Free Nowhere Boys by Elise Mccredie Page A

overturned the boat.
    And there it was, carved into the side: a love heart with the initials MG 4 SC .
    He stared at it, too shocked to react. Then, slowly, a grin spread over his face.
    This was it. This was what they’d been looking for. They did exist. This was proof .
    Sam dived back into the water and swam quickly back to the others. ‘Hey!’ He called as soon as they were in earshot. ‘I’ve got proof we exist. In the boat.’ He crawled up onto the bank, breathless.
    Jake looked at him like he was crazy. ‘Are you okay, dude? Did you eat some of Andy’s dandelions? Because … you know?’
    ‘I’m not crazy.’ Sam grinned. ‘Mia and I did a carving last year and it’s still there. My initials. So I have to exist.’
    The others looked at him doubtfully.
    ‘Come on, this is good news, right?’
    ‘Yeah, but you spoke to Mia and she didn’t have a clue who you were, remember?’ said Andy.
    ‘Well, maybe this will trigger her memory.’
    Andy nodded. ‘That’s true. And it could trigger a chain reaction, causing everbody’s memories to return.’
    Felix eyed him cynically. ‘I thought you’d given up on your amnesia theory.’
    Andy shrugged. ‘It’s worth a shot.’
    ‘I have to show it to her,’ said Sam.
    Jake shook his head. ‘Dude, there’s no way you’re gonna get her to come here with you.’
    Sam’s grin faded. ‘Yeah, true.’ But a moment later, he brightened up. ‘So we take it to her.’
    The other three stared at him.
    ‘You want us to carry a boat through Bremin to your girlfriend’s house?’ Felix said slowly.
    ‘Why not? If it proves we exist.’
    ‘You can take it to her another way,’ suggested Andy.
    ‘How?’
    ‘Take a photo of it.’
    Sam looked at Andy, impressed. ‘Finally, Bear Grylls has a decent idea.’
    ‘Yeah, except all our phones are out of battery,’ said Jake.
    Sam thought for a second. ‘I’ll get my mum’s digital camera,’ he said, refusing to be deterred. ‘My key still works. Come on.’

    Sam was buoyant as he led the others up the path to his house.
    They passed an open garage. Felix put his head in and saw it was full of sporting and camping gear. ‘Do you think while we’re here we could get some other stuff?’
    Sam shrugged. ‘Sure.’ The boys looked around the garage. ‘My dad’s an outdoors freak. All the old stuff’s over there. He won’t notice if you take it.’
    Jake picked up a Thomas the Tank Engine sleeping bag. ‘Perfect for you, Felix.’
    ‘Knock yourselves out, guys.’ Sam left the others in the garage. He stepped up onto the porch. The sliding door was open and he could hear the monotonous sound of the Xbox from inside. Good. Once Vince and Pete were in front of that thing, nothing would distract them.
    He dropped down low and scuttled across the floor to the kitchen. The tinny jingle of victory came from the TV and Vince stood up. Sam quickly hid himself behind the bench.
    ‘All hail King Vince! Poor Petey. Must be hard coming second your whole life.’
    In response, Pete lifted a butt cheek and let rip with some serious chemical weaponry.
    Vince collapsed against the wall, coughing. ‘Oh man, that is seriously rank.’
    Sam seized the moment and reached across to open the second drawer. Yes! There it was. He grabbed the camera and put it in his pocket.
    He was about to dart back to the door when Vince took a few steps towards the kitchen.
    Pete called from the couch, ‘While you’re there, can you make me a baked-bean jaffle?’
    ‘No way, man. D’you think I’ve got a death wish?’
    Sam held his breath. Vince’s feet were an arm’s length from where he was squatting. His brother would see him for sure. How the hell was he going to explain being caught red-handed with a camera?
    They’d call the police. He’d be locked up … and given three meals a day, a bed to sleep in. Sounded pretty good actually, except then he’d never see Mia.
    Vince’s feet moved closer – but then the sound of a