said, trying to smooth the way. ‘ Yo u’ ll give up your phone, wo n’ t you, Byron? In case of an emergency or something - ’
Byron looked at me, then at Leon and Curtis.
‘ If I feel like it . ’
Thankfully, the stand-off was disturbed by Greg. H e’ d been tinkering with Miss Nevi s’ s computer, trying to get through the security pass codes, to gain Internet access.
‘I’ ve done it! I’ m online !’ he announced.
The confrontation was abandoned. We all rushed to the computer.
‘ Nice one !’ said Curtis.
‘ Now we can send emails, check for information . ’
‘ Good work, mate ,’ said Leon.
Gemma wrapped her arms around Gre g’ s shoulders. She was much calmer now. Ten minutes of cuddling Greg in a cupboard had done the trick.
‘ You should get onto one of those news forums ,’ she said. ‘ See if ther e’ s anything about wha t’ s happened . ’
Greg tapped the keyboard. His keyboard now. H e’ d claimed ownership. Immediately, the screen came up with a news page. We listened while Greg read:
‘ Unprecedented flash flooding in the Hurst Valley Area. Heavy rainfall has resulted in significant riverbank breach. Scenes of chaos as torrents destroy homes and shops. Reports of widespread damage and injury. Many people unaccounted for. Emergency services are starting to arrive on the scene, but the rescue effort is being hampered by deteriorating weather conditions . ’
‘ Whoa ,’ said Curtis. ‘ This is bad . ’
My mind span. Unprecedented. People unaccounted for. My dad. My sister.
Chapter Twelve
‘ See if you can find any safety information ,’ said Leon .‘ You know, some kind of website about what to do when there's a flood.'
Greg typed again. He quickly found websites about flooding and safety, but as he clicked through, his face turned pale.
‘ What do you think h e’ s found ?’ whispered Byron, only to me. ‘ The website of doom ? ’
I think he was trying to be funny, but I didn't laugh. It was n’ t the time for jokes. And after the comments he'd made about my friendship with Gemma, and the argument over the phone, his presence was making me feel uneasy. I moved away, stood closer to Leon.
‘ We're screwed ,’ said Greg, reading down the list of flood hazards. 'There's no way w e’ re going to survive all this.'
Greg had a habit of seeing the worst in things, but maybe this time he had a point. I stared through the window. The treetops thrashed in the wind. Thunderclouds were moving in. Tha t’ s all we needed, the weather getting worse rather than better.
Moments later, my phone buzzed. A text from my mum:
Ella safe, trapped in nail bar. Dad found. Injured, but not serious. Will call soon, so stay by phone. Please keep safe. W e’ re doing what we can. Mum. XXX
The relief was instant, massive. Some good news within the gloom. It felt as if I was floating, five-stone lighter.
‘ The y’ re okay !’ I cried, sharing my joy. ‘ My dad and my sister are okay! And my mu m’ s trying to organise our rescue - '
Leon flung his arms around me.
‘ Tha t’ s great news ,’ he said jubilantly. ‘ Twenty minutes tops. I reckon twenty minutes until we hear sirens. A giant fire engine will come ploughing through the water, then w e’ ll be out of here . ’
Curtis and Greg cheered. Even Gemma looked pleased, genuinely pleased. She offered her pinky, linked it with mine. I wanted Byron to see, to give him proof that, beneath her issues, Gemma had a good side. But in the middle of all the excitement, with everyone swarming round me, all the fuss, all the hugs,h e’ d disappeared.
An hour later, the rain and wind was still battering the window s an d there was no sight or sign of anyone, let alone a fire engine. My stomach had started to ache
Byron looked at me, then at Leon and Curtis.
‘ If I feel like it . ’
Thankfully, the stand-off was disturbed by Greg. H e’ d been tinkering with Miss Nevi s’ s computer, trying to get through the security pass codes, to gain Internet access.
‘I’ ve done it! I’ m online !’ he announced.
The confrontation was abandoned. We all rushed to the computer.
‘ Nice one !’ said Curtis.
‘ Now we can send emails, check for information . ’
‘ Good work, mate ,’ said Leon.
Gemma wrapped her arms around Gre g’ s shoulders. She was much calmer now. Ten minutes of cuddling Greg in a cupboard had done the trick.
‘ You should get onto one of those news forums ,’ she said. ‘ See if ther e’ s anything about wha t’ s happened . ’
Greg tapped the keyboard. His keyboard now. H e’ d claimed ownership. Immediately, the screen came up with a news page. We listened while Greg read:
‘ Unprecedented flash flooding in the Hurst Valley Area. Heavy rainfall has resulted in significant riverbank breach. Scenes of chaos as torrents destroy homes and shops. Reports of widespread damage and injury. Many people unaccounted for. Emergency services are starting to arrive on the scene, but the rescue effort is being hampered by deteriorating weather conditions . ’
‘ Whoa ,’ said Curtis. ‘ This is bad . ’
My mind span. Unprecedented. People unaccounted for. My dad. My sister.
Chapter Twelve
‘ See if you can find any safety information ,’ said Leon .‘ You know, some kind of website about what to do when there's a flood.'
Greg typed again. He quickly found websites about flooding and safety, but as he clicked through, his face turned pale.
‘ What do you think h e’ s found ?’ whispered Byron, only to me. ‘ The website of doom ? ’
I think he was trying to be funny, but I didn't laugh. It was n’ t the time for jokes. And after the comments he'd made about my friendship with Gemma, and the argument over the phone, his presence was making me feel uneasy. I moved away, stood closer to Leon.
‘ We're screwed ,’ said Greg, reading down the list of flood hazards. 'There's no way w e’ re going to survive all this.'
Greg had a habit of seeing the worst in things, but maybe this time he had a point. I stared through the window. The treetops thrashed in the wind. Thunderclouds were moving in. Tha t’ s all we needed, the weather getting worse rather than better.
Moments later, my phone buzzed. A text from my mum:
Ella safe, trapped in nail bar. Dad found. Injured, but not serious. Will call soon, so stay by phone. Please keep safe. W e’ re doing what we can. Mum. XXX
The relief was instant, massive. Some good news within the gloom. It felt as if I was floating, five-stone lighter.
‘ The y’ re okay !’ I cried, sharing my joy. ‘ My dad and my sister are okay! And my mu m’ s trying to organise our rescue - '
Leon flung his arms around me.
‘ Tha t’ s great news ,’ he said jubilantly. ‘ Twenty minutes tops. I reckon twenty minutes until we hear sirens. A giant fire engine will come ploughing through the water, then w e’ ll be out of here . ’
Curtis and Greg cheered. Even Gemma looked pleased, genuinely pleased. She offered her pinky, linked it with mine. I wanted Byron to see, to give him proof that, beneath her issues, Gemma had a good side. But in the middle of all the excitement, with everyone swarming round me, all the fuss, all the hugs,h e’ d disappeared.
An hour later, the rain and wind was still battering the window s an d there was no sight or sign of anyone, let alone a fire engine. My stomach had started to ache
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