Free A Place Called Perfect by Helena Duggan Page A

side by side in the darkness too shaken to talk. The Archers were up to something and it involved Violet.
    “Come on,” Boy smiled, a little later, “No more moping. We’re not going to sit around when there’s a mystery to be solved.”
    “What do you mean, I thought you wanted to go back?”
    “Well that was before I saw your name on that jar. Nobody can put your name on a jar of colourdy stuff without asking me first.”
    Violet sighed.
    “I don’t know Boy. Maybe you were right; maybe I should be more careful.”
    “That was the old me,” Boy said, sounding brave, “Now you are involved in this whole mystery, the jar tells us that. I think we have to find your Dad. If he doesn’t know what to do then at least you’ll all be back together and can escape from Perfect.”
    Violet nodded. She trusted Boy. He was almost her best friend already and it had taken her two whole weeks to get to that stage with her old one Becky. Her family had to leave Perfect but maybe, since Boy didn’t have any parents, he’d come with them. She wouldn’t tell him yet though, families were a touchy subject.
    After a quick discussion, Boy did most of the talking as Violet was still a little shaky, they decided to follow George Archer. He was annoyed over Violet’s jar and was definitely on a mission so wherever he was going might lead them to her Dad.
    They walked the long corridor following George’s di rection past more rows of shelving, until they reached a dead end. Violet and Boy heard a door bang when George left, but they were now facing a stone wall. Boy ran at it and had to bite his tongue not to cry out in pain when he slammed into the solid structure.
    “Well that was a bit stupid,” Violet laughed.
    “Any better ideas?” Boy snapped, cradling his shoulder.
    “I bet it’s like the hidden doorways in the Archers shop. I had to run my hands…hold on.”
    Her fingers slipped across a loose stone. She pulled on the brick and the top half popped out from the wall like a door handle. Violet glanced at Boy, smiled, turned the stone and pushed. The wall gave way to another hall beyond. Quickly the two passed through gently closing the door behind them.
    The hallway was circular and lined in stone, the same sort that the door was made from; solid squares of rock like it was part of a castle. This hallway was very small, more like a landing and to the left of it was a set of steps that spiralled downwards. The space was lit by a mounted torch, the flickering flame warmed the cold stone. Quickly Boy grabbed the torch from its perch and began to descend the stairs.
    “We can only go down,” he whispered.
    Violet nodded, her bravery was being tested.
    “I feel like we’re in a computer game,” she said, following close behind.
    “What’s that?”
    “You know a computer game. You must have played at least one before you came to Perfect?”
    Boy fell silent, just like he’d done before when Violet mentioned his lack of parents. What had she said wrong this time? How could talking about computer games upset anyone?
    “Your parents weren’t killed by a computer game or anything were they? I heard once before from a girl in school that that had happened to a friend of hers. I’m really sorry Boy, I didn’t know.”
    “No,” Boy snapped, “I don’t know what a computer game is.”
    “Oh is that all, well you’ve spent way too long in Perfect,” Violet laughed relieved.
    “I never lived in Perfect,” Boy whispered, so faintly Violet barely heard him.
    “But how did you get to No Man’s Land then?”
    “I don’t know. I was born there I think. I don’t ever remember anywhere else.”
    “Oh!”
    What could she say? She didn’t want her shock to be obvious but all words disappeared from her brain. They continued the descent without talking, the steps seeming to spiral forever.
    “We’ll be in the centre of the world soon,” she said, to break the silence.
    Suddenly Boy jumped back pushing her up