Fifteen Days Without a Head Read online

  I take off the sunglasses and throw them onto the table. I feel stupid dressed like this, and for ever thinking it was going to work. It also means we’re back where we started: no money.

  Mina doesn’t flinch, just takes another bite of her sandwich and looks at me with those steady dark eyes of hers. She swallows and reaches for her mug.

  ‘Where’s your mum gone?’

  I glance towards Jay. ‘She’s away working,’ I tell her, while shaking my head at the same time.

  Mina nods. ‘And you’ve run out of money.’

  ‘Yeah.’

  She takes another gulp of tea. ‘I’ll lend you some. I went baby-sitting last night, so I’m loaded.’

  The offer is such a surprise, I don’t know what to say. Then I shake my head. ‘Thanks, but it’s OK, you don’t have to.’

  ‘I know I don’t have to, but I’m offering, so take it. You can pay me back mind. If you don’t I’ll hunt you down for the rest of your days!’ She grins.

  ‘I can’t take money off you.’

  ‘Why not? I thought you were desperate—you look desperate.’

  I shrug.

  ‘If you go into the bank dressed like that,’ says Mina, ‘there’ll be a police car waiting for you on the way out. I’m guessing that’s not what you want.’ She nods towards Jay. ‘I’m guessing nobody knows you’re on your own.’

  ‘Nobody.’

  Mina looks at her watch. ‘I should be getting back to school. Come on.’

  I drain the last of my tea and grab the remains of my sandwich—I’m not leaving that behind. We stand up and move towards the door and I catch the eye of the bald mechanic. He’s grinning at me, his eyes glued to my bath-salt boobs.

  ‘See ya later, darlin’,’ he shouts, winking at me again. His mates round the table are all grinning.

  I nod. ‘See you, gorgeous,’ I say in my deepest voice, returning the wink.

  His grin drops like a greasy chip from a plate. One of his mates starts to laugh. I give him a wave, then open the door.

  Mina doesn’t stop laughing until we reach the high street.

  ‘I like you, Laurence Lauren Roach,’ she says reaching into her bag. ‘Never a dull moment with you!’ Mina hands me a twenty pound note. ‘Will that keep you going for a bit?’

  ‘Don’t you need it?’

  ‘I was just going to buy something for Amy’s birthday next week, but I can do it tomorrow.’

  I take the note. Suddenly my throat seems to have closed up on me.

  ‘Right, I gotta go. Some of us have school to go to.’ She grabs my hand and writes on the back of it in blue biro. ‘My mobile,’ she says. ‘Call me, anytime. We need to talk, you and me.’ Then she reaches up and kisses me on the cheek. ‘Take care now, Big Man.’ She ruffles Jay’s hair and walks away, waving as she goes.

  ‘Why did she write on your hand?’ says Jay.

  I shrug.

  ‘She’s weird,’ he says, shaking his head. ‘I like her though.’

  ‘Yeah,’ I tell him. ‘Me too.’

  ‘You know something, Dan, my friend,’ says Baz, ‘I’m going to miss you. We’ve been through a lot together you and me—but like ALL good things it MUST come to an end. OF THAT WE CAN BE CERTAIN! The only thing we DON’T know is when. WILL it be tonight? Or WILL it be tomorrow?’

  Baz pauses and the air crackles.

  ‘TWO correct answers. ONE to go. Just ONE MORE question and you’re THROUGH TO THE FINAL!’

  Something outside the phone box catches my eye. A figure with long silver hair tied into a ponytail, crossing the car park. My heart bounces like one of Baz’s stupid sound effects as the silver-haired man disappears inside Parade Wines.

  What if it was Mum he was with that night? What if she’s still with him? Waiting somewhere, right now. If I followed him, he could lead me to her.

  ‘Daniel?’ says Baz, in my ear.

  ‘Yeah?’

  ‘You still with us, champ? I thought we’d LOST you again.’

  ‘No. I’m here.’

  ‘Are you READY?’

  ‘Yeah.’ My eyes are fixed on the doorway of Parade Wines.

