Rain In My Heart (6 page)

Chapter Eight

Minutes later we were back in the dry of the art room.   Gemma clung to Greg like a limpet.  Curtis kept patting him on the shoulders.

                      'You're my new hero,' he said.  'Honestly, you're my ultimate god.  If you hadn't grabbed hold of us, we'd be half drowned by now - '

            'Or fully drowned,' Leon heeded.         

            
 ‘
All in a days work
,’
said Greg, brushing off the fuss.

                  I made a point of saying my own thanks privately.

            
 ‘
Do
n’
t worry, little one
,
’ said Greg.
 ‘I’
m just glad these big-arse hands came in useful
.
’

We both smiled and hugged, but to be honest, although I was grateful Greg had pulled me out of the water, I felt so stupid that I'd gone in at all.  I hadn't wanted to leave the safety of the art room, but just like the clay fight that had got us there in the first place, I'd allowed myself to get carried away. I hadn't wanted to disappoint Leon.      

I lay my wet clothes over the drying rack, next to Leo
n’
s jeans.  He'd taken off everything except his boxers.  I didn't know where to look.  His body was so perfect, like someone yo
u’
d see on a shower gel advert.  But I couldn't help noticing he had faded bruises all across his ribs.  I guessed they were football injuries, although they looked pretty nasty.

For myself, I found an old painting shirt.  It barely covered my thighs, but it was better than being naked!  I was certainly glad I'd remembered to shave my legs that morning.  I pulled the shirt down as far as I could, then sat against the radiator.  I could hear the wind picking up outside, howling through the ventilation fan and rattling the window frames.

             As I squeezed the smelly water from my hair, I noticed Byron watching.  Eventually he came and stood next to me.  Or
near
me, to be precise.  He was very careful not to let any part of his body touch mine.

            
 ‘
I know what yo
u’
re thinking
,’
I said.
 ‘
That we should have listened to you
-
’

‘
Yes, you should have.  Swimming in raw sewage is nevergood for the health
.
’

‘
Sewage
?
’

‘
Sewage.  Faeces.  Diesel fuel.  You name it.  When a flood hits, it all gets swilled about
.
’

I wiped my hands, felt my mouth fill with saliva, like I was about to wretch.

‘
If you want any information, Kate, just ask.  
I’
m planning to do a degree in physical geography. I've recently finished a major project about natural disasters
-
’

‘
Oh
.
’

‘
It's one of my number one interests.'

'Right.'

'So I guess it's a good job I'm here.'

‘
Yeah, I guess it is
.
’

We stood quietly for a moment, listening to the wind.

‘I’
m sorry they ignored you
,’
I said, eventually
.‘
You obviously do know what yo
u’
re talking about
.
’

‘
Thank you, but i
t’
s actually no big deal for me to be ignored.  Basic social hierarchy.  Have
n’
t you noticed?  No one pays attention to the nondescript loners.  Loners don't matter.  Their opinions don't count.  Not in the way Leon Prentic
e’
s do anyway
.
’

              I gave a small, awkward smile.

‘
It was never going to work
,’
he continued
,‘
with or without the flood.  Six people intended for one tiny vehicle, with a back seat mostly taken up by sub-woofer...illogical, at best.  And I ca
n’
t imagine Curti
s’
s driving skills are truly up to the challenge of negotiating and outpacing a flash flood
.
’

‘
Fair point
.
’

‘
I mean, we're talking about someone who reverses into a bollard during his first hour of legal solo driving, then goes the wrong way down a one-way street, nearly taking out a pensioner on Hurst Parade.  Seriously, Kate, allowing people like Curtis to go loose in cars is like allowing unsupervised Reception children into nuclear power plants. Unwise
.
’

He laughed, threw his head back.  I was about to ask how come he knew so much about Curtis's disastrous driving, when one of the skylights above the sinks suddenly shattered.  A spray of glass hit the floor.  We all jumped to attention, as a rainy, windy squall whipped through the opening.

Chapter Nine

'It's coming in! It's coming in!' yelled Curtis.

'Don't panic,' said Leon. 'It's only a small window.  We're okay.'

'But if that one's blown in,' said Greg, 'it's only a matter of time before the others do.'

