As I arrived beside the hall I could hear Mrs Lloyd, the head teacher, talking into a microphone.
“Well, thank you everyone for coming … I just want to say a few words before Jed and Baz come on to the stage and we start, erm … recording…”
There was huge scream in the hall and it took Mrs Lloyd a while to calm everyone down. I ran around the back of the hall. They’d probably given Jed and Baz the area behind the stage as a dressing room. It was crazy to think they were so close! They were probably the most famous TV presenters in the country right now! I got to the changing rooms but when I tried the boys’ door it was locked. The girls’ was locked as well. Then I spotted the boiler room. It was out of bounds for all students and teachers and the only person who had a key was Mr Farrow, the caretaker. There was a little square sign screwed to the door which had an outline of someone getting electrocuted and underneath it read:
DANGER OF DEATH
I’d not normally notice the door, but this evening there was something different about it. The key was still in the lock. Mr Farrow must have been so busy getting things ready that he’d accidentally left it behind. I took a quick look round, opened the door and slipped the key into my pocket.
The door was very heavy, probably for fire protection, and when it shut behind me the room was plunged into darkness. I felt along the wall and found a light switch and a bulb above my head flickered on. I took a look around. Along one wall were lots of fuse boxes and metal cupboards with black handles. There was a storage area with some stepladders, brooms, mops and buckets and beyond that was another door that opened on to the corridor beside the hall. I knew that this door also had a DANGER OF DEATH sign on the other side as I’d walked past it hundreds of times, going to and from lessons. I twisted the handle. It was locked, but when I tried the key from the outside door it turned. I slowly opened it and peeked out. The corridor was empty and a countdown was starting in the hall. Jed and Baz were going to be leaping on to the stage in exactly twenty seconds’ time. My stomach fizzled. I quickly slipped out of the door and closed it behind me.
“Maxwell! What are you doing here?!”
I froze. I recognized the voice immediately.
“Mum and Dad are going to go mad!”
I turned around and saw my sister at the end of the corridor in a dark corner. She was almost invisible in her black jeans and grey top. She looked really, really angry.
“You’re going to be in so much trouble, Maxwell Beckett. You wait ’til I tell them,” she said, walking up to me.
I shrugged.
“Don’t care. I’m not missing Jed and Baz for anything,” I said. “Bex? Are you all right?”
It looked like she’d been crying. My sister never cried, even when things got really bad at home. She scowled and quickly wiped at her cheeks. The countdown in the hall was coming to an end.
“Three, two, one!”
And then there was an almighty cheer as Jed and Baz walked out on to the stage. They were playing their theme tune! The crowd were going absolutely crazy and I really wanted to go and see what was going on, but I couldn’t leave my sister like this.
“What’s happened?” I said.
She did a huge sniff.
“Claudia said … she said one of the TV people told the cameraman not to get me in any of the shots as I looked too weird.”
I swallowed. That was pretty awful.
“And you believed her?” I said. “Really, Bex? Come on, there’s no way that’s true. Claudia Bradwell is just a waste of oxygen, and so is that gormless group who hangs around with her.”
Bex smiled, wiping at her eyes again.
“Do you think so?” she said.
I nodded quickly and tried not to fidget too much. The sound from the hall was deafening now.
“I care what they think, you know?” she said. “I don’t know why, but I do. Everyone takes notice of what Claudia says and now everyone is laughing. Even Maddy! She was fine in the car, but when we got here she just disappeared. It’s like she’s too embarrassed to be seen with me.”
I shook my head and laughed.
“Maddy? She looks like she’s had a fight with a sweet wrapper!”
My sister smiled a little and wiped her nose.
“Sometimes … sometimes I think it would just be easier if I tried to be more like them, you know?” said Bex. “I could try and be friends with them and be a part of their group and then they’d just leave me alone.”
I huffed.
“Come on, Bex,” I said. “Have you forgotten about the school fete?”