  ‘OK. Question number THREE. What is the name of the famous American landmark, where the faces of former Presidents have been carved into the hillside? Is it A: The Lincoln Memorial? B: Capitol Hill? Or C: Mount Rushmore? I’ll read that again …’

  The silver-haired man reappears with a red Parade Wines carrier bag in his hand. It’s too soon! If he leaves now I’ll never catch up with him. But instead of turning left back towards the park, he walks along the Parade and pushes open the door of Choi’s Fish & Chips. There’s a queue inside—I might just make it.

  Except, I wasn’t listening to the question.

  ‘Sorry, um, could you repeat that for me?’

  ‘AGAIN!’ says Baz. ‘That’s HIGHLY unorthodox, but seeing as it’s you.’

  ‘Thanks.’

  ‘The monument in America, with the Presidential faces carved into the side of the hill. What’s it called? Is A: The Lincoln Memorial? B: Capitol Hill? Or C: Mount Rushmore?’

  ‘C—Mount Rushmore.’ I know this because I watched an episode of Scooby-Doo with Jay yesterday morning. The gang went on a trip to Mount Rushmore, and Shaggy and Scooby ended up being chased across the monument by ghosts of the Presidents. Who says you can’t learn anything from watching television!

  ‘That’s your FINAL answer?’ says Baz.

  ‘Yeah.’

  Inside Choi’s Fish & Chip Takeaway, the silver-haired man is next in the queue.

  ‘You’re ABSOLUTELY sure?’

  ‘Yes!’ Please get on with it!

  ‘I KNEW this would happen,’ says Baz. ‘I TOLD you we were going to have to say goodbye.’

  The chip shop door opens and a kid comes out, blowing on a tray of chips.

  ‘MY FRIEND, I bid you FAREWELL. It’s been great—what AM I SAYING? It’s been a BLAST!’ Baz is playing sad music with the sound of sobbing in the background.

  The silver-haired man steps back into the Parade, carrying a Choi’s Chip Shop carrier bag. It looks heavy. A takeaway for two? I have to see where he goes.

  ‘Which is why,’ says Baz, ‘I’ll be DELIGHTED if you would join us tomorrow night. SAME TIME—SAME PLACE—for the FINAL!’ Wild cheering and firework sound effects almost drown him out. ‘When our reigning champion DANNY THE ICEMAN Roach, will be just THREE questions—that’s JUST THREE questions, folks!—away from winning himself an ALL-EXPENSES-PAID holiday in the sun!’

  The Hardacre Holidaze jingle rattles through the telephone, as the silver-haired man walks towards the steps at the end of the Parade. I’ve got to go.

  ‘I’ll be there,’ I tell Baz. ‘See you tomorrow.’ And put the phone down.

  Jay is waiting outside for me. I lift him up onto my shoulders and start to jog.

  ‘Where—we going?’ says Jay, steadying himself with handfuls of my hair.

  ‘We need to follow that man. The one with the silver hair.’ I can see him crossing the park some distance ahead. We need to get closer, or we could lose him when he goes through the hedge.

  ‘That’s—the man—from—the fair,’ says Jay, bouncing around on my shoulders.

  I grunt. It’s hard to talk and run, especially with Jay’s legs clamped around my neck.

  ‘Why—are we—following—him?’

  ‘I’ll tell you later. Just watch where he goes, Scoob!’

  ‘OK—Shaggy.’

  The silver-haired man disappears through the hole in the hedge. I put on a burst of speed, worried we’re going to lose him. When we get to the gap, I lift Jay down and peer through. I’m just in time to catch a gleam of sunlight on silver hair, disappearing around the bend to our left. I lift Jay onto my hip and make my way to the concrete bridge. Our quarry is almost at the lock, silhouetted against the sky.

  ‘Come on.’ I hoist Jay back onto my shoulders.

  The silver-haired man pauses for a moment to talk to s
omebody on one of the narrowboats tied to the bank. It gives us a chance to catch up—but I don’t want to get too close. I don’t want him to know he’s being followed. At least it means Jay can walk for a bit.

  Up ahead, the canal curves round through a short tunnel beneath a tall black railway bridge. The silver-haired man disappears inside.

  ‘We need to get closer,’ I tell Jay. ‘Get back on my shoulders.’

  But Jay shakes his head. ‘It hurts!’

  ‘We’ll have to run then.’

  ‘OK.’

  We start to run, but after a few metres Jay drops behind. I keep going. I can’t lose sight of the man now.

