‘No, I . . . Mum, I’ve got to go,’ said Nova, already on the way to the door.
‘But what about our talk?’
‘We’ll talk later, I promise.’
‘Nova . . .?’
‘I promise, Mum,’ Nova said earnestly. ‘But I’ve got to find Raye before it’s too late.’
‘Before what’s too late? Nova?’
But Nova was gone.
46. The Final Test
Liam and Raye walked along the cliff top in a comfortable silence. Liam had listened to Raye chat about life at the hotel for the last ten minutes and it’d felt great to have a proper conversation again. The strange thing was, now he was outside, he didn’t feel even close to fading out. He supposed it was because he was still too keyed up after his talk with Nova. Or maybe it was simply that he wanted to be here with Raye more than anything else in the world.
‘I’m sorry I didn’t believe you about Nova. You were right all along,’ Raye said unexpectedly. ‘She is . . . ill at the moment.’
‘I don’t think she sees it as an illness,’ said Liam.
‘But it is – right? I mean, she’s deliberately making herself sick.’
‘Did she tell you that?’ Liam asked, surprised.
‘Yes . . . no . . . not in so many words, but I could tell,’ said Raye. ‘I feel like it’s all my fault.’
‘It’s not your fault, it’s not Nova’s fault. It’s just one of those things you all have to get on and deal with.’
‘We used to be close, you know – Nova and me. I didn’t realize how far we’d grown apart until I asked her about her . . . bulimia. She wouldn’t look at me and I stood in her bedroom realizing that I didn’t really know my sister any more. Does that make sense?’
Liam nodded.
‘It was so strange. It was like looking at a stranger. I feel closer to you at the moment than I do to my own sister – if you see what I mean.’ Raye’s cheeks took on a reddish tinge as she looked away, embarrassed. ‘Am I talking too much?’
‘No, not at all,’ Liam hurried to reassure her. ‘Besides, I like to listen to you.’
‘You’re the first one who does!’ Raye smiled.
Liam returned her smile and looked out over the sea towards the horizon. This was the happiest he’d been in a long, long time. If only he could bottle this feeling so that he could keep it for ever. If only he could bottle Raye and keep her with him for ever. That would be true heaven.
‘It is beautiful, isn’t it?’ said Raye.
Liam nodded. ‘Yes, it is,’ he agreed.
They stood side by side on the cliff top, looking out across the gently rippling sea. They were only about ten metres away from the edge. There were wooden barricades further along the cliff edge, where the ground sloped more sharply, but here there was nothing but a warning sign.
‘D’you like it here?’ asked Liam, moving slowly closer towards the edge.
‘At the hotel?’
‘Yeah, and the beach and the cliffs and gardens.’
Raye considered. ‘Yes, I do actually. But don’t tell my parents that, will you?’
‘Don’t worry, I won’t. Do you like it enough to stay . . . for ever?’
‘For ever?’ Raye said, surprised. ‘No one stays anywhere for ever, do they? We all move on at some time – that’s just the way life works. What about you? Where’s your home?’
‘Near here.’
‘How come I haven’t seen you around before this weekend?’
‘I kept to myself,’ said Liam. ‘And you may not have noticed me, but I certainly noticed you.’
‘You did?’
‘Of course,’ Liam smiled. ‘I noticed you from the first day you moved in. You were wearing a red jumper and black jeans and you were arguing with your mum about which room would be your bedroom.’
‘You saw all that?’ Raye asked, astounded. ‘How come you didn’t introduce yourself to us? To me? I could’ve really used a friend when we first moved in.’
‘If I could have, I would have. Believe me,’ said Liam. ‘Were you very lonely?’
Raye nodded and looked away, suddenly self-conscious. ‘It took me a long time to settle in.’
‘But you got used to it?’
‘More than that. I love it here now. It’s my home,’ smiled Raye. ‘Don’t you feel the same way about where you live, then?’
‘I guess so,’ said Liam.
They were now only a metre away from the cliff edge. Liam took another step and stopped. Raye moved to stand beside him.
‘Raye, have you ever wanted something so much that you’d do anything to get it? Anything at all?’
‘Depends what you mean by anything,’ said Raye lightly.
Liam turned to her. ‘I suppose it does.’ He peered over the edge of the cliff. ‘Ever climbed down there?’
‘Are you kidding?’ Raye scoffed. ‘Do I look like a mountain goat?’
‘Never been tempted?’
‘Nope!’
‘Very wise,’ Liam smiled. ‘But I’ve got something to show you.’
‘What?’
‘You have to stand right in front of me or you won’t see it properly,’ said Liam.
Raye looked at the remaining forty or so centimetres between Liam and the edge of the cliff. ‘I’m not sure about that . . .’
‘I’ll tell you what,’ said Liam seriously. ‘I promise that if you fall, I’ll follow you down.’
‘That’ll be a great comfort as I break every bone in my body,’ Raye said dryly.
‘I mean it. I won’t let you go alone.’
‘So what d’you want to show me?’
‘Stand in front of me and then you’ll see it.’
Cautiously, Raye moved to stand in front of him, peering gingerly over the cliff top. ‘So what am I looking at?’
