Night School

  She was lying so badly Allie would have laughed if she hadn’t been so surprised.

  ‘You mean, you think your own boyfriend is in it, but you’re not sure?’ she said.

  Jo looked around to make sure nobody was paying attention to them, then leaned towards Allie and lowered her voice to a whisper. ‘Look, it’s really super-secret, you know? You get in a lot of trouble if anybody finds out you’ve said anything about it. I mean, a lot of trouble.’

  ‘So, we really shouldn’t be talking about it now?’ Allie whispered.

  ‘No,’ Jo hissed.

  Allie returned to her book, turning one slow page after another, but her mind was still whirling around what Jo had told her.

  She leaned forward again. ‘No girls?’

  Jo gave her a significant look.

  ‘Maybe Jules,’ she mouthed. ‘And Ruth.’

  Allie’s eyes widened. ‘No way,’ she said, disbelieving.

  Jo raised her right hand. ‘Swear to God.’

  For half an hour after that they worked in silence, save for the sound of notes being scribbled and pages turned. Then, without warning Allie’s head popped up.

  ‘That explains the way Carter reacted last Saturday,’ she said, as if their conversation had never paused.

  Jo looked intrigued. ‘Why? What? And … when?’

  Allie explained about Carter chasing her away from the second floor.

  ‘Interesting,’ Jo said when she finished. ‘I didn’t know they actually ever met in the building, though. And during the day? That’s kind of weird.’

  Allie twirled her pen again, getting ink on the side of her hand. She rubbed at it futilely. ‘What exactly is it that they do anyway?’

  Jo didn’t look up from her book. ‘No idea.’

  Allie was still rubbing at the ink on her hand. ‘I’ve always had the feeling that Carter knew what was really going on. So this would explain why.’

  Jo gave her a look.

  ‘What?’ Allie asked, cocking her head.

  ‘Nothing.’

  Allie picked up her pen, but Jo was still looking at her.

  ‘What?’ Allie said again, giving her a light shove. They both giggled.

  ‘Well, it’s just … You know. You and Carter.’

  Allie stopped laughing. ‘What about me and Carter?’

  ‘I don’t know. He just sort of always picks on you.’

  ‘Yeah, I’ve noticed,’ Allie said dryly. ‘That would be because he’s a psycho.’

  ‘No. I mean … I don’t know. Something about how he picks on you interests me.’

  Allie frowned. ‘Jo, what the hell are you talking about?’

  ‘Oh it’s nothing. It’s just that I thought for a little while there he liked you, and I know you liked him, and now it’s like you two hate each other.’

  Allie shrugged. ‘It happens.’

  ‘Hmm …’ Jo’s voice was doubtful.

  ‘There’s no hmm about it,’ Allie said. ‘All he does is order me around and tell me what to do and not do. He’s good looking and everything, but I don’t like him.’

  Jo drew a squiggly line on her notepad and then drew over it again until it was bold. She gave it a forked tongue.

  ‘You know, all that stuff Gabe and I said about Carter?’

  Allie nodded.

  ‘Well it was true. But he’s been different since you came here. I haven’t seen him with any girl since then.’

  Allie smiled broadly. ‘What? In two whole weeks? I mean, seriously. What restraint! He must be totally in love with me.’

  They dissolved into a fit of giggles.

  ‘Anyway, in more sane news, Sylvain asked me to meet him tomorrow night after dinner,’ Allie said. ‘I think it’s kind of a date.’

  ‘Ooh, a real date,’ Jo smiled. ‘Seriously, forget everything I said about Carter. I’m just being silly. I’m so excited that you’re the one who’s going to bagsy Sylvain. All the girls will be so jealous of you.’

  ‘I’m sure that will make them all be very nice to me.’ Allie’s tone was sarcastic but Jo arched an eyebrow knowingly.

  ‘If Sylvain’s your boyfriend they won’t dare be anything but nice.’

  Before Allie could ask what she meant she said, ‘Right, enough frolicking. We need fifteen hundred words before dinner, which is in …’ she checked the delicate gold watch on her wrist, ‘just over three hours.’

  ‘Fascist,’ Allie said.

  But she was already writing.

  At dinner that night all discussion centred on rumours that the school grounds were now opened to students ‘within reason’. The problem was, nobody knew what that meant.