  It’s spooky inside the tunnel, my footsteps slap back at me off the curved roof, and I’m glad to be out the other side. There’s a line of three boats ahead, moored to the bank. The silver-haired man is level with the first of them. He keeps going, past the second and on towards the third. I hang back, keeping him in view, and wait for Jay. I can see through the tunnel, to the disc of blue sky in the centre, but there’s no sign of Jay. He’s probably too scared to come under the bridge. I should go back for him.

  The silver-haired man walks on, past the last boat.

  Where’s he going? I can’t follow much further, not without Jay.

  I knew I should have carried him.

  There’s a second lock just ahead. The silver-haired man climbs onto the gate and crosses to the other side, then heads back towards the railway bridge on the opposite bank. I keep walking, so it’s not too obvious I’m following him. There’s a point when we draw level, separated only by the width of the canal. He looks across at me and nods. I walk on, waiting until I’m almost past the lock before turning to watch where he goes.

  There’s a boat, hidden from view until now by the overhanging branches of a willow tree. A short grey craft, with a square cabin and round portholes; nothing like the brightly painted narrowboats we passed earlier. A faint yellow glow illuminates the windows, and I can see blue smoke curling from the stub of chimney on the roof.

  And I know straight away—

  She’s in there.

  The feeling is like a blast of heat—so intense that when it’s gone I shiver.

  It was the same in the Tent of Mirrors and when I chased them through the park.

  It’s Mum. I can feel it.

  I watch the silver-haired man climb aboard, then turn and run back towards the tunnel. Jay’s waiting just the other side. For a second he looks pleased to see me, then his face clouds.

  ‘You ran off!’ he says, on the verge of tears.

  ‘Sorry, Scooby old pal, I had to follow the man. But I found out where he lives. It’s a good job you were here keeping watch. Thanks, pal.’ I grin, not sure whether Jay is going to play along. ‘How about we stop for some Scooby Snacks on the way home? What do you think?’

  I can see Jay is torn, caught between self-righteous anger and chips.

  The chips win in the end.

  It’s cool and dark out here on the roof. Night rolling down its blinds on the day, filling the sky with stars. I can just make out the ragged line of trees separating the park from the canal. Somewhere in the blackness beyond is the grey boat.

  Am I kidding myself thinking she’s there? I’ve got no proof, just a feeling, fizzing like fireworks through my veins telling me it’s her. I need to be sure. And I have to do it soon—before my head explodes.

  I’m up early, my brain still buzzing from last night. I want to get down there, I need to find out if it’s really her.

  ‘I’m not going to the stupid canal!’ says Jay, fists balled.

  ‘But we need to spy on that man, the one from the fair, see what he’s up to. Come on, Scooby, old pal—I can’t do it without back-up!’

  Jay folds his arms and glowers at me from under his fringe.

  I don’t know what to do. I can’t leave him here on his own.

  Then I realize the answer is staring me in the face—written in smudged blue numbers on the back of my hand.

  I tell Jay not to move until I get back, and grab my phonecards.

  Nosy Nelly materializes like an apparition when I’m halfway across the lobby.

  ‘Good morning.’ Her eyes flick from me to the stairs. ‘Is your brother not with you today?’

  ‘He’s upstairs …’ An alarm blares in my head, but it’s too late to recall the words.

  ‘Alone?’

  ‘No! Mum’s with him.’ Idiot! What did I say that for?

  ‘Ah!’ Nelly’s eyes light up. ‘Excellent. I’ll go and see her now.’

  ‘No!’

  Nelly stops and looks at me.

  ‘She’s getting ready for work. She’s got to go in a minute.’ My heart is hammering, making it hard to think. ‘Did you get her letter? She said she’ll come and see you at the weekend—on Saturday.’

  Nelly sighs through pursed lips. ‘I’ll expect her first thing Saturday morning. Nine o’clock sharp. Tell your mother I do not tolerate tardiness.’

  I’m engulfed by a choking cloud of old-lady perfume as Nelly leans towards me.

  ‘But be warned. If I suspect for a moment that anything untoward is taking place upstairs, I will be informing the authorities immediately. Do I make myself clear?’

  I don’t say anything, just give Nelly a look.

  But Nelly looks right back—

  And it’s me who breaks first.

  ‘You want me to do what?’ Mina sounds different on the telephone, more northern. ‘I’m supposed to be at school.’

