The Dark

CHAPTER Eleven



Isabel


I can’t believe this! Mr Carter says we have to keep going to school. He says it would be dangerous to simply drop out. It would cause suspicion, be obvious to those that know – those of the Order he means.

OK, I get his point. Secrecy is so important to the Guard’s survival, a word is enough to arouse suspicion.

I get off the bus with Matt right behind me to find Ethan waiting. He has a weird, troubled look on his face.

‘What’s wrong?’

He shrugs, his eyes scouring the school grounds laid out before us, as a couple of hundred students arrive, ready to begin morning classes. ‘Apart from Mum not changing her mind about the sanatorium, I’m not really sure. It’s just something about this place looks different today. Feels different.’ And then he adds in a hushed whisper near my ear, ‘Do you know that since Arkarian’s been gone, the Guard has lost more missions than we’ve won? We were lucky last night. The Tribunal members are really worried about their sectors. Some of them have even lost soldiers. And now Dad has to help Jimmy and will be away overnight.’

‘Are you worried about your mum?’

‘She hardly sleeps any more, and she’s refusing to take her sedatives. It’s really bad timing too. Mum needs constant watching.’

‘Is there anything I can do to help?’ It’s a stupid question. With every day that passes, Laura gets closer to going to the sanatorium.

He shrugs. ‘I’m trying to look after her. And Auntie Jenny’s supposed to be coming today to spend the night. Dad arranged it before he left.’

We’re quiet for a minute when Ethan’s eyes drift to a boy wearing odd socks, neither of them part of the school uniform. He frowns deeply. ‘Look at that.’

The socks sure look out of place. But then I spot a girl in Year 8 wearing chunky earrings that come almost down to her shoulders. ‘Who relaxed the uniform code?’

‘You know, with so many missions failing, Dad says we should expect changes. When too much of the past is altered, it affects the present.’

Ethan’s friend, Dillon, sees us and comes over, putting an end to our conversation. His head follows a couple of girls as they come down the stairs into the quadrangle.

Matt joins us. ‘Hey, what’s that big grin for?’

Dillon raises his eyebrows, indicating the girls’ short skirts by jerking his head at them.

They both stare at the girls until they disappear round the corner. It’s a sight not normally seen at this school. At least, not since Principal Baker came to Angel Falls two years ago, and introduced a strict uniform code – long socks pulled up to our knees, school ties, blazers with white shirts tucked in, and navy skirts for girls right down to our knees. These girls, and others too now that I look around, have more leg showing above the knee than below it!

Ethan tries to pull me aside without anyone noticing. ‘Do you know what I think is going on here?’ He starts yanking at his tie. ‘The changes are happening. You’d better shorten that skirt quickly or you’re going to stand out.’

I turn the waist of my skirt over a couple of times. ‘This is really weird, Ethan.’

Dillon and Matt come over. ‘You two look stressed,’ Dillon says. ‘You need to go on a holiday or something.’

A great idea. If only I could.

‘Speaking of holidays,’ Dillon says pointedly to Matt. ‘Is that what Rochelle’s doing? Some of the guys are saying she left school. She’s been gone for so long, they reckon she must have moved away. So where is she?’

Matt snorts loudly. ‘Maybe you should be asking Ethan that question. If Rochelle was going to tell anyone where she was going, it would have to be him.’

Ethan looks speechless. I don’t blame him. What is Matt going on about? And why is he drawing attention to Ethan? Linking him with Rochelle?

Finally Matt realises his cynical comment could be misread. ‘Look, I don’t keep tabs on Rochelle any more.’

Dillon’s eyes shift from observing Matt to Ethan and back again. ‘But you two were like … really together. What happened?’

Matt suddenly snaps. ‘She was using me, and I’m over her. Now let’s talk about something else!’

Dillon stops with the questions and starts scratching an itch behind his right ear, then makes a point of looking at his fingernails, while shifting his weight from foot to foot as if he has ants under his toes. ‘Well, speaking of girlfriends …’ he drifts off, inspiring sniggers and mock groans from Ethan and Matt.

‘You’d better get it out before you burst,’ Ethan says.

Dillon spins around, pinning us with a pair of deep green eyes. ‘I’ve found my perfect woman.’ Then to me he adds, ‘Isabel, you gotta get me a date with her.’

‘Me? I don’t even know who you’re talking about.’

His dreamy tone has everyone laughing. Matt whacks his shoulder. ‘You meet the perfect woman every week.’

‘I swear,’ he says, covering his heart with a hand. ‘This is the one. You gotta see this girl. She’s hot! And she’s sexy like you wouldn’t believe.’

‘So where is this perfect woman?’ Ethan asks. ‘Do we know her?’