I couldn't help gaze about the room - all the glass, the rickety Seventies glass and the rusting frames.   Byron caught my eye.

'I
t’
s okay,' he said.  'You'd be surprised how sturdy this building is. 
I’
ve looked into it.  Apparently, it won a load of architecture awards.'

'Le
t’
s hope so,' I whispered.

Leon, Greg and Gemma started discussing the possibility of re-attempting to reach Curti
s’
s car.

‘
If we can get some sort of guide rope
,
’ said Leon, 'i
t’
ll give us stability against the current.  My brother taught me how to use one.  He's an expert climber.'

‘
It would have to be pretty strong to take all our weight
,’
said Greg.

‘
Should
n’
t we just wait
?’
I suggested.

‘
Wait
?’
said Gemma
.‘
While the windows cave in around us?  Not to mention the fact that we might be waiting
forever
.  We have
n’
t managed to contact anyone.  The weather looks like its getting worse.  And as for the floodwater, well, we can all see i
t’
s getting deeper.  If we don't go now - '

‘
We'll be stuck
,’
said Byron, finishing Gemma's sentence.

She turned and glared at him.

'Probably hasn't even reached peak flow yet,' he said.  'I mean, when a river breaches its banks this badly the torrent rages for hours,
days
even.  Add to this, the fact that the rain is still bucketing down, adding more volume to the overloaded drainage syste
m…
all I'm saying is, if I were you,
I’
d start getting ready for an all-nighter
.
’

Gemma snarled and muttered something about no one asking for Byro
n’
s opinion. I thought of his comment:
the lonerdoes
n’
t count.

Moments later, however, Byro
n’
s observation was proved right.  We were stalled by the sight of th
e‘
Shaggi
n
’ Wago
n’
lifting up with the current, spinning ninety degrees, then drifting sideways into a street lamp.  

‘
My car
!’
said Curtis, jumping up, mouth agape, just as the vehicle flipped and wooshed away.

‘
Well, tha
t’
s it then
,’
said Greg.
 ‘
Noww
e’
re stuffed
.
’

'No!' cried Gemma.
 ‘
We needed that car!  I have to go.  I
have
to go home.'

Leon frowned.  He looked crushed. The sparkle in his eyes temporarily deadened.

'Do
n’
t worry, Gem
,’
he said
.‘
I'll just have to come up with a Plan B. We'll get out eventually.'

'But you don't
understand
. Eventually isn't good enough. I need to go
NOW!'

She seemed enraged, more firey than I'd ever seen her.  I tried to comfort her, but she was rigid with anger.  She even swiped Greg away.  

'What's the matter, babe?' he begged.

She looked at him, then me.  She opened her mouth, hesitated, closed it, sighed.  It was like she didn't know what to say. 

'Are you worried about what's happened to everyone?' I said, trying to prompt her.

'It's Rascal,' she said, bursting into tears.  'My mum's not home.  She's gone away for the weekend, to meet some guy she met on the Internet.  Rascal's shut in the kitchen.  He wo
n’
t be able to get out.  He ca
n’
t swim. Don't you see? I
have
to get to him.  It's up to me
.
’

Greg and I glanced at each other.  Rascal was Gemma's mu
m’
s pet Boxer.  Sh
e’
d never shown much affection for him before, always moaned when she was made to take him for walks or sort out his food.  But I guess the flood was making her realise what mattered.  I held her hands and Greg smothered her with hugs. Leon and Curtis exchanged embarrassed shrugs.  They were
n’
t used to seeing hard-nosed Gemma upset.   Byron, meanwhile, wandered to the back of the room.  He made no effort to disguise the fact that he found the sound of Gemm
a’
s snivelling irritating.  He stuck his fingers in his ears and started humming.  It was callous - but then again,Gemma had
n’
t exactly been his cheering party.  Maybe he felt justified.  Either way, I found him baffling.

             I did the only helpful thing I could think of and took out my phone.

             'Let me try getting through again
,’
I said, my voice shaking.
 ‘
If I do, I'll ask about Rascal.  I'll get someone to check on him.  It'll all be fine, I promise.'

