Tall Story Read Online Free PDF Page A

trickles of water down my arm, forests like sandpaper against my skin, mountains poking into the nape of my neck.
    Too heavy, too heavy. I couldn’t … It slipped down my shoulder and I could have cried out as the mountain peaks jabbed hard against my skin. My muscles ached as I tried not to buckle under the weight, my hands scrabbling to hold on to it, the dirt grinding under my fingernails.
    Mustn’t drop it.
Mustn’t drop the Earth
.
    Then Auntie screamed and everything went black.
    When I opened my eyes, Auntie and Uncle were leaning over me, their faces squeezed into frowns.
    Behind them, Jabby bobbed around like a balloon. Jabby? I shut my eyes and opened them again. But Jabby wasn’t here a moment ago when … when …
    ‘Oh thank the Lord, he’s awake,’ Auntie said, crossing herself.
    ‘Jabby?’ I murmured.
    Jabby pressed forward. He had his backpack overhis shoulder like he’d just walked in. ‘You OK, Nards?’ he asked.
    ‘I’m fine,’ I said, slowly becoming aware that the thing digging into the back of my neck was not the Earth but the hard wooden arm of the settee. I touched my shirt, which had been soaking from the dripping oceans. It was dry.
    ‘Do you think we should call a doctor?’ Uncle said.
    I looked out of the window. From where I lay I could just see the yellow haloes of the coconut trees as the sun set. Tricycle cabs clattered on the street outside and the odour of stir-frying garlic, onions and tomatoes wafted in from Sister Len-Len’s next door.
    But just a moment ago I had the Earth on my shoulder, warm and damp and trickling. Was it a dream? Or was I going mad?
    ‘Nards.’ Jabby dropped the backpack on the floor and knelt down next to me. ‘I think you ought to say something else, otherwise we might think you’ve cracked your coconut.’
    I pushed him away.
    ‘Don’t crowd him, Henry, he needs air.’ Auntie nudged Jabby on the shoulder.
    Jabby’s real name is Henry but when he caught basketball fever he adopted the name Jabbar – as inKareem Abdul-Jabbar, a star from the olden days who scored more points, blocked more shots, won more prizes than any other player in his league.
    ‘Please, Sister Sofia, don’t call me Henry, call me Jabbar!’ Jabby said automatically. ‘Have you heard of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the basketball legend? He—’
    ‘You suddenly fell, Nardo,’ Uncle interrupted, watching me with serious eyes. ‘It was a business getting you into the chair. You weigh a ton. How do you feel?’
    I felt fine. I pushed myself up on my elbow and ran a hand across the ache at the back of my neck.
    ‘When did Jabby come in?’
    ‘I was hungry so I came over,’ Jabby said with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
    ‘HENRY!’ Auntie glared at him. ‘Stay away from my fridge!’
    ‘You were out for only two or three minutes.’ Uncle stared at me thoughtfully.
    Auntie frowned. ‘How do you feel now, Nardo? Victor, we ought to take him to a doctor—’
    ‘No, no.’ I got slowly to my feet. ‘I … I’m fine.’
    ‘Nardo!’
    Auntie’s voice echoed somewhere in the back of my brain. Her mouth opened and closed but all Icould hear were distant murmurs, like I was swimming under water. Uncle’s face swam up close. I shook my head. The walls of the sitting room seemed to press inwards.
    I squinted at Jabby.
    He looked shiny, as if a spotlight was picking out every curve of his broad shoulders, every line of his laughing face.
I made a wish, Jabby
, I wanted to say.
I made a wish on the wishing stone and it came true. I’m going to London!
    Uncle caught my eye from over Jabby’s shoulder. He shook his head silently and held his finger up to his lips.
    Jabby grinned, unaware.
    Uncle cleared his throat. ‘We need to discuss that … uh … letter, yes? You mustn’t um tell … you know …’
    ‘Yes, yes, Uncle.’ I gave him a hard look. ‘I understand.’
They didn’t want me to tell Jabby about London. They didn’t want anyone to know