Chaos Clock Read Online Free

Outstretched hand.
    “Shhh.”
    A finger touched her forehead. Cold. Water trickled into her eyes, clouding her lashes. She blinked, trying to look through it and saw a dazzle of snowflakes.
    “Kate?”
    She put her hand up to wipe the water from her eyes, to push the cold fingers away from her.
    “It’s all right, Kate.”
    ***
    She opened her eyes. Mrs Henderson was looking at her, frowning. Mrs Henderson was looking
down
at her. She seemed to be lying on the floor.
    She sat up, confusion and embarrassment fighting for space in her head.
    “Take your time, Kate. How do you feel?”
    Looking round now, she saw faces turned towards her, eyes wide, David among them, his foreheadfurrowed in a frown.
    “I feel fine. I’m all right.” It was true. She did feel fine. She felt stupid.
    “What happened?”
    “You fainted, dear. Just for a few seconds. Nothing to worry about, it happens to lots of people. I sent someone for the nurse.”
    Kate got to her feet, Mrs Henderson insisting on helping, and sat down on her chair, so embarrassed she wished she could disappear. She knew her face must be scarlet and she tried without success to ignore Jamie Grieve sniggering behind his hands with a couple of friends. They’d tease her for days about this.
    The bell for the end of school came as a relief and Kate packed her things away quickly, anxious to get out of reach of Jamie and his chums.
    David seemed to take forever to get ready, but eventually they were out and walking across the broad, grassy expanse of Bruntsfield Links.
    “What happened to you?” David asked, looking at her sidelong.
    “I don’t know.”
    “You went really white and just fell down. I thought you’d had a heart attack or something.”
    “I don’t think people have heart attacks when they’re our age.” She fell silent, deciding whether to tell him about it. “I had a dream or something. Except it didn’t feel like a dream. I was in a desert, but it was really cold, and there was a woman … her clothes were soaking; it was as if she’d just come out of the bath, or out of a river. She knew who I was and I was scared of her,but I wanted to know how she knew me, and then she touched my head, and then I woke up. I suppose all that sounds really stupid?”
    David thought. “Not stupid. Just weird. Not your sort of thing.” He looked at her hard. “Are you sure you feel all right now?”
    “Yes. I was fine as soon as I woke up – apart from feeling like a complete idiot.”
    They crossed the road and opened the wooden gate to David’s garden. As he rummaged through his pockets for the key, Kate said, “Please don’t tell Claire or your dad, okay?”
    “Okay!” He pushed the door open. “It’s just us,” he called, dropping his bag and jacket on the floor. Kate followed suit.
    There was no answer, but when they got to the kitchen they found a plate of peanut butter sandwiches waiting and through the open door they could see Claire in the back garden, hanging out washing. They started on the sandwiches.
    As they ate, Claire came in with the empty laundry basket.
    “Hi, David.”
    He grimaced as she ruffled his hair.
    “Hello, Kate.”
    She put the basket down and watched them eat. “Do they not feed you at school at all these days?”
    “Hardly at all,” said Kate.
    “Just stale bread and water,” added David.
    “And grey porridge.”
    “And rotten meat.”
    “And lumpy custard.”
    “Bogey soup.”
    They dissolved into giggles. Claire rolled her eyes.
    “You’re a right pair of eejits sometimes. What time’s your dad due in?”
    “About six.”
    “Better get the tea on then. Are you staying for tea, Kate?”
    “Yes, please. My mum’s coming over for me about eight.”
    “Righto.”
    She moved about the kitchen, humming to herself, as Kate and David finished the last sandwiches.
    “How long d’you reckon that homework’s going to take?” asked David, round a mouthful.
    Kate shrugged. “Half an hour? Bit more maybe.