Demon Storm (3 page)

In the hall below, the children on the bench leaned forward too. Charlie Kleb stood up for a better view. The box tipped further. Further. Until they could all see inside it.

And Sam screamed. One hand to her mouth, eyes wide in terror. Everyone else turned to look at her
as she stared transfixed at the box. And screamed and screamed and screamed, like Ben had never heard her scream before.

B
EN COULDN’T MOVE OR BREATHE. MISS HAINING
hurried past him, thumping down the stairs. Sam was screaming, and Mr Magill and the man in the suit were trying to calm her.

The box was still open on the table, but Ben couldn’t see inside it. What
was
inside it? What had Sam seen?

The girl, Gemma, closed the lid of the box. The man pointed at the box and said something that Ben didn’t hear. Because Sam was
still
screaming. Miss Haining hurried in through the door below the gallery, appearing beneath Ben. Mr Magill yelled at her to get Nurse.

Mr Magill struggled to hold Sam, to stop her arms thrashing about, to calm her down. Ben backed across the gallery, his foot sending the paint pot clattering away. Then he turned and ran down
the stairs. Sam’s screams echoed after him.

The gallery door was closed. Ben grabbed the handle, turned and pushed in one movement. But the door didn’t move. Bolted. He was trapped, and he could still hear Sam screaming and couldn’t get to her.

He hammered on the door and yelled, but he knew no one would hear him over the sound of his sister. So he hurried back up to the gallery.

Nurse was standing over Sam. She only worked some days at the home. Other days she was at other homes or schools. But luckily today … She turned away and Ben could see the syringe she put into her bag before turning back to Sam.

The screams were subsiding. Sam seemed calmer, but she was still breathing heavily. Whimpering. Her eyes blinking rapidly as her body fought against the sedative.

Below him, Ben could see Mr Magill and the man in the dark suit talking quietly. He caught just a few words and phrases:

‘… most extreme I’ve seen … definitely right to call me here …’

‘She can’t be moved, not tonight,’ Mr Magill replied.

‘Tomorrow, then …’

Ben didn’t hear any more. But he saw that Miss
Haining was standing close to Mr Magill and the man. Was she listening too?

Ben was more concerned about Sam. She seemed to be groggy, leaning against the nurse, who was beside her on the bench. The nurse was talking quietly to Sam and soothing her.

‘Help me get the poor girl to her room,’ Nurse called.

Mr Magill went to help. Slowly, everyone else left the hall as well. It took a while for Ben to realise that the man in the suit had gone. So had Gemma. And the box.

He waited until the hall was empty, then climbed carefully over the gallery rail. It wobbled a bit, but he hoped it would take his weight. Heart thumping, he lowered himself until he was hanging by his hands from the gallery floor. How far was the drop now? A metre? More than that – two metres?

His arms were tiring, though, and he didn’t have any choice. He let go.

The floor slammed into his feet and Ben fell. He tried to roll, but he just jarred his wrist and bruised his side. He got painfully to his feet and limped from the hall.

‘Ah, Ben. I was just coming to find you.’

Ben bumped into Mr Magill as he was on his way to the girls’ block. ‘I want to see Sam,’ he said. ‘How is she? What happened?’

‘Calmly,’ Mr Magill said, putting a hand on Ben’s shoulder. ‘She’s OK. Had a bit of a turn, as I expect the others told you. But she’s going to be all right now. Nurse Muir has given her something to help her sleep.’

‘I want to see her,’ Ben repeated.

‘Maybe later. What she needs now is rest. She’ll be fine by the morning. She won’t wake until then, and Nurse will keep an eye on her.’

‘What happened? Who was that man? What did he do?’

‘Oh, it was nothing to do with that,’ Mr Magill said quickly. ‘How could it be? No one else was taken ill. Just one of those things.’ He was leading Ben back to the main house as he spoke. ‘She’ll be fine soon. Really. The doctor is going to call and check on her. You can see her tomorrow, all right?’

Ben didn’t answer. It wasn’t all right. But he wasn’t allowed in the girls’ block and there’d be people still fussing round Sam or checking on her. He’d go over later.

