Michael Carroll - Sakkara

“Enough!” Caroline said. “The two of you, go upstairs and check your rooms one last time. Make sure there’s nothing there that you can’t leave behind.”

Reluctantly, Renata and Colin trudged up the stairs. They stopped on the landing and Renata said, “I think your mother is really worried.”

“The two of them are. I suppose we should be, too. But it’ll all turn out all right, won’t it?”

“How would I know?”

Colin shrugged and went into his bedroom. He stood just inside the door, looking around. Schoolbag – won’t be needing that for a while. He dropped to his knees, fished around under the bed and pulled out Toto, the ancient, frayed teddy bear that he’d had since his first birthday. Toto was covered in dust and cobwebs. Colin stared at him for a few moments, wondering whether he should be feeling some sort of sentimental attachment, then shrugged and tossed the bear aside.

He resumed searching and found a bundle of comics, two Matchbox cars with only three wheels between them and a lot more dust.

“Find anything?” Renata said from the doorway.

Colin stood up. “Nah.”

“Oh, you have a teddy!” She picked it up off the floor and tried to brush the dust off.

He blushed. “Oh, that old thing. I was going to throw that out.”

“What’s his name?”

“Toto.”

“After Dorothy’s dog?”

“Probably. I can’t remember. I’ve had him a long time.” He noticed the way Renata was holding the bear. “He’s yours, if you want him.”

“Well, he’s not in bad condition. It’d be a shame to throw him out. I could give him to my niece, if I ever get to meet her. I told you that Samantha has a two-year-old, didn’t I?”

“Yeah. Your sister’s, what, twenty-two now?”

“And my brother is nineteen. Which means that he’s five years older than me and he’s five years younger.”

“All your friends will be grown up, too.”

Renata nodded, hugging Toto close. “I know. But I try not to think about it too much.”

Colin smiled. “Does that work?”

“Not really. I keep thinking that it must be absolutely hell for my parents. Every year the whole world has a great big celebration for Mystery Day and all they can think of is that it’s the day their eldest daughter disappeared.”

“You went missing on the same day that all the other superhumans did, so maybe they figured out that you were a superhuman, too.”

“No, they didn’t. Josh said that a lot of families contacted the authorities after Mystery Day, asking whether their loved ones might have been superhumans. My family didn’t. It probably never crossed their minds.”

“You’re going to go home even if my parents and the others don’t think you should, aren’t you?” Colin asked.

“They wouldn’t be able to stop me; I’m probably the strongest person in the world. You’re the only one who even comes close and I know you won’t try to stop me. Will you?”

Colin shook his head. “Of course not! But you have to…” Colin froze. His superhuman hearing picked up a familiar sound from far away. “Transport’s here.”

They ran back downstairs, Renata still clutching the bear. “It’s here, Dad!” Colin shouted from the hall, as he picked up the largest of the suitcases.

He opened the front door and ignored the sudden onslaught of camera flashes and the cheering. The two police officers turned to look at him.

“Thanks,” Colin said.

“That’s what they pay us the big bucks for,” one of them replied. “But I should be thanking you. My wife’s cousin Dave was one of the people you rescued from the toy store tonight.”

“The shop assistant?”

“That’s him. You and Diamond saved his life.”

“Is he OK?”

“Cut and bruises, a few minor burns. He’s a lot better than he would have been if you two hadn’t been there…” The police officer’s voice trailed off as he became aware of a low rumbling noise. He glanced upwards and saw a large black vehicle descending slowly from the night sky. “What on earth is that thing?”

“That’s a StratoTruck,” Colin said.

“I want one of those!”

The StratoTruck was about the size of a transport helicopter, but shorter and wider. It had short wings at the back, and was powered by four large turbine engines that could pivot to provide forward thrust as well as lift.

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