Feeling Sorry for Celia (13 page)

Saxon is a big astronomy freak so he brought this minitelescope along, so we could watch what was going on everywhere. We saw people walking along footpaths on their hands, people changing tyres, people singing together and people drinking tea around barbecues. It looked pretty cool actually and I suggested that we dump the whole rescue mission idea and just join up ourselves. Saxon looked even more amazed and said he was beginning to doubt my commitment to the task ahead.

‘In a situation like this,’ he said, ‘it is
vital
, Elizabeth, that we operate as a team – as a
well-oiled machine
, a perfectly functioning, shiny and silver rocket-ship. Or a vending machine. One that gives change, Elizabeth, one that responds
instantly
when you touch the button that you want,
instantly
dropping a packet of barbecue chips into the container below, and
pushing another packet forward to replace the ones that you just bought, Elizabeth!’

I said, ‘I really hate barbecue-flavoured chips.’

He found this almost as ridiculous as my suggestion that we abandon the rescue mission, and started to demand what could possibly be wrong with me but he had to stop because
at that exact moment
we saw Celia come out of a caravan.

Amazing, I know. You don’t have to tell me.

She was wearing pyjamas and a bathrobe and she had this
terrible
cough. She sounded like a sea lion.

Saxon didn’t lose a single second.

He took the cricket ball that we had prepared (an old one from his aunt’s collection), made sure that our note was wrapped around it carefully, and
rolled it straight across the grass towards her
. It landed right in front of her feet.

This may seem unbelievable, that somebody could aim so well, but it’s true, he did.

I think he was pretty proud about it, actually. I noticed him doing a few kind of imaginary underarm rolls afterwards, looking happy.

So, we watched Celia stare down at this ball for about half an hour. Then she picked it up, her mouth fell open (Saxon started writhing in agony then, going ‘Celia! Close your mouth! Walk away! The danger! The danger!’ which made me even more hysterical) and she read it. Just standing there looking tiny in her pyjamas with her hair all messy and her bathrobe flapping in the wind.

Then she went to the shed which I think was the bathroom, and back to her caravan.

It was incredible. To see Celia again after all this time. It made tears blur my eyes.

Saxon and I went for a walk to the beach next, and I got sand in my sneakers which I still can’t get out. Honestly, I’ve shaken my sneakers upside down at least two thousand times and
every time I do it there’s still sand in them
. It’s kind of weird, isn’t it?

When we got back to the circus, we found a note from
Celia in the Sprite can where we told her to put it. She told us a Safe Time and a Safe Place where we could meet her, and we went for
another
walk along the beach until that time, and then we slipped unseen, invisible, silent,
exactly
like a well-oiled vending machine, to the Secret Meeting Place.

And there was Celia.

It was so fantastic to see her, we just hugged each other and burst into tears, and Saxon stood beside us looking solemn for a minute and then he decided to hug us both too. I think he even had tears in his eyes.

I have to say though. Up close? Celia looked shocking. I’ve never seen her so wrecked. She’s seriously sick I think. Her face was completely grey except for the big purple circles under her eyes, and she looked even skinnier and tinier than usual, and practically every time she opened her mouth to speak she had to cough. So she couldn’t speak. One of those coughs that turn into a really deep sound, like a guard dog, so you can’t really believe it’s coming from a person’s mouth. You know?

I also have to say that when Saxon hugged me he had great arms, and a great chest and it was hard to concentrate for a minute.

Saxon’s auntie came to pick us up and she took one look at Celia and said, ‘In the car. I’m taking you to the doctor.’

So that was kind of dramatic too. We went screeching off to the doctor’s, Celia still in her pyjamas. Saxon’s auntie was like a Speedway driver.

The doctor did a blood test but we won’t get the results for a few days. He’s given her some antibiotics and stuff, and said she has to go to bed for the next week. So Saxon’s
aunt has insisted that we all stay with her for a week, and we phoned home and it’s fine, so we’re all staying and it’s very cool.