Chapter Ten

              They said they were going to the Hurst Centre.  They were meeting Max and Elaine for lunch, then they were going shopping.  New shoes for my dad.  He was always useless at buying stuff for himself, especially shoes.  A family joke: he tried, but never quite got it right.  Like the time he needed pyjamas, then came home with three Hawaiian shirts and a Fedora hat.   It would
n’
t have been so bad, except none of the Hawaiian shirts fitted (aside from being hideous) and our cat took issue with the Fedora. 

My dad, my lovely dad.  It broke my heart that I could
n’
t get through to him.  Or my mum.  Or my sister, Ella.  Where were they?  I tried their numbers over and over.  Gemma's crying got louder.   The sound started to stress
me
out.  In the end, I had to follow Byro
n’
s lead and go to the other side of the room, just so I could concentrate.  I stood at the sinks, beside the broken window - a small pool had formed where the rain was getting in - and carried on dialling, listening, dialling.

              Eventually Leon came over, still in his boxers, even though his jeans were pretty much dry.  The fact that I was madly in love with him, that an hour ago
I’
d felt giddy because h
e’
d smiled at m
e–
all of that seemed a million miles away.

            
 ‘
You getting anywhere
?’
he said, nodding at my phone.

            
 ‘
No.  You
?
’

              He shook his head.

           'They look painful,' I said, pointing to his bruises.

            He covered them up with hands, like he was embarrassed.

            'They're nothing,' he said.
 ‘
Hey, your hair's nearly dry - '             

            'Thanks.'

            
 ‘
I meant to say earlier, I liked the way yo
u’
d straightened it, before you went for an unwanted swim, I mean
.
’

              So he
had
noticed!

              I smiled, felt the heat rise in my cheeks.   To hear him say this, it felt fantastic - not just because it was a compliment from him, but because it took me back to myself, back to my normal, everyday worries and hopes.

            
 ‘
Thanks
,’
I whispered, running a hand down the length of my hair.  'Not so sleek now, though
.
’

            
 ‘
Still looks nice
,’
he said, his eyes twinkling.

            
 ‘
Are you always so flattering
?
’

            
 ‘
Only during floods
.
’

              We both giggled.

              Then my phone flashed.

              BEEP BEEP BEEP

              The sound shattered the tension.  Everyone jumped.  I nearly dropped the handset.  I fumbled and caught it.  The screen scrolled a familiar number. 

            
 ‘
Mum?'

            
 ‘
Kate
!
’

            
 ‘
Mum?  Are
you okay
?
’

            
 ‘
Kate
!’
she repeated.
 ‘
Tell me you're safe!  Where are you?  Promise me yo
u’
re safe?  I've been ringing and ringing, but someone said the phone masts were damaged - '

            
 ‘I’
m okay.  W
e’
re okay.  But w
e’
re stuck
.
’

            
 ‘
In the school
?
’

            
 ‘
Yes
.
’

            
 ‘
Whereabouts
?
’

‘
W
e’
re in the art room, at the top. The water has
n’
t reached us, but i
t’
s all around us.  We're trapped - '

            
 ‘
Wh
o’
s with you
?
’

            
 ‘
Gemma, Greg, Leon, Curti
s…
and some guy called Byron
.
’

‘
Is your teacher there
?
’

My heart sank. 

‘
No.  She went off.  We do
n’
t wha
t’
s happened to her.  She went off to get some paint and stuff.  She left just before...'

              From the corner of my eye, I noticed everyone had gathered around me.  They were all watching, listening, like somehow I was the chosen one, that maybe my mum on the end of the phone would have all the answers.  With the wobble in her voice, I doubted it.  When sensible parents have wobbly voices, you know ther
e’
s a problem.

            
 ‘
Kate, it's not looking good.  People are saying we've had a flash flood, but no one knows for sure.  Apparently some minor flooding was predicted, but nothing on this scale. It's a disaster.  Everythin
g’
s a mess.  And,' - she paused - 'and I'm afraid there's a problem with your dad.'

              As soon as she said this, my blood ran cold. 

