Rain In My Heart (15 page)

Chapter Twenty Eight

              We forgot to check the candles.  In the middle of the drama, we were plunged into darkness.

            
 ‘
Crap
!
’

            
 ‘
The wicks!  We did
n’
t keep an eye on them!  They mus
t’
ve burnt themselves out
!
’

‘
What was that
?
’

            
 ‘
Ow
!
’

            
 ‘
Careful
!
’

              Our voices sailed through the black.  I stepped forward, heard a yelp. 
I’
d stood on someone's hand.

            
 ‘
Sorry
,’
I whispered.

              CRASH THUD CRASH

              Suddenly the dark was filled by the sound of clattering easels, several at once, falling to the floor. 

            
 ‘
Is everyone okay
?
’

              As my eyes adjusted I could see the outlines of the windows, the silver glow of the clouds.

            
 ‘
Where are the spare candles
?’
I said.
 ‘I’
ve got the lighter in my pocket.  Someone help me find the candles
-
’

            
 ‘
On the table
,’
said Leon.

I fumbled across the chairs, skimmed the tabletop with my hands, searched for the tin.  Nothing there.

            
 ‘
The ti
n’
s gone, too,' I gasped.
 ‘
The tin with the candles in, it was next to the phones - and now i
t’
s gone
!
’

I heard something drop and roll.  One of the candles fell off a chair and rolled along the floor.  I knelt and grabbed it.

            
 ‘
Wait!  Found one
!’
I shouted.

I took the lighter from my pocket, flicked my thumb across the flint, ignited the wick.  Everyone cheere
d–
even Byron.  Leon came behind me as I held the candle upwards.

            
 ‘
Clever, Kate
,’
he whispered, feeding his arms around my waist.

            
 ‘
Not much burning time
,’
I said cautiously.

            
 ‘
As long as it lasts long enough for us to find a way out of here
,’
he said.  'And this time, I'm not taking no for an answer.'

              He kissed the back of my head.  I have to admit it felt good, a moment of affectionwithin all the stress.  But it didn't last long.  We could
n’
t ignore the fact that the tin and the rest of the candles had disappeared, along with our phones.  We could
n’
t forget that moment
s’
before, w
e’
d all been arguing, slinging accusations and threats, judging and blaming.  Then I noticed something else.  As I set the new-found candle on the table next to the previous one, I realised the previous one still had half it's wax left, a good two hours worth.

It had
n’
t burnt out at all. 

It had been blown out.

Someone or something had blown it out.

Chapter Twenty Nine

              Byron again.  A momen
t’
s reprieve, then back to Byron.

            
 ‘
You
?’
said Greg.
 ‘
Did
you
blow the candles out?  Is this your idea of a joke
?
’

            
 ‘C’
mon, mate
,’
said Leon.
 ‘
Like, why
d’
you do that
?
’

              Byron rolled his eyes.

‘
Is there any point even trying to deny it
?’
he said
.‘
Or am I going to be blamed for everything
?
’

‘
Sounds like a reasonable idea to me
,’
said Curtis.
 ‘
I do
n’
t see anyone else being such a prize nob
-
’

              He and Byron locked eyes.

‘
Please
,’
I begged.
 ‘
Ca
n’
t we try and get on, for the sake of everyone's sanity?  Besides, Byron was
n’
t anywhere near the candles. Maybe ther
e’
s a draft somewhere
?
’ 

As I spoke, I could feel the drag in my voice.  I was starting to grow weary - and
wary
- of fighting Byro
n’
s corner, especially since he was doing so little to help himself.

‘
I did
n’
t feel a draft
,’
said Curtis.
 ‘
Anyone else
?
’

‘
No
.
’

‘
Me neither
.
’

‘
Come on
,’
said Leon, pulling Curtis away.
 ‘
Ther
e’
s no point arguing with crazy. We need to sort this rope out.  Less talk, more do.'

He picked up a box of fabric. Greg and Curtis helped him.  Byron went back to the shadows. Clearly, it pained him to stand, but he managed, using a table for support.  He hobbled towards the radiator at the back.  With everyone occupied, I was grateful for a momen
t’
s peace.  It was
n’
t long, however, before I noticed Leon sneak overto Byron.  I guess he thought no one was watching.  He did
n’
t realise I was in earshot, just behind the fallen easels.  He closed in, pinned Byron to the wall with is body mass.

‘
Itell you now, lurk boy,
I’
m not happy about these photos.  I
t’
s a breach of my privacy
.
’ 

              Byron shook his head.

            
 ‘
Yo
u’
re so narcissistic
,’
he said.

            
 ‘
You what
?
’

            
 ‘
Narcissistic.  It means
vain
.  But I know what your issue is, Leon.  Yo
u’
re not concerned about a breach of your privacy.  Yo
u’
re not a private person.  You like to be top dog.  Yo
u’
re
out there
. The reason yo
u’
re worried about the photos is because yo
u’
re scaredther
e’
s evidenceof you cheating.  All those poor, gullible girls
-
’

            
 ‘
What are you now, a mind reader?  You wait till we get out of here
.
’

‘
Why?   Because yo
u’
re going to - what was it Curtis said - make me
toast
?
’

‘I’
m warning you
,’
said Leon, beefing up his shoulders, leaning forward.  'Mess with me and you'll regret it.  My brothe
r’
s about to join the police.  He could have you arrested for harassment
.
’

            
 ‘
But I have
n’
t harassed anyone
,’
said Byron
.‘
Quite the opposite. 
I’
ve kept my distance, stayed in the background
.
’

            
 ‘
He could pin anything on you.  He knows how to work the system
-
’

            
 ‘
Sounds like a friendly, reliable kind of cop,' said Byron.   'Oh, yes, I know your brother.  Isn't he the one who punctured your lung?'

            Leon stopped, stepped backward.

            'Tha
t’
s none of your business,' he said, clearly flustered.

           Byron shrugged.

          
 ‘
If you say so. But big brother or not,
I’
m afraid you ca
n’
t pin anythingon me.  You do
n’
t have my phone, remember.  Nophone.  No photos.  No evidence
.
’

            
 ‘
Yeah, yo
u’
ve made sure of that, have
n’
t you
?’
Leon replied.
 ‘
But Gemma will back me up.  Sh
e’
ll be a witness.  Sh
e’
ll tell the police what they need to know.  Is
n’
t that right, Gem
?
’

              He turned and looked for Gemm
a’
s support, but she was
n’
t there.

            
 ‘
Gem
?
’

              He called again.

            
 ‘
Shame. Iguess sh
e’
s not interested
,’
said Byron.

            
 ‘
Gemma
?
’

              Leon called across the room, but no reply came.  He called again, then he powered into the dark.  He searched behind the easels, the pottery wheel, then the store cupboard.  Eventually, he came to me.

            
 ‘
Kate, you seen Gemma?  Wher
e’
s she gone
?
’

            
 ‘
She was here a minute ago
,’
I replied, trying to mask the fact that
I’
d been listening into hi
s‘
cha
t’
with Byron.  He then went to Greg.

            
 ‘
Wher
e’
s Gemma
?’
he said.

Greg glanced about.

            
 ‘
She was with me
.
’

He paused. 

The silence bulged.

‘
She was standing right next to me...she was right her
e…
just her
e…
before the candles went out
.
’