Ghost Club 2

by Deborah Abela

  ‘The school knew the truth?’ Dylan asked.

  Bridie nodded.

  ‘They should have done something!’ Travis cried.

  ‘Yes, but they felt it was less damaging if Mr Thompson took the blame rather than spoil the futures of three young girls.’

  ‘And you know where all these writings are?’ Edgar asked.

  ‘Yes.’ Bridie smiled the first smile they had seen on her since they’d met. ‘I took them and put them there.’

  She pointed to a stool by the bed with a pile of books. Angeline read the title of the first. ‘A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. One of my favourites.’

  ‘Me too,’ Bridie said.

  ‘What’s it about?’ Travis asked.

  ‘I’ll tell you later,’ Angeline replied.

  ‘Inside you’ll find Miss Lloyd-Jones’s letter, and the next book is Freya’s diary.’

  ‘We’ll get these to Endora, the Head of Spectral Research at Ghost Club,’ Edgar said. ‘She has contacts in the police who will reopen the case once they see they have fresh evidence.’

  ‘Was this what you were trying to show us when we were here last time? Angeline asked.

  ‘Yes.’ Bridie shrugged. ‘I am unused to talking to humans and wasn’t sure how to direct you to them quickly enough.’

  ‘Well, you’re doing a very fine job now.’ Angeline rose to her feet. ‘There’s one thing I’m not sure about: why did you choose to come back now?’

  ‘Because of Travis,’ Dylan answered for her.

  ‘It’s true.’ Bridie nodded.

  ‘Me?’ Travis asked.

  ‘Yes, you,’ Dylan said. ‘I’ve just worked it out. Each time Bridie appeared, you were teasing someone. First when you turned out the lights at the Senior Sleepover, then when you threatened to reveal Angeline and Edgar’s Ghost Club identity at your school assembly, and finally –’

  ‘When I pushed you over in the bin.’ Travis dug his hands in his pockets and looked away.

  ‘I was bullied at school and no one ever came to my defence,’ Bridie said. ‘Except Mr Thompson, and he was bullied by a town who accused him of a crime he didn’t commit. When I saw you bullying the others, it made me so angry that I needed to do whatever I could to make you stop.’

  Travis hung his head. ‘It wasn’t bullying, it was just –’

  ‘It’s bullying,’ Bridie said. ‘When you take someone’s world and make them feel unsafe because of what you do or say, it’s bullying.’

  Travis was silent.

  ‘It hurts more than you can ever imagine, and even though Mr Thompson never said so, I knew it had hurt him deep down the way the town had treated him. And the lasting memory of him is based on a lie.’ She turned to Angeline. ‘Do you really think we can change that?’

  ‘I do. Once we have those secret writings, hopefully we can clear Mr Thompson’s name and turn him into the hero he deserves to be.’

  The school hall buzzed with Gravesend students putting the final touches to handmade badges of poppies. Mr Marksman strode through the lines of tables, inspecting each poppy and interrogating the maker over any that weren’t perfect.

  ‘Call this a poppy, soldier?’ He inspected the paper flower. ‘We’re here to respect our war heroes, which means we need to make the best poppies we can to honour them – isn’t that right, soldier?’

  ‘Yes, sir,’ the student mumbled.

  ‘I can’t hear you.’

  ‘Yes, sir!’

  ‘Excellent. See if you can’t do a better job next time.’

  Mr Marksman looked at his watch. ‘The ceremony to honour our local war heroes begins at 0-900 hours, which gives us approximately twenty minutes to hand out these badges, so let’s get moving, people.’

  ‘Do you think he really has killed people with his bare hands?’ Travis asked.

  ‘I think I’d prefer not to know the answer to that,’ Angeline replied.

  Travis and Angeline were putting pins through the last of their poppies.

  ‘Can I ask you a question about the Ghost Club?’

  ‘You can, but I may not be able to answer.’

  ‘How many ghosts have you dealt with?’

  Angeline looked around to make sure no one could hear. ‘One hundred and thirty-five, counting Bridie.’

  ‘One hundred and thirty-five? That’s huge! Why do you keep it such a secret?’