My sister had been given a tough time by Claudia for years but it had got much worse last summer. Bex won a big raffle prize at the school fete – a huge basket full of make-up and smelly bath stuff – and then, suddenly, Claudia was sniffing around her being all friendly. Claudia told her that she was allowed to be part of the group after all, but Bex saw straight through it. She shared the prize between Maddy and Mum and after that, Claudia made sure that Bex’s life at school was pretty hellish. There was one point where no one talked to my sister for three whole weeks; it was like she had turned invisible. Mum and Dad got involved then and spoke to the school, and after that things got a bit better. I didn’t want to see her going back to being miserable like that again, no matter how much she annoyed me.
I could hear Jed and Baz firing T-shirts into the crowd now. They did that on all their TV programmes. They had this cannon thing that shot them out into the air and everyone tried to grab one, even though it was a pretty naff top with their faces on the front.
I began to jiggle on the spot. I really, really wanted to get to the hall to try and win a T-shirt.
“What were you going to say, Maxwell? When I was wearing the dress? You said I looked a bit … and then Mum stopped you.”
The noise from the hall was so loud now that I had to shout.
“I was going to say you looked a bit like a stranger. That’s all. You didn’t look like my sister!”
She blinked at me, dabbing at her nose with a tissue.
“I wasn’t being rude. No matter what Mum thought. This is you,” I said, pointing at her grey History Ain’t Dead T-shirt. “It’s a good thing you’re not like Claudia and her witches. Not a bad thing!”
She wrinkled her nose and another small smile formed on her lips.
“They don’t like you because you’re a nerdy swot and you like history and you get your homework in on time and that is really annoying…”
She opened her mouth to object.
“But! But … that’s how your brain is wired. Just like Claudia’s brain is wired to be an evil cow.”
Bex grinned.
“I hated that dress,” she said. “I wanted to wear this but I went along with it because it was making Mum happy. And she’s not been happy for a while now, has she?”
I shook my head.
“Or Dad,” I said. I stared down and scuffed the wooden floorboards with my toe.
“You really shouldn’t be here, you know. You’ll get into a whole heap of trouble if you’re spotted,” said Bex.
“I know. All I’m going to do is to sneak in at the back, watch a little bit then go home. I’m not doing any harm.”
She nodded.
“OK. Well, go on in then before you miss it.” I grinned at her. She grinned back and then I ran off.
Little did I know, the next time I saw my sister, she would have no idea who I was.
Jed and Baz were amazing. AMAZING. They were so funny and everyone was laughing and grinning and cheering at them. They do this thing on the show, where you can get a really big prize just by winning a party game. One boy in Year Seven got an Xbox for coming first in a game of musical statues. It was mad! Normally I would have been straight down the front trying to get them to pick me, but I had to keep out of the way of any TV cameras in case I was spotted. Being seen would be an absolute disaster.
Jed shouted into the microphone that the next game was going to b
e “Pin the Tail on the Donkey”. They brought out a great big picture of a donkey but it had Baz’s goofy face on it and everyone cracked up laughing.
“Guys! Are you ready to win more prizes?!” screamed Jed. Everyone roared “Yes!” back at him and put their arms up in the air, including me.
I spotted Charlie Geek by the side of the stage. He had something on his face and at first I thought he was wearing some weird fancy dress costume, but then I realized it was a great big plaster across his nose. He was jiggling around like he had a wasp in his pants, with his arm stretched up in the air.
“This is going to be a tough one, Jed,” said Baz, looking out at the sea of hands. “How are we going to decide who has the chance to win…”
There was a drum roll. Jed and Baz put their arms around each other, then shouted:
“A HOLIDAY TO FLORIDA!!!”
Everyone went crazy as Jed and Baz suddenly jumped down off the stage and walked straight into the crowd.
“Right, I’m going to go and pick our first contestant,” said Baz. Everyone was screaming and waving their arms in his face, trying to get him to pick them. He turned around and Charlie Geek was standing right in front of him.
“Nice nose-wear!” he said. I could see Charlie’s eyes go all wide and he pulled his stupid duck face, which must have been quite difficult to do with all those bandages on. Baz did his goofy face back and patted him on the shoulder.
