She became aware that someone was calling her. She raised her head and saw Abla Selma coming towards her. "Why were you talking to yourself?" "I wasn't. I was reading out loud," muttered Rashida, as she hastily pushed the mirror back into her bag. bla Selma's eyes bored into her. Almost as if she knew. Rashida's hand clenched over her bag, her heart thudding so loudly that she was sure the teacher could hear it. Then Abla Selma turned round and went back to her marking. Rashida let out a silent breath and glanced down at the page open in front of her. There was a picture of an animal which had the body of a lion and the head of a crocodile, with its jaws wide open. She recognised the picture. It was the monster Ammit, whom the Ancient Egyptians believed ate up the hearts of the dead Rashida shivered. She had to tell someone or she would explode. She glanced through the window but the playground was empty. Iman had gone home without her.