BooksBarbecue
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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

The ‘next bit’ all happens too fast for me to keep up with, but Vince shouts something very loud and the next thing I know I’m underneath the table in the dining hall, my hand still on the phone in my pocket. Some of my food is on top of me and the rest, when I struggle out and up onto the right side of the bench, is spread across half of the room. You can hear a pin drop, and everyone is looking in my direction. I am surprised at the slow drip of blood spotting onto my shirt and the scattered chips and peas in front of me, and more surprised when I realise that the blood is coming from my nose, which suddenly starts to hurt. A lot. The ringing in my ears grows steadily louder as I turn around to collect my bag and coat. Vince is still holding the tray he hit me with, and as I bend down, he hits me again, sending me back underneath the table. From here, I watch Vince and Alan’s feet slowly make their way towards the door as no one makes any attempt to stop them.

They are far too visible for that.

THIRTY-FIVE

THIRTY FIVE

In Miss Amber’s room, they want me to write a report of the incident. The blood has stopped now, and I’ve told them that I don’t need to go to hospital. Despite this, they’ve phoned Mum to tell her what happened, and that she should keep an eye on me at home.

‘So you were sitting there, eating lunch, when Vince and Alan came up and attacked you? Out of nowhere?’

‘Yes. No, not Alan. It was Vince who hit me. With the tray I think.’

‘And Alan didn’t touch you?’

‘No.’

‘And did either of them say anything to you at all?’

‘I … I don’t remember. It all happened so quickly.’

‘It’s OK, Josh. Just keep calm and try to write down exactly what happened.’

After a few false starts – a combination of my shaking hand and me not knowing what I should say – Miss Amber takes the pen herself and goes back to asking me questions.

‘So, you came into the canteen and sat down by yourself at a table, is that right?’

‘Yes.’ I thought it was definitely a good idea not to mention Dana, whose look at me as I passed her in Miss Amber’s doorway at the end of lunchtime was a mixture of shock and disgust.

‘Then what, Josh?’

‘Alan and Vince came past me, and … and I think my bag must have been sticking out.’

‘Your bag?’

‘Yes, my bag was sticking out, and my coat, and I think Alan or Vince must have tripped on it and spilled their food, then Vince took my tray and when I tried to stop him it hit me in the nose.’