Free Run, Zan, Run by Cathy MacPhail Page A

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