Demon Storm by Justin Richards Read Free Book Online Page A

you just started this term?’
    ‘I need to see Mr Magill. It’s very urgent.’
    The woman’s frown had deepened as she absorbed the details of Ben’s appearance. His coat was crumpled from being slept in and he didn’t have the same bright blue blazer as the other boys he’d seen arriving.
    ‘I have to see Mr Magill,’ Ben repeated. ‘He teaches here. He’s new.’
    The woman barely took her eyes off Ben as she picked up the phone on the desk.
    ‘It’s Miss Flecker. Could you see if Mr Magill is still in the staff room and ask him to come to the office. I think it might be rather important. He has a … visitor.’
    There were two armchairs in a little waiting area in front of the desk, but Ben didn’t sit down. He stood and waited while Miss Flecker got on with her work, glancing up at him occasionally.
    Several minutes later, Mr Magill appeared and was more than surprised. ‘Ben! What on earth are you doing here?’
    ‘I needed to see you, sir.’
    ‘You do know this boy?’ Miss Flecker asked.
    Mr Magill nodded. ‘I, er, used to teach him. Perhaps you could give us a minute, Miss Flecker?’
    He waited for Miss Flecker to give a loud sniff and leave, then nudged the wedge out from under the door with his foot and let it swing shut.
    ‘So what’s going on, Ben? Does anyone know you’re here?’
    Ben shook his head.
    There was silence for several moments. Then Mr Magill sighed. ‘Are you in trouble? Some problem at the home?’
    Ben shook his head again, not trusting himself to speak.
    Mr Magill sighed again. He took a mobile phone out of his pocket and flipped it open, holding it up and staring for several seconds at it. Just as the man in the suit had done.
    ‘It’s Sam,’ Ben blurted out.
    ‘Sam? Have they found her?’
    Ben hesitated. Should he tell Mr Magill he’d seen Sam?
    ‘Look,’ Mr Magill went on, ‘I’m going to ring your housemaster at the home, Mr Logan, and tell him you’re here and that you’re safe. Then we can arrange to get you back. I can maybe get you something to eat here. OK?’
    Ben looked down at his feet. This wasn’t going well, but he didn’t know what to do or say. It had all seemed so simple when he set off. All he had to do was find Mr Magill and ask him about the man in the suit, or if he knew yet what had happened to Sam. But now he didn’t dare say a word.
    He felt Mr Magill’s reassuring hand on his shoulder. ‘You can wait here. Take a seat for a minute, because I need to make a couple of calls.’
    Ben slumped down into one of the armchairs, while Mr Magill stepped out into the corridor. Ben could hear him talking on his mobile phone. He couldn’t catch the whole conversation – just enough to know he was in trouble and he was going back to the home.
    His mind drifted off. Where was Sam? How could he ever find out about the man in the suit now? He had to ask – when Mr Magill came back, he’d ask him about the man in the suit. He’d demand to know who the man was and what he knew about Sam and the people who’d taken her away.
    Suddenly, something was different. Maybe it was the tone of Mr Magill’s voice. But Ben could tell he was talking to someone else now – not the police or Mr Logan at the home.
    ‘Yes, just turned up here …’ Mr Magill wassaying. ‘No sign of the girl, and the boy’s showing no sort of ability …’ He lowered his voice further and Ben couldn’t hear any more.
    What should he do now? What would Sam do? What would she say? Ben tried to pretend she was there with him in the room.
    ‘He’s talking to the man in the suit,’ Ben whispered, imagining he was talking to Sam.
    He imagined he could hear her reply. ‘You need to get hold of his phone.’
    ‘Why do I need his phone?’
    ‘Ben?’
    He leapt to his feet in surprise. ‘Mr Magill.’
    ‘I thought I heard you talking to someone.’
    There was a chill breeze against Ben’s neck and he realised that the office window was open. He could hear the sound of