How to Live Forever by Colin Thompson Read Free Book Online Page B

another world, not to Peter’s.
    â€˜How long have you been here?’ said a voice behind him. ‘You’re not supposed to be here until next week.’
    The little boat which had been skirting round the mist on the lake far below was now coming directly towards him. As Peter leant over the balcony to see where the boat was aiming for, the voice came closer and said, ‘Hey, I said, how long have you been here?’
    Peter snapped out of his dream and turned.
    â€˜What?’ he said.
    Standing in front of him was a girl about the same age as himself. She had Archimedes in her armsand was tickling him behind the ear. Like Peter, she was skinny with dark hair. And like Peter, she had nervous brown eyes that danced around without settling on anything long enough for it to look back at her. Peter’s first thought was to try and grab the cat out of her arms – Archimedes was his cat – but he knew that cats don’t really belong to anyone, not like dogs, who give you their heart and soul.
    The girl was wearing a white frock which made her look as if she was going to a party.
    â€˜I’m going to a party,’ she said. ‘You’re not supposed to be here till next week.’
    â€˜What are you talking about?’ said Peter. ‘Supposed to be here?’
    â€˜You are not supposed to be here until next week,’ the girl repeated slowly like she was talking to someone who wasn’t very bright.
    â€˜I’m not stupid,’ said Peter. ‘There’s no need to talk like that. As far as I’m concerned, I’m not supposed to be here at all.’
    Girls were not the best thing in the world and this one proved it.
    â€˜Yes you are,’ said the girl, backing off a bit, ‘but not till next week.’
    â€˜No,’ said Peter, firmly. ‘I sat down in a chair in the little room with the cat mummy –’
    â€˜Bastin, the Cat God,’ said the girl.
    â€˜Yes. And then I fell through the wall.’
    â€˜Oh.’
    â€˜That wall isn’t anywhere near the library,’ said Peter, ‘so I haven’t the faintest idea how I got here. I mean, it was the middle of the night.’
    â€˜Yes, exactly,’ said the girl, which didn’t make sense but showed Peter that she was as confused as he was. She looked a bit embarrassed and put Archimedes down before holding out her hand and saying, ‘My name is Festival. I’m your Caretaker.’
    â€˜Caretaker? What do you mean, caretaker?’ said Peter. Caretakers were old men like his grandfather, who looked after empty buildings at night, not strange girls in party frocks. The library coming to life was like falling into Alice in Wonderland but this girl was even weirder, and he had no intention of taking her outstretched hand.
    The fascination of this fantastical place was vanishing fast and all Peter wanted to do now was find the door back into the cat mummy’s room.
    â€˜It’s my job to take care of you while you are here,’ said Festival. ‘Every visitor has a Caretaker. I’m yours because I was born at exactly the same minute you were. Sorry I was a bit cross, but they said you were coming next Wednesday.’
    â€˜They? Who’s they? No one’s told me anything at all,’ said Peter.
    â€˜Actually, I don’t know who they are,’ said Festival. ‘Two people came to our house one day and told me you were coming and I was your Caretaker. They said I had to wait for you up here next Wednesday and to make sure you had the book and then take you back to my house and wait there. My mum and dad had some champagne to celebrate and I had some, but I didn’t like it.’
    â€˜Book?’ said Peter. ‘Champagne?’
    â€˜Yes, exactly. Of course we had to celebrate, because it’s a big honour to be a Caretaker.’
    Whatever Festival said only made Peter more confused.
    I’m having a dream , he