  ‘Does it mean we can go outside again without dying?’ Lisa asked, flipping her long hair over one shoulder.

  ‘Nobody died, Lisa.’

  Allie thought Gabe’s tone was unnecessarily sharp.

  Lisa just shrugged and nibbled her salad.

  ‘I’ll bet it’s perfectly safe,’ Phil said, his voice deliberately measured, ‘but I was just thinking of going to the common room.’

  ‘Same here,’ Gabe said quickly.

  ‘Not me. I’m going out. I’ve had just about enough of inside.’

  Jo’s voice was emphatic but she didn’t meet Gabe’s eyes. He was staring at her intently, but she just looked around the table pretending not to notice.

  ‘Jo …’ His tone was ominous, but she just shot him a warning look.

  ‘What?’

  Throwing his napkin down, Gabe shoved his chair back and stood up, muttering, ‘I’m not hungry any more.’

  He stormed out without looking back.

  There was a brief awkward silence while everybody pretended not to notice what had happened right in front of them. Allie saw Phil and Lucas exchange a look.

  Ruth tried to distract everyone by launching into a story about a science experiment, but her voice gradually trailed off.

  ‘Right, well, I’m pretty much done. Jo?’ Allie said loyally.

  Jo gave her a grateful smile and followed her out. Allie waited until they were far enough away from the table to be certain they wouldn’t be overheard.

  ‘What was that about?’

  Jo was hurrying down the hall, and for a second she didn’t answer; when she did, her tone was bitter. ‘Well, obviously Gabe doesn’t want me to go outside because it’s not safe. And obviously Gabe wants to act like I’m a child and he’s the parent and can tell me what to do. Which I hate. I’ve already got two useless parents, thanks. I don’t need another.’

  She moved through the ornate entrance hall so quickly that Allie was nearly running to keep up by the time they reached the front door. Jo shoved it open impatiently and they both stopped, side by side at the top of the stairs.

  ‘Well,’ Allie said, looking up at the innocent blue evening sky. ‘It looks perfectly safe to me.’

  ‘I hope it isn’t,’ Jo said. ‘Last one to die loses.’

  Laughing, she dashed down the stairs with Allie right behind, and they hurtled onto the empty grass. For a few minutes they danced on the lawn, twirling circles in the freedom of the fresh air.

  ‘Wait,’ Allie said breathlessly, reaching for Jo’s arm. ‘Where are we going?’

  They slowed to a more leisurely pace.

  ‘Good question. Some place where Gabe won’t find me and drag me back inside like a caveman.’ She thought for a moment. ‘Have you ever been in the chapel?’

  Allie made a face. ‘No, but I’ve raked its grass.’

  ‘Oh yeah. I forgot that detention thing. It’s actually pretty cool. There’s some ancient poetry on the walls in, like, a million languages. It’s super-old.’

  The chapel was out in the woods, and Allie glanced in that direction uncertainly – Jo’s manic behaviour was starting to worry her.

  ‘Is it safe to go right now?’ she asked. ‘I mean with all that’s been happening?’

  ‘Probably not,’ Jo said, smiling wickedly. ‘Are you coming or what?’


  Without looking back, she headed off across the grass towards the trees.

  TEN

  The sun glinted off Jo’s bright blonde hair as she sped across the lawn, and Allie hesitated for only a moment before speeding after her. As her feet carried her swiftly across the grass, she felt a rush of exhilaration so powerful that she laughed out loud when she caught up with Jo a few seconds later.

  ‘Hurry up!’ she shouted as she passed her.

  Once they were in the forest, though, the blue sky disappeared, and with it the light. In the shadows, they slowed to a walk and some of Allie’s courage left her.

  ‘It’s always so dark in here,’ she said.

  Jo didn’t seem concerned. ‘Forests are like that. You city girls just don’t understand the countryside. There’s only one thing to do in spooky forests.’ She gave Allie a light, joking shove. ‘Run.’

  Jo ran ahead down the path with Allie right behind her. The ferns lining the path brushed softly against their ankles. Their laughter echoed hollowly off the trees. But Allie was still jumpy. The sounds of the forest – wind blowing through the trees, a bird call, a twig snapping underfoot – all made her nerves twitch.

