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Contents

Before you read

Preface

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Continue the story

Before you read

Before you start reading the story

why not stretch your brains with

these fun exercises?

FactsGetting started Word play

I have seen time as it is thought. I have seen the original slime slip and slide into salt water. Watched

the heat from the middle of the earth as it turned from gas to stone to energy. I have ridden the giant

reptiles and watched with them as they were covered by mud. I have watched as the first step was taken

and the first water was sipped from a jungle pool. As you changed and became. Life. Your minds growing.

Your backs straightening, your thumbs becoming strong. I have seen you build in brick in stone in

metal. Towers to break the clouds – machines to touch the moon.

I have seen time as it is thought. For I am Bilious Blue.

1

Chapter 1

Emma was dreaming. She was inside a tall industrial chimney. Half way up. Her legs and arms were pushed out to hold her against its

inside brick walls. Above her she could see a small circle of light and below her was a face looking up. It was her face. She must have two faces. One in the chimney looking down. And one at the bottom of the chimney looking up. And around her was a blanket of many colours. The blanket wrapped around the inside of the chimney. The colours were pictures – thousands of pictures of birds, animals, dinosaurs and people. Butterflies flew around plates of sandwiches – lizards sunbathed on hot rocks and people talked and laughed and sailed boats. The blanket went on and on. She reached out to touch it – to touch the picture of a face of a man in a black tall hat. And her fingers came away sticky. She touched her fingertips together to feel the stickiness.

It was spider web. The entire blanket was woven in colours and spider web. She laughed and her laugh echoed in the chimney. Then she woke up.

* * *

Emma couldn’t get the dream out of her head at breakfast.

‘What are you thinking about Little Em?’ Mum asked. ‘You look like you are somewhere else.’

‘I was thinking about my dream. It was so real. I was in a chimney.’

‘Like Father Christmas?’ said Dad looking at her over his newspaper.

‘No. I didn’t have a sack of presents and there were spider webs all around me that looked like lots of pictures.’

‘It’s not your birthday yet and Christmas is seven months away. No presents for you.’

‘I know,’ said Emma crossly. ‘I wasn’t saying that.’

Dad sighed. ‘Your daughter is weird,’ he said to Mum.

Quiz Talk about stuff

‘She’s your daughter too.’

‘I know,’ said Dad and stood up. He picked Emma up and held her high. ‘And soon my little sun-brain will be eight,’ he laughed.

‘Nine,’ said Emma even more crossly.

‘He knows darling. He’s just teasing you,’ said Mum and then tutted at Dad. ‘Now put down your daughter and let her finish her breakfast.’

Chapter 2

First day of the summer holidays. Six weeks of no school and no homework. Emma was sitting in the garden on a blanket reading a book about

Whippersnappers. Whippersnapper books were her favourite. They were magical animals that lived in trees and changed the leaves into different colours in Spring and Autumn. They looked a bit like a squirrel and a bit like a person. They moved so quickly that people couldn’t see them. But she couldn’t concentrate. The words kept sliding away and the dream was in their place. And then she realized she was singing aloud. She was singing Bilious Blue, Bilious Blue over and over again like a song.

‘What are you singing?’ asked her mother who was standing behind her. So Emma sang the song for her.

‘Bilious Blue, Bilious Blue.’

‘What a strange little girl you are,’ said Mum. ‘Where

did you learn a word like that?’

Emma shrugged and carried on reading.

***

‘We need another chair,’ said Emma.

‘But there are only three of us for dinner,’ said Dad.

‘No, there’s not. Bilious Blue needs a chair.’

‘Who?’ said Dad looking at Mum. ‘What?’

‘Bilious Blue. My friend. She needs a chair so she can eat.’

‘I think your daughter has an imaginary friend,’ said Mum.

‘She’s your daughter too,’ said Dad. ‘Sit down Emma.’

‘Not until Bilious Blue has a chair,’ insisted Emma.

Mum sighed and pulled up another chair.

‘Thank you,’ said Emma politely and sat down.

