Don't Breathe a Word Read online

  ‘How can you say that?’ she cried. ‘Of course I care about Grandpa! Who dredged the pond at two in the morning, terrified he was dead? Not you, that’s for sure. Do you have any idea what that was like?’ Her eyes clouded over and she shuddered. ‘The least you can do is let me go to the concert. It’s one night, for heaven’s sake. One night. Dancing is my life.’ She was breathing heavily. ‘Please, Kenzie. I’m begging you. Let me have this and I promise I’ll be there for you once it’s over. I’ll come up with a plan. I’ll help around the house more. I know I’ve been slack but I’ll pull my weight. Just give me this.’

  I picked up one of her costumes. I so wanted to rip it in two but, reluctantly, I had to admit she had a point. I had let her down at the pond. What must it have been like, feeling around in that slimy water in the dark, wondering what she’d find?

  She looked at me with one blue and one green eye. I could just make out the flecks beneath the contacts. I was looking at the real Tahlia.

  ‘What if I can’t manage?’ I said quietly.

  ‘You can,’ she said. ‘I trust you.’

  I looked at the costume in my hands. Its sequins glinted like tiny winking suns. My sister trusted me. A small ball of warmth grew in my belly. Weren’t you supposed to make sacrifices for your family? I thought about the letterbox Grandpa had painted. About the peeling faces, ready to fall away, leaving the little house empty. I had to do whatever I could to hold this family together. I was scared but wasn’t that part of the deal? I just had to hang on till Sunday.

  ‘All right,’ I said. ‘I’ll do it.’

  Mahesh came by on Saturday morning, the day of the concert. He brought a Chupa Chup and some pamphlets from the local museum.

  ‘For your school project,’ he said. ‘The pamphlets, anyway. The Chupa Chup is just for you to, y’know, eat.’

  ‘Thanks,’ I said. ‘Strawberry’s my favourite flavour.’

  ‘You’ve got dark circles under your eyes,’ he said. ‘If I wasn’t going to this family thing, I’d –’

  ‘It’s okay,’ I said, thinking of the four separate times I’d had to drag Grandpa back to bed the previous night. ‘We’ll be fine.’

  ‘Where’s Tahlia?’ he asked.

  I thought of her over the other side of town. She was probably warming up or practising pirouettes or something. ‘She’s … around,’ I said. ‘Anyway, tomorrow everything will be sorted out. Tahlia has a plan.’

  ‘Oh, good,’ said Mahesh, looking relieved.

  ‘You haven’t told anyone about, you know, what happened at the pool?’

  He shook his head. ‘Course not. Anyway, better go. Mum’ll be wondering where I am.’

  As he walked down the driveway in his huge basketball t-shirt, I wanted to call him back. But I didn’t.

  Keeping Grandpa occupied was tricky. I gave him an old car magazine, but he couldn’t concentrate. He flicked through the pages restlessly. I tried to get some washing done – more sheets and PJs – but I had to keep running in to check on him. He’d been muttering about going to the sea and I was worried he might take off. He jokingly called me his gaoler, only it wasn’t a joke. It was the truth.

  That evening, I followed Tahlia’s suggestion and gave Grandpa a big cup of chamomile tea before bed. It knocked him right out, just as she said it would. Even so, I dragged my mattress into the corridor, just in case.

  Every noise I heard that night, I jumped, convinced it was Grandpa trying to break out or someone trying to break in. It was a horrible feeling, being the only responsible person around. I unwrapped my Chupa Chup and licked it for comfort.

  The chamomile tea wore off around four. Grandpa woke up and tried to escape again. I couldn’t wait till Tahlia got back. Only six more hours to go.

  Six hours came and went. Where was she? There was nothing for breakfast and I was starving. I checked the mulberry tree and found a few not-quite-ripe berries. They didn’t taste so good, but they were better than nothing. We had a few each then I went back to watching the clock.

  As the morning wore on, Grandpa got bored. I got out his radio stuff and suggested he tinker with it while I worked on my history project. Mr Goodfellow would kill me if it wasn’t done by tomorrow. I mean, he wouldn’t kill me literally. The police might have something to say about that – murdering students over unfinished assignments. Bit of an overreaction. But he would be disappointed.

  It felt like years since I’d been at school. All that stuff with Annie and the Egans, sport, playing on the oval, maths tests, canteen lunches. Working on my project made me feel normal, like a kid again.

