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Chapters (75)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. About the Author
  4. Title Page
  5. Intoroduction
  6. ONE
  7. TWO
  8. THREE
  9. FOUR
  10. FIVE
  11. SIX
  12. SEVEN
  13. EITHT
  14. NINE
  15. TEN
  16. ELEVEN
  17. TWELVE
  18. THIRTEEN
  19. FOURTEEN
  20. FIFTEEN
  21. SIXTEEN
  22. SEVENTEEN
  23. EIGHTEEN
  24. NINETEEN
  25. TWENTY
  26. TWENTY-ONE
  27. TWENTY-TWO
  28. TWENTY-THREE
  29. TWENTY-FOUR
  30. TWENTY-FIVE
  31. TWENTY-SIX
  32. TWENTY-SEVEN
  33. TWENTY-EIGHT
  34. TWENTY-NINE
  35. THIRTY
  36. THIRTY-ONE
  37. THIRTY-TWO
  38. THIRTY-THREE
  39. THIRTY-FOUR
  40. THIRTY-FIVE
  41. THIRTY-SIX
  42. THIRTY-SEVEN
  43. THIRTY-EIGHT
  44. THIRTY-NINE
  45. FORTY
  46. FORTY-ONE
  47. FORTY-TWO
  48. FORTY-THREE
  49. FORTY-FOUR
  50. FORTY-FIVE
  51. FORTY-SIX
  52. FORTY-SEVEN
  53. FORTY-EIGHT
  54. FORTY-NINE
  55. FIFTY
  56. FIFTY-ONE
  57. FIFTY-TWO
  58. FIFTY-THREE
  59. FIFTY-FOUR
  60. FIFTY-FIVE
  61. FIFTY-SIX
  62. FIFTY-SEVEN
  63. FIFTY-EIGHT
  64. FIFTY-NINE
  65. SIXTY
  66. SIXTY-ONE
  67. SIXTY-TWO
  68. SIXTY-THREE
  69. SIXTY-FOUR
  70. SIXTY-FIVE
  71. SIXTY-SIX
  72. SIXTY-SEVEN
  73. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  74. CLIMATE EMERGENCY
  75. Copyright

FIFTY SIX

Friday’s Biology lesson comes around too quickly. I can’t shake the memory of Mr Walters’ ‘chat’.

It doesn’t seem to be playing on his mind though. ‘Right then, eager young minds,’ he booms. ‘Today we have a new addition. I’m sure you all know Ahmed already. Quite distinctive around here is young Ahmed. Anyway, he’s been moved up into top set this term, so let’s welcome him.’

There’s a low drone of ‘Hi, Ahmed’.

Mr Walters continues. ‘Ahmed, you picked a grand day to join us. Today is experiment day, and we’re going to look at the calorific content of this variety of healthy Christmas snacks, all leftovers from the Walters’ family hoard this year.’ Mr Walters pours, from a cardboard box onto his desk, a bright waterfall of rustling, plastic-wrapped goodies: selection boxes, bags of chocolate coins, giant candy cane packets full of brightly coloured sweets, even a couple of huge, round, red-and-white striped lollipops.

There’s a palpable buzz in the room as everyone leans in a little closer.

‘Josh, please remind us of what a calorie is.’

I murmur, ‘The energy needed to raise the temperature of a litre of water by one degree centigrade.’

‘A textbook answer, young man.’ He seems to have forgiven me then. ‘So class, we’ll be setting fire to these tasty nibbles and seeing how much juice they’ve got in them, how fat they’ve made us over Christmas, so that when we look at exercise this term, you’ll all know how much lard you have to lose. List of equipment and how to assemble the experiment is on your worksheets, along with a table to record your results. Ahmed, I’m afraid I couldn’t track down any Knafeh or Halawet el jibn for you.’

‘Thank you, Sir. It’s not a problem.’ Ahmed smiles, but he seems embarrassed at having been singled out. I know that look. It’s probably plastered all over my face.

‘Shukraan, Ahmed. Shukraan. I’ve put you with Josh today. It’s your first experiment and he’s the best we can offer to show you how we do things up here in the top set.’ Mr Walters turns his attention back to the room. ‘Right then everyone, look at the board to find your partner, then come and pick something to burn. Ahmed. Here, try one of these.’ He throws one of the giant lollies at Ahmed.

There are ‘aws’ of disappointment as the other kids see one of the top targets go.

‘Yes, Sir.’ Ahmed catches the sweet in one hand, then looks at me sitting a few rows behind him.

I don’t catch his eye as I slip off my stool and go to collect the equipment.