Head Spinners by Thalia Kalkipsakis Read Free Book Online Page A

common room door, Jack was standing beside the bookcase, which was lying face-down on the floor. The books had spilled out across the carpet, making ready ammunition for Jack to pick up and hurl, discus-style, across the room.
    The two orderlies who had rushed past were advancing towards Jack. Dr Drew was standing with his arms folded. ‘Drop it,’ he snapped.
    Jack lifted a book in his hand. His face was almost without expression but his eyes were fierce with defiance.
    â€˜Jack, I mean it!’
    With his eyes fixed on Dr Drew, Jack leaned back and flung the book. It missed the doctor’s head only because he ducked.
    â€˜Don’t make this worse than it has to be . . .’ said one of the orderlies.
    â€˜Stay back,’ said Mum with a hand on my back. But I pulled away from her. ‘Brooke, stay back,’ she said again, this time holding my shoulders and forcing me to turn.
    I was scared so I let her pull me away.
    The last thing I saw was Jack backing into a corner.

    That was a long day, a dot-to-dot of visits to specialists followed by a talk with Dr Drew. He spoke about physio, diet, the amount of rest I’d need after the operation, and lots more. I barely listened to any of it. He said nothing about Erin learning to glide.
    I didn’t see Jack until Mum had gone home and I was back in the ward for dinner. Erin had gone out with her mum, and a curtain had been pulled around Jack’s bed. Hushed voices made it seem private and secretive in there.
    I sipped my tomato soup as quietly as possible, straining to hear what they were saying. There were three voices, I decided, but I couldn’t make out any words. I was surprised at how calm they all sounded. Halfway through my rice pudding, the curtains were pushed back with a jerk and Jack’s parents emerged. They walked past with straight backs and didn’t look my way.
    Jack did, just for a moment. Then he lay with his back to me, facing the window, knees pulled up to his chest.
    It was raining gently, the streetlights picking up every falling drop. I slipped out of bed, feeling Jack’s eye on me, and stepped across the cold floor. For a moment I paused at the foot of his bed then I hitched myself up to sit on it.
    â€˜So . . . what was that all about?’
    Jack didn’t move. ‘Do you really need me to spell it out?’
    I sighed. Not really. As the day had gone past, I’d realised something was different for me too. Teaching Erin to fly had been about much more than just her.
    â€˜Do you have any idea how many kids I’ve seen come through here?’ asked Jack, still without moving. He didn’t wait for an answer. ‘Seven . . . all around Erin’s age. They come in, chuck a tantrum or two, get fixed up, and disappear.’
    I stayed quiet, waiting for Jack to keep going.
    â€˜You know why I’ve seen so many?’ He glanced at me, then away. ‘Dr Drew doesn’t know what to do with me. I’ve been in and out of this place for nearly three years while he works out how to operate . . . they don’t want to leave me brain-damaged.’
    The last two words hung in the air. I needed to wash them away. ‘At least he won’t do anything until he’s sure . . .’
    â€˜You think?’ Jack sat up. I wasn’t used to seeing him without his cap. His pupils were huge. ‘Things can go wrong with any operation and I’m facing brain surgery. Next month, Dr Drew wants to go ahead.’
    I swallowed and looked down at my small arm. ‘Can’t you say you don’t want to do it?’
    Jack snorted and shook his head. ‘It’s not up to me, is it.’ I didn’t like Jack’s glare. It was as if he hated the whole world, me included.
    He lay down facing the window again. I stayed on his bed for a while, not saying anything.
    Finally I went back to bed.
    Everything was different after