  The hours crept by and still, Tahlia wasn’t back. Why did people have mobile phones if they never switched them on? I’d left her seven messages. She still hadn’t returned any of my calls. Where was she?

  By mid-afternoon, I’d more or less finished my project, but I needed some glue to stick in the pictures. Grandpa had just gone down for his afternoon nap. It was the one time of the day I had to myself, an hour of peace. I thought about Tahlia and a flash of fury went though me. I needed that glue. If she didn’t come back soon, the shops would be shut.

  I rang Mahesh to see if he had any. No answer. What was wrong with people that they went out the very moment you needed to borrow their glue stick? I made a quick check on Grandpa. He was snoozing away. If I just popped out really quickly, I could run off to the mini-mart and be back in ten minutes. Less, even. I’d definitely be back before he woke up.

  But what if I wasn’t? He could put the electric kettle on the gas stove again. Or he could leave the kitchen taps running and flood the bathroom (like he did last week). Or he might take off.

  Then I had an idea. All I needed to do was lock him in his bedroom. Just as a precaution. After all, it was highly unlikely he’d wake up. As soon as I got back, I could unlock the door and he would never know what I’d done. It wasn’t like I’d be gone very long.

  The only thing stopping me now was money for the glue. I took a deep breath. I knew where to get it.

  Spending Dad’s coins was a big step, but I wanted to do well at school and we also needed food. Dad would understand. Even so, I felt sad as I took them out of my box of special things.

  I ran to the mini-mart. They didn’t have what I wanted. Typical! Well, I’d come this far and the supermarket was only a couple of streets further along. I’d only be a few more minutes, and Grandpa’s long naps were famous.

  I ran all the way there, making straight for the stationery supplies aisle. I grabbed the glue, picked up a few packets of instant noodles, and made for the checkout. That was when I bumped into my teacher, Mr Goodfellow. Why now?

  ‘Kenzie!’ he said. ‘How are you going? How’s your Grandpa? Haven’t seen him at the Polar Bears for ages.’

  ‘He sprained his ankle,’ I said, looking around for the shortest queue.

  ‘I should pop in and see him,’ he said.

  More and more people were joining the lines. I’d never get through in time.

  ‘Is he in this afternoon?’

  ‘What?’ I said, turning back to Mr Goodfellow.

  ‘Is your grandfather up for a visit this afternoon?’

  ‘You can’t come over!’ I cried.

  ‘Why? What’s wrong?’

  ‘Nothing. He’s sick. I mean, he’s not sick. He’s perfectly well and totally able to look after us. He’s just … he doesn’t want visitors today. He …’

  Another person joined the checkout queue. I’d be ages waiting to be served. I glanced at the wall clock. It was twenty past four. I wondered, had I locked Grandpa’s window?

  ‘Kenzie?’ said Mr Goodfellow. ‘Is something wrong?’

  ‘I have to go,’ I said, shoving the noodles and glue at him. ‘See ya!’ I dashed out of the supermarket.

  I was so relieved when I finally reached Eggins Avenue. I tore up the driveway and shoved the key in the front door lock. I flung open the door and raced to Grandpa’s bedroom, unlocking his door as quickly as
I could.

  ‘Oh, no,’ I said.

  Grandpa’s bed was empty and his dressing table had been moved to the middle of the room. I looked up. Directly above the dressing table was a manhole. It was open. Then I heard thumping and I knew at once that Grandpa was on the roof.

  Flying outside to investigate, I ran onto the front lawn. Grandpa was up there all right, looking at the sky and waving his radiation detector about. I was just about to call out to him when Lydia pulled up in the driveway. I spun around. What was she doing here? Of course! It was Sunday. I’d forgotten to put her off. How could I have been so stupid? I glanced at the roof wondering how I could get rid of her.

  Lydia got out of the car and hugged me. ‘I’ve brought Monte Carlos,’ she said. ‘They’re your favourites, aren’t they?’

  ‘Thanks,’ I said, still panting from the dash home.

  ‘Look, now’s not a good time for a visit. How about you come back tomorrow?’

  ‘Goodness, why are you out of breath?’

  ‘Tuesday’s a good day for visiting,’ I said, trying to steer her back towards her car. ‘Wednesday’s even better.’

  Lydia wouldn’t budge. ‘You’re behaving very oddly, Kenzie. Is something going on?’

