Under my bed I had a small plastic tub filled with a few art materials next to a pile of old magazines. I put them all on my desk and sat down in my chair. I was going to finish it.

*

I worked on my collage right up until dinner time and then again until it was time for bed. Mum knocked on my door after Henry had gone to sleep.

“Are you all right, love?” she asked, poking her head round my door.

“Yes, I’m fine, Mum,” I said. “I’ll just be another five minutes and then I’ll go to sleep.”

She smiled when she saw what I was doing and blew me a kiss.

I stuck the last petal piece into place, then picked up my finished collage. It was a kaleidoscope of colour. I moved the paper back and forth so that the pieces began to flutter. I smiled to myself. It looked like the heart was gently beating.

Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Mum dropped me at school the next day. I ran to the playground and stood by the main doors. As soon as the bell went, I rushed to our classroom to see if Ellie-bot was back. But the desk beside me was empty.

I felt a bit dizzy. Something bad had happened to Ellie, I just knew it. I looked for Miss Burnell to ask her what was going on, but she was in the corner talking to our headteacher, Mrs Watson.

I put my bag by my desk and sat down. Miss Burnell and Mrs Watson were talking in low whispers, looking down at the floor as they spoke. Ellie-bot was on the shelf behind them, switched off and facing the wall. Miss Burnell saw me looking and she quickly turned away. Then Miss Burnell nodded and Mrs Watson left.

Almost everyone was in their seats now. I put my arm up.

“Miss?” I said. “Miss? Is Ellie OK?”

Miss Burnell waved her arm at me. “Not now, Anna,” she said. “Let me take the register and then I need to tell you something.” She went over to her desk.

I felt tears begin to sting my eyes. It wasn’t going to be good. I just knew it.

Miss Burnell called out everyone’s names and I waited for her to get to Ellie Palmer, but she skipped it. She finished the register and Ellie wasn’t mentioned at all. Miss Burnell was holding her hands in front of her.

“Badgers Class, I have some news to share about Ellie Palmer,” she began.

My stomach twisted. I was so worried about what she was going to say.

“As you know,” Miss Burnell went on, “Ellie has been very poorly over the past year. She has been in and out of hospital and has had to endure some rather nasty treatments to try to get her better again.”

The classroom was so quiet you couldn’t even hear a breath.