  ‘It’s not a secret, exactly, but there’s a lot of misunderstanding and general freaking-out about ghosts, so the club decided it was best that our activities are kept low key.’

  ‘If it was me, I’d be telling everyone. I’d go on television, have my own TV show, T-shirts, a mansion overlooking the sea –’

  ‘There’s a strict code that wouldn’t allow that.’

  ‘What code?’

  ‘The code that says you can’t be a fathead.’

  Travis looked around, making sure no one else could hear. ‘That sadness we felt when Bridie was around, do you think that’s how she felt while she was alive?’

  ‘Most likely. Ghosts can create an emotional atmosphere that simulates their mood around the time of their departure. My guess is that we felt as sad as Bridie did when she was being bullied.’

  ‘I’m sorry for being so mean to you, and for what I did to your friend in the bin,’ Travis mumbled into his shirt.

  ‘His name’s Dylan. Why did you do it?’

  ‘When he kept sticking up for you, I got so mad. I realised no one had ever done that for me before, unless they were scared of me.’

  ‘Do you promise not to pick on him again?’

  ‘I’m never going to mess with him or any of your ghostly friends.’ He paused and lowered his voice. ‘Thank you for helping me that night.’

  ‘You really should thank Edgar – Dylan and I were happy to leave you suspended in midair until my brother reminded me of the Ghost Club oath.’

  ‘The oath?’

  ‘We took an oath when we joined the club, promising to protect the world from ghostly mischief – which includes you being levitated by Bridie.’

  ‘I don’t blame you for wanting to leave me there. I was being a pain.’ Travis sighed. ‘In fact, I think I’ve been a pain for quite some time.’

  ‘I don’t mean to be rude, but I agree. You’re the biggest pain I’ve met, and I’ve met a lot of ghosts who have had hundreds of years’ more experience than you.’

  Travis laughed.

  ‘I’m serious,’ Angeline insisted with a smile.

  ‘I’ve never been very nice to you, and you didn’t even laugh at me for being so scared.’

  ‘Grandma Rose says you should never laugh at a person’s fears – we all have them and it’s okay to be scared. Mark Twain said, “Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain.” We’re all afraid of things we don’t understand, but it’s how we deal with our fear that matters most. There are a lot of things I find frightening.’

  ‘Are you kidding me? The way you faced a genuine ghost and went into action. There wasn’t a second when you were afraid, even though she could have attacked you.’

  ‘She was never going to attack me.’ Angeline raised an eyebrow. ‘It was you she was upset with.’

  ‘But you didn’t know that.’

  ‘Most ghosts are quite reasonable once you get them talking, except some of the poltergeists and vortices – you have to watch out for those.’

  Travis laughed. ‘But you’re –’

  ‘I know, this nerdy, strange kid who is terrified of saying a word at school for fear of looking like a freak.’

  Travis smiled sheepishly. ‘Yeah. Who would have thought you had this life outside school where you’re a hero?’

  Angeline shifted uncomfort
ably. ‘We’re not heroes; we just do our jobs. Can I now ask you something?’

  Travis nodded.

  ‘Why were you at the school the night we went to find Bridie?’

  ‘Because I knew you were up to something.’

  Angeline frowned. ‘But why were you out so late? Weren’t your parents worried?’

  ‘They wouldn’t mind.’ He looked away and focused on making another poppy.

  ‘Wouldn’t mind you being out after midnight?’

  ‘Your parents don’t seem to mind.’

  ‘Our parents always know where we are and can find us in an instant using our Trackers.’

  Travis was quiet for a few moments. ‘Even if I had a Tracker, my parents wouldn’t use it to find out where I was.’

  ‘That can’t be true.’

  ‘Dad left years ago – I don’t know where he is – and Mum spends most of the day in her room or in front of the TV. My big brother’s hardly ever home.’ He blinked a few times and shifted his gaze around the room.

  ‘But what you said about your dad at the sleepover –’

  ‘Wasn’t true,’ Travis spoke quietly. ‘I lie about it as a way of making it seem real.’ He snuck a quick look at Angeline. ‘So you see, I could stay away for a week and no one would notice I was gone.’