  Now that she thought about it, this didn’t seem like a great idea.

  ‘Maybe we should go back,’ she said after a while. ‘We could just play a game or … something. See what everybody else is doing.’

  Jo didn’t look back at her when she replied reassuringly. ‘We’re almost there.’

  So, why am I so worried?

  A few minutes later, though, Jo turned to smile at her. ‘See? We’re here already.’

  The church wall was just ahead, and in the churchyard – fewer trees and more light. As soon as she walked into that glow Allie felt better, but Jo was already at the door, putting both hands inside the iron ring to lift the latch, and then shoving against it with her shoulder. It gave with a groan and they were inside. In the chapel the fading sunlight was fractured by yellow and red stained glass windows into shards of coloured light, and despite the natural chill from the stone floor and walls, the room seemed warm.

  Standing just inside the door, Allie couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

  ‘Holy crap,’ she whispered.

  Jo watched her with a knowing look. ‘Good, no?’

  Allie tiptoed to the middle of the room and slowly turned in a circle. The walls were covered in paintings. Some were words – most of them obviously poems – others were images. The paint was faded to rusty red, ivory yellow and greying black, but it was clear, and it was easy to imagine how bright it must once have been.

  ‘This one freaks me out.’ Jo walked over to the back of the chapel, where a painting of simple figures showed a devil with a pitchfork prodding naked suffering souls into a variety of horrible fates with the help of gleeful troglodyte-like demons.

  Allie wrinkled her nose. ‘Eeeuw.’

  ‘Exactly. This is nicer.’ Jo pointed at a nearby painting of a gnarled yew tree rich with fruit and birds. The roots twisted into the words ‘Tree of Life’.

  All around the painted images were words in ancient languages. Allie studied the Cyrillic letters of one.

  ‘Do you understand any of it?’ she asked Jo.

  ‘A little. Some is Greek.’ Jo gestured at a rood screen, then turned to a wall beside it. ‘And that’s some form of Gaelic. Most of it’s Latin though.’

  On the wall above the door a phrase was painted in elegant red letters. The colour was bright enough that Allie wondered if it had been restored. She stepped back to see it clearly.

  ‘Exitus acta probat?’ She sounded the words out and then looked at Jo quizzically. ‘Do you know what that means?’

  ‘The result validates the deed,’ Jo replied without hesitating.

  Allie looked back at the words.

  ‘What’s that about?’ she mused. ‘It seems kind of strange as a “Hey, welcome to church!” quote.’

  ‘Buggered if I know.’ Jo was spinning down the aisle in a dizzying dance.

  Allie watched her for a moment with a puzzled frown then turned her attention to an elaborate painting of a dragon, whose tail twirled down nearly to the floor as a dove flew just out of reach of its claws.

  ‘This is incredible,’ she breathed.

  ‘And now that you’ve seen it, can we go?’ Carter leaned against the door frame – his arms crossed loosely, his eyes watchful.

  Allie jumped.

  ‘Carter! Jesus. You scared me.’

  But she felt unexpectedly relieved to see him. Jo was weirding her out, and now they could walk back together. Safety in numbers.

  Still, she didn’t want him to know that.

  ‘You shouldn’t sneak up on people,’ she said tartly.

  His eyes were cool. ‘I didn’t sneak. I walked. Isn’t that how you got here?’ When he turned to Jo his voice warmed. ‘How’s it going, Jo?’

  She was at the opposite end of the chapel, pretending to study a painting.

  ‘We’re fine here, thanks Carter. You can tell Gabe I don’t need his help.’ Her voice was steady but she didn’t meet his eyes and her jaw had a stubborn set.

  He gestured placatingly. ‘Hey, I’m not Gabe’s minion. It’s just about to get dark out there and I thought I might offer you ladies an escort. Why? Is Gabe looking for you?’

  Jo gave him a withering look. ‘Give it up, Carter. I know he sent you. He always sends somebody to follow me around.’

  ‘Honestly, Jo, Gabe doesn’t know I’m here,’ he said. ‘Have you two had a fight or something?’

  Carter’s face was so earnest that Allie was inclined to believe him, but Jo moved to the altar, as far away from him as possible.