Although it means we’re going to miss the Trail Run. Don’t tell anyone but I’m a bit disappointed about that, because I’ve actually been training for it for about four months. Plus I came in the top twenty last year, so I had this secret dream that I would win. Anyway, I’m sure I wouldn’t have won it, and Celia’s far more important, so I don’t really mind.

Celia seemed to kind of collapse when we got back to Auntie Robbie’s. She’s had a really hard time it sounds like, but she was so determined to not just quit. Now she’s got Saxon’s auntie taking care of her, and being shocked about all her experiences, and saying she wants to sue that circus manager for sexual harassment. It’s making Celia go droopy – maybe she actually likes not being in charge for a change, and she’s just lying around being pathetic. Sorry. I have to go. Saxon’s auntie’s asking me and Saxon to do some shopping for her. See ya.

---

Hi again, it’s the next day and it’s so so so so so so so so so so so lovely to be here at Saxon’s auntie’s place. Saxon even looked up his copy of
Runner’s World
and he noticed that the Forest Hill Half Marathon is on in about two months. That’s a really famous run and I always wanted to go in it, and Saxon says he always did too. So we’re going to train for it. We’ve already started running again – we did our stretching together on the back verandah, and then we ran along the beach, and then we stretched together again.

At the moment, we’re all sitting around in the living room drinking hot chocolate. Saxon’s auntie has this huge window looking right out across the beach which is completely deserted. It’s kind of a wintry day, with a pale grey sky, and the ocean looks still and moves around lazily, and the sand is white, and there are Twix chocolate wrappers blowing in the wind. BEAUTIFUL.

Celia is resting on the couch just over there, all bundled up in blankets, surrounded by her medication and her tissues, and reading old cricket magazines.

Saxon is sitting at the table polishing his telescope and cleaning out the sand.

Saxon’s aunt is playing a
very violent
video game in the other corner.

It’s so nice and peaceful. The only sounds are the ocean waves, the wind, and an occasional burst of machine-gun fire.

WELL.

I guess I should finish this and send it to you, so it gets to you before I’m home.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you again. It’s strange writing to you without hearing anything. It’s like you and Celia have swapped places suddenly – she’s here and you’re far away. I hope you’re not far away when I get home. I hope Derek is fine, and I hope you’re fine, and I hope school’s not too stupid.

See you soon, I mean write to you soon,

Elizabeth

Dearest Elizabeth,

Well now. That’s more like it.

Truly, best friend behaviour.

We see you have travelled many hundreds of kilometres to save your friend from a situation of direness and distress. We see you are having long conversations with your friend again – we see you are in the same room as her! Amazing!

Congratulations!

We welcome you back into our fold.

Best Friends Club

Dear Ms Clarry,

You have probably never heard of our society. That’s just as well, as we are a top-secret association and nobody ever hears of us. Not even our most prized members. We ourselves are never even entirely
certain
that we exist.

For you, however, an exception.

What a star you are! What a genius! Cross-country train journeys, camouflage, telescopes and strategies! A mission to rescue a fairy princess! Accompanied by a gallant young prince with excellent biceps! A life-saving dash to the emergency room!

We will carry you high in a velvet throne while crowds throng to catch a glimpse of you! We will bathe you in maple syrup, and crown you in silver-coated emeralds!

We will send you gossamer wings so that you can fly across the ocean on a seaweed-scented breeze!

Okay?

Yours,

mysteriously,

The Secret and Mysterious Association of Secret and Mysterious People

Dear Elizabeth,

You and Saxon Walker make something of a team, don’t you?

Together, you have rescued Celia. Together, you are spending your days running up and down the beach, sitting on the sand and squishing sea grapes at each other. Together, you are shopping for Auntie Robbie, fetching fruit and vitamin C tablets for Celia, taking turns reading books to Celia until she asks you to please shut up.

We sense many great things for you, Elizabeth! We sense candlelit dinners, popcorn at the movies, a partner at the Year 10 formal!

We wish you the very best.

Yours,

The Young Romance Association

Dearest Elizabeth,

Excuse me while we throw up over here. Who are you trying to kid?

Try and keep in mind what Saxon looks like, would you honey?

COLD HARD TRUTH ASSOCIATION