Night School

She’d never felt more tired. If I could just rest for a second I’d gather my strength. A short nap and I’ll be able to help more. I’m just so tired.


Her head felt so heavy. She let it drop to the floor.

As unconsciousness wrapped around her like a warm blanket, she sighed with relief.

Suddenly she was flying, supported by something strong and loving. She leaned into it. Safe. Protected. Floating.

Warm air filled her lungs, and went away. Filled her lungs, and went away. Over and over.

And then a beautiful voice. ‘Please don’t leave us. Don’t go.’

Warm lips on hers. Warm air in her body.

Pain racked her and she coughed so violently her body shook convulsively. When the convulsion stopped though, fresh air caressed her and she breathed in gratefully.

Her eyes fluttered open. She was lying in Sylvain’s lap, his arms tight around her. She reached up and touched his face wonderingly.

‘Why are you crying?’ she whispered.

He didn’t answer. Instead he rocked her like a baby, his face in her hair. Listening to her breathe.





THIRTY


‘This time, Isabelle did call the fire brigade, then?’ Allie asked in a hoarse whisper.

‘For, like, the first time ever.’ Rachel smiled at her. ‘After you and Jules scared the life out of everyone.’

It was morning and they were sitting in a bedroom in the teachers’ wing. Allie was propped up on pillows, clutching the cup of tea with lemon and honey that Rachel had brought to soothe her sore throat. Rachel was perched on the foot of the bed, filling her in on ‘everything that happened after you died’.

‘They put an oxygen mask on you, although they had to pry you away from Sylvain to do it.’ Rachel arched one eyebrow. ‘He wouldn’t let you go.’

‘Was it Sylvain who found me then?’

‘Yes.’

‘How …?’

‘He and Carter had cleared the guys’ dorm. Then they saw the other fire. Carter went to get the teachers out. Sylvain was going to clear the girls’ dorm, but when he realised it was empty he found us outside,’ Rachel explained. ‘Katie and I had just brought Jules out and saw that you weren’t there …’

She stopped mid-sentence and Allie realised that she was crying. Reaching across the bed she squeezed her hand.

‘I’m OK,’ she whispered. Rachel nodded and wiped tears from her eyes.

After a second, she continued, but now her voice shook. ‘When we told him you were missing nobody could stop him. He ran into the library like he couldn’t burn.’

She took a deep breath.

‘I didn’t see you when he brought you out, I was giving Jules CPR. But Jo told me he gave you CPR for a long time before you came to. After that he wouldn’t let you go. Guess he was afraid you’d stop breathing.’

‘Guess he was,’ Allie echoed.

‘Anyway, as soon as Isabelle called the fire brigade, Nathaniel and his cronies melted away – and I wish I meant that literally.’ Rachel leaned back against the wall. ‘You and Jules and three members of staff all needed oxygen. Jules and this one guy, Peter? Do you know him?’

Allie shook her head.

‘He’s one of the younger students. Well, they’re both in hospital for smoke inhalation. They wanted to take you, too, but nobody would let them. Isabelle, Carter and Sylvain just weren’t having it. So they put you in here and Carter sat here all night to make sure you kept breathing. Which you did,’ she finished brightly.

‘Yay me,’ Allie croaked weakly.

‘Indeed. Yay you.’

‘How bad is the damage?’ Allie asked.

‘I’m not sure. I know three or four rooms are totalled. They won’t let anyone into the dorms, and the whole building reeks of smoke.’ She wrinkled her nose. ‘The fire in the library was started at the librarian’s desk and spread to the stacks nearby. They don’t know how many books are gone.’

She looked genuinely sad and Allie had to hide a smile.

‘They think the dorm rooms where the fires were set were all unoccupied, and a fire was set in an attic and on the landing near the stairs,’ Allie had a flash memory of Christopher with a flaming torch, ‘but they’re still assessing. Isabelle’s running around like a mad woman.

‘Contractors are coming in this afternoon to assess the damage, and everybody’s being sent home. We’re all writing essays to replace our last few exams. I think we should insist on doing ours on fire safety.’

Allie’s chuckle sounded like sandpaper on rough wood. ‘I could change my history essay to the Great Fire of London.’

‘Yeah, right? You’ve already done the research.’

Someone knocked on the door. Allie tried to say ‘Come in,’ but it came out as a whisper.

‘Entrez-vous,’ Rachel called.

Jo opened the door and ducked in nervously, closing it behind her. ‘Hi Allie. Are you OK?’

Allie smiled weakly. ‘I’m going to live – again – I think,’ she said. ‘Rachel was just telling me everything that happened last night.’

‘It was crazy,’ Jo said. ‘Really scary.’