The Weight of Souls

32 Hungry for the world

I opened my eyes and immediately had to close them again. Shards of light shattered my vision into a glittering mosaic.

I closed one hand over my chest to feel for my heartbeat. Once more my blood sprinted through my veins and rang rhythmically inside my ears. I inhaled and air flooded my lungs.

I’m alive.

I strained my ears to hear his voice – Retribution, vengeance, justice, death – but it was only a memory. The Lord of Death was gone.

“Justin?”

There was no answer.

I rolled onto my knees and sat back on my haunches. Then I shaded my eyes and squinted around. Familiar shapes, made strange by my odd vantage point, resolved out of the brightness. Dad’s huge microscope was lying on its side on the floor and his fridge was open, the samples scattered. The wheels of his wheelchair were motionless by his desk.

“Dad?” I squinted up at him. His mouth was opening and closing soundlessly.

Finally he rolled towards me and grapnels of light caught in his spokes as he advanced. “T-Taylor? I didn’t think you were coming back. I was… I didn’t know what to do.”

I rubbed the bright hooks from my eyes. “How long was I gone?”

“A-an hour, maybe.” He fumbled with his sleeve and looked at his watch, stared back at my face. “I don’t know, it seemed like forever.”

As I lowered my hands to my knees I checked my palm. The Mark had not returned. The Darkness was no longer coming for me. “Thank God.”

Dad’s chair bumped my legs and he caught my shoulders. I hesitated for a moment, then launched upward and, for the first time in three years, permitted myself the comfort of his embrace.

“Where’s the boy?” Dad peered behind me as though I was hiding Justin from him.

Cold flooded my chest. “I-I think he’s gone.” I swallowed and my throat felt as if it was filled with thorns. “He led us towards the light. He went into it with me. H-he must have moved on.”

My heart shrunk: I hadn’t even said goodbye.

Dad patted my shoulder and I decided not to look at his face as he did so.

Eventually I pulled back. Mum’s book was open on Dad’s desk, his glasses reflecting twin suns above the open pages. “You found Mum’s book?” I murmured.

He offered me a weak smile. “In your room. I was hoping for a clue…”

I gestured towards the mess. “What happened to your microscope?”

Dad’s jaw hardened. “I was wrong. All this time I should have been helping you. Escorting you.” He exhaled. “You really have been looking for murderers.” The thought made him whiten. “I thought there should be a rational scientific explanation for the Mark, t-the ghosts, but there isn’t.”

I frowned at the chaos. “You did this?”

He glared around the room. “Yes, I did.”

I felt something hard against my waist and inhaled. “The notebook.” I pulled it free. “Dad, The Tale of Oh-Fa is true. I found the Professor. This is his.”

“We’ll need to talk about this properly.” Dad took the book in trembling fingers. “I know.” I nodded and my head thumped with pain, I was dead tired. “Just not now.”

“No, you’re exhausted.” Dad’s fingers tightened on the book. “What should I do with this?” he muttered. “What use is it to us?”

“You said you’d be more likely to find a cure if you could find the vector. It could still be in the tomb, couldn't it? Nefertiti’s tomb? And there should be a map, some instructions, something.”

Dad dropped his eyes from mine. “Your mother was right, you can’t cure a curse.”

I grabbed his shoulders. “Since Mum’s death you've been driven by your need to defeat the Darkness. You can't give up now. You said my blood infected yours. Where there’s infection, there has to be a cure. So what if the Darkness is real? Now you have a real enemy.” I hesitated, the idea of an enemy made me think of the army I’d helped create, the army waiting silently for… what? I stamped on the thought. “So things are more complicated than you thought.” My eyes burned into his. “Who cares? It’s still a genetic disease. And now you’re even closer to curing it.”

Dad placed his palm on my cheek. “You have no idea how like your mother you are.”

I snorted gently and used his chair arm to get to my feet. “Do you mind if I…?”

He was already opening the Professor’s notebook. “Go.”

