Bryony Pearce - The Weight of Souls

“I… like your hair,” I started.

Her hand rose, as if to touch the alice-band, then stopped and dropped to her side. “What do you want?”

“I haven’t been fair to you.” I tried to move closer, but Hannah stepped back, out of my orbit, and I stopped. “I know I cancel arrangements at the last minute and blow you off with no explanation. I’ve been a lousy friend. But, things are going to change and I want to tell you what’s been going on with me.”

Hannah glared at Pete. “You were the one who told me not to bother with her any more and now look at you. Were you just trying to get me out of the way?”

Pete shook his head with a snort. “She’s going to tell you what she told me, Han. It’ll be hard to believe, but you should listen.” He released my arm and backed off. “I’ll save you a table in the common room.”

I edged nearer to Hannah. “Can we sit? There’s a bench.” I gestured to the side and she nodded.

“I’m not staying,” she snapped, but her knees folded and she sat.

“It started when I was ten,” I began. “That’s when I began seeing ghosts…”

Pete grinned widely as we entered the common room. Hannah’s arm was tucked through my elbow and when we strode past the lockers her bag swung against my knees. He stood up when we drew close.

“You believe her?” He put his head near to Hannah’s.

Hannah nodded. Her alice-band was at the bottom of her bag and her hair was beginning to defy the heavy product she had attacked it with, frothing out around her cheeks once more.

“You didn’t need proof?” He looked at me for confirmation.

“I’m going to take her to see Justin at lunchtime. But she believes me anyway.” I squeezed her tightly.

“I’m mad at her for not trusting me.” Hannah fluffed out her hair and gave me a stern glare. “I can see why she thought I’d be cynical. Not.”

I looked contrite. “I’m sorry. I am. But I wouldn’t have believed someone who told me they saw ghosts, not before it happened to me. I didn’t want to risk losing either of you.”

Hannah pushed me onto the plastic chair and the curved edged bit into my thighs. She stood over me, hands on hips. “Honesty from now on.” She turned to include Pete. “I mean it. No more secrets.”

“No more secrets.” I hid a smile.

She jiggled with excitement. “This is so cool, my best friend sees ghosts.”

“What’s going on here?” Mr Barnes loomed above me and automatically I leaped to my feet. He ignored Hannah and spoke to Pete and me. “In my office. Now.”

Mr Barnes sat behind his desk, glowering from beneath lowered brows. Pete and I stood in front of him, like naughty children. His hand came down on his desk with a bang that made us jump.

“I’ve had parents on the phone. Tamsin’s, Harley’s and James’ to be exact. Their brood didn’t come home last night.”

“Just like Justin,” I muttered.

“What was that, Taylor?”

“Nothing.” I looked him in the eye. He shifted uncomfortably.

“Peter, I want you to tell me straight up. Is this going to be another case like Justin Hargreaves?”

“Like Justin?” Pete’s eyes widened.

“Don’t play dumb with me, boy, is this something to do with the club? And if so, will it look like an accident?”

I staggered sideways, catching Pete’s elbow to stop my legs from folding. “You don’t care that they might be injured or dead?”

“I care very much.” Mr Barnes rose to his feet. “But I’m not a paramedic. My job is not to save lives.”

“Then what is your job?” I leaned forward. “You’re our head teacher, you’re meant to care.”

“I care.” He pushed his glasses up on his nose. “You’re new, Taylor, so you have no idea yet what V can do for you in the coming years. Right now I have to do damage control. Your group has caused more problems than any other year group. I need to know what has happened to them, so I can tell our friend on the force.”

“You mean so he can cover things up.” Horror had blanched my face. My cheeks were cold as if I’d had water thrown on me.

“If necessary.” He smiled, all crocodile-teeth. “If you were involved in what happened then you should be grateful to have an adult on your side. That’s another advantage of V.”

I slipped my arm out of Pete’s and deliberately slowly I leaned on the desk. “Don’t worry. James, Harley and Tamsin won’t be found, not by the police, not by anybody.”

Mr Barnes blinked. “You’re certain about that?”

“Very. And I’m also certain that V is shutting down.”

Mr Barnes guffawed, but his fingers were twisting nervously in his tie. “V shut down? You aren’t thinking straight.”

I curled my lip. “V is over. Four kids from one year-group are gone now. The authorities are going to have to start looking closely at the place. I’ll speak to parents, newspapers, anyone who will listen. It won’t be a secret society anymore. I imagine you’ll lose your job.”

Mr Barnes stood unmoving as though he’d been sent to Anubis. Then slowly his fingers uncurled from his tie. His mouth seized, eating invisible limes. Sour lines appeared on his face. “You’re a nasty piece of work, Miss Oh.” His small mustache twitched. “They should never have let you join V. I have no idea why they did. They were better kids than you could ever be.”

“Wait a minute.” Pete jerked, but I gestured him into quiet.

“All you want to do is destroy things for everybody else. I’ve seen your grades, when you get out of here you’ll be a nobody. You won’t be getting into university, I have no idea who’d employ a loser like you.” Mr Barnes leaned forward. “But if you remain quiet and stay in V there is at least one university that will take you on, no questions. You’ll walk into a good job when you leave. You’ll have prospects. Imagine how proud your dad will be.”

My breath stopped in my chest. Dad was losing hope. If I could go to university he’d be delighted. He would feel as if he’d beaten the curse. It would be a perfect gift.

Like a shark scenting blood in the water, Mr Barnes could feel me wavering. He smiled like a benevolent grandfather. “Think of what your poor, dead mother would have wanted for you.”

My head snapped up. “You’re right.” I pictured her face. “I should think of Mum. She would never want this for me.”

“Too true.” He took off his glasses and rubbed them on the inside of his jacket. “So enough of this nonsense. Let’s talk about your friends.”

“No.” I panted as if I’d run a marathon. “Mum wouldn’t want me in the V Club , she was honourable.” I dug my nails into my palms. “She believed in justice.” I looked out of the window. There was a dark haired boy in a school uniform standing outside the gates, looking up at Mr Barnes’ office as though he could see me through the window. “Justin wouldn’t want me to stop either. I’m taking the V Club down, Mr Barnes. So get ready.”

I spun around and headed for the office door.

“Miss Oh,” Mr Barnes voice was low and snarling. “You don’t want to make an enemy of me.”

I grinned sourly. “Perhaps it’s me who makes a bad enemy.”

“Are you threatening me?” He turned apoplectic purple and I shook my head.

“You should think about what I said.” I paused with my hand on the door. “Pete and I have to get to registration.”

Pete caught up with me and his face was almost as pale as Hannah’s. “What have you done ?” He shook himself like a dog.

Gabriel Oh rocked back and forth on his wheels, teeth on his bottom lip, pencil tapping the leather of his armrests. It didn’t make sense.