Dad frowned. ‘Bilious Blue. What an odd name. What does it mean?’ He took out his phone and found a dictionary. ‘Bilious. It means some kind of stomach illness or being irritable.’

‘No it doesn’t. It’s just her name.’ Emma said. ‘I think

it’s a lovely name.’

‘This is new,’ said Dad.

Mum looked at him and put her hand on his. ‘It’s normal,’ she said. ‘There are two or three children at the hospital who have imaginary friends. So it’s ok. It’s just a stage.’

‘You’re the nurse,’ said Dad. ‘Whatever you think.’

Emma was ignoring them and chatting to the chair next to her. ‘Would you like some cake?’ she asked politely and offered an empty plate to the empty chair.

Dad rolled his eyes. ‘Well, at least this blue girl doesn’t eat much.’ Mum shushed him.

Quiz Talk about stuff

Chapter 3

Emma rolled out of bed. She had dreamt of the chimney again. Then she heard a voice in her head.

You can hear me, can’t you?

‘Yes,’ said Emma.

How strange.

Emma started whistling a song and stood in front of the mirror combing her hair with her fingers.

No one has ever heard me before, said the voice. It sounded like the voice was made of wind – all soft and breathy.

‘Well, I can.’

How strange.

‘Yes,’ said Emma and carried on working with her hair. She liked to brush it ten times on each side of her head.

* * *

Emma was in the garden again when the voice spoke next.

So if I talk and you can hear me, you can answer my questions.

‘Maybe,’ Emma said uncertainly.

You are a girl. And you are young.

‘I’m nearly nine,’ said Emma indignantly.

Nine years old, said the voice.

‘Nearly,’ corrected Emma. ‘How old are you?’

I’m very old.

‘As old as Dad?’

Much older.

Emma thought about that. ‘As old as Gran?’

Much older.

Emma thought about that too. She couldn’t imagine anyone older than Gran.

‘Why are you called Bilious Blue?’ asked Emma.

I don’t know. It’s my name. I like it. Why are you called Emma?

Emma shrugged.

Can you see me when I talk?

Emma shook her head. ‘No. I just hear you talking. But I think I dreamed about you. I dreamed of a big chimney with lots of pictures in it.’

Amazing! That’s where I am. It’s where I live at the moment! The voice was excited.

‘Why do you live in a chimney?’

I don’t know. I just do. Before that I lived under a house and before that on top of a tree. And before that in a cave. And before that under the sea.

Emma didn’t know how to respond. So she said simply, ‘You move a lot.’

And even though the voice didn’t say anything it felt like it was nodding.

‘Are you a boy or a girl?’ asked Emma.

There was silence. As though the voice was thinking. I don’t know.

‘I think you’re a girl,’ said Emma.

Then that is what I am.

Then it was lunch time, but after lunch the voice was there again. And Emma and the voice talked

about this and that – about cats and dogs and trees and games and Mum and Dad.

* * *

The first week of summer. Always the best week. Still five more weeks to go. An endless time when you are young. Emma had a pair of new trainers that felt like she was walking on air. They smelt new. She loved sniffing them and then putting them on and running as fast as she could. Bilious Blue liked the trainers too.

Hold them up so I can smell them again.

So she did.

‘Can you smell them through my nose? Are you smelling what I smell?’

I think so. I don’t know. I can smell them because I am in your mind.

‘You mean in my head?’ said Emma.

No, in your mind. Your thoughts.

‘But I think in my head.’

The voice didn’t answer.

So Emma smelt lots of things for Bilious Blue. Roses,

watermelon, mud and melted chocolate on her fingers.

‘Do you like chocolate?’ asked Emma.

I don’t know.

‘I’ll taste it again. Can you taste it when I taste it?’

Sort of. I feel it like a thought.

‘But do you like it?’

Again the voice paused. I don’t know. Do you?

‘Sure. Of course I do. It’s chocolate.’

How do you know you like it?

‘I just do. Sometimes Bilious Blue, you can be a real sun-brain.’

What’s a sun-brain?