Liam sidestepped to stand behind and slightly to the side of Raye. ‘Look over to the right, about five hundred metres away –just above that ridge,’ he said. ‘There’s a cave just above that ridge . . .’
‘That’s the one Mr Jackman was trapped in, isn’t it?’
Liam nodded. Raye shuddered.
‘What about it?’
‘I used to use the cave down there as an escape route,’ said Liam.
Raye turned to face Liam. ‘An escape from what?’
‘Life.’
Raye wasn’t quite sure what to make of that. ‘And did you escape?’
Silence. Raye waited for Liam to answer. The intensity of his expression almost scared her as his eyes burned into hers. But then his expression cleared and his body relaxed as he sighed deeply. ‘We’d better be getting back,’ he said wearily. ‘I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to you.’
‘But you didn’t answer my question. Did you —?’ Before Raye could say another word, someone else interrupted her.
‘Raye, get away from him!’ Nova screamed out from down on the beach.
‘What on earth . . .?’ Raye turned. ‘Nova? What’re you doing?’
‘Get away from him. He’s a ghost. He’s trying to kill you!’ Nova yelled frantically.
‘What’s she on about?’ Raye turned her head to ask Liam.
But Liam’s arms were moving towards her, his hands outstretched.
‘No!’ Raye backed away from him, afraid of what he was about to do. But she stepped off into nothing. Her arms shot out towards Liam, but it was too late. She plummeted downwards.
‘RAYE!’ Nova screamed.
Raye scrambled desperately for the cliff face. She grabbed hold of an old, thick root, trailing outwards from the cliff face, and gripped it as her hands slid down it. The rough stem scored her skin but she just managed to hold on. Her feet dug against the cliff face, searching for a foothold. She found a tenuous one of sorts in another old root, short and sharp but better than nothing.
Liam fell to the ground and stretched out both hands. ‘Raye, reach up and grab hold of my hands.’
‘Raye, don’t!’ Nova shri
eked out from below her.
Raye screamed as the root she was holding onto cracked and groaned and gave slightly under her weight.
‘Raye, whatever you do, don’t take his hand!’ Nova cried out.
Rainbow looked up at Liam above her. His eyes caught hers and they regarded each other silently. Raye knew in that moment that everything Nova had said was true. She also knew that she was seconds away from falling to her death.
‘Rainbow, take my hand. Trust me.’ Liam lowered himself even further down until his hand was just centimetres above her own.
‘I can’t!’ Raye screamed. She was terrified of what might happen if she didn’t let him help her up, but she was equally terrified of what might happen if she did.
‘Take my hand, Rainbow,’ Liam ordered, adding with a dry smile, ‘I won’t let you down!’
‘Raye, don’t do it!’ Nova screamed.
‘Please. Trust me,’ Liam said softly.
And in that moment it was as if all sound in the world had suddenly stopped. There was just Liam and Rainbow and the silence between them. Raye looked at Liam as he smiled down at her. His silly joke and the words ‘trust me’ were all she could think of at that moment.
Trust me . . .
Rainbow felt the branch beneath her feet creak and crack and give just a little more. And the root she was holding onto was giving out. She closed her eyes momentarily, then took a deep breath. It was now or never. She reached out and jumped to grab hold of Liam’s hand. The root beneath her feet cracked one last time before falling away from the cliff face. Rainbow was left dangling with just Liam’s grip between her and a deadly fall.
Immediately Liam tried to haul Rainbow up. He caught hold of her hand with both of his and the strain was evident on his face. But he was doing it. Rainbow pushed herself upwards, her feet braced against the cliff face as Liam struggled to drag her to level ground.
‘Liam, don’t let her fall!’ Nova cried out. ‘Please don’t let her fall.’
‘. . . not . . . going to happen,’ Liam grunted, pulling Raye up all the while, until at last he hauled her over the cliff edge and they both lay gasping for breath on the ground.
‘I . . . I wasn’t going to push you. I was trying to pull you away from the edge,’ Liam said when he’d barely got back his breath. ‘I wasn’t going to do it. I promise.’
Raye looked over at him, still breathing heavily. ‘You thought about it, though, didn’t you?’
‘Only for a second,’ Liam admitted.
‘Sometimes a second can last a lifetime.’
‘And sometimes a lifetime can pass in a second.’
‘That’s a bit too deep for me right now,’ said Raye, still trying to catch her breath. ‘But thanks for saving my life, Liam.’
‘And thanks for saving mine. Do something for me, Raye. Tell Nova I said . . . eat something!’ said Liam.
‘Why don’t you tell her yourself?’ asked Raye, turning her head to face him, only to sit bolt upright and stare.
‘I can’t.’ Liam grinned at her as he slowly faded from view. ‘I’m not going to be here for much longer.’
‘Wait. Where’re you going?’ asked Raye urgently.
‘No idea! I’m not doing this! Isn’t it wonderful?’
Nova ran puffing towards them, having raced all the way up the cliff steps. She stood in front of Raye and Liam as they both got to their feet.
‘Liam’s leaving us,’ Raye said, her voice uneven. ‘For good . . .’
