Claudie says, ‘The bakery gives me free food at this time of day. I’ll get us some dinner. Mind my stuff, will you?’ She puts her blankets and stove on the footpath and disappears into the bakery.

I look around. If the other Merry is here somewhere, how will I find her? Do I walk down side streets shouting her name? Knock on every apartment door? I wish Sylvie was here to tell me what to do.

I close my eyes and in my mind, I shout, Sylvie! Help me. How do I find Mum?

But of course she doesn’t reply. The snow falls more heavily and I hold one of Claudie’s blankets over me like a little roof.

Then I see a curtain move in one of the upstairs windows over the road, and my fingers sizzle. Is it a sign?

I hear Sylvie’s voice in my head. Who’s that calling?

Sylvie! I never thought I’d be so happy to hear her voice. It’s me. Tulsi. I don’t know how to find Mum. What should I do?

There’s no response.

My eyes land on a woman walking under an umbrella on the other side of the road. She moves the umbrella as she passes someone, and I get a good look at her face.

‘Mum!’ I shout. I’ve found her! A dizzying wave of joy hits me. Everything’s going to be okay.

CHAPTER 17

Mum hurries along the footpath, disappearing behind other pedestrians.

I turn back to the bakery. ‘Claudie!’ I shout. ‘It’s her! I have to go.’ But Claudie doesn’t hear me. She’s chatting to the guy behind the bakery counter. ‘Claudie!’

I can’t lose sight of Mum. I drop Claudie’s blanket to the footpath and dash across the road, dodging between cars.

I bump and bang into people as I sprint along the slushy footpath. ‘Oi, take it easy!’ someone shouts after me.

‘Mum!’ I yell.

But Mum’s umbrella bobs on in the distance.

My legs slip out from under me and I land hard on the pavement. In the few moments it takes me to scrabble around and get to my feet, I lose track of her.

She’s disappeared.

I feel sick, frantic. How can I have lost her? She was just here.

A queasy sensation comes over me, a bit like the feeling I had when Sylvie was stealing my energy. Then I spot Mum stepping up onto a bright red bus and my heart sinks.

It’s not her.

This woman has short hair and wears high heels. My mum never wears high heels. It’s the other Merry, from this universe. But she might know where Mum is.

I run to the bus, but the doors shut before I get there.

‘Wait! Wait for me!’ I pound my fist on the bus door, and find myself sobbing. ‘Please! Please! Let me on.’