Deadlands Read Online Free PDF Page A

vote for me?’
    ‘I’ll consider it,’ I said.
    ‘Cool! What are you wearing to the Ball, by the way?’
    ‘I’m not sure I’m going.’
    They both looked appalled. ‘’Scuse me?’ Nyameka spoke for the first time. ‘Everyone at the school has to go. It’s compulsory.’
    ‘Yeah. But I’m not eligible for the Lottery.’
    ‘Huh?’
    It wasn’t as if I could keep it a secret forever. ‘My brother was taken.’
    Nyameka looked confused. ‘Taken? What do you mean?’
    ‘He was taken by the Guardians.’
    Their faces lit up. ‘
Seriaas
?’ Nyameka asked. ‘Wow! When?’
    ‘At the beginning of the War.’
    ‘No ways!’ Summer said. ‘Tell us all.’ She edged even closer.
    ‘Nothing to tell.’
    ‘Is he like one of those kids they brought back all, you know . . .’
    ‘All what?’
    ‘I mean, isn’t he, like, retarded or freaky or something? No offence.’
    ‘I’m really not comfortable talking about this,’ I said, handing the flier back to Summer. ‘Give this to someone else.’
    ‘Chill out,’ Nyameka said. ‘Just because you can’t win, doesn’t mean that you can’t vote.’
    I shrugged.
    Summer stood up and the two of them drifted away, heading towards the guy with the feathers. They whispered something to him, and he looked over at me, a sneer on his face. For a second our eyes met, then he turned back to the other two and said something that made Summer collapse with mirth.
    I dumped the remains of the roti in the bin, appetite now completely squashed, and pulled out my sketchbook. I spent the rest of break and the whole of the afternoon adding Summer and Nyameka to the drawing of the Rotter. Not very nice of me, I know.

5
    And things didn’t improve.
    I spent the first week stuck in my own little bubble. Not even Zit Face, the weirdo who sat next to me (who was clearly also an outsider), seemed to want anything to do with me. The mornings were the worst. I don’t think I’d ever felt as alienated as I did during morning prayers. While everyone else droned away, I kept my neck bent, eyes fixed on the
Everything’s better with zombies – NOT
scrawl on my desk. Everyone knew everyone else, and from what I could make out, they spent most break times gossiping about what they’d be wearing to the Lottery Ball. I was trying to build up the courage to approach Thabo, but he was more often absent than not, and even when he was at school he always seemed to be surrounded by an impenetrable posse of giggling girls.
    The only person who’d spoken to me was Zyed, the guy with the feathers, and that hadn’t exactly gone well. He’d stopped at my desk one day, just before break, Summer and Nyameka hovering behind him.
    ‘Hi,’ he said. ‘I’m Zyed.’
    I didn’t reply. I hadn’t forgotten the look of contempt he’d given me on that first day.
    ‘So,’ he said. ‘I was wondering. Why don’t you wear the sign?’
    ‘The what?’
    Summer and Nyameka giggled. ‘I can’t believe she just said that!’ Nyameka whispered.
    Zyed touched the amulet around his neck. It looked more expensive than the others I’d seen; smaller, more intricate. ‘This.’
    ‘Not my scene,’ I said, willing him away.
    ‘What do you mean? You’re not a believer?’
    I shrugged, not keen to get into this particular conversation.
    ‘I heard you’re Cleo Mbane’s stepkid, that right?’ he asked.
    ‘So?’
    ‘So how come you look like you do?’
    ‘Excuse me?’
    ‘The hair. Can’t you afford shampoo? Short hair is so . . .
rural
.’
    Summer and Nyameka were almost doubled over with glee at this stage.
    Anger surged through me, and I clenched my fists under the desk. ‘I like it like this,’ I said.
    ‘Oh,
ja
? How come?’
    ‘I’ve got better things to do than spend hours messing with my hair, like some people.’ I stared at his own intricate hairstyle, got to my feet and pushed past him and his adoring audience.
    I pretended not to hear the words, ‘Sheesh, maybe that’s what you