Haunting of Lily Frost by Nova Weetman

trying not to make any noise, and as I do, a dreadful cold air rushes through me, like I’ve just stepped through something or someone. Then the air slithers across me and is gone. Before I can reach the bed, a voice comes on the computer. It makes me freeze until I realise it’s just the voice of a news reporter.
    â€˜ Police are appealing for the public’s help to locate a girl reported missing in the small town of Gideon, in the state’s north-west. Matilda Sarenson, fourteen, was last seen at the Gideon Showgrounds at 7.00pm on Saturday 20 September. Police and relatives have attempted to contact Matilda by phone, but it appears her mobile has been turned off since Saturday night. Police from Local Area Command were alerted to the disappearance yesterday afternoon. Her mother is concerned she may have run away. Anyone with information about Matilda’s whereabouts should immediately contact police.’
    As I return to the laptop, there’s a picture of Tilly’s face. It chills me to look at her, because I’m sure she’s trying to tell me something. I click on the other link and end up on a feature article from the local paper. Her mum is quoted in it. ‘Tilly was really excited about the Royal Show. She was going to be in the parade and I have no idea why she would have walked away before then. I’ve spoken to her friends and they think that maybe she did a runner. I just want my baby back.’
    They mention her birthday and it’s three days before mine. She’s a Leo. King of the lions. I close my eyes and try to see her, but I can’t. She’s not in my head anymore. All I see is water. Coughing, I open my eyes fast to stop the feeling. And there’s water on my arm. I check it to make sure it’s not spit or something gross that I’ve coughed up onto myself, but it’s thin like water. I rub my arm against my doona cover, and when I look back at the computer screen, Tilly’s still staring at me. What’s she trying to tell me? The last sentence of the article mentions her boyfriend Danny Taylor. And I know it’s him. It has to be. How many Dannys can there be in one small town?
    The sick feeling spreads through my body and I can’t stop it. It’s like my whole body feels this dread. I head for the stairs. I have to be quick if I’m going to make it. The only crap thing about living in the attic is that the toilets are downstairs.
    Mum hears me vomiting in the bathroom. I shake her off, pretending I’m fine, but I’m white and shivering. She asks if I want to go to bed, but I don’t want to go back up there, not now, so I pretend I can’t make the stairs. She parks me on the couch and that’ll do for tonight. The couch is safe. I love this old thing. I used to sit next to Ruby here when she was sleeping over and we’d stay up watching trashy movies. I can lose myself easily in them.
    â€˜What’s up with you?’ Max says, staring at me from the doorway. I must look awful or maybe he’s staying away from me because he doesn’t want to start vomiting too.
    â€˜Do you ever feel like this house is a bit –’ I start.
    â€˜Creepy?’ he says.
    â€˜You feel it too?’ I jump at the idea that I’m not losing my mind.
    â€˜Nah,’ he says. ‘It’s just a house. You’re weird, Lil.’
    As he slouches off, I hear the basketball bounce down the hallway. It’s like he can’t go anywhere now without bouncing it. Maybe he’s right. I am weird. Maybe there’s nothing creepy about this house and it’s all in my mind. Anyway down here on my old couch, Matilda Rose can’t find me. But her name snakes through my head. I can’t stop it. I can’t stop seeing the letters in her name and as I do, I’m sure Ruby is right. The letter I thought was an F is actually an E, which means those carvings on the floor weren’t meant for