“You’re the first contestant, my friend!” he said, and everyone cheered. Charlie bounced up and down like he was on an invisible pogo stick, and then he made his way to the steps by the side of the stage.
“How are you getting on, Jed?” shouted Baz across the hall. Jed was just a few metres from me. The kids around him were pushing and shoving each other, begging to be picked.
“I think I’m going to have to decide another way!” he shouted into the microphone. “It’s time for Picky Pointer!”
The crowd jumped up and down and clapped as he began to spin round and round and round, faster and faster with his finger pointing outwards. He did this on every show and sometimes he went so fast he fell over. After a few turns he began to slow down.
“I think I’ll choose … YOU!” he said. He stopped spinning and pointed his finger straight at me. I looked up. My arm was still in the air.
There was a general gasp from the audience as I stood there, my mouth dangling open.
“Come on now, don’t be shy. You want to win a holiday, don’t you?” said Jed. Behind him was a woman with a camera on her shoulder and she was pointing it directly at me. I was going to be on TV! I opened my mouth to say something when all of a sudden Mrs Lloyd pushed her way through the crowd.
“No, no, no. Stop filming! Stop filming!” she said. “He’s not supposed to be here.” She stood in front of me with her hands on her hips. Jez looked at her then back at me and then he swiped his hand across his throat and the music cut out.
Mr Howard appeared beside him. His bow tie wasn’t spinning any more.
“Maxwell! Get yourself home,” he said through gritted teeth. “Don’t make a scene.” The camerawoman turned towards him. She was still filming. The hall was silent now and all you could hear was the hum of the lights.
I stayed exactly where I was and folded my arms.
“You can’t make me,” I said. Jed snorted and I grinned at him, but he just scowled back.
Mrs Lloyd stepped towards me.
“Maxwell Beckett, you need to leave the hall immediately,” she said under her breath. The camera moved around to film her but she tried to move out of the way.
“I’M NOT GOING ANYWHERE!” I bellowed.
A woman with a clipboard came over to Jed.
“I think we need to take a few minutes to sort this out, OK, Jed?” she said to him. He rolled his eyes and gave a massive huff. Baz appeared beside him.
“What’s going on? Are we doing this thing or not? Who’s this dude?” he said, nodding towards me and looking at me like I was a piece of dirt on the floor.
I could feel my eyes stinging as everyone stared. Behind the crowd I could see Charlie standing on the stage beside the donkey picture. He was shaking his head at me.
“Maxwell, you’re making a spectacle of yourself. Now be a sensible boy, and go home,” Mrs Lloyd said sternly. Mr Howard looked at me sadly. He was about to say something to Mrs Lloyd when Jed pushed by him.
“Hey, man,” he said. “I don’t know what you’ve done but you’re kinda ruining this for me and Baz here.”
I stared back at him. I couldn’t believe it. Jed hated me! Baz appeared beside him.
“Jed’s right,” he said. “It’s time for you to get outta here, don’t cha think?”
I stared at them as Jed put his hand on Baz’s shoulder. They both glared back at me.
“You’re … you’re rubbish anyway!” I shouted. There was a huge gasp and then I turned and pushed my way through the crowd and out of the hall.
“Maxwell. Wait!” called Mr Howard, but I was gone. I was so outta there.
“OK, guys, let’s get this party started!” screamed Baz into his microphone and the crowd gave a unanimous whoop. I got back to the corridor and dived into the DANGER OF DEATH boiler room, locking the door behind me. Someone started pounding on it from the other side.
“Maxwell, you know you’re not allowed in there! Now open the door and let’s have a chat, shall we?” It was Mr Howard.
I stared around the little room, my eyes wet with tears. He banged again.
“Come on, Maxwell. I’m sure we can have a word with Mrs Lloyd,” he said. “I’ll see if she will let you stay. How about that?”
“Go away!” I shouted. There was no way I’d go back in that hall, even if she said yes.
