The Scent of Apples

The Scent of Apples by Jacquie McRae Read Free Book Online Page A

Book: The Scent of Apples by Jacquie McRae Read Free Book Online
Authors: Jacquie McRae
normally make me stop and marvel. Right now it just all seems wrong. The only colour it should be is black. I slow down and see a little speckled sparrow, balancing on a thin branch. Through the leaves, he twitters to his friend below.
    Anger wells up inside me. It starts in my belly and then pushes its way up to thump in my chest, and then to my forehead. I lean down and pick up a rock. The sharp edges cut into my hand as I squeeze it into a fist. How dare those birds carry on like nothing has happened? Don’t they know that the world can never be the same? That a piece is missing? It seems everyone wants to pretend that nothing has changed. That we can just pick up the pieces and carry on like normal. But how can anything be normal again?
    â€˜Libby, what are you doing?’ Jaime’s frightened look makes me drop the rock.
    â€˜Nothing.’ I march off as fast as I can, hoping to lose my pretend friends. I hear their footsteps quicken as I weave in and out of a row of poplars.
    Ebony appears beside me, red-faced and panting.
    â€˜Slow down, Libby.’
    Ebony has the most perfect rosebud lips I’ve ever seen on a real person. Her long black hair looks like someone has painted just the right amount of gloss on it so it can sparkle in the sunshine. The rest of her is made up of meanness. I’ve seen her at school with the younger kids. Cruel words tumble out of her mouth like an avalanche, and they don’t stop until her victims are crying in the rubble. Then, with a flick of her gorgeous hair, she’s off looking for her next target.
    I ignore her.
    â€˜Look, I know how sad you must be, Libby.’
    She stands right in my way.
    â€˜You’ve got no bloody idea.’
    â€˜Actually, I do. My guinea pig died last year and I felt awful for days, but it does get better.’
    â€˜You can’t compare your guinea pig to – Oh God, it doesn’t matter.’
    â€˜Libby, you’re not listening to me.’ She runs in front of me and stands on the track with her hands on her hips. ‘I’m telling you, it will get better.’
    I can’t believe I’m hearing this crap. Then it clicks. ‘Shit … I get it. Mum told you what to say, didn’t she? God, you’ve probably been waiting all morning to get it out.’ I glare at her as she blocks my path. I get the same feeling that I got when I heard the sparrow. Anger wells up in my belly, and rocks within my reach glisten.
    â€˜I thought you were taking us to the barn,’ Lucy yells out from behind.
    The urge to throw rocks at Ebony is replaced by an urge to get away from these girls.
    Lucy looks as mad as a rattle snake, and there are perspiration beads all over her face. ‘I want to see the barn.’
    â€˜I don’t feel that well.’ I spin around and head towards the house. ‘Why don’t you take your jacket off, Lucy? You look like you’re overheating.’
    â€˜I’m fine.’
    I hear the three of them whisper behind me, but I couldn’t care less what they think.
    On the porch, I kick my boots off.
    â€˜Excuse me.’ Ebony pushes past me into the kitchen.
    Lucy sidles up to her mum and whispers in her ear.
    â€˜Well, it seems that Libby needs a bit of a rest, so we’d better get going.’ Lady Mayor says.
    Mum whips her head around in my direction. I’m hoping to see sympathy in her eyes, but what I see looks more like blame. She arranges a smile on her face and turns back to our guests. ‘But I’ve only just put some muffins in – you’ll have to wait for them!’
    Lucy stiffens her body and folds her arms across her chest. We all see the look she gives her mum. Lady Mayor hunts for her handbag and loops the strap over her forearm.
    â€˜Thank you, but we really have to go.’
    â€˜Another day, then?’ Mum must realise how pathetic and desperate she sounds.
    â€˜Yes, we’ll be in touch.’
    They

Similar Books

Jules Verne

A Voyage in a Balloon

Misguided Angel

Melissa de La Cruz

The Quivering Tree

S. T. Haymon

Rewrite Redemption

J.H. Walker