Page 175 of Inbetweeners
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Emmett and Phoenix stared up at Eyria. The sparkling glass tower stretched up into the sky like a sword.
“I can’t believe this is here and hardly anyone knows,” Emmett said. “They must have a way of stopping helicopters hitting it.”
Phoenix sighed. “Trust you to worry about that. Are you ready to go in?”
“Why do you think they want us for an entire week? What are they going to do to us?”
“If we don’t go in, we won’t find out.”
“Okay. Come on then.”
As they approached, glass doors slid open to reveal a huge atrium with a marble floor speckled with gold. At the far end of the open area, a waterfall flowed down a wall of rock and yet it made no sound.
“Look up,” Phoenix whispered and Emmett tipped his head back to see the building was hollow in the centre and tapered to a small circle, way, way overhead. Was that the sky?
They walked forward to a desk manned by a receptionist in a grey suit.
“Emmett Briscoe and Phoenix Harding,” the man said. “Welcome to Eyria. Please proceed to the lift on your right. It will take you to the correct floor.”
“Thank you,” Emmett said.
As soon as they were both in the lift, the glass doors closed and they started to move.
“Wow, that’s quite a view.” Emmett stared down at the rapidly diminishing floor.
“Did you get the feeling we were being watched?”
“Yes. I guess they’re careful about who they let in here.”
The lift stopped, the doors opened and Nix took Emmett’s hand before they emerged. A young man was waiting for them. No suit, this time, but grey trousers and a white linen shirt.
He held out his hand and they shook it. “I’m Daniel. I’ll show you to your room.”
It wasn’t far down the corridor. The place reminded Emmett of an upmarket hotel. Everything was clean, sharp-lined and stylish. Daniel held open the door so they could go ahead of him.
“The view is quite spectacular.” Daniel ushered them over to the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Emmett took one look and backed away.Fucking hell. That’s high.
“Why are we here?” Phoenix asked.
“To learn to fly. You’re very young to be given wings. It’s a great honour.” Daniel smiled and left before either Phoenix or Emmett could pull themselves together enough to ask more.
They stared at each other, then smiles slowly formed on their faces.
“Let’s hope it’s not the same technique my father used when he took me swimming,” Phoenix said.
“Dare I ask what he did?”
“He pushed me into the deep end of the pool. I had to be rescued by a life guard.”
“Shit! They can’t just push us off the building. We don’t have wings. They doknowwe don’t have wings, right? Maybe our wings will just come out once we’re plummeting to the ground, but I really hope that’s not the way it happens.” Emmett took a deep breath. “I’ve freaked myself out now.”
Phoenix laughed. “It doesn’t take much.”
“Thanks a lot.” Emmett looked round. “There’s no TV. No books. How are we going to entertain ourselves?”
