Lyre by Helen Harper Read Free Book Online Page A

in the wood of the bench.  ‘I begged him to take me.’
    Medusa’s entire body stiffened.  Even the snakes seemed to still.  ‘The sea,’ she said in an undertone.
    Yuri nodded.  ‘The sea.  Everything was fine to begin with.  It was a nice day.  I can remember the sun shining.’ She smiled sadly.  ‘Then we heard the music.’
    ‘Sirens.’ There was a note of distaste in Medusa’s voice which Yuri couldn’t help warming to.
    She bit her lip.  ‘Yes.’
    ‘Your father?’
    ‘He died.’  Her voice was flat.
    There was a moment of silence.  Then Medusa placed her hand gently on Yuri’s arm.  She didn’t pull away.  Yuri raised her chin up and looked the woman in the eyes.
    ‘You believe me.’
    ‘Of course.’
    ‘Nobody else did.  They thought I was delirious.  Or hallucinating.’
    ‘The fact you remember proves how strong your mind is.  Most people would not.  Children are often more resilient than people imagine.’
    ‘Bullshit!’  The words exploded out of Yuri’s mouth.  She stood up and took a step backwards.  ‘Do you have any idea how many times I’ve heard that?  That children are resilient?  Because it’s not true.  Maybe in the short term but not in the long term.  You’ve got no idea what happens in the long term.  No-one does because they all think that children are resilient and don’t need checking up on.  Except they do.  They do need checking up on!  They’re not resilient.  They need someone to care about them too.’
    Medusa remained where she was, regarding her with a serious expression.  ‘I’m sorry.  I did not mean to sound trite.’
    The energy rushed out of Yuri. She looked away. ‘Well, okay then.’
    ‘Why didn’t you die?’ Her voice was quiet.
    ‘Huh?’
    ‘Your father died.  You survived.  How?’
    ‘There was a man.’
    ‘Who?’ prodded Medusa.
    Yuri sighed.  ‘Poseidon.  They called him Poseidon.’
    Medusa’s face twisted.
    ‘Still believe me now?’ Yuri asked half-tauntingly.
    One of the snakes reached down and curved across Medusa’s cheek, caressing it.  ‘That Poseidon can do some good?  He wasn’t there in time to save your father, was he?’
    ‘Yuri?’
    She turned around.  Ozzy was standing there, watching her curiously.  ‘What are you doing here?  You just disappeared.’
    She turned back to look at Medusa.  Ozzy seemed oblivious to her.  The woman raised her eyebrows.
    ‘You should run along.’
    ‘But…’
    ‘We need to be back at the bus, Yuri.  Jones will flip if we’re late.’
    Yuri nodded.
    ‘I’ll see you again soon, Yuri,’ said Medusa softly, rising to her feet. 
    Ozzy grabbed her hand and tugged.  The heat of his skin seared into her own.
    ‘We need to go.’
    When she turned to look back at Medusa, the woman had already vanished.  Yuri nodded again and let herself be led away. 
     
    *
     
    When they finally reached the bus, everyone else was already there and waiting.  Yuri was fully aware of the pointed glances and whispers in her direction when she arrived with Ozzy.  Her gaze landed on Richard, who had a bloody handkerchief clutched to his nose.  He was staring out of the window, slumped down in his seat.
    Without thinking, she turned to Ozzy.  He shrugged.
    ‘Dick had a little fall.  He should learn to be less careless with where he puts his feet.’  Then he sauntered to the back of the bus, taking his place amongst his friends.
    She stood there for a moment, wondering whether she should be annoyed at him.  She was perfectly capable of looking after herself.  But in light of what had just happened – that after eight years of wondering if she had some bizarre form of post-traumatic stress disorder, she’d finally met someone who had proven she was entirely sane, after all – she realised she couldn’t care less. Meeting Medusa trumped anything that Ozzy, Richard, or even her mother could say or do.

CHAPTER FOUR
LONDON, 2014
     
     
     
    ‘She had