  Angeline paused. ‘I’d notice.’

  Travis’s face pinched up. ‘Because no one was calling you a freak.’

  ‘Partly.’ Angeline smirked. ‘But people don’t just go missing for no reason, and being curious is part of being a ghost-catcher. You notice unusual happenings and try to work out what has caused them.’

  Travis sighed. ‘I never thought I’d tell anyone, but it feels a bit better that one person knows.’

  ‘Imagine how Bridie must have felt: picked on for all those years, knowing her best friend was accused of a crime he didn’t commit and having no one to talk to about it.’

  ‘Until she met you.’ Travis smiled. ‘Edgar’s right, you’re good at getting people to talk.’

  ‘It’s usually ghosts I’m good with,’ she said. ‘People are much more difficult.’

  ‘Please don’t tell anyone.’

  ‘I promise. We all have secrets we’d rather other people didn’t know.’

  Travis frowned. ‘And your parents know what you do?’

  ‘Yes. We’re all members of the Ghost Club, but we’re the only catchers in the family. They’re really proud of us.’

  ‘That’s nice, you know, kind of normal I guess for a regular parent.’

  ‘I’m sorry about your dad, it must be –’

  ‘Hey, you were going to tell me about that book in the attic. Something about Christmas?’

  ‘A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. It’s about a mean man who is visited by three ghosts of Christmas. The first two take him into his past and present, where he’s horrible and mean to everyone around him, but when he is shown his future, he sees that he’s going to be alone and miserable until the day he dies unless he changes his ways. Do you promise not to tell anyone about the club and what we do?’

  ‘Promise,’ Travis said.

  ‘A real promise this time?’

  ‘I know I’ve given you no reason to trust me, but I mean it this time.’

  ‘And do you also promise not to call me Miss Freak again?’

  ‘I don’t think you’re a freak. In fact, I think you might be the most amazing girl I know.’

  ‘And you better not forget it.’ Angeline giggled. Travis joined in and soon the two of them were bending over their poppies, breathless with laughter.

  ‘Time’s up, people,’ Mr Marksman announced. ‘Let’s load up those poppies and move ’em out.’

  Travis and Angeline arranged the badges onto trays and hung them around their necks.

  Angeline smiled. ‘Let’s go and celebrate our hero.’

  The Gravesend College Brass Band was known for its enthusiasm but not for playing in tune, and this morning was no different. As the crowd gathered in the main school quadrangle for a brassy version of what may have been ‘Waltzing Matilda’, they were shown to their seats by perfectly presented students, drilled in the art of being polite by the even more perfectly presented Principal Primm.

  ‘Keep your back straight, that’s the way, make sure you smile when you welcome the guests, and take that chewing gum out – we don’t want them to think the students of Gravesend College are uncouth.’

  Her eyes wandered over to Angeline, who was handing out poppies. Principal Primm gestured for her to come over.

  ‘What a very exciting morning. Almost everyone we invited is here.’ She leant down ever so slightly and whispered in Angeline’s ear. ‘Are you positive we won’t be seeing our special visitor today?’

  ‘No, Miss Primm. Bridie has given us her promise that she won’t be bothering our school ever again.’

  ‘You spoke to her? What else did she –’ Principal Primm held up her hand and lowered her voice. ‘Actually, don’t answer that – the less I know about this ghost business the better. Just make sure it doesn’t interfere with your studies or the very good name of our school. Oh, look, the minister’s here.’ She took a poppy. ‘I must go.’

  And with that Miss Primm’s perfectly preened hair and well-rehearsed smile floated across the playground to greet the local politician and her collection of suited and serious colleagues.

  Dylan and Edgar sidled up beside Angeline. ‘What did Miss Primm want?’ Edgar asked.

  Angeline handed out a badge to another guest. ‘To make sure Bridie wasn’t going to show up.’

  ‘Does that mean I’m not invited?’ Bridie slowly came into view.

  ‘Not at all,’ Edgar said. ‘You’re one of the guests of honour – as long as we’re the only ones who can see you.’