‘It’s what Mum and Dad call me sometimes. Dad says it when he thinks I say silly things. He says then that all I have in my brain is sunlight.’

Is that a good thing?

‘Well,’ Emma thought. ‘I know he loves me.’

I know about love. Kissing and holding. People do it a lot.

‘Of course we do. That’s what people do.’

The voice sighed. Not me.

‘Poor you,’ said Emma and started to feel sad. So she began to whistle another song to take her mind off it.

Quiz Talk about stuff

Chapter 4

The same dream. Her face looking up. Emma woke up. It was still dark.

You’re awake.

‘Yes,’ she said and rubbed her eyes sleepily.

Were you dreaming again?

‘Yes.’

What about?

‘Can’t you see my dreams?’ asked Emma.

No. I only see what you see and am part of your thoughts when you are awake. All dreams are a mystery to me. I know they are pictures in your mind when you sleep. But I never see them.

Emma thought about this. ‘Don’t you dream?’

The voice paused. For a long time. Emma thought it had gone away when she heard it again.

That’s a good question. Maybe I dream all the time. Maybe I am just that. A dreamer. A wanderer of thought. Meandering from mind to mind. From time through time.

‘Sun-brain,’ said Emma under her breath.

I heard that!

‘I know. But when you talk like that I have no idea what you are talking about. And you can’t dream all the time. That means you are always asleep.’

I don’t think I am asleep or awake. The voice sighed again. I just am.

‘But you’re not in my head all the time. Where do you go when you are not there?’

I am in other heads. Human heads, dog heads, spider minds, birds. I go from one to the other. I always have. But now I mostly stay in your head.

‘Why?’

You are different. No one can hear me. No one has ever heard me.

‘So you never talk to anyone?’

No. I never have.

‘That must be very lonely.’

The voice didn’t answer. And Emma went back to sleep.

Quiz Talk about stuff

Chapter 5

Emma was reading a new Whippersnapper book. Fex, a boy whippersnapper, was flying on the old and scary owl’s back to try and find a

magic key. The owl didn’t know he was there. He was hiding inside its feathers. The key opened up a door into the land under the trees that Fex wanted to visit. It was very exciting – especially the bit where Fex nearly fell off the owl’s back.

That’s like me, said the voice.

‘What is?’ asked Emma, a bit annoyed the voice had interrupted a good bit of the story.

The character, Fex. He flies on the owl but the owl doesn’t know. That’s me. I ride in the minds of living things and they don’t know I’m there. The voice sounded sad again.

‘Yes, but at the end …’ Emma turned to the end of the book – she had read it before, ‘… Fex and the owl

become friends. Look. See? At the end Fex and owl sit and have dinner together with the badgers who rule the underground land. They are friends now. Even though at the beginning Fex was scared of the owl because he thought he was going to eat him. When he got to know the owl everything was ok.’

Are you scared I will eat you?

Emma burst out laughing. ‘No, you’re already my friend. Emma and Bilious Blue. Best friends for ever.’

The voice was silent again.

I want you to come and find me. Can you do that?

‘I don’t know. Where are you?’

I’m in the chimney. It’s not far from you. I can lead you with my voice. Will you come?

* * *

Mum was watching football on TV. The game had just started. Dad was at work.

So Emma walked out the back garden and down the road.

‘I can’t be long. The football will be over in a couple

of hours and then Mum will want to know where I am.’

It’s not far. Now turn left.

And Emma turned left and kept walking. She walked out of the village and up a hill. She walked down the hill and into some trees. All the time, her and the voice talked about things. The voice sounded excited.

No one’s ever seen me before. Perhaps you won’t be able to see me. But wouldn’t it be amazing if you could?

Emma didn’t really understand what the voice was saying, so she kept quiet.

Up this hill here.

Emma’s legs were getting tired. ‘How much further?’

Not far.

Emma got to the top of the hill.

Look. Do you see the chimney?

Emma looked and in the distance was an old factory. And right in the middle of it was a large chimney. It looked just like the one in her dream.

‘Don’t other people see you there?’ asked Emma.