I hesitated at the stairs, then opened the front door and sat on the stoop instead. The sun had long departed and the air contained that breath of freshness that would be traded at dawn for the sunshine. I inhaled the scent of night blooming jasmine from next door and the tang of Mum’s ivy. It was full dark, but not a hunting Dark. I was safe until the next ghost Marked me. I wrapped my arms round my knees and stared down the street. Tomorrow maybe I’d go and find the old lady at the building site. I owed it to her.

My knuckles whitened. Did I really want to continue swelling the ranks of Anubis’ army?

Retribution, vengeance, justice, death.

The words were a distant whisper in the back of my mind, but I’d never forget them.

A dog barked in the distance and I groaned. I didn’t have any choice. As long as the ghosts came to me I’d have to keep Marking their killers, or risk returning to that place myself.

With mild surprise I realised my cheeks were wet. I felt my face; I was crying. I put my head on my knees and let myself sob.

For just a little while I hadn’t had to face the dead by myself.

Now I was alone again.

Suddenly my stomach cramped. My eyes widened at the pain and I cradled my gut with a whimper. The feeling grew in intensity until I thought I was going to burst.

I opened my mouth to call for Dad and the pain stopped as suddenly as it had started. I uncurled and wiped sweat from my forehead.

“Tay? Thank God.”

“J-Justin?”

He stood on the bottom step, his school uniform crumpled for the first time I could remember. His hair flopped into his brown eyes and his hands were clutched across his abdomen. His face shone with pain to match my own.

I lurched to my feet and he smiled wryly. “I'm sorry that hurt, I had to follow the life force to get back to you. It’s OK. I know where I’m going now. But the flow of life you gave me means I can’t go yet. I have to wait for it to dry up.”

I blinked. “How long will that take?”

Justin shrugged. “It could be any minute. I think it ran out before on the scaffolding. But you gave me a lot more last time. I don’t know.” He edged up the steps, his lips white. Was he nervous?

I held out a hand and he wrapped his fingers around mine. “So you could be sticking around for a while,” I murmured.

His head tilted and his hair cleared his eyes. “I don’t have to. I could go somewhere else, see the world.”

I inhaled sharply. “You want to see the world?”

“I won’t get another chance.”

“True.”

He sat beside me and together we listened to the distant hum of traffic.

Eventually I cleared my throat. “Still, London’s pretty nice.”

There was a grin in his voice when he replied. “You know, they say if you sit still long enough the whole world will come to you.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Do they?”

“I heard it somewhere.” His thumb started to trace patterns on the back of my hand and I shivered. Then I leaned against him.

“I’m going to speak to Mr Barnes and make sure the V Club is shut down.” Justin nodded against my head and I sighed. “I can’t believe I’ve got you back… at least for a little while.”

Justin’s arms tightened around me. “I’ve been thinking. If you don’t have to spend the whole time watching for ghosts, you can get on with school, get decent grades and plan a life beyond all this.”

I frowned up at him. “What do you mean?”

“I’m coming to school with you. While you’re there I’ll look out for the dead so you don’t have to. I’ll run interference, keep them away from you. You can spend some proper time with Hannah and sort things out. I can make up for everything I put you through.”

I pressed my lips against his hand in a silent thank you then shook my head sadly. “Justin, you can’t go back to school. They found your body, everyone knows you’re dead. If someone sees you…”

Justin shook his head. “I won’t come to class. No one will see me.”

“You’re solid now.”

“I’m still a ghost. I have skills.” He concentrated and his hand passed through the step beside us.

“Freaky.” I blinked. “You can’t be seen. Not at all.”

Justin sighed. “I won’t be.”

“It’ll be lonely.” I squeezed him tighter.

“You can meet me in free periods. If you tell Hannah… and Pete… maybe they’ll come with you.”

“You’d be willing to see Pete?”

Justin fell silent. “Not straightaway. One day.”

“You’ll forgive him?”

Justin pulled me close and nodded. “It won’t be easy, but he wasn’t the worst, he was sorry. It helps.”

“You’re pretty amazing.” I hugged him, my mind whirling with possibilities. If I could pay attention in class and do my homework instead of hunting for killers… I grinned. “I can’t wait to prove Tamsin wrong.”

