got to get on one of those layers of draught up there, follow the high parts of the attic so that we don’t hit any beams or projections from the roof. In most places you can’t even see the roof, but it does come down low in others. No, Clo, no practice runs. When we take off, we do it for real.’
‘Where from?’
‘From the top edge of the water tank. I felt the water when we were up there. It was quite warm. There’ll be a thermal above it we can use to gain height. We’ll have to take off over the water, gain some height, turn when we can, then head back for the boards.’
Chloe looked at him with admiration.
‘You know your stuff, mister, don’t you?’
Jordy suddenly went uncharacteristically shy. ‘Oh, I don’t know.’
‘Yes you do, doesn’t he, Alex?’
‘My bruv?’ He slapped Jordy on the back. ‘He’s brute.’
‘Hey, watch the arm,’ cried Jordy, wincing.
Chloe then turned her attention to Alex.
‘What about you? How are you going to cross the tank?’
‘I thought I’d make a raft. There are plenty of packing cases – things like that – about.’
‘Shall we help you?’
‘No, no need, sis. The bortrekker’s coming back to give me a hand. Thanks anyway.’
‘Oh,’ she said, her looks turning dark again, ‘the bortrekker.’
‘I know you don’t like him now, but it’s not his fault I’m staying, you know. It’s mine. I would’ve done anyway. I might have been a board-comber. That’s what they call the collectors up here. Board-combers. You’d have liked me even less then, wouldn’t you? All wrapped up in stinky clothes and looking like a walking rag-bag.’
‘Like you?’ her face crumpled a little, her large dark eyes moistening. ‘Alex, I love you. You’re my little brother. I love you so much it hurts.’
‘Oh.’ He felt a knife going into his heart. What did she have to say that for? Girls were so soft. ‘Well – you know.’
To cap it all, Nelson limped forward on his three legs and looked up into Alex’s face. Nelson’s expression was one of puzzlement and just a little contempt. Did he understand? Alex was a little aggrieved at his cat’s attitude. If anyone should understand about the right to roam at will, Nelson should. After all, cats were the worst. They wandered where they liked, took no heed of relationships that did not provide food, and generally walked alone with not a care for anyone or anything. It wasn’t fair of Nelson to judge him, when Nelson himself was a worse offender.
‘You can look,’ muttered Alex. ‘You’re just as bad.’
Jordy was by now feeling exhausted. He fell off to sleep without a by-your-leave. Chloe, after all the stress of the day, did the same very soon afterwards. Alex looked down at the sleeping bodies and became very emotional. He was now planning to leave his brother and sister for good. That meant leaving his mother and Ben too. His mother he loved, of course, and he’d grown rather fond of Ben over the last year. Ben didn’t try to push the father bit with him, but was still firm when he felt Alex needed it. Alex had a lot of respect for his mother’s new husband, though of course he kicked against Ben’s authority sometimes.
‘Well, Makishi,’ he said, ‘it’s just you and me now.’
‘You are keeping me, Alex? A bortrekker has no mask, unlike a board-comber.’
‘Oh, I wouldn’t abandon you, you ugly old circumciser.’
‘Thank you. You are most kind. And thank you for the compliment. I flatter myself I have always been fairly ugly.’
‘You’re extremely ugly.’
‘Nice of you to say so.’
Next, Alex patted Nelson on the head. Nelson gave him a different look from the one a short while ago. Alex sighed. Leaving was a difficult thing to do when it came down to it. Alex hadn’t thought it would be. He had seen himself walking away without even a slight feeling of regret. However, he was determined to follow his star. If he went home with the other two he would never get back. He knew that. He had to do his own thing.
So he went, without looking back.
When Chloe woke she shook Jordy.
‘Come on. We have to get you home.’
Jordy’s bleary eyes opened. ‘Eh? Oh, yes.’
He sat up and rubbed his face vigorously with his free hand.
‘Damn, it does ache a bit, Clo. It’s hurting like mad now.’
‘Well, it will, until you get it set properly. That splint’s only to stop you jolting it. Now, how do we get