For now he went back to the junior boys’ social
room, where he found Charlie Kleb and Big Jim sitting pale-faced.

‘How’s Sam?’ Big Jim asked Ben as soon as he came in.

‘Mr Magill says she’s fine. Sleeping.’

‘Talk about fits,’ Charlie said. ‘What got into her, do you think? You should have heard her scream.’

‘It was the box,’ Big Jim said quietly. ‘When the man opened the box and tilted it so we could see inside.’

Ben swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. ‘The box,’ he said, his voice barely more than a hoarse whisper. ‘You have to tell me – what did she see? What was in the box?’

Big Jim and Charlie looked at each other.

‘That’s just it,’ Charlie said. ‘There wasn’t anything. Nothing at all.’

Big Jim nodded. ‘That’s right. The box was completely empty.’

After the evening snack – which he didn’t really feel like eating – Ben went to ask if he could see Sam. If Mr Magill was in the staff room, maybe he’d relent and let Ben see his sister tonight – even if she was still asleep.

Ben wasn’t sure if Sam’s sudden ‘illness’ had anything to do with the man in the suit and his strange wooden box. What had Sam seen inside the empty box? He wondered if the doctor had been yet, and if so what he had said. Mr Magill would tell him.

Except that the staff-room door was closed and no one answered when he knocked. It was late – the day staff must have gone home. The residential staff would be supervising the children. Or at the pub in the village. Or maybe looking after Sam. The girls’ block might be out of bounds, but no one could blame Ben for wanting to see his sister when she was ill, could they?

There was a walkway connecting the old house to the new block. Ben ran through it as quickly as he could, because it was open and exposed. The sides were made of glass, so it was also cold in the winter and hot in the summer. But he’d sneaked into Sam’s room enough times before to know all the possible hiding places along the way. He might be sure they’d let him see Sam, but he didn’t want to ask or explain unless he had to.

The other end of the walkway opened into a foyer with doors leading to the downstairs rooms
and a staircase up to the bedrooms. Sam’s room was on the second floor.

Ben had only set foot on the first step when he heard someone coming down. Their heels clacked loudly and rhythmically on the concrete steps. A grown-up, by the sound of it. The stairs were fixed on the wall side only. The other side was open, so Ben hurried to hide in the stairwell. He pressed into the shadows, sure that whoever it was wouldn’t see him unless they came looking.

He could see the shadow cast across the foyer as the person came down – elongated, thin and gangly. Unmistakably Miss Haining. Ben knew even before he heard her voice.

There was no one with her, so he guessed she was on her mobile.

‘He was here, tonight, just like you said … With the box you described.’ She paused, evidently listening. Then: ‘Yes, yes, he did the test … Only one, a girl …’

She must mean Sam. Who was she talking to? Not the man in the suit who’d brought the box, obviously. Someone else, someone who knew about the box but who hadn’t been at the assembly. Ben leaned out, straining to hear but desperate not to be seen. Miss Haining was standing at the bottom of the stairs as she spoke.

‘That’s right. The girl I told you about, the one in the drawing you showed me … He’s coming back tomorrow morning, so you’ll have to be quick if you want her …’

Ben almost gasped out loud. What was going on?

‘A thousand – like we agreed.’

Miss Haining ended the call and pushed through one of the doors from the foyer. The door banged shut behind her and Ben could hear her heels clicking on the floor beyond.

He stood for a moment, thinking. But the more he thought, the less sense anything made. The test. The empty box. Some picture of Sam? The only thing he did understand was that Miss Haining had arranged for someone to come and see Sam. He didn’t like the sound of it. If anyone was going to be seeing Sam – whoever Miss Haining was speaking to, or the man in the suit – then Ben was going to be there to help her. He’d stay with her all night if necessary, to keep her safe.

Decision made, he ran back through the walkway and all the way through the old house until he reached his own dormitory.

It was almost time for lights-out. Ben stuffed handfuls of clothes and his spare pillow down his
bed, pulling the covers up. Then he turned out the bedside lamp and drew his curtain across.