There is no one here. This factory was abandoned over fifty years ago. That’s when I moved in.

‘What does abandoned mean?’

It means everybody left.

‘Oh. Ok. And is that where you make your blanket out of spider webs?’

You’ve seen that? The voice sounded really excited now.

‘Yes. The one with all the animals and people and things.’

My life. You’re seeing my life! I create the things I have seen through all time into images.

‘Why?’

I don’t know. I always have. It’s what I do. I remember things. I make them into pictures.

‘Like a story?’

I don’t know. Maybe. But if it is a story then it is a story of all life.

‘Sounds very long,’ said Emma. You want to keep it

shorter like the whippersnappers. Otherwise people won’t have time to read it.

* * *

In here now.

Emma was in the factory. There was dust all over the wooden floors and rusty machinery stood like the bones of elephants in the corners. The glass in the windows had long been knocked out and it crunched under her trainers when she walked.

There. Now go up the stairs. Yes, right to the top. This is the start of my chimney. Look into it! Can you see me?

And Emma looked up. Far away she saw the little circle of light. But half way up there was something there. Something dark.

‘I think so,’ she said. ‘There’s something there? Is that you? Can you see me down here?’

No. I mean maybe. I don’t know. I’m in your head remember. I can see with your eyes something in the chimney. It must be me. How strange! To be looking up at me! This is the first time I’ve ever used eyes to look at me before.

Emma thought of her dream. Her face looking up at her looking down. She nodded.

Hold on. I’ll go back to my own body.

There was a quiet moment. Something turned in her. Emma waited. ‘Are you gone?’ she said.

There was no answer. But there was a movement. And it was coming closer. Something dark. The little circle of light was eclipsed like the moon and then darkened completely. And then right above her was Bilious Blue.

Quiz Talk about stuff

Chapter 6

It was a dark shape. Like a shadow. And it smelt of something sweet. Maybe flowers. And it was bigger than her. Bigger than Dad or Mum. It had

arms – maybe four of them and six or seven legs. Emma couldn’t count. But it had no eyes and no mouth. To be honest it was a bit scary. And if Emma hadn’t known that the big dark shape was her best friend she might have run away.

So instead she said, ‘Can you hear me?’

The head of the shadow thing nodded.

‘Well, can you speak?’

The shape looked like it was trying to and then shook its head.

‘Well, that’s no good. How are we going to talk?’

Then the shape became still and Emma felt the turning in her head.

I’m in you again now. Wow! Is that me?

‘Yep,’ said Emma.

I look like some kind of giant spidery thing!

‘Yep,’ said Emma again.

But that’s not how I imagine myself.

‘Oh,’ said Emma.

I can’t go out like that! I’ll scare people.

‘But do you have to look like that?’ asked Emma.

The voice was quiet again. I don’t think so. Maybe I can become something else. But I need something to copy. Can I copy you?

‘What do you mean?’

You know, be like you.

‘Ok, sure,’ said Emma. She didn’t understand what Bilious Blue was talking about.

I need to touch you to get an idea of what you are made of. I’m going to go back in my head now and if you could just reach up, I can touch you and get the information I need.

Emma still had no idea what the voice was talking

about. But she nodded. This was her friend and friends did things for friends.

The voice was quiet again. ‘Are you back in there?’ asked Emma.

The dark shape nodded. Emma noticed it was being held in place by three or four of its legs.

‘Can you reach my hand?’ Emma stood on tip toes and held her hand high.

One of the dark thing’s arms or legs detached from the chimney wall and snaked down to her hand. It closed around it. It was warm – about the same temperature as a piece of toast. Then the shape shuddered like it was cold. And then it twisted and changed. A bright light made Emma blink and rub her eyes and when she opened them, standing in front of her was … Emma.

***

‘You look exactly like me!’ she exclaimed.

‘I am,’ said the girl in Emma’s voice. ‘Exactly. This feels nice. This body feels good. Very comfortable. Not as comfortable as my other one – but nice anyway. The girl was feeling her own arms and legs

then brushed her hand through her hair.

‘It’s like looking in a mirror.’

