Mumnesia by Katie Dale Page A

up.
    ‘Awesome!’ I jump up. There’s
so much of the future still to explore! ‘So what shall we
do today?’
    ‘Well . . .’ Lucy pulls a face.
‘I
have
to go to school. The Megababes saw me at the
cinema yesterday so they know I’m not ill.’
    ‘Bogus,’ I groan, my excitement
popping like a balloon as I flop back down on the bed. ‘So,
like, what am
I
supposed to do all day?’
    Lucy shrugs. ‘Watch TV? Go
online?’
    ‘Go where?’ I frown.
    ‘On the Internet,’ Lucy explains.
    I blink. ‘What’s the
Internet?’

23 LUCY
    ‘Oh my giddy, giddy aunt, my mind is
literally BLOWN!’ Shazza cries, her eyes like saucers as I
open up different websites on Mum’s laptop in the
lounge.
    ‘So you can watch TV, films or find any information you
like,’ I explain. ‘Just type what you want here, then
press Search.’
    ‘By clicking the . . . oh, don’t tell me.’
She squeezes her eyes shut. ‘It’s some kind of rodent
. . . the rat?’
    ‘The mouse.’ I smile.
    She giggles. ‘You future dudes have such bizarro names
for things.’
    I laugh, then notice the time on the computer’s clock.
‘Crumpets, I’ve got to go.’ I jump off the sofa
and pull on my big furry trapper hat and coat. ‘See you
after school, OK? Remember, don’t go outside, open the door
or answer the phone – unless it’s me.’
    Shazza rolls her eyes. ‘Just like Snow White.’
    ‘Exactly!’ I wink. ‘If you need me for
anything, just call my mobile like I showed you. It’ll be
on silent – we’re not meant to have mobiles at school
– so leave a message and I’ll ring back as soon as I
can, OK?’
    ‘All right already! Don’t have a cow, dude!’
Shazza says, in a terrible attempt at an American accent.
    I raise an eyebrow. ‘A
cow
?’
    Shazza laughs. ‘I’ll be fine!’
    I hope so. I grab my school bag and hurry outside, pulling up
my hood against the October drizzle. I check my mobile to make
sure it’s on, then I hesitate. Is it really safe to leave
Shazza home alone? A twelve-year-old girl from 1985, loose in the
twenty-first century? Who knows what trouble she could get into?
Wait, who’s the parent here anyway?
    #RoleReversal
    ‘Lucy!’
    I turn to see Kimmy running towards me.
    ‘I’m so glad you’re feeling better!’
she cries, hugging me tight. ‘I rang your house after
school to check on you, but there was no answer.’
    ‘Sorry, I—’
    ‘Of course, I could’ve called you on your cool new
smartphone if I’d known!’ she squeals, spotting my
mobile. ‘Wow!’
    ‘Mum bought it for me,’ I explain, as we walk
towards school.
    ‘
Really?
’ Kimmy raises an eyebrow. ‘I
thought she was uber-against you having a mobile?’
    ‘Well . . . she’s changed!’ I grin.
‘You’re never gonna believe what
happened—’
    ‘What happened?’ Megan cuts in as the Megababes
walk up beside us. ‘Ooh, nice phone!’ She snatches it
from my hand.
    ‘Hey, give that back!’ Kimmy demands.
    ‘Chill, Chung, I’m just looking. Lucy
doesn’t mind, do you?’ Megan says sweetly.
    ‘I . . . um . . . no?’ I say helplessly.
    ‘See?’ Megan smiles smugly as Kimmy frowns.
‘It was lovely to meet your mum last night, Lucy. How was
Mutant Zombie Vampires
?’
    ‘What?’ Kimmy stares at me. ‘I thought you
were ill yesterday?’
    ‘Oops, did I put my foot in it?’ Megan’s
eyes gleam. ‘You certainly didn’t look very ill,
Lucy, especially with your chic new hairstyle.’
    ‘What new hairstyle?’ Kimmy’s frown
deepens.
    ‘You haven’t
seen
?’ Megan nods at
Nicole, who pulls my hood down and my hat off.
    Kimmy gasps. ‘What did you
do
?’
    My hands fly to my hair. ‘Don’t you like
it?’
    ‘Well, yes, but I liked it before!’ Kimmy says.
Suddenly her jaw drops. ‘OMG, are those
earrings
?’
    ‘Gorgeous, huh? What a makeover!’ Megan gushes.
‘Selfie time! All the blondes together!’ She pulls me
into a group shot with the