            
 
‘
What
?
’
I said, my stomach sickening.
 ‘
What problem
?
’

‘
We were in the Hurst Centre.  We were queuing for coffee.  We were standing in line, then suddenly it hit and we were running from a wall of water.  There was nothing we could do
-
’

I could hear her sucking her breath, to hide that fact that she was about to cry. 

‘I’
m afraid your dad got knocked over.  I think he caught his leg ona bench.  One minute, he was beside me, then the next
-
’

            
 ‘
Is he okay?  Can I talk to him
?
’

              She paused.  Her silence lasted too long.

            
 ‘
Mum
?
’

            
 ‘
W
e–
we have
n’
t managed to find him yet, Kate. 
I’
m sorry.  He's missing
.
’

              I could
n’
t take it. My chest started to feel light and gaspy.  It seemed crazy that my mum was only a few miles from me, yet it was like she was on another planet.

            
 ‘
What about Ella
?’
I asked.

              Ella, my sister, had been planning to get a manicure in the nail bar on the Parade.  Whether sh
e’
d actually woken up for it, I did
n’
t know.  Sh
e’
d been snoring in bed when
I’
d left that morning.

            
 ‘
She has
n’
t answered her phone.  Listen Kate, if you and your friends are safe where you are,then you need to stay put.  Do you understand?  As soon as I can get hold of someone official, w
e’
re going to sort out your rescue.  I
will
find someone.  Whatever it takes.  In the mean time,
do
n’
t
go in the water.  Promise me, Kate, you wo
n’
t go in the water
.
’

              I stared through the window.  Sky black.  The flood had now reached the first floor windows of the main school building.  There was no sign of Curti
s’
s car.  You could
n’
t even tell there was a car park.

‘
I promise
,’
I sniffed.

‘
Right
,’
said Mum, the way she always did when she was being efficient, putting on a brave face.
 ‘
Right
. 
I’
m going to track down your sister.  And
I’
m going to find your dad.  Stay by your phone.  And be careful.  Please, please,
please
be careful
.
’

I did
n’
t want her to go.  The end-call silence seemed to last forever, but before I had a chance to collect my thoughts, Gemma squared up to me.

‘
You did
n’
t ask about
my
house
!’
she said abruptly
.‘
What about Rascal
?
’

I scrunched my eyes, took a breath.  I understood that Gemma was worried about Rascal, but I had problems of my own.  I did
n’
t need to feel like
I’
d let her down as well.

‘I’
m sorry
,’
I said, dazed.
 ‘I’
m sorry, Gem.  I
t’
s just...my da
d…
my sister... everythin
g…
I just forgot about Rascal, all right
.
’

By the look on her face, she was
n’
t willing to see things from my side.

‘
Thanks for nothing
,’
she hissed, wiping the mascara from her cheeks.

‘
It's only a dog
,’
muttered Byron.

I glanced at him, but he looked away, acted like he hadn't said anything.

The next phone to ring was Leo
n’
s.  I couldn't hear the full conversation, but by the sound of it, his brother was giving him a pep talk, advising him to 'man-up' and organise the rest of us.  His parents called next.  They were safe, but they were trapped in a garden centre.  A wooden bench had crashed right through the windscreen of their SUV.  People were clinging to trees for safety. Someone was trying to make a boat out of a wheelbarrow.  Leo
n’
s mum gave the same advice my mum did, to stay where we were, high and dry.

It was good for each of us to speak to someone.  Curtis's dad rang to grumble that his armchair was wrecked and that the television remote had floated into the neighbou
r’
s garden - which said a lot about Curtis; the fact that his dad was more concerned about whether he could still watch Match of the Day, than whether his son was safe.      

Gemm
a’
s battery died, but she borrowed my phone and called home.  There was no reply, so she spoke to her cousi
n–
the only other person whose number she could remember.  Unfortunately,the cousin was busy bailing water out of her kitchen and knew nothing about what was going on at Gemm
a’
s house.  Meanwhile, Greg got a call from his Nan, who told him to watch out for rats and raw sewage, until she was cut-off by his dead battery.

The oneperson who did
n’
t get a call was Byron. And it got me wondering.  What was
his
family like?  Who were
they
?  They obviously weren't too concerned about him, because his phone did
n’
t ring once.  Which was kind of crap.