The Death House Read Online Free PDF Page B

routine every night. I should probably just shove them down the sink but they’re a way of counting the days. Marking out my survival.
    ‘I like the nights,’ I say.
    ‘So what shall we do?’ She grins again, impish with delight. ‘Now that the house is ours?’
    ‘Do whatever you want. Just don’t fuck it up for me.’
    Her smile falls. ‘But it’ll be more fun—’
    ‘I mean it.’ Suddenly I hate her. She has no right to be awake. This is my time. The ball inside me flares all the way up to my tongue and I spit out angry flames in words. ‘This isn’t your perfect fucking life now with your posh government dad and big house and whatever you want. You’re as Defective as the rest of us. You can sit there and laugh and joke and think it’s all so fucking funny, but you’re going to get sick and die just like Ellory, and me, and all the rest of the stupid fuckers here. You’re not special. So stay out of my way and get used to it.’
    I glare at her, panting with the angry heat that’s making my body shake, and her swinging legs fall still. She’s not smiling any more. I turn away, not wanting to look at her. Not wanting to feel bad. The house is big. I don’t have to see her. Maybe she’ll start taking the pills now she knows she’s not welcome at night.
    ‘No,’ she says, soft and hurt as I walk away. ‘I think it’s you who needs to get used to it.’
    Bitch , I think. Fucking bitch. What the fuck does she know?
     
    His test was after PE on a Tuesday, and he was happy for two reasons. First, it got him out of ten minutes of Triple Science – maybe twenty if he stretched out the walk back, and second, they always did the test in alphabetical order so Julie McKendrick was always tested at the same time. The downside was that Billy Matthews would be there too, so it was unlikely he’d get to speak to Julie even if he could think of something interesting to say. Still, he’d be able to look at her and that was better than nothing.
    The corridor outside the nurse’s room was hot, the windows lining the wall magnifying the sunshine outside, and even though he’d just showered in the gym, Toby was sweating as he joined the queue, kids of all ages chattering together. No one looked worried. The tests were routine, after all. He looked ahead in the line but couldn’t see Julie. His heart sank. She’d spoken to him yesterday in Maths – the only subject they had together – and he’d got through the whole conversation about the dullness of algebra without stumbling over his words or looking at her chest once. She’d laughed at something he’d said about Mr Grey and told him he was funny. Maybe being the class joker was finally going to pay off.
    ‘Hey, Toby.’
    She was behind him with Amanda, whose surname didn’t begin with an M but who must have bunked off to come with her. Julie and Amanda, both blonde and pretty, but Amanda just didn’t have that extra something Julie had, plus her chest was flatter and her legs too thin.
    ‘Hi.’ The word felt like glue in his throat. He shoved a hand in his pocket to try and look casual but felt as if every joint in his body had stopped working properly. ‘What have you got out of?’
    ‘English. And it’s a test.’
    ‘Result.’ Over Julie’s perfect shoulder he saw Billy sauntering up to join the line. Great.
    ‘Amanda’s having a party on Saturday. You live close, right? Why don’t you come?’
    Amanda rolled her eyes but Julie didn’t appear to notice. Toby’s face was burning so much he thought it might actually melt off his bones. An invite to a party from Julie herself. A cool party. Everything Julie and Amanda did was cool.
    ‘Sure. I don’t think I’m doing anything much,’ he said. He’d planned to hang out with Jonesy down at the rec but Jonesy could wait. He thought for a second about bringing him along but nixed it almost immediately. Jonesy was in no way cool enough for a party at Amanda’s. Neither was Toby, but he