“What do you mean?” Justin froze against me.

“She said I had a future bagging prawn crackers. This could really change things for me. Thank you.”

“Tamsin was a bitch.” Justin’s voice was flat and I understood. Tamsin had hurt him in more ways than one.

“I ought to call Pete.” I shuffled my feet. “I should see him before school, he’ll have questions.”

Justin’s chin rubbed my head as he nodded. “Can I…” he hesitated. “Will I be allowed to come in the house with you?”

I looked at his face, taut with nerves. “You have to stay with us; you haven’t anywhere else to go. I’ll speak to Dad.”

“He doesn’t like me.” Justin fidgeted.

“You saved my life, he’ll love you.”

“Maybe.” Justin’s eyes were tight with anxiety.

“We’ve got a spare room down the hall. Dad will read you the riot act, but he’ll let you stay. If you’re helping me with the ghosts he won’t have a choice.”

Justin relaxed. “Alright. Let’s go and call Pete.”

“There’s something we need to do first.”

“What?”

I kissed him.

Early morning mist clung to the grass verge and the sky remained grey with lingering dawn. I was the only one waiting at the bus stop; it was too soon even for the commuters to gather.

There was no sound, but instinctively I looked along the road. Pete was coming to meet me, just as he’d promised. I checked on Justin. He was standing a little way away, too far for Pete to identify him, but close enough to weigh in if the dead found us. As he caught sight of Pete, Justin’s fists closed, but he made no further move. He was still looking out for me. I was safe. So instead of seeking ghosts, I was able to watch Pete approach.

He moved with a heavy tread. In the old days he’d walked as if there was a hip-hop tune bouncing around in his head, all energy and jigging rhythm. Now his music had been silenced. I wondered when that had happened, if it was only since he learned of his role in Justin’s death, or if it had been long quieted. I hadn’t been paying attention.

Pete’s head was bowed, but a jerk of his shoulders told me he’d seen me. He shifted his bag higher and his step stuttered in hesitation, then he kept walking.

He didn’t raise his head until he drew level with me. Then he dropped his bag at his feet and looked up. He wore a 5 o’clock shadow that said he hadn’t shaved in a couple of days and his face was drawn and tired. His eyes were red, the skin around them grey from lack of sleep. Even the black stubble on his head had grown out enough to begin to curl once more. The bristles looked soft enough to touch. I tucked my fingers inside my coat.

“Hey, Pete.”

“Taylor.” He swallowed and kicked a stone that lay on the path. It skittered into the bus stop with a bang.

“Are you alright?” My eyes skimmed his face, seeking an answer.

“I-I’m not sure.” Pete licked his lips. “What happened to James and the others, do you know?”

“I know.” I looked up as the sound of an engine warned us the bus was on its way. “Let’s talk on the bus.”

He nodded and avoided my gaze until the behemoth pulled into the stop.

Once on I led him upstairs, giving Justin a chance to get on the bottom deck. I climbed the spiral steps, wobbling awkwardly as the bus moved off, then sat on the back seat, offering Pete plenty of room. He collapsed by the window, putting his bag between us.

“So what happened?” he said, finally.

I took a deep breath. “On my tenth birthday,” I began, “I started to see ghosts.”

“Oh, for the love of…” Pete leaned back. “I thought you were going to be honest.”

“Just hear me out.” I rubbed my hair out of my face. “This is what you always wanted to know, why I started acting strange. It’s my family curse. I see dead people.”

“Like the film?” Pete sneered.

“If you like. If a murder victim touches me they leave a Mark on my skin.”

Pete regarded me carefully. “That glove you wear?”

I waved my unmarked hand. “I don’t want to accidentally transfer the Mark to the wrong person.”

“The wrong person being?”

“An innocent. Someone who didn’t commit murder.”

“And once the ghost touches you?” His voice trembled between mockery and curiosity.

I inhaled again. “I have to track down their murderer and pass the Mark on to them. Then the Darkness comes to take them away.”