The girl smiled awkwardly and then held her hand out.

‘I’m Bilious Blue,’ she said. Emma took the hand and shook it formally.

‘I know,’ she said. ‘It’s lovely to meet you.’

***

Emma and Bilious Blue were walking hand in hand up the hill. Bilious Blue was smiling. So was Emma.

‘It’s different,’ said Bilious Blue. ‘Actually smelling things myself. It’s more immediate. More satisfying in a visceral way.’

‘You may look like me, but you sure don’t talk like me. What does … visilal or whatever mean?’

‘Visceral. It means real … like something that you feel in your tummy.’

‘You can say stomach. I’m not a baby.’

‘Sorry.’

Ok, well you’re going to have to stop using words like

visceral if you’re going to meet my family. They won’t believe you’re eight … nearly nine,’ she corrected herself.

‘But I’m not.’

‘But you look it. And you’re going to have to change your clothes too. They are exactly the same as mine.’

Emma looked at Bilious Blue’s clothing. The same faded blue jeans, green trainers and yellow t-shirt.

‘But what can we do?’

Bilious Blue looked at her clothes and then at the ground. On the ground was a bluebell. She bent down and touched it. And as she did all of her clothing changed into the same bright blue. And then her hair did too.

‘Wow!’ said Emma. ‘Just like a Whippersnapper. You can change things into different colours. How do you do that?’

‘I don’t know,’ said Bilious Blue. ‘I just copied it.’

‘What else can you do?’

‘I don’t know. Hold on.’ Then the girl that looked just like her sank to the ground and Emma heard the

voice back in her head.

Well, I can still do that, said the voice.

And then the girl on the ground blinked and opened her eyes. ‘So I can do that.’

Then she closed her eyes as though thinking of a really hard Maths question and suddenly, with a flash of light, the girl was gone and the shadow shape was lying on the ground. But just as quickly as it changed, with another flash of light, it changed back into Emma again.

The girl – Bilious Blue – smiled and stood up. ‘And I can do that.’

‘Yeah, well don’t do that again here and not anywhere where people can see you. Mum and Dad would freak. In fact, I think they’re going to freak anyway when they see you. They’re going to ask you lots of questions but just pretend like you don’t know any answers and if the questions get too hard just start crying and they’ll leave you alone.’

‘How do I cry?’ asked Bilious Blue.

‘Like this.’ And Emma screwed up her eyes and pushed. And then she was crying. She opened her

eyes. ‘Easy,’ she said.

Bilious Blue tried. She closed her eyes and squeezed. She opened her dry eyes. ‘Did it work?’

‘No,’ said Emma. ‘Amazing. You can change colour and into a dark spider shadow thing but you can’t cry.’

Bilious Blue looked cross. ‘I can’t do everything. How do you do it?’

‘Just think of something sad.’

‘Like what?’

‘Like whatever makes you sad. Something you don’t like to think about.’

And Bilious Blue closed her eyes again. Then she started to cry. She opened her eyes and laughed, wiping the tears away. ‘That wasn’t so hard!’

‘What did you think about?’ asked Emma, curious.

‘I just thought of not meeting you. I thought about if I had gone into someone else and we had never become friends.’

Emma nodded. She knew what Bilious Blue meant.

Quiz Talk about stuff

Chapter 7

And Mum and Dad were freaked. In fact freaked was way too small a word. Emma had lost track of time because when she and

Bilious Blue arrived home Dad was back from work.

Bilious Blue and Emma were sitting at the kitchen table. Mum and Dad were sitting opposite them. Their eyes travelling from one little girl to the other.

‘This is … impossible,’ Mum said.

Dad’s mouth was open. He looked like a fish.

‘I … don’t …’ Mum said.

Dad nodded slowly ‘… understand,’ he finished.

Emma smiled at them encouragingly. ‘I told you. This is Bilious Blue. She’s my friend. I found her. She is lost. She wants to live with us.’ She spoke slowly – she didn’t want to confuse them.

Dad said, ‘But … how? … what?’