‘Cover for me,’ he hissed at Jaz in the next cubicle.

‘Where you going?’ Jaz asked, looking up from his graphic novel.

‘I’m going to see if Sam’s OK.’

‘I heard about that. She threw a real wobbly. Say “hi” from me.’

‘Will do,’ Ben agreed. ‘If anyone comes looking, tell them I’ve gone to sleep. Say I was tired and upset and it’s best to leave me alone. Right?’ Jaz was back in his graphic novel. ‘All right. See you later.’

‘Yeah,’ Ben muttered. ‘See you.’

Sam’s room was in darkness. Ben didn’t want to leave the door open to be able to see, so he turned on the bedside lamp. If a grown-up came in, they would assume another member of staff had done it – or perhaps that Sam had woken for a minute and turned it on herself.

Sam looked calm and peaceful, sleeping easily. Her breathing was regular and Ben just stood listening to her for a while. He reached out
tentatively and gently stroked her face. She felt warm and soft and safe.

‘Love you, Sam,’ he whispered, half expecting her to open her eyes and laugh. But she didn’t. The rhythm of her breathing continued uninterrupted.

There was another bed in the room, though Sam didn’t share with anyone. The bed wasn’t made, but a grey cover was pulled up over the bare mattress. Ben sat down on the spare bed. He couldn’t just sit here all night, though. At some point someone would come and check on Sam. He needed somewhere to hide. But just for now …

‘Can you hear me?’ he asked quietly. ‘I know you’re asleep, but are you
really
asleep?’ No reaction. ‘You’ll stay with me, won’t you, Sam? Like we promised, remember? Like we promised by the lake?’

The bedside light flickered slightly and Ben thought he heard something. A clicking, rustling breath of sound. Like someone quietly chuckling.

But there was no one there.

Ben sat watching his sister for a few more minutes, deciding what to do.

‘I won’t leave you,’ he told her.

The covers were crooked and Ben straightened them, pulling the duvet up round Sam’s neck so
she’d keep warm. There was a dip in the duvet down by her side – like someone had put something heavy down on it. Ben pulled the duvet again. But the dip didn’t go away. He smoothed it with his hand.

But as soon as he moved away, the dip was there again. Must be the shape of the bed, he decided.

‘Goodnight,’ he whispered.

He leaned over and kissed Sam on the cheek. She stirred slightly, but at once her breathing settled back into its pattern. Ben left the light on and slipped underneath the spare bed. He could see the shape of Sam’s body beneath the duvet from here. He would stay awake all night, watching her, in case whoever Miss Haining had been talking to came.

But what Ben could not see was the indentation in the duvet down beside Sam. He couldn’t see the way the shape changed slightly, as if whatever was making it had moved – had turned to watch Ben and then to check his sister was still sleeping peacefully. If the faint chuckling sound came again, Ben didn’t hear it.

And, despite his determination to keep watch all night, within an hour he was fast asleep.

The first light of morning was edging round the thin curtains. Ben was instantly awake. He sat up, bumping his head on the bottom of the bed, and stifled a cry. He looked across at Sam’s bed, realising he’d been asleep all night, dreading what he might see.

But the shape of the body under the duvet seemed unchanged. Relieved, Ben pulled himself out from under the spare bed and got up. He was cold and stiff from sleeping on the floor and his mouth was dry.

Then he noticed that the bedside lamp had been turned off.

And the shape of the duvet was just that – the duvet. Pulled aside and away from the empty bed.

Sam had gone.

T
HE WHOLE DAY WAS A FOGGY BLUR TO
B
EN.
He remembered it in snatches of movement, moments of action, interludes of silence.

Running from Sam’s room, shouting for help. Mr Magill trying to calm Ben down – assuming that Ben had gone early to Sam’s room to see how she was. Everyone being sure Sam was not far away. She’d gone to the bathroom, or for early breakfast, or maybe a walk … Perhaps she was looking for Ben …

Of course no one had taken her away. Why would they? How could they? Ben wanted to tell Mr Magill about Miss Haining, but who could he trust? Mr Magill had brought the man with the box here.