Pete’s fingers tightened on his bag until the skin over his knuckles almost cracked. “Something took James, I saw it.”

“It’s why I joined the V club. I had to find out who killed Justin and send them into the Darkness.”

“Are you telling me Justin is a ghost?”

I nodded. “He was in school that day the police came in. He put a Mark on my hand before I realised he was dead.”

Pete swallowed. “You’re telling me Justin knows who killed him.”

“He knows about you, yes.”

Pete’s lips whitened and he shook his head. “I don’t believe you.”

I glanced out the window. “Justin’s dead, you believe that, don’t you?”

“Of course.” Pete exhaled shakily.

“Alright then, wait here.” I rose from my seat and, as the bus jerked and shook, I headed towards the stairs. Justin stood at the bottom, like a guard, with one hand on the rail.

“Pete doesn’t believe me.” I caught the rail myself as the bus rounded a corner. “I know it’s a lot to ask, but–”

“You want me to go and see him.”

I nodded.

“I’m not ready for that.” Justin swayed in place and I watched the emotions war across his face. “Fine,” he snapped. He edged past me and took the stairs two at a time. I followed more slowly.

When I reached the top I saw Pete lurch to his feet. Justin now stood in the middle of the aisle, holding the chairs on either side of him.

Pete panted frantically, almost choking on his own breath. “You’re dead. I saw you–”

“You helped them kill me, you dick.” Justin’s tone was low and dangerous.

“God.” Pete’s knees hit the chair and he sank down. “How is this possible?”

“It’s a lot to go into.” I slipped under Justin’s arm and placed my hand on his chest, holding him back. “For now, just accept that Justin’s come back a ghost.” I kept my eyes on Pete. His mouth was trembling as if he was going to cry. My own lungs tightened. “Is there anything you want to say to him?”

“God, yes.” Pete raised his head. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. I mean I knew something was way off, but I wasn’t sure, and it was V, man, you just do what you do. You know.”

Justin grunted.

“If I could take it back, I would. I’d do anything. When you fell – shit.” Pete was trembling all over now. “I threw up, I’ve never been more scared. And James said this was the thing that would keep us all tied to V. We were lifers. No leaving the club. Ever.” He rubbed a quivering hand over the bristles on his head. “And after that I really wanted to leave.” He glanced at me. “When James disappeared into that darkness, the first thought I had was, I can get out now. Isn’t that terrible?”

I had to leave Justin, but my fingers were reluctant, I trailed my hand along his arm as I went. Then I sat down next to Pete. “James is gone. I’m going to get this whole thing stopped so it can’t happen to anyone else.”

Pete shook his head. “You can’t stop it, Tay, there’re members everywhere. The head told us there’s an old member in the police…”

“I know.” I touched his hand and he flinched away. “If necessary I’ll go to the papers.”

Pete swallowed and rubbed his stubbled head.

“You don’t believe I can fix this, that’s fine, I don’t need you to. But you do believe me about the ghosts?”

“Yes,” Pete whispered.

“Alright.” I looked at Justin. “The dead are why I behaved so strangely. And I couldn’t hang out all those times because I really was doing family stuff with Mum, curse stuff.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Pete’s eyes skidded over my face. “Don’t answer that, I understand. I wouldn’t have believed you.”

“You had to see Justin with your own eyes.”

The ghost in question was still in the middle of the aisle, but he had turned his back on us and was now guarding the stairs. My shoulders felt lighter than I could remember. I had been carrying the weight of enforced attention for so many years; the relief of letting someone else share the burden literally made me sit up straighter. I felt as though I was breathing for the first time.

I turned back to Pete. “I’m going to tell Hannah.” I fiddled with my blazer. “She has to forgive me.”

“If Justin speaks to her, she will.” Pete stared at him once more. “She loves you, she’ll come round.”

“What about you?” I swallowed nervously. “Will you come round?”

The bus drew to a stop and Pete looked up as Justin stood to attention. “You know what I’ve done. You don’t want to be friends with me anymore.”

