The Bubble Boy (21 page)

I look at the screen and think of telling Henry about the snooker-ball kid, but he seems too excited to tell him that someone has died. The pencil scribbles again.

My fingers hover over the keys.

The pencil scribbles on the screen. Henry’s either writing loads or he’s deleted something and started again.

I glance at my phone. Still no message from Amir.

My laptop da-lutes again.

I look at the screen. Henry isn’t typing and I don’t know what to write. I wish I hadn’t said anything now. I wish Henry would say something. I’m scared
I’ve stopped him wanting to go out, too. I hover my fingers over the keys. The pen starts to scribble then stops.

I giggle. Henry’s right. I have to go. I can’t just sit in here my whole life, dreaming and imagining and worrying.

We switch to screen.

‘Taddah!’

I laugh. Henry smiles at me through the glass on his visor and raps his knuckles on top of his helmet.

‘100 per cent polycarbonate. What do you think?’

‘I think you look like you’re stuck in a goldfish bowl.’

‘So I don’t look like a melon?’

‘That too.’

Henry takes his helmet off and blows out his cheeks. ‘It’s really heavy,’ he says. ‘And hot. Have you got yours?’

‘No. Amir’s bringing it tonight.’

Henry leans towards the camera like he’s only just seen me. ‘Holy crap, Joe,’ he says. ‘You’re as white as a ghost.’

‘I know, I’m really nervous.’

‘You’ll be okay, it’s just your anxiety. I’m anxious too.’

‘But your suit is designed by NASA.’

‘So? Yours is designed by a guy who’s mad about aliens. It’s cool.’

‘You think so?’

‘Of course. My suit’s great but yours is going to be full of loads of weird stuff.’

‘I know, but I still can’t stop shaking.’

‘You know what to do.’

I smile as Henry’s face puffs out as he takes a deep breath like he’s going to blow up a balloon.

‘I’ve tried that.’

‘What about the humming?’

‘I tried that too.’

‘It’s okay, I can’t stop shaking either. He picks up his laptop and shakes it. ‘Look, it’s like there’s been an earthquake all day.’

I can’t believe he’s so happy and hyper, but he always is. The only time he gets down is when the Philadelphia Eagles lose, but even then it only takes a few minutes before
he’s laughing again.

He puts his laptop down on his bed. ‘I’m serious,’ he says. ‘Been like it all day. But I can’t wait!’

My phone buzzes. Henry asks me who it is. I read out a message from Amir,

‘ “Joe, make sure you rest. Don’t worry when the temperature drops and your room starts to feel like a fridge. It should stop at 11 degrees. If it doesn’t, I’ll
bring an ice-pick.” ’

‘Brilliant! He’s brilliant.’ Henry leans over and picks up a folder. ‘All I get is algorithms and data-sheets.’

My phone buzzes again.

‘What’s he saying now?’

‘ “Don’t worry if the instructions don’t go in your head. I carry them in mine.” ’

‘See, Joe. You’ve got nothing to worry about. The guy’s got it all planned.’

‘Do you really think so?’

‘Of course . . . What’re you texting?’

‘I’m asking him where he is.’

I send my message. My phone buzzes straight away.

‘What’s he say?’

‘He says he’s shopping in Sainsbury’s . . . it’s a supermarket.’ I take a deep breath.

Henry taps his finger on the screen.

‘Hey, don’t look so worried. People gotta eat. Maybe he’s making a picnic for your trip. I don’t need one. Gonna be stopping for a burger in McDonald’s.’

‘Do you think they’ll let you?’ I think about what Greg said.

‘Doubt it. Don’t care. All I wanna do is go out. NASA said there’s going to be so many cars it’s going to be like the President’s motorcade.’

‘Can’t wait to see it.’

‘I’ll give you a wave, or one of these.’ He holds up his finger. ‘Haha!’ His eyes flick to the side of his screen then back at me. ‘Hang on, think
Brett’s coming.’

‘Shall I go?’

‘No, not yet, he’ll be a while. Getting stuff ready for last minute test and stuff. Then I’ve got to rest. Just means I won’t be able to talk for a while.’

‘So we can’t chat after I’ve been outside?’

