Run, Zan, Run (8 page)

‘If we all go over there together, Ivy’s not going to
bother anyone again. If she sees we’re going to help all the dirty wee Teresas in the school, who’s left for her to pick on?’

There was silence. Then, one by one, the look on each of their faces began to change. Katie could read this new look easily. It said simply, ‘If there is any trouble, she can turn into Zan!’

They were expecting more magic.

‘Katie’s right,’ someone said, boldly now. ‘Let’s stick with Katie.’

Ivy looked up as they approached. ‘Whit do you lot want?’ she asked gruffly.

‘You leave Teresa alone,’ Katie said.

Ivy’s jaw hung open, not believing what she’d just heard. ‘Whit did you say?’

‘Has she taken any money off you, Teresa?’

Teresa flushed and swallowed. She looked from Katie and the girls around her, to Ivy. None of these girls were her friends. Could she trust any of them? Katie read that in her grimy face.

‘Come over here,’ Katie said gently. She reached out and took Teresa’s hand. It was cold and clammy and made her cringe, but she held it tight and drew her
gently into her circle of friends. One of us.

‘Did she take money from you?’ Katie had to look up to Teresa, who was tall, though seldom looked it. She smiled and said gently again, ‘Did she?’

At last Teresa nodded.

Katie looked at Ivy. ‘Give it back, then.’

Ivy glared around them, trying to look fierce. It had always worked so well, that look. But she was alone now.

‘Aye, give it back,’ a voice behind Katie shouted.

‘Or else,’ another voice threatened.

Katie almost giggled then. She had a feeling she knew what the ‘or else’ might be. She, Katie, would turn into Zan. Whatever it was, it worked.

Anger exploded in Ivy. But an anger tinged with fear. ‘Here, take your money back!’ She threw a handful of coins at them. ‘It’s the last time I ask you for a loan for anythin’, Teresa Henderson.’

She stalked away, not looking back once. But she heard. Heard the laughter and the cheers that erupted as she left them. And Ivy would never forget that, Katie knew. Nor would she forgive.

She told Zan about it later when they met after school.

‘Didn’t I tell you? Stick together. They can’t touch
you if you all stick together.’ Zan smiled and popped another crisp into her mouth. She looks amazingly like me, Katie thought, watching her.

‘You should get your hair cut,’ Katie said.

‘I do cut it.’ She held out an uneven chunk for Katie’s inspection. ‘Do it myself.’

‘I don’t mean that, I mean properly. In a hairdresser’s.’

Zan stopped chewing. ‘Don’t try to make me what I’m not. I’m happy the way I am. OK?’

‘OK,’ Katie said, though she still couldn’t understand.

‘So now you have another fan. This Teresa?’

‘Oh, I hope not. Nazeem’s bad enough.’

‘I’ve never heard anyone talk so much,’ Zan laughed. She had a hearty laugh that echoed in the old empty tenement.

‘Anyway,’ Katie reminded her, ‘they’re really your fans. Zan is the one they think helped them.’

‘Not today, Katie. Today, it was you. Only you.’

That hadn’t occurred to Katie before. She had stood up to Ivy. She, little Katie Cassidy. The thought made her feel warm all over.

‘I’m so glad I met you, Zan.’

‘You’ve paid me back,’ Zan answered. ‘Because of you, I can stay here. Everyone thinks I’m you. You’re me. I don’t exist. I feel safe for once. I’ve never stayed
this long anywhere before.’

As she spoke Katie remembered Mr Whittaker, with his long dark face, and his questions … and the warm feeling went.

Zan saw the change in Katie’s expression. ‘What is it? What’s wrong?’

Katie almost didn’t tell her. It would be stupid to worry her for nothing. But she knew she couldn’t lie. Not to Zan. And she would have to warn her. Mr Whittaker was planning to join in her father’s frequent forays to search out vagrants.

‘It’s probably nothing,’ Katie said. ‘He can’t be looking for you.’

Zan sat up rigid. ‘Who?’

‘Mr Whittaker. He’s a private investigator. It can’t be you he’s looking for. His clients are parents, their child disappeared. They’re frantic with worry. It can’t be you.’ She had to make her stay. She had to.

‘But he’s not leaving?’

‘In a few days. I told him you don’t exist. I think he believed me.’

‘You THINK he believed you!’ Zan was suddenly shouting at her. ‘Don’t you realize yet how important this is to me?’

