Don't Breathe a Word by Marianne Musgrove

Author:Marianne Musgrove
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia
Published: 2009-09-16T04:00:00+00:00

I only left him alone for a moment. I had to go to the loo and some things can’t be put off. When I came out, Lydia was standing in the dining room, holding a big bunch of gerberas.

‘I’m so glad I caught you,’ she said, thrusting the flowers at me and giving me a hug. It wasn’t one of her usual suffocation-type hugs, though. It was a nervous little hug, as if she thought I might push her off. She pulled back, looking anxious but deter-minedly cheerful.

‘I’m taking you all to the movies,’ she announced. ‘Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines is playing at the cinema!’

‘My favourite!’ said Grandpa, reaching for his crutches.

‘Oh,’ I said. ‘Thanks and everything, but I don’t think that’s such a good idea.’

‘Why not?’ asked Lydia.

‘Well, you know, um, the roads are dangerous,’ I blurted out. ‘Also, watching movies is bad for the eyes and, ah, I heard the safety standards at the cinema are no good. Yeah, lots of accidents happen at the cinema.’

Grandpa patted me on the arm. ‘You’re a funny one,’ he said. ‘Go and get me my jacket, would you please, love?’

‘I’ll shout you popcorn,’ said Lydia.

I sighed. It was obvious there was no way Grandpa was missing out on his favourite film, and some popcorn would definitely help stave off the hunger for a bit, especially since we were rationing our food supplies. All I could do was go along, keep an eye on Grandpa, and try and get us back home as soon as possible.

Since it was the school holidays, the cinema was chockers. Heaps of kids were there, squealing, laughing, stuffing chips into their faces. The chances of running into someone we knew were high.

‘Lyle! Lydia! Kenzie!’ It was Mrs Banerjee, and with her were Mahesh, Basanti and Vijay. The younger two were wearing cardboard ears, their faces painted black and white. When Mahesh saw me, he ripped something off his head and ducked behind his mum.

‘What a coincidence, all of us ending up at the cinema,’ said Mrs B. ‘We’re here to see the latest Disney film. The one about the kittens.’ She pointed towards the door of Cinema One. Lots of little kids were lined up with their parents, waiting to get in. Many of them were also dressed as kittens. ‘The kids have been nagging me to see it for weeks.’

‘Basanti and Vijay have been nagging you for weeks,’ said Mahesh from behind his mum’s back. ‘I have not been nagging anyone.’

I peeked around to look at him.

‘Are those whiskers on your face?’ I said. ‘Are you dressed as a kitten?’

Mahesh groaned. ‘Basanti did it,’ he said. ‘And anyway, I’m not a kitten. I’m a panther, all right? Panthers are very dangerous animals.’ He held up his cardboard ears. ‘See? Panther ears.’

I couldn’t help smiling. He looked so harmless and sweet. Not that I liked him or anything.

‘Mahesh has gone all red,’ said Basanti, bouncing around like she’d had a green cordial injection.

‘Yeah, Mash,’ said Vijay.

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