Gradually the growing concern around the home became anxiety, which itself became worry. It was Saturday, so there were no lessons and everyone joined in searching the house and the new block in
case Sam had wandered off, still half-sedated and confused, and fallen asleep somewhere.

Then the police arrived.

There were two policemen, asking questions – first of the staff, then later of Ben and the other children. They wanted to know all about Sam and all about the home. Was the main door kept locked at night? Where was the key? Could Sam have opened it? There was no sign of anyone forcing their way in.

The policeman who spoke to Ben was friendly and seemed concerned. He wanted to know how Sam had been – whether she’d been upset about anything, whether she’d mentioned to Ben that she was planning to run away. Ben told him about Miss Haining’s phone call, but the policeman didn’t seem to think that was important.

‘I’ll ask her about it, of course. But I expect there’s some other quite innocent explanation. Perhaps you misheard.’

‘What about the special assembly in the hall?’ Ben demanded. ‘Did I imagine that too?’

The policeman looked uncomfortable. ‘Mr Magill has explained about the assembly and I really can’t see it’s relevant.’

‘It’s why Sam had to be sedated. Why she was
asleep and helpless when they came.’ Ben didn’t tell the policeman that he’d been there – that he’d been asleep. That he should have helped his sister but he’d been asleep and hadn’t even heard her being taken.

More police arrived, some with dogs, and started to search the grounds. But Ben knew they wouldn’t find Sam. They said they’d circulate her picture. But by lunchtime Ben could tell they were not going to do much more than that.

He overheard the policeman he’d spoken to talking to one of the others.

‘Probably another runaway. Teenagers.’

‘Wish mine would run away,’ the second policeman joked. ‘Mind you, if they were shut up in this place, they probably would.’

‘Wouldn’t we all.’

So that was it, Ben thought. They’d decided Sam had just run off. Like she’d abandon him. She wouldn’t. Not ever. They’d promised to stay together.

The man who had brought the box came back in the afternoon. Sitting in the social room, looking out of the window, watching for any sign of Sam, Ben
recognised the man’s car. It was bright red with a long bonnet, short boot with spare wheel attached, and small doors with old-fashioned handles. The car looked old, but Ben decided it probably wasn’t. The top was down, despite the cold.

There was no sign of the girl, Gemma. Just the man, wearing a light-coloured coat over his suit. His dark hair was ruffled by the wind as he drove rapidly up the driveway and skidded to a halt beside the last remaining police car. He was out of the car in an instant, running for the main entrance.

Ben had no trouble finding them. He could hear the man’s angry, raised voice as he came down the stairs. Mr Magill’s replies were quieter, but still audible. They were in one of the rooms off the corridor that led down to the kitchens.

The door was standing ajar and Ben crept as close as he dared, ready to run if anyone came. Or if the door opened properly.

‘Don’t you have any security here at all?’ the man in the suit was demanding.

‘It’s a home and school for children no one wants, not a prison,’ Mr Magill retorted. ‘In any case, that would keep people in, not out.’

‘You didn’t keep Samantha Foundling in.’

‘She was sedated. She didn’t leave on her own.
They
knew she was here and they came for her.’

‘So how did they know?’ the man in the suit wondered.

His voice was quieter, more thoughtful. He seemed concerned about Sam, more than the police had been. He and Mr Magill seemed to know, or at least suspect, who’d taken her.

‘Her brother maybe? He’s called Ben,’ Mr Magill said.

Ben felt cold at the mention of his name. He leaned closer still, his ear almost to the opening between door and frame.

‘I don’t see how he can be involved. Was he at the test?’

‘You sent him out.’

‘There you are, then. He doesn’t have the Sight.’

‘But he might know about his sister’s ability. Might have told someone,’ Mr Magill said.

‘Maybe. But why last night? That’s too much of a coincidence. Who else knew how she reacted?’

‘The children. Some of the staff who were here. Nurse Muir. But none of them know who you really are. None of them know about the Judgement Box. Only me.’

‘Only you …’ the man echoed.

