Dave Hop Tiberius whistled.
‘Don’t,’ said Normal, ‘you’ll wake everyone.’
‘Maybe we’re being attacked,’ Tiberius said, ‘maybe it’s the bad guys come to storm the place.’
‘Maybe,’ said Normal. ‘My dad told me that it’s not always safe in these parts.’
‘You mean the rebels?’
Normal nodded. ‘My dad said they’d love to get their hands on Guardian Grange,’ he said.
‘Well they won’t while we’re here. Let’s go and attack them.’
‘Don’t be nuts,’ said Normal. ‘We don’t know who they are.’
They watched for a while longer but the eerie lights just continued to waft back and forth between the trees. Eventually Tiberius tapped Normal on the shoulder and pointed to the door into the top floor. They went on through. It was another corridor, very much like the one below.
Tiberius sniggered. ‘Maybe it’s the girls’ rooms!’ he said.
He listened at one of the doors. There was no sound of snoring or snuffling, and no sound of any girls talking. Tiberius looked disappointed. Normal overtook him and carried on walking, so Tiberius started going again, waving his flashlight around as he went. The walls were lined with dusty photos of old pupils in their best graduation armour.
‘We don’t wear that all the time do we?’ said Tiberius as they shuffled along. ‘I mean when we finish here. We don’t go clanking about like that do we? I’d keep falling over. Cool swords though, look at that – a flaming sabre.’
‘It’s not as heavy as it looks,’ Normal muttered, leading the way, ‘it’s made of lightweight, fluid metal.’
‘Smart,’ said Tiberius.
Suddenly Normal stopped and Tiberius walked straight into the back of him, knocking the breath out of Normal’s lungs.
‘Oof!’ gasped Tiberius. ‘What you doing?’
Normal raised his hand. They listened. The place was quiet.
‘Did you hear that?’ asked Normal.
‘Hear what?’
They listened again. Still nothing. Tiberius pushed Normal on and they crept forward. Then Normal stopped suddenly all over again and Tiberius smacked into him.
‘Oof! What now?’ asked Tiberius.
Normal looked at him. ‘Was that you?’ he said.
‘Was what me? It was me walking into you – if that’s what you mean! Stop stopping!’
‘No, that voice. Did you hear it?’ They listened again.
‘There’s nothing, Norm,’ said Tiberius, ‘stop spooking me.’
Tiberius took up the lead then Normal grabbed his arm. ‘There!’ he said. ‘That voice, someone’s talking round here.’
They looked back and forth, up and down the corridor. Tiberius swung his torch around. There was no one there.
If you've appreciated this, why not...
Donate to support Dave's work Subscribe on YouTube Follow on X Like on Facebook Contact Dave Subscribe