deflated that I wouldn’t be able to ride my bike today, but also understanding that he’s gone into protective mode. ‘Sure, why not.’ I hop in, noticing that Magi is already in the back tray panting away.
‘So I’ve been thinking,’ he says, taking on a more serious tone. ‘I’ll be driving you to and from school from now on, and when we get there Magi and I will be having a look around the grounds.’ He puts his hand up to silence me, knowing that I am about to resist that particular idea. ‘I have already cleared it with Principal Walters. I offered to look around for safety purposes, and he is aware of my background, so he was happy to oblige. I do not want you to head outside any further than the oval, Ellie. No matter what, okay?’ His tone implies that he’s not really asking.
I’ve taken up a sulking position in the passenger seat—arms folded, head looking out of the window, and eyes hooded at the thought of everyone knowing my uncle and little doggy are checking things out. I can just imagine Milly Fanny Face loving that!
‘Now don’t be like that,’ he notes, taking in my reaction. ‘This is how it has to be. We cannot let our guards down. Not even for a second.’
I know he has a point but I still don’t like it. I sigh in frustration. ‘Ugh, fine! But can you please be discreet and try not to patrol too close to the school,’ I plead, knowing full well this is going to backfire somehow.
‘Scouts honour,’ he replies, while grinning like a madman.
I decide to get over myself for a moment. ‘Are we picking Phoebe up?’
‘Yep. I’ve already rung her mum, who is quite disturbed at the thought of someone lurking around, so she was more than happy to have me pick Phoebe up from now on as well.’
I let my nerves relax a little. ‘Okay, I like that idea at least.’
We pull into Phoebe’s driveway and honk the horn. A few minutes later she is tumbling out the door, trying to force everything into her bag at once. Uncle Jo gets out so Phoebe can slide into the bench seat next to me.
‘Good morning,’ she says flustered, as she shuffles in beside me. Phoebe’s mum is standing at the front door, worry strewn across her face.
‘I’ll be right back,’ Uncle Jo says. He walks over to talk with Mrs. Campbell. I see him touch her shoulder in reassurance, she nods and they exchange a few words. Her face becomes calmer. He has always had a gift of making people feel at ease.
‘Hey, Phoebs, how’s things?’ I say, turning my attention back to her.
Phoebe is fumbling around trying to get comfortable. She has a shoelace undone, her hair is a messy ball of golden locks and she looks like she just woke up. She is the only person I know that can be both alluring and fascinating at the same time, and yet appear so unglued. It also doesn’t seem to make a difference to the opposite sex either, as she’s never short of male attention.
‘Good, aside from the fact that the police were at our house this morning, letting us know that
creepsville
has been skulking around.’
I chuckle. ‘I know what you mean. We had them at ours too.’
Uncle Jo walks back over to the truck and we set off for school.
He drops us off at the gate and as we are walking inside I see him round the bend, heading towards the back car park. Knowing Magi and Uncle Jo are out there patrolling actually does make me feel better.
The day passes slowly. Morning classes consist of economics and maths. As I’m staring out the window of the maths room I see the outline of a man and a black dog walking through the long grass that surrounds the oval tree line—Uncle Jo and Magi.
All of a sudden I catch a glimmer of a shadow in the woods off to the right of where they are walking. I strain my eyes to see what it is, but it is too far away for me to make out. My heart beats faster. I decide to use an incantation that allows me to zoom in on an area of focus—sort of like a wide lens of a camera. I won’t be able to
‘So I’ve been thinking,’ he says, taking on a more serious tone. ‘I’ll be driving you to and from school from now on, and when we get there Magi and I will be having a look around the grounds.’ He puts his hand up to silence me, knowing that I am about to resist that particular idea. ‘I have already cleared it with Principal Walters. I offered to look around for safety purposes, and he is aware of my background, so he was happy to oblige. I do not want you to head outside any further than the oval, Ellie. No matter what, okay?’ His tone implies that he’s not really asking.
I’ve taken up a sulking position in the passenger seat—arms folded, head looking out of the window, and eyes hooded at the thought of everyone knowing my uncle and little doggy are checking things out. I can just imagine Milly Fanny Face loving that!
‘Now don’t be like that,’ he notes, taking in my reaction. ‘This is how it has to be. We cannot let our guards down. Not even for a second.’
I know he has a point but I still don’t like it. I sigh in frustration. ‘Ugh, fine! But can you please be discreet and try not to patrol too close to the school,’ I plead, knowing full well this is going to backfire somehow.
‘Scouts honour,’ he replies, while grinning like a madman.
I decide to get over myself for a moment. ‘Are we picking Phoebe up?’
‘Yep. I’ve already rung her mum, who is quite disturbed at the thought of someone lurking around, so she was more than happy to have me pick Phoebe up from now on as well.’
I let my nerves relax a little. ‘Okay, I like that idea at least.’
We pull into Phoebe’s driveway and honk the horn. A few minutes later she is tumbling out the door, trying to force everything into her bag at once. Uncle Jo gets out so Phoebe can slide into the bench seat next to me.
‘Good morning,’ she says flustered, as she shuffles in beside me. Phoebe’s mum is standing at the front door, worry strewn across her face.
‘I’ll be right back,’ Uncle Jo says. He walks over to talk with Mrs. Campbell. I see him touch her shoulder in reassurance, she nods and they exchange a few words. Her face becomes calmer. He has always had a gift of making people feel at ease.
‘Hey, Phoebs, how’s things?’ I say, turning my attention back to her.
Phoebe is fumbling around trying to get comfortable. She has a shoelace undone, her hair is a messy ball of golden locks and she looks like she just woke up. She is the only person I know that can be both alluring and fascinating at the same time, and yet appear so unglued. It also doesn’t seem to make a difference to the opposite sex either, as she’s never short of male attention.
‘Good, aside from the fact that the police were at our house this morning, letting us know that
creepsville
has been skulking around.’
I chuckle. ‘I know what you mean. We had them at ours too.’
Uncle Jo walks back over to the truck and we set off for school.
He drops us off at the gate and as we are walking inside I see him round the bend, heading towards the back car park. Knowing Magi and Uncle Jo are out there patrolling actually does make me feel better.
The day passes slowly. Morning classes consist of economics and maths. As I’m staring out the window of the maths room I see the outline of a man and a black dog walking through the long grass that surrounds the oval tree line—Uncle Jo and Magi.
All of a sudden I catch a glimmer of a shadow in the woods off to the right of where they are walking. I strain my eyes to see what it is, but it is too far away for me to make out. My heart beats faster. I decide to use an incantation that allows me to zoom in on an area of focus—sort of like a wide lens of a camera. I won’t be able to
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