Nova turned to Liam, her eyes huge with dismay. ‘Aren’t you coming back?’
‘I don’t know, but . . . but I don’t think so.’
‘But. . . but why’re you leaving now? They found your body yesterday. How come you didn’t disappear then?’ asked Nova.
‘Because I was wrong. Leaving this place had nothing to do with my body being found,’ said Liam slowly, still gradually fading from sight. ‘It was about what was going on up here –’ he tapped his forehead – ‘and in here –’ he placed a hand over his heart.
‘I don’t understand,’ said Nova.
‘Nova —’
‘And I don’t want to understand – not if it means you’ll leave,’ Nova admitted in a rush. ‘I don’t want you to go, Liam.’
‘I’ll miss you too, Nova,’ smiled Liam. ‘But it’s time for me to move on. At last.’
‘But you’re the first person to take any notice of me around here.’
‘I might’ve been the first,’ said Liam, looking at Raye. ‘But I won’t be the last. You need to let your family know how you’re feeling. Don’t bottle things up inside. That was my mistake.’
Liam looked up at the sky, suddenly raising his arms upwards as if he wanted to pull it down and around him. He spun around slowly, his arms still outstretched. When did everything get so bright? It was as if he’d spent his entire death with sunglasses on and now they were off and the world was bright and alive and so wonderful. Liam breathed in deeply, feeling he must surely explode with the bliss fizzing inside him. When Raye had fallen over the cliff edge, all he’d wanted to do was reach her and get her to safety. He’d offered up all kinds of silent prayers – like never complaining about being stuck in Phoenix Manor again, just as long as Raye didn’t die. How strange that things should work out this way. He turned to Nova, his smile fading slightly when he saw the look on her face. He tried to wipe a tear from her cheek but his finger passed right through it. He bent his head and kissed her. His lips made contact, skin against skin, but when he tried to touch her cheek again, his fingers moved through her as if through mist or a breeze.
‘Enjoy your life, Nova. It’s very precious,’ Liam said softly.
‘Raye, do something,’ Nova appealed to her sister.
‘Don’t go . . .’ Raye had no idea where the words came from but they spilled out anyway.
Liam’s smile was made of pure happiness. ‘I have to. I want to.’
Raye could hardly see Liam now. He was just a blur through the unexpected tears in her eyes.
‘I can’t believe I’m outta here at last!’ Liam shouted joyfully. ‘Raye, you’ve got a very special sister there. Look after her.’
‘I will,’ Raye whispered.
‘Be happy, Nova,’ the last vestige of Liam’s image told her. ‘And don’t be a div-brain all your life. Eat!’
‘Wait, Liam. I just want to say . . . goodbye . . .’ But she was too late.
He’d gone.
47. Miss Dawn and Miss Eve
Miss Dawn and Miss Eve stood on the front steps of the hotel, watching Nova and Raye walk towards the hotel, arm in arm.
‘There you go!’ said Miss Dawn smugly. ‘He didn’t drop her. I knew he’d do the right thing.’
‘No, you didn’t.’
Miss Dawn laughed. ‘All right then, I hoped he’d do the right thing. It was always his choice, though.’
‘Admit it. He had you worried, didn’t he?’
‘He certainly did!’ Miss Dawn agreed.
‘I don’t understand him at all,’ said Miss Eve. ‘If he’d dropped her, he would’ve had a companion for life – I mean for eternity.’
Miss Dawn shook her head. ‘No, he wouldn’t. Knowing Raye, she would probably never have spoken to him again. I think she would’ve hated him for ever. And she wouldn’t have been bound to the hotel the way he is. Being stuck at the hotel was his problem to solve, not hers. He would’ve lost her for good.’
Miss Dawn watched Raye and Nova smile at each other as they carried on walking.
‘What about Nova? Is she cured?’ asked Miss Eve.
‘Of course not. But she’s not so alone any more. She’s got her family to help her now.’
Miss Eve sighed. ‘I’m going to miss Liam. I liked him.’
‘Why, Miss Eve, I do believe you’re getting soft in your old age,’ teased Miss Dawn.
‘Never! Come on, old woman. It’s time for us to pack up and move on.’
‘But we will come back once Mr Cl
ibbens opens the tunnels, won’t we?’ asked Miss Dawn.
‘If we must,’ sighed Miss Eve.
‘Oh, definitely. They’re going to be the biggest tourist attraction for miles around. We can’t miss at least one trip through them.’
‘What we will miss is our train, if you don’t hurry up,’ Miss Eve complained.
Miss Dawn watched Nova and Raye for a while longer. ‘Good luck to both of you,’ she whispered. ‘And try not to miss Liam too much.’
‘Will you please get a move on?’ snapped Miss Eve. ‘Nova and Raye won’t be that unhappy. They have each other now.’
‘I do so love a happy ending!’ sighed Miss Dawn.
‘I don’t!’ Miss Eve grumbled. ‘So tell me, will they ever see Liam again?’
Miss Dawn turned to Miss Eve and smiled silkily, saying, ‘Now that would be telling!’
And the two old women turned round and went back into the hotel.
Malorie Blackman, Dead Gorgeous
(Series: # )
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