‘Who are your parents dear?’ said Mum. She used her nurse’s voice but her hands were shaking.

‘I don’t know,’ said Bilious Blue. Emma had told her that was the best answer to everything.

‘And where are you from?’ Mum tried again.

‘Um, I don’t know.’ Bilious Blue looked at Emma. Emma smiled approvingly.

‘But you are the same!’ burst out Dad. ‘If you didn’t have blue hair then I would think you’re my daughter.’

Mum put her hand on Dad’s arm. Dad looked at her wildly. ‘Am I going insane? Has she come from Em’s imagination? I mean think about her weird name! For heaven’s sake! It’s the same as her imaginary friend!’

Mum just shook her head.

‘I think you’re being very rude to Bilious Blue,’ said Emma angrily.

‘Look,’ said Dad and stood up. He started to pace. ‘I don’t know what is going on here, but this is too weird.’

He stopped and turned to face Bilious Blue. He

looked angry. ‘Who are you and what are you doing here? Where are your parents and what the hell is GOING ON?’

Bilious Blue just looked at him. She was smiling. Emma kicked her under the table. That was the sign. And so Bilious Blue started crying. She was good. Real tears. Nice and wet.

Mum looked at Emma. ‘Emma? Darling? What is going on?’

And so Emma started crying too. Bit long sobs. The whole kitchen was full of the sounds of the two girls crying loudly.

‘I can’t take this!’ said Dad. He was breathing heavily like a horse.

Mum took his hands. She looked at the two girls.

‘Ok, you two. Just stay here. Emma, make yourself and … your guest … a sandwich if you girls are hungry. I’m going to talk to Emma’s father for a minute.’

* * *

Emma made Bilious Blue a huge sandwich with cheese, onion, lettuce, peanut butter, and cold egg.

Then Mum and Dad came back in.

‘I’ve called to my hospital and we are going to run some tests. We’ve also called the police to see if anyone has reported a missing girl. So if you girls are ready, you’ll come with me and Dad will go and talk to the police.’

‘You’ll need a photo,’ she said to Dad who was just standing like a fish again looking from one girl to the other. ‘Snap out of it Harry! And take a photo.’

Dad got his phone out and took a snap.

* * *

At the hospital another nurse took blood from Emma and Bilious Blue. Then they waited for an hour in a green room that smelt of medicine. Then a woman in a white coat came in and took Mum out. Emma and Bilious Blue watched Mum’s face through the glass. The doctor woman told her something then Mum started shouting.

All they heard was, ‘How is this possible!!!!? Are you kidding me?’

Then Mum came in and sat down. She was breathing really hard. She was looking at the floor. Then she

kind of shook herself and said. ‘Come over here girls.’

Emma and Bilious Blue walked over to her. Mum took Emma’s hand in her left and then Bilious Blue’s in her right.

‘You are both my daughters.’ She looked into Emma’s eyes and then into Bilious Blue’s. ‘I don’t know how … my god …’ she broke off, ‘… this is really happening … but you are both mine. You are genetically identical. The doctors have confirmed it.’

And then Mum’s eyes filled with tears. And she grabbed both Emma and Bilious Blue around the necks and pulled them into her chest. And then Emma didn’t know why, but she was crying too.

* * *

Mum was talking into the car headset. They were going home from the hospital.

Emma and Bilious Blue were in the back seat. Emma was teaching Bilious Blue how to play a clapping game she learnt at school.

‘I don’t know …’ Mum was saying ‘… no, don’t you dare shout at me. I’m saying I don’t know. The doctors say they must be twins. Everything else is

impossible. Yes, I said that, genetically identical.’

She paused again. ‘So the police have no idea and there is no report of any child missing …’ She nodded and listened.

‘Ok. So that’s that.’

She paused again. ‘Well what else am I supposed to say. They are both ours. The doctor checked the records and the computer says I gave birth to one child. But I must have had twins. There must have been a mix up. You know I was unconscious for the birth. They knocked me out. Then one of them must have got lost.’

