Outbreak Read Online Free Page A

just being here, talking to you, has made me realise how good it is to help,’ I told her.
    â€˜Yes!’ added Sophie. ‘We love helping!’
    â€˜Well . . . er . . .’ Nurse Nellie stared at the stained sheet. ‘That’s wonderful?!’
    â€˜We mightn’t be much good at it yet, but it’s OK not to be perfect. Every day is a second chance, right?’
    Thank you, Princess Sparkle.
    Nurse Nellie’s eyebrows shot up.
    â€˜We don’t want to spend another minute being less than useful. Starting now.’ This stuff was too priceless. I glanced around the room. ‘Maybe we could scrub the walls?’
    Nurse Nellie looked around fearfully. ‘I don’t think . . .’
    â€˜Or reorganise your medicine cupboard? We’re happy to stay here the whole day if you need us. After all, there’s no elevatorto success, you have to take the stairs.’ I gave Nurse Nellie my biggest, cheesiest grin.
    â€˜Er, perhaps you’ve done enough . . .’
    I sensed we were almost there. ‘At the very least we could provide some relaxing music? We could sit beside you and hum a song. What about “If You’re Happy And You Know It”?’
    â€˜Oh, no,’ said Nurse Nellie quickly.
    â€˜â€œYou Are My Sunshine”? “Kumbaya”?’
    â€˜No! No! There’s no music in sick bay.’ Nurse Nellie looked alarmed now. ‘You both seem to have learnt your lesson,’ she added quickly. ‘You can go now.’
    â€˜Well, only if you’re sure . . .’ I said, trying not to sound too keen to get out of there.
    Nurse Nellie nodded anxiously. ‘Yes! You’ve been a great help! I’ll tell Mr Bill you’ve gone back to class. Off you go!’
    â€˜OK then, bye!’ said Sophie as we headed for the door. The moment we were outside, we took off.
    We sprinted around the corner and past the portraits and stopped. There, dead ahead, at the other end of a long hallway, was a familiar figure.
    â€˜I’VE GOT YOU NOW!’ shouted Slender, rushing toward us.
    Sophie and I spun around. We raced past Nurse Nellie’s desk and back into sick bay.
    The room was empty.
    Sophie stopped behind me. ‘Nurse Nellie must be in the headmaster’s office.’
    I hurried toward one of the windows. ‘These have bars on them! We’re trapped!’
    â€˜What about this one?’ Sophie led the way to the open window behind Nurse Nellie’s desk in the outer room. We stuck our heads out the window for a look. ‘We’reon the first floor! It’s too high!’ Sophie wailed.

    The ground was covered in a bed of leaves. It would be safe for me to jump, but Sophie wasn’t half zombie.
    â€˜I’ll go first,’ I said. Before she could argue, I shoved the window open wider, vaulted over the windowsill and landed lightly in the garden bed.
    â€˜Come on!’ I shouted up to Sophie, holding my arms out. ‘I’ll catch you!’

    She scrambled up onto the ledge, and with a tiny scream, leapt off. She landed on my head then toppled into the leaves.
    â€˜You were supposed to catch me!’ she said angrily as I dragged her to her feet.
    â€˜You were supposed to jump into my arms!’
    We sprinted along the side of the building. I glanced back. A head was just vanishing back inside the upstairs window as we raced around a corner. Slender was onto us.
    Sophie and I crept through the grounds until we reached the bike rack. Neither of us ever bothered to lock up our bikes and in a couple of seconds we were pedalling hard out through the school gates.
    Sophie’s house was closest. Without saying a word, we both headed toward it.
    As we rode, unanswered questions raced through my mind. Where was Michael now? Who had kidnapped him, and why ?
    The bus parked out the front of Sophie’s house came into view as we turned into her street.
    â€˜Dad will be home,’ she