Squishy Taylor and the Bonus Sisters Read Online Free

moment away from Alice.
    Only problem is that the last time Alice suggested I come, Vee scowled. Later I found used teabags in my shoes. I swallow, waiting for her to say no.
    ‘You’ll need to tie back your hair,’ Vee says.
    I grin.
    After breakfast Vee tries to help me pull the masses of curls up into a knotty ponytail. My hair springs around everywhere and we both start laughing. No-one knows how to deal with my hair except Mum.
    I suddenly realise Jessie is doing snake-eyes at me again. I think she might hate it when I hang out with her twin. It gives me a mini sense of triumph.
    We catch the tram together to Rockers, the rock-climbing centre, and Alice signs a piece of paper about me at the front desk.
    ‘The death form ,’ Vee whispers in a fake-scary voice.
    Vee helps me into the harness and then Alice checks it’s all OK. The walls are really, really high, with little plastic knobbly bits in different colours going all the way to the top. There are heaps of other people along the wall at different heights, like flies.
    I realise this was a fairly drastic plan for a way to talk to Vee.
    Vee climbs first, and Alice shows me how to hold the rope to make sure she doesn’t fall. She points out that Vee is using only one colour of knobbly bits. ‘They’re different levels of difficulty.’
    I stare up at Vee. She’s barely holding onto the wall with her fingertips! How can someone’s fingers be so strong? She climbs higher and higher – almost to the roof.
    By the time it’s my turn I’m feeling jittery . What if I fall?
    ‘I’ve got you,’ Alice says, tugging the rope so it almost lifts me at the waist. I laugh, but it’s a scared kind of laugh. I wonder if Vee can tell.
    I start climbing. It’s easy. My fingertips hold tight to the grips and I just clamber up, up, up. Looking for each new grip is fun and it’s satisfying to feel my arms spread wide across the wall.
    ‘I’m like a ninja !’ I call, looking down.
    Really bad move.
    Alice and Vee are tiny. It’s a long way to the floor.
    What am I doing here? Why did I come? I don’t even care about John or talking with Vee. I just care about not dying.
    I’m frozen. My ears are buzzing. I realise that Vee and Alice are calling to me but I block them out. I just grip the wall and don’t let go. My hands hurt. I need to wee.
    The next thing I know, Vee is on the wall next to me. ‘ Freaking out? ’ she grins.
    And suddenly the world feels normal again. ‘Not much,’ I say.

    ‘Let go of the wall,’ she says. ‘Mum can lower you down.’
    Letting go feels like a really bad plan, but Alice gives me an encouraging tug on my harness. I grit my teeth and loosen my fingers. I swing into the air, but I don’t fall – I stay right there. The harness feels a bit like a hug .
    ‘If you hold this rope, you can lower yourself down,’ Vee says. She shows me how to kick out from the wall and drift towards the ground. It’s really fun. For some reason, having control feels safer than letting Alice do it.
    ‘Can I have another go?’ I ask as my feet hit the floor.
    Alice laughs. ‘Have a rest,’ she says.
    We watch Vee climb and then it’s my turn.
    This time climbing doesn’t feel quite so easy, but I also don’t freeze when I get to the top.
    By the time it’s over, my arms hurt and my fingers hurt, but I have a new favourite thing. I also realise that I’ve totally forgotten to talk with Vee about John.
    Luckily, Alice makes it easy. She grins at us. ‘How about this for a plan: you two catch your own tram home and I meet you there with lunch.’
    ‘Really?’ Vee asks.
    ‘Give me a climb to myself and a cheeky hour in the office. You’ll be fine. You catch the tram to school without me, don’t you?’
    This is true. But Jessie is usually with us and she’s the responsible one.
    I guess Alice thinks we’re responsible enough without Jessie. And anyway, Jessie isn’t always responsible. I think about her squeaky, snorting laugh into