  ‘You have my word. All I want to do is see Mr Thompson get the praise he deserves. Is that Mrs Graham?’ She pointed to an elderly woman standing at the front gate.

  ‘Yes,’ Angeline said. ‘His last surviving relative.’

  ‘Can you give her something for me?’ Bridie took a medal from around her neck and discreetly handed it to Edgar.

  ‘The Victoria Cross,’ he whispered. ‘It’s beautiful.’

  ‘Mr Thompson used to tell me stories about the war, about how brave his friends were even though they were petrified most of the time. He gave it to me one day after I’d admired it, but it really belongs to her.’

  Mrs Graham’s face lit up upon seeing the three ghost-catchers. ‘Well, it is such a pleasure to see you all again, and under such lovely circumstances.’

  ‘Are you feeling okay?’ Angeline asked.

  ‘Very fine, but my heart is beating so fast I may fall over.’

  ‘We’ll catch you if you do.’ Dylan smiled.

  ‘Look at all these people,’ Elsie marvelled. ‘All here to honour our war heroes, including Robert.’

  ‘And we have something for you.’ Edgar held out the medal.

  Elsie stayed momentarily still, her eyes fixed on the bronze cross. ‘Is it –’

  ‘Mr Thompson’s Victoria Cross.’ Edgar nodded. ‘They were only given to soldiers who displayed the utmost in bravery and courage, and your great-uncle was one of them.’

  ‘Where did you find it?’

  ‘It was hidden in a very safe place on the old school grounds where he used to work.’ Angeline gave Bridie a quick, secretive smile.

  ‘My grandmother would have been so happy.’

  ‘And now with the police working on the new evidence they have about Robert’s conviction,’ Angeline continued, ‘we’re told it won’t be long until his name is cleared and he will be remembered as the war hero and good citizen that he was.’

  Elsie reached into h
er purse and pulled out a hanky. ‘Oh, I promised myself I wouldn’t cry.’

  ‘Mrs Graham?’ A woman with three cameras swinging from her neck stood between them. ‘I’m sorry to interrupt – can we take your photo for the paper?’

  ‘How do I look?’ Elsie dabbed her eyes and patted her newly curled purple hairdo.

  ‘You look fit for an audience with the Queen,’ Dylan said.

  Elsie gently pinched his cheek. ‘You’re quite the charmer. I’ll bet all the girls fall for you.’

  Dylan’s cheeks blushed bright red as Elsie joined the throng of photographers.

  ‘Hi, Angeline.’ Lila and Ebony waved as they walked past. Angeline waved back awkwardly.

  ‘Are they your friends?’ Bridie asked.

  ‘No.’ Angeline looked away. ‘I don’t really have friends at school.’

  ‘Why not?’ Bridie’s eyes shot wide open.

  ‘I’m not very good at it.’

  ‘I think she’s great at it,’ Dylan said.

  ‘Me too,’ Edgar agreed.

  ‘They look like they want to be your friends to me,’ Bridie noted.

  ‘Really? How can you tell?’

  ‘Trust me. I’m almost one hundred years old; I’ve had a lot of experience at noticing things.’ Bridie put her arm on Angeline’s. ‘Friendship is one of the most important things that can happen to you. And you are a very fine friend.’ She smiled. ‘I’m going to join Mrs Graham for the ceremony. Thank you for everything, but mostly for listening.’

  ‘It was our pleasure.’ Angeline watched as she floated over to Elsie, who was still being fussed over by the local press.

  ‘Aaah!’ Dylan jumped as a large hand fell onto his shoulder.

  ‘What a magnificent assembly you’ve gathered,’ sounded the deep rich tones of Mr Gloom. ‘Master Dylan, are you okay?’

  Dylan was busy gathering his breath. ‘Yes, I’m fine,’ he gasped.

  ‘Poppy?’ Angeline held out her tray.

  Mr Gloom flung his cape behind his shoulders and pinned a small red flower to his jacket. ‘Congratulations on another successful catching. Is there no end to the great heights you reach in carrying out your duties?’