‘Not supposed to, but try and stop me!’

I wait for Henry to say something else but he just looks into the camera and for a moment I think the internet has frozen but his hair is moving from the fan.

‘Henry, what’s wrong?’

‘Nothing, just thinkin’.’

‘What about?’

‘It’s stupid – I should be grateful. Just wish we could both go out together. It’d be fun. Both of us. Be like Halloween – me dressed as a spaceman, you dressed
like an alien.’

I laugh.

‘Just an ass pain we’re 3500 miles apart.’

‘I know.’

Henry looks towards the door.

‘Couple of minutes, buddy?’ says Brett.

Henry nods.

‘You heard?’

‘Yes.’

Henry blinks, and then leans close to the screen. ‘Hey Joe,’ he whispers. ‘Don’t worry. You’re gonna be okay.’

I nod. ‘I think you will be, too.’

‘Ha,’ he says. ‘We could be in a film.’

I swallow hard. ‘Hey, Henry.’

‘Yeah.’

‘I’ll pretend you’re walking next to me.’

‘Me too, man. Oh, and Joe . . .’

‘What?’

‘Don’t forget to breathe. Don’t want you passing out and missing everything!’

‘And you!’

‘Catch you later!’ he says.

‘Catch you later.’

The screen goes blank.

I lie back on my bed and look at the ceiling. My heart thuds in my chest. I can’t believe it’s going to happen. Me and Henry are actually going outside.

I watch the screens for a while after Henry’s gone but I can’t concentrate. People move around in a blurry silence and when I watch
Thor
all I can see are flames and black
clouds. I try to rest like Amir told me but it’s hard when all I can think about is me and Henry going outside.

It’s 7 o’clock when I get a new post from Hannah.

I write a message back.

I lie down on my bed.

I know I need to sleep and save my energy but I’m going outside for the first time in my life; there’s no way I can keep still.

I pretend I’m asleep when a new nurse comes in and checks on me at midnight. She doesn’t talk, she just checks the monitors. She doesn’t seem to notice my heart rate. She
doesn’t seem to notice how deeply I’m breathing. All she does is stand at my bed for a minute and then dims the lights.

I don’t remember falling asleep but it’s the air-con clicking that wakes me up. I turn my head. My eyes are sleepy and blurry.

Room temp.
: 18C

Air purity
: 98%

The air-con clicks again. The numbers change. I blink.

Room temp.
: 17C

Room temp.
: 16C

It’s starting to go down, just like Amir said it would.

Heart rate
: 87

Room temp.
:15. . . 14 . . .

It’s like it’s decreasing every time I take a breath.

13 . . .

It’s never been that low; the alarm should be ringing, Amir must have overridden it. I shiver, as if someone has poured ice down my back
.

Heart rate
: 91

I send Amir a message in my head.
I hope you know what you’re doing. I hope you’ve checked everything.

What if he hasn’t? What if the temperature drops and I become tired, my white cells might decrease and my skin will start to wrinkle and fall off like a snake’s. My eyes will turn to
crystals, my lungs will turn to lead, my nose will start bleeding and I’ll go unconscious.

I sit down on my bed. I can’t breathe and my heart is beating so hard it’s like it’s trying to burst its way through my ribs. I pick up my phone.

I wait five minutes. He doesn’t reply. My stomach cramps. I run to the bathroom and see myself in the mirror. My face is pale and sweat is running down the side of my
face and dripping down my neck.

The air-con clicks again. I don’t want to go. I might be like a polar bear that I saw on TV. He’d been in his cage for so long that when he came out he just walked around in a circle
on the spot. I wrap my arm around my stomach. It’s too cold. I’ll freeze. I’m going to die breathing real air. My head goes dizzy. I grab hold of the sink to stop myself from
falling over. Stay calm. Take deep breaths. Take deep breaths. It’s not working! I lean over and puke in the toilet.

My phone vibrates on the floor. I grab it.

I try to reply but I can’t tap the right letters. I shake out my hand and try again.

The monitors beep. I stand up and rest against the door. The figures are changing on the monitors.

Room temp
: 11C.

Air purity
: 98.4%