  ‘I just want to … do some stuff … before we have any visitors. That’s all.’ My eyes flitted towards the roof.

  ‘Some stuff? What are you talking about?’

  ‘Hello!’ called Grandpa. ‘Thank goodness you’re here. The government locked me in my bedroom but I’ve escaped. You two had better get inside, though. The radiation levels are dangerously high out here.’ He pointed at the telegraph pole in front of our house. ‘Something’s got to be done about it.’

  Lydia stared at Grandpa and then at me. ‘What is going on?’

  ‘What are you doing up there?’ cried Lydia. ‘You’ll kill yourself!’

  ‘I’m picking up some radiation,’ said Grandpa. ‘From the power-lines.’ He held up his detector and wobbled a bit.

  ‘You need to come down,’ I said.

  ‘Stop nagging me, Meredith.’ He adjusted his detector.

  ‘Meredith?’ said Lydia. ‘Kenzie, why is he calling you Meredith?’

  I looked at her helplessly.

  Grandpa put a foot on the peak of the roof and almost lost his footing.

  ‘Pirate!’ I screamed.

  He straightened up. ‘That was close.’

  ‘You have to come down,’ said Lydia. ‘Right now.’

  Grandpa frowned. ‘I’ve got important work to do,’ he said. ‘Let me be.’

  ‘I knew this would happen,’ I muttered, rubbing my eyes.

  Lydia seized my arm. ‘You knew? Kenzie, you need to explain yourself. No, don’t explain. There’s no time. Let’s just get him down.’

  There was a cry. Grandpa’s body smacked down hard on the roof. The radiation detector flew from his hand, clattering down the tiles. It landed at our feet, cracking open like a plastic egg. Grandpa grabbed onto the pointy part of the roof and hung on.

  ‘Blimey,’ he said, scrabbling for a foothold. ‘I’m in a bit of a pickle, girls.’

  ‘I’m calling the fire department,’ cried Lydia, reaching for her mobile.

  ‘They won’t get here in time,’ I said. ‘Grandpa, I’m coming!’

  I ran inside, into his bedroom. I thought I could climb up though the man hole, but when I stood on the dressing table, I wasn’t tall enough to reach. I ran back out to the shed. A coil of rope hung on the wall. I slung it over my shoulder and went looking for the ladder. Then I remembered Lydia had confiscated it after Grandpa fell off it. There was only one other way onto the roof.

  I’d have to climb up the Thing.

  This was no time for my stupid phobia. I knew that. And yet the fear rose, flooding my belly. But I couldn’t give in to it, not like I did at the pool, or that night at the pond. I ran down the side of the house and stopped in front of the water tank. My hands shook and my breathing came in short, sharp pants.

  The wheelie bin was nearby. I pulled it over and climbed up onto it. I was closer to the tank than I’d ever been, aware that all that separated me from the deep, black water inside was a thin layer of steel. I reached up, then jerked away. I couldn’t do it.

  ‘Kenzie!’ screamed Lydia. ‘He can’t hold on much longer!’

  It was all I needed. I grabbed hold of the tank’s edge and pulled myself up onto it. When I stood up, it indented under my weight and my legs went wobbly, but I kept going. I grabbed onto the gutter and heaved myself onto the roof. I’d done it! I’d faced my water thing, but my job wasn’t over yet.

  The roof was steep and I lost my footing a couple of times. Don’t fall, I thought, peering over the edge of the gutter. It was a long way down.

  From where I stood, I could see Grandpa’s fingers holding tight. He was on the other side of the roof.

  ‘My hands are getting sweaty,’ he called.

  ‘I’m here,’ I said. ‘Hang on.’

  I slipped the rope off my shoulder and unwound it. A couple of years ago, Grandpa had spent an afternoon teaching me how to tie fancy knots. I looped the rope around the chimney then lay down on Grandpa’s side of the roof. My lucky doorknob pressed into my hip, reminding me I could do this.

  I needed to get the rope under his body but he was pressed flat against the tiles.

  ‘Careful,’ called Lydia.

  ‘Can you lift yourself up a little, Grandpa?’

  ‘I’ll fall,’ he said. ‘I can’t.’

  ‘You can.’

  ‘I’m gonna slip, love. Get free of me or you’ll slip too.’

  ‘Then we’ll slip together.’

  As I tried to reach under him, my knuckles scraped on the tiles. He was squashed right up against the roof and I wasn’t getting anywhere.

