ‘I broke my leg early last year and it took a while to heal. It gave Mum a chance to fuss over me and she hasn’t quite managed to stop yet.’

  ‘Oh, I see. How did you break your leg?’

  ‘Showing off!’ Andrew admitted. ‘I jumped down from the wall bars in PE and landed awkwardly.’

  ‘That must’ve been painful,’ said Raye with sympathy.

  Silence.

  ‘I did better than the boy I landed on,’ said Andrew.

  Astounded, Raye stared at him. ‘Is this a wind-up?’

  ‘No. I wish it was. I broke my leg. But Julian was knocked unconscious. It was only meant to be a joke, but it went wrong.’

  Andrew started walking again. Raye fell into step with him. ‘What happened to . . . Julian?’

  ‘He was unconscious for two days and he had to wear a neck brace for ages. We were both lucky that I didn’t break his neck.’

  After a moment’s hesitation, Raye put her hand on his arm. Just that. Nothing more. But it was enough to make Andrew turn back to her, a strange defiance laced with regret twisting his face. ‘You have no idea what it was like,’ he said with a trace of bitterness.

  ‘I can imagine,’ said Raye. ‘You must’ve been so scared.’

  ‘Not for me.’

  ‘I didn’t mean that,’ she hastened to reassure him. ‘But you must’ve been worried out of your mind about Julian. Is he all right now?’

  ‘Oh yeah, he’s fine. Thank goodness.’

  ‘And what happened to you?’

  ‘I lost some of my friends. Invites to parties and days out dried up, that sort of thing. I was suspended from school – but then I was lucky they didn’t boot me out altogether. I was the lucky one.’

  ‘It must’ve been tough for you though.’

  ‘I got over it. I got older,’ said Andrew.

  ‘And wiser?’

  ‘Not as much as I should’ve.’

  Raye nodded at that. They’d reached the hotel lounge again, without even realizing it. Raye suddenly felt as if she had the whole world on her plate waiting for her to deal with it, and she had no idea what to do, or even where to start. She faced Andrew and said seriously, ‘I thought we were friends, Andrew. I imagined us swapping e-mail addresses and mobile numbers just so we could keep in touch. But I don’t think that’s going to happen now.’

  ‘It was just meant to be a joke, Raye,’ said Andrew unhappily .

  ‘Some jokes aren’t funny,’ Raye shot back at him. How strange that she should use the very words Liam had used when he told her about Nova.

  ‘Aren’t you going to let me off the hook?’ Andrew pleaded. ‘I cancelled the bet. I promise I did.’

  A slight cough to Raye’s left had her head whipping round. They weren’t alone. Liam was standing in a corner of the room, watching.

  ‘Who’re you?’ Andrew frowned. ‘I didn’t see you when we came in here.’

  ‘That’s because you weren’t looking,’ Liam said easily. ‘You were too busy trying to wriggle off the hook you put yourself on.’

  ‘What did you say?’ said Andrew incredulously.

  ‘You heard me.’

  ‘Who d’you—?’

  ‘Liam, I want to ask your advice on something,’ interrupted Raye.

  ‘I’m listening.’

  ‘Andrew here made a bet . . . but hang on, you already know this, don’t you? You’re the one who told Nova to tell me.’

  Liam nodded. Andrew’s eyes narrowed.

  ‘Andrew says he cancelled the bet and wants me to forgive him. What d’you think I should do?’

  ‘Tell him to get lost,’ Liam said immediately.

  ‘Who asked you?’ Andrew flared up.

  ‘Raye did – about five seconds ago. Or don’t you have any short-term memory either?’

  ‘Either? What d’you mean?’ asked Andrew belligerently.
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br />   ‘Well, you don’t have any class, that’s for sure,’ Liam told him.

  ‘Why you . . .’ Andrew took a step towards him.

  ‘Just a minute, you two.’ Raye moved to stand between the two of them. She turned to look at Liam. He looked straight back at her. ‘You believe in speaking your mind, don’t you?’

  ‘Always have,’ Liam replied. ‘Sorry.’

  ‘No. I like that in my friends,’ said Raye.

  ‘I’m glad you realize I am your friend,’ Liam said softly. ‘Because I do like you, Raye . . .’

  ‘Let’s see how you like this,’ said Andrew angrily. He sidestepped round Raye to take a swing at Liam. Raye turned to him, trying to push him away. Liam ducked back, but not far enough. Andrew’s fist reached his chin – and swung right through it. With a surprised gasp, Andrew tried to steady himself, but his centre of gravity had shifted and he carried on pitching forward. Liam sidestepped out of the way as he crashed to the ground like a felled tree.

  ‘Andrew, that’s enough,’ said Raye.

  ‘You . . . my fist went straight through you . . .’ Andrew gasped.

  ‘You wish!’

  ‘Liam, please,’ said Raye. ‘Could you leave now?’

  ‘I’m not leaving you with him.’ Liam folded his arms across his chest.

  ‘I’m telling you, I hit him, but my hand went right through him,’ Andrew insisted.

  Liam’s head turned sharply towards the hotel reception and beyond.

  ‘I hit you.’ Andrew wasn’t going to let it drop.

  ‘You couldn’t hit the front of this hotel from a metre away with a dinner plate,’ Liam scoffed. But once again, his head turned towards the hotel reception. ‘I’ve got to go,’ he announced. ‘Someone’s calling me. Raye, will you be all right?’

  ‘Of course,’ Raye assured him.

  With one last smile, Liam ran off before either Raye or Andrew could say another word.