  ‘Sorry … I forgot. Don’t worry. It doesn’t matter.’ I realize now it was stupid to ask.

  I hear Mina chuckle on the other end of the line. ‘Didn’t say I wouldn’t, did I? Just thought you might want me for something more exciting than baby-sitting your little brother.’

  My mouth goes dry. ‘Um …’

  ‘So, what are you doing that’s so important?’

  I hesitate, then tell her about Mum and the boat. And for a second there’s silence at the other end. Then Mina speaks again.

  ‘OK. Give me half an hour. I need to wait for Dad to go to work. Where do you live?’

  ‘You know the shops? Parkview Parade. I’ll meet you there.’

  I’ve never seen Mina out of uniform before—school or band. Today she’s wearing a short dress covered in roses, a denim jacket and huge white sunglasses. I notice that she’s also wearing lipstick. She looks different … very different … and the Mina in my head is saying, I thought you might want me for something more exciting …

  ‘Thanks for coming over,’ I croak, as she smiles and wheels her bike towards me.

  ‘No problem, Big Man. Maths and double biology today anyway.’ Mina pulls a face. She looks up at the Heights. ‘So this is the place you haunt.’

  ‘Yeah. We better go in the back way.’

  Mina looks up at the fire escape.

  ‘You might have warned me. I’m not exactly dressed for climbing!’

  ‘Sorry.’

  She laughs. ‘Still, I should have known. If you’re involved, it’s bound to be something unusual.’ She touches my arm briefly. ‘I mean that in a good way.’

  Mina chains her bike to the base of the fire escape, then clambers up onto the bins behind me. I get the feeling it’s not the first time she’s climbed over a fence. She’s not happy when she sees the ladder though.

  ‘You sure it’s safe?’

  ‘It’s been OK so far.’

  ‘Great! That makes me feel loads better.’ She grasps the rusty metal and steps onto the first rung. ‘No looking up my skirt!’

  I turn my back and study the crumbling brickwork, until I hear a shout from above.

  When I get to the top, Mina is standing on the roof looking out across the park. ‘Great view. You can almost see our house from here.’

  I follow the line of her arm to a clump of trees in the far distance. She’s standing very close and I can smell perfume; something light and fresh, nothing like the b
ug-spray Nelly was wearing. I swallow and move away, suddenly conscious that I’ve been wearing the same pair of jeans for … longer than I can remember, and that my T-shirt smelt bad when I pulled it out of the washing pile two days ago.

  Jay’s watching television; he doesn’t turn round until Mina says hello. Even then he doesn’t recognize her until she takes off her sunglasses.

  ‘I’ve got to go out for a while,’ I tell him. ‘So Mina’s going to stay with you until I come back.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Because I can’t leave you here on your own.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Because …’

  ‘I wanted to watch some cartoons,’ says Mina. ‘We haven’t got a telly at our house, and Laurence said you wouldn’t mind if I watched some with you.’

  ‘You haven’t got a TV?’ Jay’s eyes pop in amazement.

  ‘Our old one blew up, and we haven’t got a new one yet.’

  ‘Blew up!’

  ‘Yeah! There was this big bang and loads of blue sparks. Frightened the life out of our cat!’

  Jay thinks this is hilarious.

  Mina turns to me. ‘Right, you better get going. Just show me where the kitchen is—I’m a bit parched after all that climbing.’

  I switch on the light in the kitchen and the roaches dart for cover.

  ‘Whoa!’ says Mina, grabbing my arm. ‘What was that?’

  I’m looking around the kitchen, at the grease-stained cupboards, the piles of washing up, the overflowing bin … It’s like I’m seeing the room for the first time, the way she must be seeing it. I’ve lived with it like this for so long, it seems normal. Only it’s not is it? I wouldn’t blame Mina if she turned round and legged it—jumped on her bike and never came back.

  ‘Roaches,’ she says, after a moment. ‘My uncle had roaches in his shop—right little beggars to get rid of. Did you know they reckon cockroaches would survive a nuclear war?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘It’s true.’ Mina looks up at me. ‘So—you gonna get me that glass of water or what?’

  I rinse a mug under the tap, while my brain tries to accept the fact that Mina is still here.

  ‘Are you sure your mum’s on this boat?’ she says.

  ‘No, but I think she is. I need to find out.’