Minus Me by Ingelin Rossland Read Free Book Online Page A

was you, wasn’t it?’
    ‘Well, yeah. But I was thinking more about the fact you cheated death,’ says Zak, looking away.
    Linda doesn’t answer.
    She looks down at her shoes. The toes are scuffed. If she’d polished them more, they might have lasted another year or so. That’s if she didn’t grow out of them first, of course.
    ‘Yes, death; the great mystery. It’s hardly strange that you’re afraid,’ says Zak.
    ‘Stop it.’
    ‘How long did the doctor give you? Ten months, ten weeks, ten days, ten minutes, ten seconds? Come on, how big was the lie?’
    ‘He said it might be okay. You said it yourself, I cheated death,’ Linda protests.
    ‘So he gave you hope?’
    ‘I might get a new heart.’
    ‘But then someone else has to die, have you considered that?’
    Once again Linda’s eyes wander to the tips of her shoes. Maybe it’s not too late to clean them, a bit of black shoe polish and they’ll be as good as new. Zak grabs her around the wrist and drags her towards the car park. She tries to tear herself away, but he’s a good deal stronger than her.
    ‘What do you want? Who are you, really?’
    ‘I’m your new best friend.’
    ‘I didn’t ask for a new friend,’ says Linda, digging her heels into the gravel so he’s forced to stop.
    ‘Admit it, you are a bit curious,’ says Zak, without letting her go.
    ‘I need to get back to class,’ says Linda, even though he’s right; she is curious, and she does want to go with him. It doesn’t really matter where to, she just wants to get away from school.
    ‘Why should you go back in there? Haven’t you noticed that they’re already treating you as though you’re dead? You’re not in the script for the future – that’s why they don’t give you any hassle.’
    ‘I’ll get into trouble,’ says Linda, feeling her resolve weaken. The grip around her wrist loosens.
    ‘No, you won’t, and do you know why?’ says Zak, letting her go.
    Linda shakes her head.
    ‘Because they’re scared of you.’
    ‘How do you mean?’
    ‘They’re scared of you because you’re going to die. And looking at you reminds them that they’ll die too one day. You remind them that life is just a matter of chance.’
    ‘You’re not nice,’ says Linda, turning away.
    ‘At least I’m honest.’
    ‘So is Henrik.’
    ‘Sure, but he’s a turd.’
    ‘And you’re not?’
    ‘Do you think I smell bad?’ Zak smiles. He reaches his hand out to her. Linda hesitates before taking it. His hand is cold. He pulls her closer. He’s right; he doesn’t smell the least shitty. In fact, he doesn’t smell of anything at all.
    Alright, she thinks to herself. I’ll go with him. I’ll take the chance.
     
    Zak has lent her his helmet and now she’s riding on the back of his moped, arms round his waist.
    ‘Can’t you feel it?’ Zak yells over his shoulder. He’s wearing her woolly hat. She doesn’t know any other boys who would casually stick a girl’s hat on their heads.
    ‘Feel what?’ she shouts back, feeling laughter erupting inside her. For the first time since the dive she feels like laughing aloud.
    ‘That life is good! All you have to do is hit the accelerator,’ says Zak, putting his foot down. He leans forward over the handlebars and Linda leans with him.
    ‘Isn’t this fun?’
    Zak laughs. Linda laughs. And their laughter and the hum of the engine fuse as they whizz along the quay.
    Suddenly she realizes that he’s driving straight towards the fjord.
    ‘Watch out for the edge of the quay! Are you mad?’
    ‘What if you didn’t have long left? Wouldn’t you wish you could fly for those last few seconds? Ten, nine, eight, seven . . .’
    ‘Stop! I want to get off.’
    ‘. . . four, three . . .’
    Linda feels her heart spluttering and stuttering again.
    Dunk, de-de-dunk, dunk, de, dunk. She sees the edge coming closer.
    ‘. . . two, one, zero . . .’
    They fly into the air, and the moped disappears from beneath them. Linda