Katie hurried on. ‘But I told him it isn’t you. It can’t be.’ She paused, all at once afraid. ‘Is it?’

Zan closed her eyes almost as if she were praying. The deserted close was silent, the traffic noises from the streets faded and distant …

‘You know what?’ she said at last. And even then Katie knew what was coming. Zan drew in a deep breath. ‘I can’t stay here, Katie. I have to leave right away.’

Chapter Nine

Nothing Katie said could convince Zan that it was safe for her to stay. Only the fact that this Mr Whittaker would be leaving soon himself had made her promise to hang on for a few more days.

If only Katie could do something to convince him Zan didn’t exist. If only she could come up with a plan; but her mind was completely blank of brilliant ideas. She could think of nothing except … Zan had to stay. If she left, why … it would be like losing part of herself.

‘What’s wrong, dear? You look so worried.’ Her mother brought her a cup of tea and sat down on the bed beside her. ‘You’re supposed to be doing your homework.’ Her homework lay untouched on her desk in the corner. ‘If it’s the police you’re worried about, they won’t bother you again.’

Katie had forgotten all about the police. Their visit had been drowned in a sea of more troubles.

‘As long as you don’t go near those three girls again. And of course you won’t,’ her mother tutted. ‘I know it’s unfair. And I’ve written to the Chief Constable about it. I’m very angry.’

Katie smiled for the first time that night. Her mother, trying to be so serious, was wearing a bright pink tracksuit and a face mask, and she had two halves of a lemon tied on to her head. It was difficult to keep a straight face. ‘I’m letting the juice seep through to give my hair shine,’ she had explained earlier to Katie’s father. He had almost jumped out of his skin when she first came out of the bathroom. ‘Alien Invasion! Alien Invasion!’ he had shouted, leaping over the banister and firing an imaginary space gun at her. Katie smiled again at the memory of the moment. So much like old times. Katie would normally have joined in. She knew her father had been hoping she would too. She just couldn’t; not tonight.

‘There! My wee girl’s smiling again.’ Mum couldn’t smile back, not without cracking the face mask. So she just hugged her. ‘Now, drink up your tea.’

Katie was trying to avoid that. If her mother left the room she could surely find one plant left alive to deposit the dreaded brew. But tonight, her mother was determined to watch Katie sample her latest concoction.
‘Come on,’ she urged. ‘Drink up. It’s good for you.’

Katie took a sip and wished she hadn’t. There was garlic in this one, and something that tasted vaguely of crushed dandelions – ones that had been kept well watered by the town’s cats.

‘That will send you to sleep,’ her mother assured her.

‘For ever,’ Katie added silently.

‘And I want you to wake up tomorrow and start enjoying life. Like you used to.’

Katie knew she should try, but Zan just wouldn’t stay out of her mind for long. She thought about her in history, and got herself into trouble. She worried about her in maths, and got into more trouble. She was still thinking about her in PE when Mr Percy’s voice boomed out and almost sent her spinning off the bench in the gym.

‘Katie Cassidy! You haven’t heard a thing I’ve been saying, have you?’

‘Yes, I have sir,’ she lied.

‘OK. Repeat.’

She looked round for help, trying to lip-read the mouthed instructions the rest of the class were giving her. It was no use.

‘Not a clue,’ Mr Percy admitted for her. ‘Well, since you’re obviously not interested in what I’ve been saying,
perhaps you’d like to do something else instead …?’

‘Me?’ Her very worst subject was PE. She hated sports. The only thing she even remotely liked was badminton, and she wasn’t good at that.

‘Yes, you. Three laps round the gym. Running. Full speed. Right now!’

There was no arguing with Mr Percy. When he said go, you went. She was only half-way round when she’d had enough. But she knew from experience that she could fall down and die in the gym, and he would not take pity on her. He wasn’t called No Mercy Percy for nothing.

She passed him, breathing hard. Any sensible man would have had her on oxygen. Mr Percy ignored her. He kept on talking to the rest of the class.

‘A wonderful gym … and I think we should be making more use of its facilities …’

Like life-saving classes, Katie might have suggested, if she’d had the breath.

Second time around she stopped, panting, beside him. The rest of the class were already giggling, as they usually did when Katie did sports. She bent and rested her hands on her knees.

‘Did … you say … two … laps … sir …?’ she suggested hopefully.

‘Three!’ he snapped. ‘Now run!’

And Katie was off again, her legs almost buckling under her.

