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“Ugh!” A gentle shaking roused Ophelia from unconsciousness and she found herself lying on the footpath. “I’m alive?” She tried to sit up but a wave of nausea stopped her.

“It certainly seems so.” Aunt Sophie removed her hand from Ophelia’s shoulder. She sounded torn between amusement and concern. “You must have been dizzier than you thought if it made you faint. I didn’t think I spun the car that much.”

Sera was kneeling on her other side and looked equally worried.

“I’m okay I think.” Ophelia looked around and was surprised to see no scorch marks. The fires hadn’t lasted long but she’d expected some signs. She looked around some more and spotted Silver lying on the path some way away. Silver! Are you okay? she asked before adding out loud, “Help me up, please?”

I think so, Silver said as Aunt Sophie helped Ophelia to her feet. Whatever it was knocked me out as well. I need to report this. I’ll come by Sera’s and talk to you later.

***

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Aunt Sophie asked half an hour later as she pushed a cup of tea into Ophelia’s hands. “You look pale. Any headaches? Dizziness? Cass’ll be mad if you get hurt on my watch.”

Ophelia shook her head. “Nothing like that. I do feel cold and I shouldn’t.” She shivered and her stomach rumbled. “And I’m hungry too, but it is nearly dinner time, right?”

Aunt Sophie chuckled and laid the back of her hand against Ophelia’s forehead.

“Well you don’t have a temperature, so it’s probably just shock. Drink your tea. As for dinner, what do you fancy?”

“Burger with spicy wedges?” she said.

“I see. And what would Cass say about that?”

“Oh, mum’d blow her stack,” Ophelia said. “But I don’t see how your home made burgers are junk food when those ready meals she feeds when she’s late from work aren’t. So I won’t tell if you don’t.”

“Those meals are nutritionally balanced and organic, you know?” Aunt Sophie said.

“So are your burgers and they don’t taste like cardboard.”

“I’m teasing, Ophelia,” Aunt Sophie said, “Burger and wedges it is. Michael needs cheering up as well anyway and it’s his favourite.”

“Oh!” Ophelia put a hand to her mouth as she realised she’d forgotten about him in the fuss. “How is he? Did Sera go to jump on him?”

“He’s fine,” Aunt Sophie said. “He has to rest for the week because he’s exhausted for some reason so he won’t be back at school until Monday. He’s playing some sort of multiplayer thing that involves shooting things right now… or he was. Sera has some make up work for him. She’ll probably nag him into starting on it straight away. You know how she is.”

“Yeah, she will. Some rest. I should probably stick my head in and say hi.” She started to stand up but Aunt Sophie pushed her back into her chair.

“Finish drinking your tea,” she said gently. “You still look a bit in shock. I’m sorry.”

“What for? It’s not your fault I fainted.”

“I’m the one who span the car for no reason,” Aunt Sophie said.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Ophelia said. “You thought you saw something so you braked.”

“I know.” Aunt Sophie sighed. “I still feel bad about it.”

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