  A car door slammed in the street.

  ‘Thanks for the lift,’ called Tahlia. ‘See you later, Bree.’ I heard the crunch of gravel as she walked up the driveway. ‘Oh, you’re here,’ she said to Lydia. ‘What’s going on? Why are you crying? Hey, why are Grandpa and Kenzie on the roof?’

  A siren wailed in the distance.

  ‘They’re coming!’ cried Lydia.

  I glanced up. Grandpa’s fingers were barely holding on. We had maybe a few seconds.

  ‘Grandpa,’ I said firmly. ‘You need to trust me.’

  He peeked at me over his shoulder.

  ‘Do I know you?’ he whispered.

  My heart lurched. ‘It’s me,’ I said, ‘Meredith.’

  Grandpa lifted himself up just enough so I could push the rope under him and out the other side. The fire engine pulled up and that brought out half the street. I heard voices down below. I think Mahesh and Mrs B. were there but there was no time to look. I pulled on the rope and began tying one seriously fancy knot.

  ‘Meredith!’ cried Grandpa. ‘I can’t hold on. I’m –’

  His fingers slipped and he started to slide down the roof.

  Everyone gasped. Lydia and Tahlia screamed.

  I yanked the knot as tight as I could then held onto the rope with all my might. Grandpa kept sliding, feet first down the roof, his hands scrabbling for something to hold onto. The rope burned my palms before being ripped from my grasp. ‘No!’ I shrieked. Grandpa was going over the edge and there was nothing I could do to stop it. But then the rope pulled taut. His body jerked and he hung there, dangling halfway over the gutter. The knot had held.

  A cheer rose up from down below. At least a dozen people were standing in our driveway. Seconds later, a firefighter climbed up a ladder and started helping Grandpa down.

  ‘Kenzie saved him!’ cried Basanti and Vijay. ‘She did it!’

  Yes, I did do it. I smiled the biggest smile as the fear washed off me like water.

  As I gazed down at everyone, Lydia looked sick with relief and Mahesh looked proud, but it was the expression on Tahlia’s face that stayed with me. Horror. It was pure horror.

  After the firef
ighters got Grandpa down, Mrs B. took him inside for a cup of tea. Lydia got on her mobile and called a doctor and I climbed down the ladder.

  Tahlia sat on the hood of the Vee Dub. She was very quiet and her eyes were red and puffy. ‘Bree’s dad bought us lunch at Hungry Jack’s,’ she said. ‘That’s why I was late. I was going to call and let you know but we had to order, then we were eating, and I kept thinking, “Oh, it’s not that late. And anyway, I’ll be home soon.” And then …’ She rubbed her eyes. ‘I shouldn’t have left you overnight. Grandpa could have died. So could you.’ She breathed in deeply. ‘I am so, so sorry, Kenzie. I’m a selfish cow.’

  I nodded. ‘Yes. You are.’

  She took it; didn’t even try to thump me.

  ‘I know it’s a bit late now, but I’ll do anything to make it up to you,’ she said. ‘Just say the word.’

  She looked so guilty, so desperate. I paused. Let her suffer, I thought.

  At last, I said, ‘I’d like to hear some more about how mean you’ve been. And a lot more about how excellent I was at saving Grandpa.’

  ‘I can do that,’ said Tahlia. ‘And I can suck up too, if I have to. Here, pass me your lucky doorknob. I’ll take a vow.’ She held out her hand and I passed it to her, warm from my pocket. She spat on it and held it against her heart. ‘I, Tahlia Rosamund Carew, do solemnly swear –’

  ‘To never be a selfish cow again,’ I offered.

  She raised an eyebrow.

  ‘Say it,’ I said.

  ‘To never be a selfish cow again,’ she repeated. ‘And to do whatever it takes to keep this family together.

  ‘May my nose fall off and my hair turn blue,

  May I fall in a tub full of alpaca poo.’

  She handed the doorknob back to me.

  ‘What if you can’t keep us together?’ I said. ‘Our secret’s not so secret anymore.’

  Before she could answer, Lydia got off the phone. The look on her face was full of fear and disappointment, and concern, and anger, and maybe even love. Yes, there was love there too. She’d be the one making the big decisions from now on.

  Part of me was glad about that, but part of me was filled with fear. I looked at Tahlia. What would happen to us now?