There was silence for a moment. Then Mr Magill said, ‘You surely can’t think that I –’

The other man cut him off. ‘No, no, no. I trust you, Peter. Really I do.’ He sighed. ‘Maybe it
is
just a coincidence. Or maybe she really has run away. But I don’t think so. I really don’t think so.’

Ben could hear them walking towards the door. He looked round for somewhere to hide. The nearest place was the next door along, which was also standing slightly open. He ran to it and ducked inside, looking back into the corridor through the narrowest of cracks.

He watched the man stride off down the corridor towards the main entrance. Mr Magill hurried after him.

‘You’ll let me know anything that happens,’ the man was saying. ‘Anything at all.’

‘Of course …’

Then they were gone. Ben breathed a long sigh of relief. Which became a startled gasp as a voice behind him said, ‘And just what do you think you’re doing in here, boy?’

He spun round – to find Miss Haining standing there. The room was unused, due to be decorated. Dustsheets covered an old sofa and a low table.

Miss Haining walked slowly towards Ben. ‘You were listening, weren’t you?’

Ben’s mouth dropped open in realisation. ‘So were you,’ he blurted out. ‘You could hear through the wall. You were listening to them.’

‘That’s quite enough, boy. You’re in a lot of trouble, you know.’

Ben shook his head. ‘It’s you that’s in trouble. Who was that man with Mr Magill? And what’s happened to my sister?’

‘Your sister has run off. Quite possibly to get away from rude boys like you.’

Ben stood his ground as she walked up to him. ‘No. Someone took her. And you know who it was.’

Miss Haining blinked. ‘Me? What makes you think I know anything about it?’ There was a slight hesitation in her voice now. A slight tremble in the hollow skin of her cheek.

‘You phoned someone. On your mobile. Last night. Not the man who came today, because he doesn’t know where Sam is either. But whoever you spoke to offered you money. Money for Sam.’ Suddenly, Ben’s wrists were held tight in Miss Haining’s brittle hands and he realised he’d been thumping at her. His eyes were watering so much he could hardly see. He tore himself free and ran from the room.

He was halfway down the corridor, sobbing and shaking, when he realised that Miss Haining wasn’t following him. She wasn’t shouting for him to stop or telling him that he was in big trouble. She hadn’t even come out of the room.

Ben wiped his eyes and nose on his sleeve. He breathed deeply, slowly, calmly. Then he tiptoed back to the room.

He didn’t dare look inside. He stopped before he got to the door. But he was close enough – he could hear her. She must be on her phone again.

‘I know you did, but I didn’t have any choice. I had to call.’ She sounded impatient and nervous and angry all at once. ‘I can’t stay here. People are asking questions. I think the girl’s brother knows what’s going on. And
he
was here again … Yes, just now. Talking to Magill.’

She paused, listening. Then suddenly she snapped, ‘I don’t care about that. I have to leave and to do that I need money. At least the same again. Otherwise I shall have to stay here and before long someone will find out everything … I am not threatening you,’ she went on, quieter now. ‘I’m just warning you. If they get me, they’ll get you too. Five thousand – to disappear. But I need it within twenty-four hours.’

Ben had heard enough. He ran back to the entrance hall – and collided with a figure coming the other way.

‘Ben! Are you all right?’

‘Mr Magill, sir. Yes, I’m fine.’

He hesitated, wondering if he should tell Mr Magill about Miss Haining. But the police hadn’t believed him, so why should anyone else? And Mr Magill had brought the man with the box here. He knew more than he was telling Ben.

‘We’ll find her, really we will,’ Mr Magill said.

Ben pushed past Mr Magill. ‘I don’t think so, sir.’

‘Wait! Where do you think Samantha is? Any ideas?’

‘She hasn’t run off,’ Ben told him. ‘She wouldn’t leave me behind. She wouldn’t.’

‘We’ll find her,’ Mr Magill repeated.

Ben could see in the man’s eyes that he was sure Ben would never see his sister again. But Ben knew that Mr Magill was wrong. So wrong. He
would
see Sam again – just as she had promised. If not before, he would see her in two weeks – on his birthday, by the lake. He knew, as certainly as he knew anything, that Sam would be there to meet him.