Read Online Web of Lies by Beverley Naidoo - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Beverley Naidoo
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don’t do it! I’m going back. Better than getting one of her detentions and missing football practice, innit?”
“Why don’t you get to school early tomorrow—and do it then?” Gary’s forehead wrinkled in surprise.
“It’s okay. See you tomorrow.”
Femi turned and belted away before there was any time for Gary to offer to accompany him.
As soon as the garage came into sight, he regretted coming. He shouldn’t have let those racists unsettle him so much. One sudden urge to be with James, and here he was rushing into Errol’s den. James mightn’t even be here. Was he crazy? What was he going to tell Errol about Sade and how she had stormed at him? He halted on the forecourt, bending over to catch his breath. He could backtrack before he was seen. But it was too late. Errol had emerged from behind the wooden panel. From behind his dark glasses, he appeared to be looking past Femi at the road. He dared not turn around now. Errol had surely seen him and would take it as a snub. The butterflies trapped inside him began agitating their wings even more fiercely. Then Errol nodded to Femi, spun on his heels, and disappeared behind the wooden screen. He would have to follow.
“Hey, little brother!”
Femi was relieved to hear James’s voice as his eyes adjusted to the fog. James was sitting on a box next to a young man Femi hadn’t seen before. Both of them were smoking. Errol remained standing. Femi hesitated in the doorway, feeling the tension in Errol. He was like a cheetah waiting to spring.
“What’s the deal, little brother?” James drawled. “You looking for me?”
“Y-yeah,” Femi stuttered. How did James know?
“I’m a mind reader, Femi boy!” James laughed. “Take a seat.” Whatever was bothering Errol, James was not letting it get to him. An armchair with only one armrest was free, but Femi assumed that was Errol’s seat. He sat down uneasily on a wooden box opposite James. Errol let out a string of curses. Femi would have jumped up again if James hadn’t put out his hand.
“No need to vex yourself. Errol is waiting for some friends. Here, take a puff. Looks like you need something to calm your nerves, right?”
James held out the little white roll of paper. The smell prickled his nose, and Femi rubbed the back of his hand quickly across his face. He had heard of people spluttering and coughing and making fools of themselves over their first smoke. He felt James’s eyes on him, watching, waiting. But it wasn’t a trick. James was only offering him what he had been smoking.
Femi stretched out his hand and secured the little roll-up between his forefinger and thumb. He raised it to his lips. One short, quick suck. Something was invading hismouth, throat, blocking his nasal passages. He was silently gasping, as if trapped inside a tight, narrow tunnel, desperate for fresh air. Then, just as it became unbearable, it felt as if his head was pushing through into a larger cavern. He breathed out and gulped in new air. His head felt light. He sucked again. Once again, that feeling of being trapped, then released into a haze. The butterflies that had been snared inside him began to flutter away.
“So, what’s the story?”
James’s voice seemed to come to him from a distance. He wondered whether James had repeated the question in order to reach him. James and the young man beside him were grinning. Only Errol remained unsmiling, hovering near the door, constantly looking out. But that no longer seemed to matter so much. Femi had come to look for James, and here he was.
“I was walking down the road, with my friend, right.” Femi hoped that he wasn’t mumbling. He found it easier to focus on the empty armchair than on James’s face. “A load of white men shouted this racist stuff—from their old banger.”
“Where’ve you been, little brother? Black people get this rubbish every day!” James was challenging him but wasn’t unfriendly. “That’s why
“Why don’t you get to school early tomorrow—and do it then?” Gary’s forehead wrinkled in surprise.
“It’s okay. See you tomorrow.”
Femi turned and belted away before there was any time for Gary to offer to accompany him.
As soon as the garage came into sight, he regretted coming. He shouldn’t have let those racists unsettle him so much. One sudden urge to be with James, and here he was rushing into Errol’s den. James mightn’t even be here. Was he crazy? What was he going to tell Errol about Sade and how she had stormed at him? He halted on the forecourt, bending over to catch his breath. He could backtrack before he was seen. But it was too late. Errol had emerged from behind the wooden panel. From behind his dark glasses, he appeared to be looking past Femi at the road. He dared not turn around now. Errol had surely seen him and would take it as a snub. The butterflies trapped inside him began agitating their wings even more fiercely. Then Errol nodded to Femi, spun on his heels, and disappeared behind the wooden screen. He would have to follow.
“Hey, little brother!”
Femi was relieved to hear James’s voice as his eyes adjusted to the fog. James was sitting on a box next to a young man Femi hadn’t seen before. Both of them were smoking. Errol remained standing. Femi hesitated in the doorway, feeling the tension in Errol. He was like a cheetah waiting to spring.
“What’s the deal, little brother?” James drawled. “You looking for me?”
“Y-yeah,” Femi stuttered. How did James know?
“I’m a mind reader, Femi boy!” James laughed. “Take a seat.” Whatever was bothering Errol, James was not letting it get to him. An armchair with only one armrest was free, but Femi assumed that was Errol’s seat. He sat down uneasily on a wooden box opposite James. Errol let out a string of curses. Femi would have jumped up again if James hadn’t put out his hand.
“No need to vex yourself. Errol is waiting for some friends. Here, take a puff. Looks like you need something to calm your nerves, right?”
James held out the little white roll of paper. The smell prickled his nose, and Femi rubbed the back of his hand quickly across his face. He had heard of people spluttering and coughing and making fools of themselves over their first smoke. He felt James’s eyes on him, watching, waiting. But it wasn’t a trick. James was only offering him what he had been smoking.
Femi stretched out his hand and secured the little roll-up between his forefinger and thumb. He raised it to his lips. One short, quick suck. Something was invading hismouth, throat, blocking his nasal passages. He was silently gasping, as if trapped inside a tight, narrow tunnel, desperate for fresh air. Then, just as it became unbearable, it felt as if his head was pushing through into a larger cavern. He breathed out and gulped in new air. His head felt light. He sucked again. Once again, that feeling of being trapped, then released into a haze. The butterflies that had been snared inside him began to flutter away.
“So, what’s the story?”
James’s voice seemed to come to him from a distance. He wondered whether James had repeated the question in order to reach him. James and the young man beside him were grinning. Only Errol remained unsmiling, hovering near the door, constantly looking out. But that no longer seemed to matter so much. Femi had come to look for James, and here he was.
“I was walking down the road, with my friend, right.” Femi hoped that he wasn’t mumbling. He found it easier to focus on the empty armchair than on James’s face. “A load of white men shouted this racist stuff—from their old banger.”
“Where’ve you been, little brother? Black people get this rubbish every day!” James was challenging him but wasn’t unfriendly. “That’s why
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