I grabbed for his hand and this time he let me hold it. His skin was drier than it used to be and his nails were cracked. I squeezed his knuckles under mine. “I’m your friend, Pete. I always was. Now you know about me we can both start over.”

His hand twitched. “Tell me what happened to them – to James, Tamsin and Harley.”

“They went to be judged.” I decided to stay quiet about Anubis, I thought that might be one truth too far. “They won’t be coming back.”

“I should have been taken too, shouldn’t I?” Pete’s eyes burned into mine. “That Mark, you were meant to put it on me.”

Justin spoke, his voice seemingly floating from his turned back. “She kept the Mark herself and the Darkness took her, like it did the others. She almost got trapped inside. For you.”

Pete whitened further. “You did that for me?”

I said nothing.

“Why?”

“I told you, you’re my oldest friend.” I struggled to keep my voice steady. “Please say we’re OK.”

Pete forced a smile as the bus pulled into the school stop. “I’ll never be able to repay you.”

“That’s alright,” I grinned. “I take lunch money.”

With an explosive laugh, Pete shoved me and I lurched to my feet. Together we followed Justin into the street. The school loomed in front of us, a promise of a difficult day ahead.

Justin caught my hands and pulled me close. “I’m going to patrol; it’ll be better than just hanging in one place.”

My heart rose as his head dropped and his lips hovered over mine. Pete cleared his throat and turned away. The faintest hint of breath touched my mouth and I opened my eyes in surprise as Justin kissed me. I pressed my lips against his and inhaled him in; the intensity of his scent, the suggestion of moisture on his skin, traces of life. My lungs tightened and my heart raced. I clenched my fingers in his blazer until I felt my knees begin to quake, then I pulled away with a tremulous sigh.

Justin stroked my cheek with his fingertips. “I’ll be here at lunchtime if you want to see me.”

I smiled. “I want to see you.”

“Alright then.” He stepped backward. I’d better get on with it.” He glanced at the school gate, as if he wished he was going in with me and I released his hand. He grinned and his hair flopped into his face. “Have a nice day.” He jerked his head. “Get going.”

“I’ll miss you.” I swung my backpack and headed for the entrance. “See you later.”

Pete jogged until his stride matched mine. “So… you and Justin…”

“Yes.” The smile crept back onto my cooling lips.

“He’s dead.” Pete shuddered.

“Yes.” I raised my eyebrows.

“OK then.” Pete stuck his arm through mine and I froze momentarily. Then I carried on walking as if nothing had happened, terrified of breaking this fragile new thing between us.

“This is going to take a bit of getting used to,” he said and I nodded, looking for the first time in years at the flowers in the beds, the noticeboard by the main office and the mural on the outside of the sixth form centre.

Then I really did freeze. Hannah was walking from the direction of the library.

“What has she done to her hair?” My horror was focused so strongly on the travesty that I barely saw the two girls walking arm in arm with her.

Pete hissed through his teeth. “It doesn’t suit her.”

I blinked, blindsided, as the three came closer, all with matching alice-bands and brown shoulder-length bobs. Hannah’s hair was still a mass of frizz, but she had tried to tame it with some product or other and it hung, lifelessly, along her face.

She was leaning into the girl on the left, giggling at something she said. Then she saw Pete with his arm in mine. Her feet tangled in one another and she would have tripped if she hadn’t been held up by her new friends.

“We need to talk,” I called.

“There’s nothing to talk about.”

Her new friends raised their heads and the trio started to march around us.

“Please, Han.” I injected a note of pleading in my voice. Her chin jutted, she was hardening her heart against me.

“Just for a minute.” Pete weighed in on my side and I suppressed a surprised gasp. “Hear her out and if you still aren’t interested, I won’t let her bother you again.”

I bit my tongue. If Hannah didn’t cave for Pete, then she wasn’t going to.

“Come on, Hannah, we were going to the music room, remember.” Her new friends tugged on her arm, but to my delight she pulled free.

“I’ll meet you there.” She waved them off. “I have a thing to do here. It won’t take long.”

I didn’t take my eyes from her face, as the muttered complaints of her new friends grew more distant.

“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.