‘So … have we any suggestions for a class after school? And let’s learn something useful at the same time.’

‘Ballroom dancing?’ There was a collective groan, and the suggester of that one almost went flying off the bench too.

‘Sword fencing?’

‘In this school!’ Mr Percy boomed again. ‘You lot would have wiped out each other within the week.’

‘Sir … sir …’ Katie struggled to get the words out.

He turned. ‘Did you say something, Cassidy?’

‘Sel … l … l …’

‘Out with it, girl.’

Couldn’t he see she was trying? She might die first.

‘Self-defence classes, sir.’

Then she fell in a heap on the floor. If he wanted her to finish this final lap, he’d have to carry her round himself.

Mr Percy stroked his chin thoughtfully. ‘Mmm, interesting idea. Any particular reason why you suggested that one, Cassidy?’

‘I think if we learned to defend ourselves –’ she took another deep breath ‘– we’d be able to take care of ourselves more …’

‘Defend yourself? Against what?’

‘There are such things as bullies, sir.’

There was a murmur of approval and agreement. Mr Percy glanced at them. ‘The rest of you agree?’

‘It’s a great idea, sir.’

‘Aye. Self-defence. Brilliant.’

‘Can you teach us that, sir?’

‘But who’s to say the bullies won’t take up the selfdefence classes too?’ was Mr Percy’s next question.

‘Because that’s not how they fight,’ Katie answered at once. ‘But if they come, well, let them. At least they won’t be able to pick on us if we can take care of ourselves.’

‘That’s actually a rather sensible suggestion, Cassidy.’ He sounded slightly astonished, as if a sensible suggestion was the last thing he would have expected from her.

The rest of the class once again murmured their approval.

‘Let me see what I can organize,’ Mr Percy told them as he dismissed them from class.

Katie sat in her bedroom, trying to concentrate on her history project. All she could think of was Zan.

‘Is Mr Whittaker still here?’ She had asked her father at teatime. They were still not on the best of terms. Something hung between them. That something was
Zan, and the lies she was telling to protect her.

‘He’s still here,’ he had answered.

‘He must be leaving soon, though. If he’s not able to find this … mysterious girl … what’s the point of him staying?’

‘He won’t give up so easily, Katie.’ He was trying to make her understand. ‘His clients … this girl’s parents … are desperate to find their child. I can understand that. The man has to make sure. I think he’s going to interview …’ he hesitated ‘… these girls you had trouble with.’

‘But Ivy Toner’ll say there is another girl … because she would lose face if wee Katie Cassidy beat her.’

‘He wants to talk to them anyway.’

‘And of course he’ll believe her before he believes me!’ And then she added, just because she wanted to hurt him. ‘Just like you do.’

It was another worry to add to the others. Of course, the Posse would insist Katie and Zan were one and the same. So would Lindy and Michelle. But Ivy … Ivy was another matter altogether.

Oh, she had to think of something to help Zan, to keep her safe, here with Katie.
‘Look who’s come to see you, darling.’ Her mother blocked the doorway and stepped aside to reveal Nazeem.

‘Katie! I haven’t seen you for days!’ Nazeem’s bright smile lit up the room. So much for Katie’s history project, and thinking up a plan to save Zan.

Her mother left them, and Nazeem immediately threw herself on the bed. That was Nazeem. Everything she did, she threw herself into. She began to chatter about her family, the postman’s bad feet and the letter he had brought from her aunt in India. The good thing about Nazeem was you didn’t have to listen to her. The bad thing was you couldn’t concentrate on anything else. And here she was trying desperately to work out a plan.

‘And I told him. You’re just magic. I can’t say anything more, I told him. Katie’s just magic.’

‘I’m what …?’ Katie was pulled back to Nazeem’s conversation. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘Aren’t you listening?’

Katie tried to look as if she had been.

‘That Mr Whittaker came. I don’t like him, Katie. He gives me the creeps. He was asking all sorts of questions.’

Katie sat upright. ‘And what did you tell him?’

‘So silly. He was trying to get me to say there was
another girl that day. She was the one that tied up the Posse.’ She tutted and rolled her big eyes, as if anyone could be that stupid. ‘But I just told him. There was no other girl. It was you. You came and saved me.’

‘Good, Nazeem.’

‘I wasn’t going to let any other girl get the credit. So I just told him. Katie’s magic. She can turn into this other girl whenever she wants.’