The Sequin Star Read Online Free Page A

she comes out. Clearly, she is in no state to live on her own at the moment.’
    Mum nodded, gripping Claire’s hand. ‘Thank you, Dr Costa.’
    The doctor smiled again. ‘Good day, Mrs Stanton. I’ll keep you up to date.’
    She walked away down the corridor. On the verge of tears, Mum turned to Claire and gave her a big, shuddering hug. Claire felt her stomach twist with anxiety.
    â€˜Do you think Nanna could really have Alzheimer’s?’ Claire asked. ‘Do you think she will remember who we are?’
    Mum shook her head. ‘I don’t know, darling, but Nanna is in the best hospital. The staff will look after her, and hopefully we’ll find out more when they do those tests.’
    Claire and her mother began to walk towards the exit.
    â€˜I’d better get to work,’ said Mum with a sigh. ‘If I drop you at the bus stop, do you think you can catch a bus home?’
    Claire nodded. ‘I’ll be fine, Mum. I have some homework I should do. I’ll see you and Dad when you get home.’
    On the bus ride home, Claire couldn’t stop thinking about her grandmother, and she was still thinking about her when she jumped off the bus. She slipped her hand into her pocket and her fingers touched the silver star brooch.
    Claire waited on the sidewalk, lost in her own world. When the bus roared off, she stepped out to cross the road – straight into the path of an oncoming bicycle.
    Claire closed her eyes and felt the handlebars thud into her side, throwing her sideways. Her hand clutched the star brooch in her pocket. Something flew over the top of her. Her head slammed into the ground.
    Pain. Nausea. Darkness.

3
The Circus Lot

    â€˜What are you doing?’ cried a voice. It was high-pitched with fright. ‘You shouldn’t be here. You could get killed.’
    Claire tried to open her eyes. Blinding light. Pain shot through her temple. She touched her head with her fingertips. It felt warm and sticky.
    â€˜I say, are you all right?’ came the voice again, a bit softer this time. It was a girl’s voice. ‘You’re bleeding. Can you hear me?’
    Claire lay there, too dazed to speak. The ground beneath her cheek smelled of warm dirt and dried grass. She wriggled her toes and fingers. Everything seemed to be working.
    â€˜Jem, Jem,’ yelled the girl. ‘Come and help me. A girl ran out in front of Elsie. I think she’s hurt. It’s a miracle she wasn’t trampled.’
    Claire moaned and opened her eyes. A face peered down at her. Actually, there were two faces. One had fair skin and hazel eyes, and was surrounded by wavy, black hair. The other was tiny and wizened.
    She closed her eyes again. It couldn’t be. She opened them again. It looked like there was a monkey peering down at her.
    The next time she opened her eyes there were three faces staring down at her. One was a boy’s, about fourteen, with a thatch of messy blond hair and lots of freckles. The next was the dark-haired girl, about fifteen, and the third was definitely a monkey, wearing a little crimson fez and jacket.
    Claire sat up gingerly. She looked around, expecting to see the busy street near her home and her usual bus stop. Instead, she was in a dusty field. Behind was a huge tent, with dozens of vintage trucks and caravans parked all around it. A circus. That would explain the monkey.
    Right behind the girl was a wrinkly grey elephant with long, dark eyelashes, who was using its trunk to blow dust over its back. A golden dog sniffed around beside them.
    Claire closed her eyes again. Her head pounded. She could taste blood in her mouth. Muddled thoughts raced through her brain. This doesn’t make any sense. I was on the bus, nearly home. Now I’m lying in a strange field. How did I get here? Where am I?
    The girl bobbed down beside her. She was wearing a pair of baggy brown jodhpurs, knee-length black riding boots and a