Nine Letters Long by J.C. Burke Read Free Book Online Page A

‘Tell us. Say if you don’t want her mother there.’
    For a second, Evie doesn’t answer.
    â€˜Do you?’
    To the others, it looks as though she’s thinking, but she’s not. The distraction has come in a different form – it’s like a weight settling on her chest. ‘I don’t, I don’t –’ Her hand rubs across her chest and up to her throat. ‘I don’t. I –’ She tries to take a breath but the weight is starting to crush her ribcage. ‘I, I –’ She mouths the words as the air is sucked from her chest. ‘I, I, I, I –’
    â€˜Evie?’
    A rasping sound chokes out of her throat. It fills the room with fear.
    â€˜Evie?’ Robin is shaking her. ‘Evie!’
    â€˜No … Mum,’ Evie wheezes. ‘No … Mum. No … Mum.’ Her neck and shoulders heave up and down with the effort of each word. ‘No. No. No Mum. No Maaa –’
    â€˜Evie! Evie!’ They have surrounded her, their faces a blurry kaleidoscope of colour. Voices shout. Hands shake her. ‘Evie? Evie!’
    Now the force is rising through her chest. Evie hiccoughs the air as it bursts through her mouth, freeing the oxygen and releasing the scream: ‘NO MUM!’
    Her words ring through the air.
    Â 
    The week drags as Evie waits for Victoria’s call. Her parents tread carefully around her and the days at schoolare long as she tries to distract herself from the agitation that bubbles inside. It’s just like it used to be, another’s darkness stalking her, surrounding her, draining her energy, occupying her mind. Evie feels herself digging a hole to hide from the world around her.
    â€˜There you are.’ Poppy finds Evie in the school library. ‘Aren’t you coming down for lunch?’
    â€˜I’ve got to get this art assignment done,’ Evie tells her. ‘It’s due soon.’
    â€˜I’ve hardly seen you all week.’
    â€˜I’ve been mostly here in the library,’ Evie shrugs. ‘Try writing a thousand words on “Contemporary art practices and the post-modern frame”.’
    â€˜What’s that?’
    â€˜Exactly.’
    â€˜Well, come on. Put the book away. I’m starving.’
    â€˜Where’s Alex?’ Evie asks as she squeezes the book back amongst the others.
    â€˜She’s probably sitting with Roxy.’
    â€˜Oh.’ Evie runs her finger along the metal shelf. ‘Roxy’s Zac’s cousin, isn’t she?’
    â€˜No. I think their families are just really close. Obviously Alex is working on the family connections.’ Poppy groans. ‘She is following Roxy around like a bad smell. Like, who does she have the hots for – Zac or Roxy?’
    Evie collects her pens and folder from the desk. Poppy keeps chatting. ‘I mean, I nearly spewed when I saw her screensaver the other day. Have you seen it? It says “Zac Rox”.’
    â€˜Hmm?’
    â€˜Get it? Zac rocks. Zac and Roxy?’
    â€˜Um, what?’
    â€˜Zac and Roxy.’ Poppy frowns. ‘Evie – hello?’
    â€˜Oh, sorry.’
    â€˜You’re not okay, are you?’
    â€˜Yeah,’ Evie squeaks.
    â€˜No you’re not.’
    â€˜Well, what am I meant to say?’
    The girls slip behind the reserved-books shelf.
    â€˜You haven’t said any more about … you know, Saturday night?’ Poppy whispers. ‘I mean, it’s not like you’re not thinking about it all the time.’
    â€˜Are you?’
    â€˜Sort of but not … not badly.’
    â€˜Yeah?’
    â€˜More curious, I guess.’
    â€˜Alex is freaked.’
    â€˜Alex is fucked.’
    â€˜Pop!’
    â€˜You know what I’m saying,’ Poppy giggles. ‘Zac, Zac, Zac.’
    â€˜God, I hope she doesn’t tell him.’
    â€˜About … the séance?’
    Evie nods.
    â€˜She won’t.