frantically in her chest. She pressed her ear to the door and listened, doing her best to keep calm. Feet were rushing past, trying to get outside. They hadnât realized there was no fire. No one knew Eve had set off the alarm, or that Lila was locked in here.
âPlease!â she yelled.
No one came.
Soon even the muffled sound of running feet faded to nothing. Defeated, Lila sank on to the floor with her head in her hands. The room was small and dark, and the floor tiles were cold beneath her. Until someone opened the door from the outside, there was no escape. She shivered, and pulled her blazer more tightly around herself. It was cold in here, and likely to get colder. Outside it was getting dark. What if no one came back for hours? She could freeze to death.
Overwhelmed by everything, Lila felt the tears squeezing from the corners of her eyes. She didnât want to cry but she couldnât help it. She didnât deserve any of this. She was so tired of everything. Never before had the thought of London felt so appealing. She leaned her face into her knees and closed her eyes.
When she felt uncomfortably numb and cold, she got to her feet again. If she spread out her hands, she could almost touch the walls of her prison. The frosted glass in the tiny window looked thick and unbreakable. Fear gripped her round the throat. Food kept better in airtight conditions. How long before the oxygen ran out?
Stop terrifying yourself, Lila commanded. Do something!
She walked back to the door, folded her fingers into a fist and started pounding again. Someone was bound to come eventually. Werenât they?
âLet me out! Let me out! â
She shouted until her throat felt raw, and hammered until her hands felt bruised.
Finally, the door opened.
âLila?â
Lila gaped at her dad, standing there in his full police uniform. She felt a strange mixture of relief and apprehension.
âWhat are you doing here, Dad?â
Her father sighed. âI was going to ask you the same question! Weâve been looking for you everywhere. What happened?â
A hundred accusations jumped through Lilaâs head, quicker than lightning. The urge to get Eve Somerstown into trouble was overwhelming. But why would he believe her?
âWhy were you hiding in here?â her dad asked with a frown.
He thought sheâd been hiding ? Lila wanted to groan. He didnât trust her any more than he had in London.
âI was . . . locked in,â she managed.
âBut what were you doing in here in the first place?â Still frowning, he looked around at the tins of beans, the huge plastic bottles of mustard and barbecue sauce. He snapped his gaze back towards at her. âI hope you werenât up to anything.â
âI got locked in,â Lila repeated numbly. She couldnât say it was Eve. Her father would only lecture her about blaming other people for your own mistakes. Sheâd heard that lecture a hundred times. And even if, by some miracle, he did believe her, Eve would make her life in Heartside Bay even more difficult than it already was. It wasnât worth it.
Her father fixed her with a hard stare. âDo you know who set off the fire alarm?â
âThe person who found the fire, I guess,â Lila said.
She hated herself for lying. Her first lie in Heartside Bay. So much for a new start.
âIt was a false alarm,â her father said, watching her closely. âSomeone tripped it on purpose.â
âOh?â
Her father waited for her to say something else. Lila kept her mouth shut. He sighed, a familiar mix of disappointment and disbelief.
âCome on, then,â he said impatiently. He held open the pantry door. âYour friends have been worrying about you.â
Lila followed him slowly out of the kitchen, towards the open back door. She was almost knocked over by Eve, who came racing towards her.
âLila!â Eveâs eyes were wide and
âPlease!â she yelled.
No one came.
Soon even the muffled sound of running feet faded to nothing. Defeated, Lila sank on to the floor with her head in her hands. The room was small and dark, and the floor tiles were cold beneath her. Until someone opened the door from the outside, there was no escape. She shivered, and pulled her blazer more tightly around herself. It was cold in here, and likely to get colder. Outside it was getting dark. What if no one came back for hours? She could freeze to death.
Overwhelmed by everything, Lila felt the tears squeezing from the corners of her eyes. She didnât want to cry but she couldnât help it. She didnât deserve any of this. She was so tired of everything. Never before had the thought of London felt so appealing. She leaned her face into her knees and closed her eyes.
When she felt uncomfortably numb and cold, she got to her feet again. If she spread out her hands, she could almost touch the walls of her prison. The frosted glass in the tiny window looked thick and unbreakable. Fear gripped her round the throat. Food kept better in airtight conditions. How long before the oxygen ran out?
Stop terrifying yourself, Lila commanded. Do something!
She walked back to the door, folded her fingers into a fist and started pounding again. Someone was bound to come eventually. Werenât they?
âLet me out! Let me out! â
She shouted until her throat felt raw, and hammered until her hands felt bruised.
Finally, the door opened.
âLila?â
Lila gaped at her dad, standing there in his full police uniform. She felt a strange mixture of relief and apprehension.
âWhat are you doing here, Dad?â
Her father sighed. âI was going to ask you the same question! Weâve been looking for you everywhere. What happened?â
A hundred accusations jumped through Lilaâs head, quicker than lightning. The urge to get Eve Somerstown into trouble was overwhelming. But why would he believe her?
âWhy were you hiding in here?â her dad asked with a frown.
He thought sheâd been hiding ? Lila wanted to groan. He didnât trust her any more than he had in London.
âI was . . . locked in,â she managed.
âBut what were you doing in here in the first place?â Still frowning, he looked around at the tins of beans, the huge plastic bottles of mustard and barbecue sauce. He snapped his gaze back towards at her. âI hope you werenât up to anything.â
âI got locked in,â Lila repeated numbly. She couldnât say it was Eve. Her father would only lecture her about blaming other people for your own mistakes. Sheâd heard that lecture a hundred times. And even if, by some miracle, he did believe her, Eve would make her life in Heartside Bay even more difficult than it already was. It wasnât worth it.
Her father fixed her with a hard stare. âDo you know who set off the fire alarm?â
âThe person who found the fire, I guess,â Lila said.
She hated herself for lying. Her first lie in Heartside Bay. So much for a new start.
âIt was a false alarm,â her father said, watching her closely. âSomeone tripped it on purpose.â
âOh?â
Her father waited for her to say something else. Lila kept her mouth shut. He sighed, a familiar mix of disappointment and disbelief.
âCome on, then,â he said impatiently. He held open the pantry door. âYour friends have been worrying about you.â
Lila followed him slowly out of the kitchen, towards the open back door. She was almost knocked over by Eve, who came racing towards her.
âLila!â Eveâs eyes were wide and
Similar Books