I made my way past the mops and brushes towards the fuse boxes and electrics. I looked up. I knew exactly what I was looking for and I spotted it straight away: a bright red switch with one word printed underneath it: MAIN.
I upturned a metal bucket, stood on top and then reached up and held the big switch between my thumb and forefinger.
“Everything’s gone wrong…” I whispered and then, click, I flicked the switch. The music from the hall instantly died, along with the light bulb above my head. I got down off the bucket and felt my way along the wall until I got to the door that led outside. I went out and locked it behind me, putting the key in my pocket. And then I ran. I ran as fast as I could from the worst day of my life.
Hundreds of students were spilling out on to the playground now that the school was in darkness. Some were holding on to each other and using their mobile phones as torches. The teachers guided everyone out, trying to keep people calm. I stood in the shadows beside the back of the hall and watched.
“Miss … are Jed and Baz … are they going to stay and finish the show?” said a girl in year 7. My sports teacher, Mrs Allen, put her hand on her shoulder.
“We’re trying to get the power back on but if we can’t … well, I don’t know what will happen, I’m afraid,” she said.
I stood in the shadows of a tree near the TV truck. One of the crew was inside the back of the truck shouting at someone about a generator and the fact that it hadn’t been repaired. A posh black car was parked behind the truck and I could just make out Jed and Baz in the back. They were both wearing baseball caps and talking on their mobile phones. The car slowly pulled away.
“Look! It’s Jed and Baz!” a boy cried out. “They’re leaving!”
There was a general wail from the crowd and a few people started to cry. Mrs Lloyd came out of the hall and clapped her hands together.
“Listen up please, everyone! Listen up!” Everyone hushed. “In light of the current situation with the power, I’m afraid to say … tonight’s ball has been cancelled…”
The sound of wailing echoed around the playground.
“B-b-but why?” said a boy in Year Seven.
“They can’t record a TV show without any power, can they?”
replied a girl in Year Eleven. The wailing got louder and Mrs Lloyd had to shout over it.
“A text message has been sent out to all of your grown-ups to come and collect you as soon as possible,” she said. Her voice was shaking a bit.
Charlie Geek appeared from the door. “Why did the power go off in the first place, Miss? Can’t it be fixed? Don’t the TV people have a generator?”
Mrs Lloyd shook her head.
“I’m afraid not, Charlie. Apparently there’s a problem with their generator and the main switch in the boiler room has been turned off. Whoever did it has deliberately locked the room behind them and there is no spare key. Mr Farrow is trying to track down a locksmith but it’s going to be all too late.”
Marcus appeared beside Mrs Lloyd, his face lit up by his phone.
“It was Maxwell Beckett who did it. Wasn’t it, Miss?” he said. “He was in the hall and then he legged it and then the electric went off. Don’t tell me it was a coincidence. It was him! Maxwell Beckett has ruined everything!”
The wailing stopped now and the crowd began to mumble and growl. Mrs Lloyd tried to calm them all down. I swallowed and felt a tight lump in my throat.
“That’s enough, everyone!” said Mr Howard. “I said, that’s enough! We don’t know what has happened yet so nobody should be jumping to any conclusions. And that means you too, Marcus.”
I was pleased that my form teacher was trying to stick up for me but it wasn’t helping.
“He should be expelled, sir!” shouted Adel from my class. “Especially after what he did to Charlie’s nose.”
“Yes! No one likes him anyway. It’s not like he’d be missed,” said a girl who I think was in Year Nine. I didn’t even know who she was. I couldn’t believe it. Everybody really did hate me.
“MAXWELL OUT! MAXWELL OUT!” Someone started to chant and before long everyone began to join in. It reminded me of an old black-and-white film set in medieval times that Dad used to watch. A stranger moved to a village and there was a big angry mob who wanted to get rid of him. One day they all got together and chased him out of town. I almost expected to see one of my school mates raise a burning stake above their head as they searched for me in the school grounds.
The Day I Was Erased Page 5
