Night School

Jo’s torso appeared over the edge of the roof.

Carter and Allie scooted back and then, ‘Again!’ Carter shouted. ‘Pull!’

This time, Jo was fully on the roof, and they both reached for her arms to pull her to safety.

Relieved tears burned Allie’s eyes. Panting from the exertion, and she crawled over to Jo. ‘Are you OK?’ She grabbed Jo’s hands to see her injuries, and winced. ‘Oh Jo,’ she said. Several of Jo’s nails had torn clean away, and she had a deep cut to the palm of her left hand that was bleeding freely.

‘Allie? Jo? Are you up there?’ Gabe’s voice came from below them.

Carter and Allie exchanged a look. But it was Jo who answered. ‘Gabe,’ she cried out, sobbing, ‘Gabe, help me!’

‘Jo?’ he shouted, fear in his voice.

Allie could hear him climbing fast up towards them, apparently taking the same path Carter had earlier.

Leaping onto the roof, he stood staring at them for a second, astonished, before rushing over to Jo.

‘What the hell happened? What’s wrong with your hands?’ When she didn’t answer he turned towards Carter. ‘Carter?’

Carter’s voice was dull with exhausted tension. ‘She fell off the roof. I think she hurt herself trying to hold on. We need to take her to the nurse.’

‘Jesus Christ.’ Gabe wrapped his arms around Jo and lifted her up so that she was on her feet with him supporting her. Looking at Carter over her shoulder, he mouthed, ‘Vodka?’

Carter nodded. Although Gabe looked saddened, his voice was calm. ‘I’ve got you, babe. I’m going to get you down. Carter, can you help me?’

Turning to Allie, Carter said, ‘Stay here, OK? Do not move. I’ll come back and show you the safe way down.’

Beyond speech now, Allie nodded, and Carter hurried after Gabe. She listened to them lowering Jo down to the ledge, and then manoeuvring her through the window. There was a low murmur of conversation that she couldn’t make out, and then the sound of Carter returning.

Still sitting on the roof with her arms wrapped tightly around her body, she rocked back and forth, counting every movement. (One hundred and seventeen, one hundred and eighteen, one hundred …)

‘Are you OK?’ He’d crouched down beside her so that his face was even with hers. She could see the worry in his eyes as he wiped a tear from her face with his fingertips.

Straightening, she nodded.

‘Then let’s get off this crazy roof,’ he said.

He helped her to her feet and then led her past the spot where she’d climbed up earlier to a section where the roof sloped more gradually down towards the ledge. It was easy from there to make her way down to a sturdy ledge, and then walk the short distance to her bedroom window.

From the windowsill, she climbed through onto her desk, banging her head hard on the top of the window frame in the process. Inside, she reeled around the room, clutching her head as he slipped gracefully through the window and looked at her in amazement.

Despite what they’d just been through, she saw him try not to smile. ‘Allie, what have you done to yourself now?’

She pointed at her head.

‘Come here.’ He grabbed her arm and pulled her over to him, and examined her head briefly. ‘Seriously, if you survive Cimmeria, you’re going to end up with no brain cells at all.’

He kissed the wounded spot, his lips as light as a wish. ‘There. I think that’s all the medical treatment you need.’

It was probably a coincidence, but her head did feel better.

‘How did you find us?’ she asked.

‘Jules said there might be a problem. I came looking for you. You weren’t here but I saw that.’ He pointed at the note on her desk. ‘Then the open window, and I put two and two together.’

‘Thank you, Carter.’ Her voice was fervent. ‘I think you saved Jo’s life.’

‘I’d rather you two just didn’t get into trouble in the first place,’ he said, but he smiled. ‘Now, should we go and find Gabe and Jo and make sure she’s OK?’

Allie nodded, astonished to find herself smiling back. ‘Thanks.’

‘You’re welcome,’ he said. ‘Now try not to hurt yourself walking down the hall.’ She punched him on the arm as she opened the door, and then jumped back.

Isabelle stood in the hallway outside, her hands on her hips.





NINETEEN


Allie and Carter walked down the hallway with Isabelle and Matthew flanking them. Allie had the feeling they were being marched. There had been no discussion. Isabelle had said, ‘Carter, Allie. Come with us please.’ And off they’d gone.

They walked quickly to Isabelle’s office. She held the door open for them, and then walked in last, before sitting in the chair behind her desk, Matthew next to her, one hand resting on the back of her chair. She did not introduce him.

‘I’ve called you here because I want to know if I’ve made a mistake.’ Isabelle fixed her eyes on Allie.