‘She’s new and, well … I haven’t actually met her yet.’

Ethan and Matt groan out loud, shaking their heads. Then Ethan catches sight of Mr Carter coming out of the front office doors. ‘I really have to speak with him.’

‘Yeah? What for? I thought you hated Carter?’ Dillon is quick, considering a second ago he was in dreamland with some girl he hardly knows. Ethan hesitates, but only for a second. ‘Ah, it’s this history assignment. I’m running late.’

‘What assignment? I’m in your history class. I didn’t know we had an assignment due.’

Dillon’s back with the questions, and I’m starting to get an uncomfortable feeling inside.

‘It’s one I did last year. I got an “A” for it, and Carter wanted to show it to one of his other classes. I was going to polish it up a bit before I gave it to him.’

‘Sounds like it doesn’t need any polish. Wish I could get an “A” in some—’ He stops. Everyone’s eyes follow his to see what has him looking so stunned. ‘It’s her!’ Excited, he slaps Ethan’s shoulder, knocking him forward.

‘Hey!’

‘Sorry. But look at her. That girl is all mine,’ he adds dreamily.

Our eyes zoom in to where Mr Carter is coming out of the office with this new girl by his side. But it’s not only Dillon who’s reacting strangely at the sight of her. Even my own brother’s mouth is hanging half-way open, his eyes glued to the girl as she and Mr Carter draw nearer.

I take a moment to look at this girl that’s got both Dillon and Matt goggle-eyed. Well, she sure is beautiful, with wide oval-shaped doe eyes, flawless skin, dark hair surrounding a small heart-shaped face and cherry-red lips.

As they approach my heart starts thumping hard. This is no ordinary girl! I recognise her clearly. I’ve seen her before – she was the girl in Ethan’s illusion last year. It was her image Ethan used to distract Marduke. This is Neriah – Marduke’s daughter, though I’m pretty sure she doesn’t know that fact, or anything about Marduke. Actually I’m pretty sure she knows nothing about the Guard, or who any of us are – yet.

Mr Carter and the girl come right up to where we’re standing against the railing, where Mr Carter introduces her. Neriah exchanges a welcoming glance with me and instantly I get a sense of calmness about her. A feeling gathers inside that there’s more to this girl than I first assumed, though I can’t quite put my finger on it. Maybe she knows more than I have given her credit for. Even though we’ve only known each other a few fleeting moments she invokes a warm feeling of trust in me.

‘Would you mind keeping an eye on Neriah for a couple of days, Isabel?’ Mr Carter asks.

Before I can reply, Dillon jumps in. ‘I’ll do it, sir.’

Mr Carter snaps at him. ‘I wasn’t talking to you, Dillon.’ Then, as if thinking twice about the tone he just used, says in a milder voice, ‘Neriah happens to be in most of Isabel’s classes. She’s a Year 10 student, not a Year 11 like you boys, so it only makes sense that Isabel should show her around.’

Mr Carter stares silently for a second at Dillon’s face, noticing his bulging eyes that can’t seem to drag themselves off Neriah’s downcast head, and adds softly, ‘Settle down, Dillon. You’re so transparent.’

While Ethan and Matt snigger at Dillon’s mounting embarrassment, I smile at Neriah, catching her eye, and a friendship quickly begins to form. I let Mr Carter know I don’t mind chaperoning Neriah for a few days.

‘I knew I could rely on you, Isabel,’ Mr Carter says. And without saying a word he lets me know that he is asking for more. I nod to show him that I understand. ‘Good,’ he says. ‘Now you’d all better get to class.’

Right on time the morning buzzer sounds. We start to gather our bags.

‘I left mine in the office,’ Neriah remembers.

Both Dillon and Matt clamber over each other in a hurry to be the first to collect it for her.

Dillon spins around and thrusts his open palm against Matt’s chest. ‘I’ll get it!’

Neriah looks uncomfortable, her mouth forming into a small embarrassed smile. She’s obviously not used to this much attention. Dillon rushes off, almost knocking me over in his haste. When he passes, Neriah’s eyes lift and lock with Matt’s. They stay there, the two of them staring at each other. Ethan and I could be sinking in quicksand at their feet and neither of them would notice.

Slowly Neriah pulls her gaze away, focusing on her left foot, which has started moving around in funny little circles. Matt starts examining the distant hills as if he’s never seen a horizon before, or at least none so breathtaking. What’s got into him? Something about this girl has him reacting like a ten-year-old kid playing spin-the-bottle for the first time. And while his sudden interest in another girl should be a good thing, I’m not sure his interest in this one is the answer to his moving on.

Ethan snickers beside me, amused. But for some reason I suddenly feel chilled. It’s then I realise this chill is being generated by my sixth sense.