She paused again. ‘Yes I’m sure. They are sure. They looked at my results … these girls are definitely mine and yours. Our DNA! Look, I’ll see you at home.’

She pressed the button on her ear piece and threw it into the seat next to hers. She smiled at the girls in the mirror. She looked tired but Emma knew her smile was real.

Quiz Talk about stuff

8

Chapter 8

At dinner that evening Mum and Dad couldn’t stop looking at Bilious Blue.

‘Amazing,’ said Dad. ‘I mean I knew that twins sometimes feel the same things as each other, but this is way more than that. Emma knew about her. Knew her name. Even went to find her when she was lost. Amazing! Scientists will love this!’

‘No,’ said Mum. ‘No scientists. Now we are together as it should be. And that’s that. A family.’ She beamed at Bilious Blue. Then at Emma. ‘Look at them Harry. Two of them. Who would have thought that one perfect little girl could have a twin.’

Emma went red. ‘Stop it Mum,’ she said.

‘It’s crazy,’ continued Dad. ‘Look at them Azmir! Your daughters!’

‘They’re your daughters too,’ said Mum and smiled at him. Dad grinned back.

‘And what are we going to call her? Bilious Blue’s not a name. It means some kind of illness or something. What do you want to be called … darling?’ Dad said awkwardly to Bilious Blue and then smiled.

‘Her name is Bilious Blue,’ said Emma crossly.

‘Yes, of course it is. But that’s not a name for a little girl is it? How about it? You don’t really want to be called Bilious Blue do you?’

‘That’s my name,’ said Bilious Blue.

‘But it sounds wrong for an eight-year-old girl,’ said Mum.

‘Nearly nine,’ said Bilious Blue and Emma at the same time and then started to giggle.

And that was that. Bilious Blue she was. Bilious Blue she is.

Quiz Talk about stuff

Chapter 9

So now in Emma’s room are bunk beds. Actually, I shouldn’t say Emma’s room, because on the door is a sign that says Emma and Bilious Blue

sleep here. Do not come in unless you knock first.

On the bedroom walls are amazing pictures of animals and temples and whales and boats.

Emma and Bilious Blue paint all the things they see there.

Emma sleeps on the bottom bunk and Bilious Blue sleeps underneath her on the wooden floor. Bilious Blue says she prefers it there. Sometimes she sleeps in her human body and sometimes she sleeps in the shadow shape she shows to no one but Emma. And the summer holidays are nearly over and Emma has explained about school and what to do and what not to do and Bilious Blue is really looking forward to all the new experiences.

And on that last night of the holidays, Emma lies on her back and speaks to her sister.

‘Tell me the story again.’

And from under the bed – the shadow whisper voice speaks to her mind.

I have seen time as it is thought. I have seen the original slime slip and slide into salt water. Watched the heat from the middle of the earth as it turned from gas to stone to energy. I have ridden the giant reptiles and watched with them as they were covered by mud. I have watched as

the first step was taken and the first water was sipped from a jungle pool. As you changed and became. Life. Your minds growing. Your backs straightening, your thumbs becoming strong. I have seen you build in brick in stone in metal. Towers to break the clouds – machines to touch the moon.

I have seen time as it is thought. For I am Bilious Blue.

Emma laughs to herself and then says, ‘You know if you speak like that at school everyone’s going to think you’re crazy.’

And the voice laughs too. Then I won’t. I’ll just speak like a sun-brain.

‘And where are going to take me tonight?’ asks Emma. ‘I loved seeing India in that bird’s mind and I really liked swimming down the Nile in the big fish.’

Where do you want to go?

‘How about somewhere cold … somewhere with snow. I miss snow and it’s ages until Christmas.’

Ok, says Bilious Blue. And is silent for a moment. I’ve found one. Are you ready? It’s a man skiing

very fast down a mountain in Russia. Do you want to go in?

‘Yes,’ says Emma and closes her eyes. Waiting.

Then she feels a familiar turning of things. And when she opens her eyes she is flying down a hill the snow rushing past – white and crisp. And she feels a mouth that is not her own, open and shout with joy.

Woo-Hoo!

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