Free Tall Story by Candy Gourlay Page A

tried to slip away before its full weight could embed itself in my shoulder, but no, no, down it went, round and heavy and wet. Instead of getting away, I bumped my head against the Tropic of Cancer and
bong!
The world made a hollow sound, like the steel water tank behind Uncle’s house. Pieces of land shook off in great brown flakes and my shoulder was numbed by the cold of the polar ice cap.
    I opened my eyes.
    The unwelcoming committee was gone. There was just Jabby and Uncle and Auntie.
    ‘Not again!’ Auntie’s voice was shrill.
    ‘You OK, Nards?’ I felt Jabby’s hand on my forehead.
    In fact, I felt fine. My headache was gone. I lay flaton my back on the cool ceramic tiles of Auntie’s living room.
    ‘Sofia, cancel the flight,’ Uncle said. ‘Let us take him to Emergency.’
    ‘But Old Tibo and the others will be back soon,’ Jabbar said. ‘They just went to get reinforcements. They’ll do anything to stop Bernardo leaving.’
    ‘Look,’ Auntie said, ‘Nardo is ill. He probably needs a drip or something.’
    I tried to get up but Auntie’s arm lay across my chest like a log. ‘I feel all right now.’
    The three of them looked at me. Auntie stopped leaning on my chest and I pushed myself up slowly.
    ‘Ay,’ Jabby sighed. ‘Thank goodness you’re back. I thought I would have to give you mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Bet you haven’t brushed your teeth this morning.’
    ‘I have.’ I smiled weakly at the joke. ‘I brushed my teeth.’
    ‘What are you feeling, Nardo? We will take you to a doctor.’ Uncle’s voice was urgent.
    ‘NO!’ I shook my head. ‘Uh … really, I’m OK. I just needed something to eat. I should have listened to you, Auntie. I should have had some breakfast.I just felt light-headed all of a sudden.’ I did feel a bit light-headed so it wasn’t such a lie.
    Both Uncle and Auntie sank onto the sofa at the same time. They looked exhausted.
    ‘But now I feel fine,’ I said. ‘Really I do.’
    ‘Sofia.’ Uncle turned to Auntie. ‘Let’s get him a sandwich.’
    They both disappeared into the kitchen and even before the door closed they were already arguing. I could hear them through the wall. I closed my eyes. Even if they managed to agree with each other about taking me to a hospital, I was determined to leave. No way was I going to postpone my departure. IfI didn’t leave now, I would never do so. Old Tibo and the others would see to that.
    ‘Nards,’ Jabby said softly. ‘I’ve got something for you. A goodbye present.’
    I opened my eyes.
    It was a basketball. Jabby had drawn a big smiling face on it with a thick black marker.
    He handed it to me. ‘And I want to say sorry. I was wrong about the team and the Giant Killers. You’re right. It was not fair. So … this is just something to remember me by. I hope you will be happy in London.’
    I didn’t know what to say.
    ‘Thanks,’ I whispered.
    For a moment I thought he was going to embrace me but instead he held out his hand and we shook. His eyes were suddenly red.
    ‘Nardo!’ Uncle burst into the room. ‘Out the back, quick! Tibo and the others are at the door again.’
    I stood up, my arms tight around the basketball.
    ‘I’ll stay here and delay them,’ Jabby said. ‘Go, go!’
    Uncle picked up some bags and Auntie grabbed my hand and began to drag me to the back door. ‘I … I’ll email you when I get there,’ I said. It sounded so inadequate. I wanted to say something more but there was nothing I could say that would change anything.
    ‘That would be great!’ Jabby forced his mouth into a grin. ‘I … I’ll see you soon.’
    Which wasn’t true of course.
    But it was one way of saying goodbye for ever.

7
Andi
    A pparently this was the third time it had happened, though we only found that out when we got home from Heathrow and Mum rang Auntie Sofia to yell at her. Apparently she and Uncle Victor had decided not to tell us about the two other seizures because they did