The Mute and the Liar (31 page)

For
the
first
time
in
years,
I
am
smiling.

2
nd
March
2011

8:35 AM

T
here
was
a
dress
waiting
for
me
on
the
vanity
table
this
morning
-
a
cream
boatneck
dress
with
a
red
floral
pattern
decorating
it.
I
was
a
little
worried
about
wearing
it;
I
have
only
worn
a
couple
of
dresses
in
the
past.
Although,
I
have
to
admit,
I
like
this
one.
I
tie
my
hair
into
two
low
ponytails.

Now
the
four
of
us
are
sitting
around
Kit’s
dining
table
listening
to
her
wonder
out
loud
what
we
should
do
today.
Jayce
has
washed
his
hair
this
morning,
so
it’s
dripping
wet
and
he
has
a
towel
wrapped
around
another
‘
e
co’
t-shirt
(
w
ith
the
slogan
‘
f
orget
flower
power.
It’s
all
about
solar
power!’)
It’s
weird
to
see
his
hair
all
floppy
and
shielding
his
eyes;
it’s
such
a
change
from
the
electrocuted
fashion
he
has
always
had
it
in.
His
hair
is
quite
long
and
appears
golden
now
the
gel
has
been
replaced
with
water
and
it
is
catching
light from
the
window.

On
the
other
side
of
the
table,
Kit
seems
to
have
decided
to
wear
the
nearest
swan.

I
am
finishing my
cereal,
Nick
is
jugging
down
coffee
as
though
it
is
water
and
he
is
standing
in
a
desert,
and
Jayce
is
attempting
to
stab
a
piece
of
toast
to
death.

“
How
about
we go
to
the
city
centre?
We could show
Alicia
around?
”
Kit
offers.

The
city
centre?
That’s
brilliant!
I
straighten
up,
looking
directly
at
her.
I
can
feel
my
pulse
quickening
and
a
fluttering
in
my
stomach.
If
I
could
go
outside,
I
could try
to
escape!

Jayce
stops
stabbing the
toast
(which
now
looks
more
like
a
pile
of
miserable
breadcrumbs)
and
worriedly
turns
to
me.
He
watches
me
for
a
few
seconds,
perhaps
wondering
whether
he
could
risk
taking
me
outside.
Eventually
he
looks
away
and
shakes
his head slightly,
deciding against it.

“
That’s
not
such
a
good
idea.
”

“
Oh
come
on.
It
will
be
fun!
You
used
to
live
here;
you
could
show
her
everything! You know all
the
best
places
to
go and
sights
to
see!
”

“
Well,
I
think
it
would be
fun
,
”
Nick
pipes
in.

We
all
look
at
Jayce
with
big,
pleading
eyes.
He
glares
for
a
few
moments,
but
finally
sighs
and
gives
in.

“
Fine.
But
we
can’t
let
Alicia
out
of
our
sight,
okay?
We
wouldn’t
want
her
to…
Get
hurt.
Or
something,
”
with
this
vague
and
totally
not-suspicious
statement,
he slithers
from
the
room,
only
to
be
chased
by Nick.

I
cannot
believe
it!
I
can
go
outside!
Excitement
sweeps
over
me,
and
hope
feels
like
a
dragonfly:
it
dances,
hovers
and
buzzes
right
in
front
of
me,
just
in
reach.
I
should
start
planning
all
the
ways
I
can
escape
or
get
help.
I
will
definitely
run
to
get
help
the
second
I
can
get
away
from
them,
and
I
might
even
give
this notebook
to the police.

Nick and Jayce have been outside for a while now. I wonder what they're
talking about. In
fact,
I'll
just
go
and
find out for myself.

They
are
whispering
in
the
corridor,
and
are
so
engrossed
in
their
discussion
they do
not
acknowledge
me
when
I
arrive.

“
You could get
caught; she could
escape.
It’s
not
worth
it.
”

“
You’re
the
one
who
said
it
would
be
fun!
Anyway,
I
think
it
will
be
fine.

I’ll just
keep her
close. We’ll be in disguise
anyway.
No
one
will notice us.
”
We both look at
him
blankly.

“
You
know.
Disguise
.
It’s
that
thing
where
you
dress
mysteriously
to
be
incognito.
Wow,
that’s
a
cool
word.
Incognito.
Anyway,
look,
”
he
walks
up
to
the
coat
rack
by
the
door
and
swings
a
green
shapeless
trench
coat
over
his
shoulders.
“
Dashing,
yes,
I
know.
I
am
quite
the
dapper
chap.
And
for
you…
”