Read Online Angel Creek by Sally Rippin - Free Book Online

boys.
    Jelly’s mum was dressed and drinking coffee at the kitchen table. She looked up from the newspaper as Jelly came down the stairs. ‘How are you feeling, love?’
    â€˜Better.’
    â€˜That’s good.’ She held out an arm and Jelly folded herself into her mother’s side. She didn’t bother reading the paper over her shoulder; there was never any good news. And even the comics weren’t funny. ‘I’m going to see Nonna.’ Her mum stroked Jelly’s cheek with the back of her hand. ‘Do you want to come with me?’
    Jelly couldn’t think of anything she’d like more than to see Nonna with her own eyes, to spend the morning with her mum. But she was worried about the angel. Should she stay or should she go?
    Part of her wanted to forget the angel was there, to pretend they had never found it; the responsibility had almost become more than she could bear. But she knew she couldn’t leave it alone in the shed, and she didn’t want Gino to look after it. She didn’t want to give him any more reason to think it was his. Her mind whirred.
    Perhaps they should take it back to the creek? Jelly didn’t know how long it would be before she could get Stef over to see it. And maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to show other people anyway? The longer they kept it the more chance that someone else would find it. Those Northbridge High boys. Or adults! Adults would take it away and want to do experiments on it or put it in a museum or something. She couldn’t let that happen.
    Zia’s voice at the top of the stairs startled her out of her thoughts. She was calling for Jelly’s mum in a low, urgent voice. Her mother shot up from the table and Jelly followed.
    â€˜It’s Sophia,’ Zia said, pulling at her hands. ‘Come and see.’
    They crept into the study where Sophia was sleeping and peered into her cot. Sophia’s eyes were shut but her mouth was open and she was breathing quickly. Even in the half-light Jelly could see what Zia was worried about. Mum gasped. All over Sophia’s skin, an angry rash had broken out. In places, it had blistered, and in the folds it was red and raw. Her dark hair was matted against her temples and sweat dribbled into the creases of her neck.
    Jelly’s mum put a hand on Sophia’s forehead. ‘She’s burning up,’ she said, her voice straining to remain calm. ‘I think we should take her to the Children’s. Jel, you’ll have to stay here to help Dad with the boys.’
    â€˜But,’ Jelly said, ‘what about Nonna?’
    Her mum frowned and Jelly flopped down onto the landing, filled with disappointment. She hadn’t expected the decision to be made for her this way.
    Within minutes they were gone. Jelly’s dad helped them to the car then clumped back up the stairs in his boxer shorts. He sighed and roughed up Jelly’s hair on the way back to bed. ‘Strange days,’ he said. ‘Strange days.’
    Gino appeared in the doorway of the bedroom. ‘Where did Mum go?’ he yawned.
    â€˜Sophia’s sick,’ Jelly said. ‘They’ve taken her to hospital.’
    â€˜What’s wrong with her? What happened?’ The words tumbled out barely in the right order.
    â€˜How should I know?’ She marched downstairs. ‘I’m going to take the angel some food before the others get up. You can come or not.’
    â€˜Wait.’ Gino ducked back into her room to get his shoes.
    â€˜Don’t wake Pik,’ Jelly warned.
    The rain had turned the creek bank to mud and they skidded and slipped down to the bike path. The plastic bag Jelly had filled with grapes and apricots bumped against her thigh. The creek was high and the water roared furiously, dragging everything in its way. The family of ducks that lived near the tunnel were paddling hard not to be swept downstream, and the narrow beach where they had sat