  ‘Something,’ she said coolly.

  Pretending she was studying the wall paintings, Allie made her way over to Carter who still stood by the door.

  Staring intently at a delicate painting of a white rose she whispered, ‘How did you find us?’

  Just as quietly he replied, ‘I followed you.’

  Their eyes met and then they glanced away. Allie’s skin tingled.

  ‘What’s up?’ His lips barely moved when he spoke but his head inclined towards Jo.

  ‘I don’t know,’ she replied. ‘It’s like she’s not … her.’

  ‘Whisper whisper whisper!’ Jo’s angry voice cut through their conversation, and they turned to see her standing at the altar, palms flat on the pulpit, glaring at them. ‘Why don’t you two just shag and get it over with?’

  Allie stared at Jo with her mouth open. She felt like she’d been punched.

  What the hell is wrong with her?

  But she tried to keep the wounded tone out of her voice. ‘Hey, that is so not cool, Jo. Look, it really is getting dark and I’d like to get back. Come with me?’

  She held out her hand. Jo studied her for a moment, and then walked across the nave to her.

  ‘Fine. Whatever. Let’s go.’ Her tone was reasonable and as she took Allie’s hand she gave it a squeeze, but Allie had the uneasy sense that something still wasn’t quite right. When they got outside the light was fading, and the woods looked darker and more ominous than before.

  Jo balanced on her toes on the front step.

  ‘Hey Allie, remember what I said about the only way to go through the scary woods?’

  Allie gave her a puzzled look. ‘What? Run?’

  At that, Jo took off down the path at surprising speed as Carter and Allie stood in front of the church staring after her.

  ‘What the hell?’ Carter looked up at the sky like he hoped it held some sort of answer.

  ‘I have no idea what is going on,’ Allie said. ‘I think she fought with Gabe and now she’s just, like, lost it. Big time.’

  ‘Oh great,’ he sighed. ‘I thought she was done with this stuff.’

  Allie shot him a puzzled look. ‘What? She’s done this before?’

  ‘She used to do her crazy act whenever anything went wrong, but she hasn??
?t done it in a while.’ He seemed exasperated. ‘Now I’ve got to go and make sure she gets back to the school or Gabe’ll kill me – will you be OK? I’ll come back for you if you want.’

  ‘You don’t have to come back,’ she said. ‘I can keep up with you.’

  They took off through the gate and at first she matched him step-for-step. But as they ran through the first stretch of darkened woods something occurred to her.

  ‘We left the door open,’ she said, slowing to a jog.

  ‘What? At the church?’ Carter stopped running. At first he looked doubtful but then he slapped himself on the forehead. ‘Damn. You’re right. I should go back and close it.’

  But he didn’t move. He looked ahead towards the school then back at the church as if he couldn’t decide what to do.

  Seeing his indecision, Allie knew what she had to do.

  ‘I’ll go back,’ she said. ‘I’ll close it up. You go and catch up with Jo.’

  ‘Are you sure?’ he asked doubtfully. ‘It’s getting dark and it’s nearly curfew.’

  But Jo was not being rational and she was out there in the dark on her own. And while Allie wasn’t thrilled about being in the woods by herself, she knew it was the right thing. But she had a feeling he wasn’t going to let her, so she knew she’d have to convince him.

  ‘We’ll get in trouble if it’s left open,’ she pointed out. ‘And I really don’t think it would be great for Jo to be quizzed by Zelazny right now. Besides, what if a fox gets in and eats Jesus?’

  He burst out laughing and for a second all the stress left his face.

  ‘OK,’ he said. ‘But I’ll double back for you as soon as she’s inside.’

  ‘Don’t worry about me – I’m not afraid of the dark,’ she lied. ‘It’s all good.’

  ‘Thanks, Sheridan.’ She could hear the relief in his voice. As he took off for the school, his final words floating back on the breeze. ‘I’ll come back.’

  ‘Don’t!’ she shouted after him. He gave no indication that he’d heard.

  As soon as he was out of sight, her bravery abandoned her. I could just leave it open, she thought looking down the path. Maybe nobody would know it was us.

  Then she thought about how awful it would be if anything happened to that amazing chapel – what if it rained all night and the Tree of Life was ruined and it was all her fault.