“This is weird… Horrible and weird.”
We’re sitting in a room in the back of the training center, a room from which I didn’t know it existed. Lotte and I are sitting on a cupboard against the wall, staring at the table in the middle of the room. Sirius sits on a chair at the other side of the room, Jack stands at the end of the table.
“I know. I mean, I hated Claire, but this… It’s really bad.”
“Jack, what do you think has killed her?” I ask.
“There are no wounds, so she’s not stabbed or shot or something like that. There’s no trace of poison. I’m afraid the Doctor is right.”
“Aliens?”
“Yeah."
“How…?” Lotte starts.
“Don’t know yet.”
“But this proves the ciphers where indeed dates.” Sirius says.
“Yes, that’s why we need to be very careful on those dates. Who knows what might happen. Today proved that they don’t care if someone dies. They’ll do everything they need to do to get what they want.” Jack says.
“We only need to find out what that is.” I mumble, but loud enough for everyone in the room to hear it.
“Well, what we really need to find out is why they’re trying to sabotage the school.” Sirius says.
“Isn’t that the same?” Lotte points out.
“No, of co… Uh… Well… Yes… Yes, it is. Huh.”
“Okay, kids, I don’t want to spoil your fun, but I have to do some tests and it’s better if you’re not around.” Jack interrupts Sirius from his thinking and looks at Lotte and me.
“Why not? It’s not like you’re going to cut her into pieces and… Oh my God, that sounded so much grosser than I thought it would.” I say.
“That’s why I want you to go.”
I wonder if that’s the only reason.
“Neh, still not going.” I tease and I cross my arms.
“Do you want me to count to three?”
“I’m not a child.”
“One…”
“Nop. Not going.”
“Two…”
“Still not going.”
“Two and a half…”
“I think we should go.” Lotte says. I know she’s smirking.
“Two and three quarters…”
“I’m not a child. I’m not going because you’re counting down.”
“I think you should run then.” Sirius says.
“Why would I…?” I can’t finish my sentence because Jack says “Last chance.” As he starts walking towards.
“Three!”
“Okay, bye!” I run away just as Jack reaches the cupboard.
We’re sitting in a room in the back of the training center, a room from which I didn’t know it existed. Lotte and I are sitting on a cupboard against the wall, staring at the table in the middle of the room. Sirius sits on a chair at the other side of the room, Jack stands at the end of the table.
“I know. I mean, I hated Claire, but this… It’s really bad.”
“Jack, what do you think has killed her?” I ask.
“There are no wounds, so she’s not stabbed or shot or something like that. There’s no trace of poison. I’m afraid the Doctor is right.”
“Aliens?”
“Yeah."
“How…?” Lotte starts.
“Don’t know yet.”
“But this proves the ciphers where indeed dates.” Sirius says.
“Yes, that’s why we need to be very careful on those dates. Who knows what might happen. Today proved that they don’t care if someone dies. They’ll do everything they need to do to get what they want.” Jack says.
“We only need to find out what that is.” I mumble, but loud enough for everyone in the room to hear it.
“Well, what we really need to find out is why they’re trying to sabotage the school.” Sirius says.
“Isn’t that the same?” Lotte points out.
“No, of co… Uh… Well… Yes… Yes, it is. Huh.”
“Okay, kids, I don’t want to spoil your fun, but I have to do some tests and it’s better if you’re not around.” Jack interrupts Sirius from his thinking and looks at Lotte and me.
“Why not? It’s not like you’re going to cut her into pieces and… Oh my God, that sounded so much grosser than I thought it would.” I say.
“That’s why I want you to go.”
I wonder if that’s the only reason.
“Neh, still not going.” I tease and I cross my arms.
“Do you want me to count to three?”
“I’m not a child.”
“One…”
“Nop. Not going.”
“Two…”
“Still not going.”
“Two and a half…”
“I think we should go.” Lotte says. I know she’s smirking.
“Two and three quarters…”
“I’m not a child. I’m not going because you’re counting down.”
“I think you should run then.” Sirius says.
“Why would I…?” I can’t finish my sentence because Jack says “Last chance.” As he starts walking towards.
“Three!”
“Okay, bye!” I run away just as Jack reaches the cupboard.
“I can’t believe he just did that.” I say when Lotte walks into our room 10 seconds after me.
“It did work, eventually.”
“Yeah, but counting to three is so…” I can’t think of the right word.
“Childish?”
“Yes! Exactly.”
“Says the girl who ran away.”
“Did you see Jack’s face?”
“Yep, why do you think I came right after you?”
I look at Lotte’s face and smirk, but not for long.
The door slams open and Lindsey storms into the room.
“You! You killed her!” she yells, pointing a finger at me.
“I’m sorry?”
“Don’t pretend you’re innocent. You killed Claire!”
“I would never…”
“Yeah right! You hated her! You always have! You killed her! You’re not a freak, you’re a psychopath!”
“Lindsey, you can’t accuse her just because you hate her.” Lotte says angrily.
“Oh, I cannot? Well, listen what I’m doing. I do accuse her and you know what? I think you might be an accomplice.”
“Excuse me?” Lotte says indignantly.
“What’s going on?” Chantal, Hermione and Ginny walk in.
“Lindsey is accusing us from murdering Claire.” I say nonchalant.
“What?” Chantal’s surprised face makes me remember that nobody knows yet. Or at least, nobody knew.
“Claire’s dead?” Ginny asks with a sound of shock clearly in her voice.
“So that’s what was going on.” Hermione says. She doesn’t seem surprised, but she can’t hide the shock in her eyes.
“Yeah, sure, just act like you don’t know of everything. This all is one big complot. You’ve been planning to kill my best friend all along.”
I turn back to Lindsey. “Seriously, can you please shut up!” I yell the last words.
“I’m not going to shut up. In fact, I’m going to Headmaster Dumbledore now to tell him what you’ve done.”
“Yeah, okay, go. He’s not going to believe you anyway.” Lotte says.
“Why wouldn’t he? I know you’re the murderers.”
“You need evidence.” Hermione says.
“Even if you would have evidence, it wouldn’t lead to us.” Ginny says confidently.
“Don’t try to convince me!” Lindsey gets angrier every second. I try to understand. She just lost her best friend and she’s sad; she needs something, or someone, to yell at, to get her feelings out. I just don’t think she should blame us just because she hates us.
“Lindsey, can you please calm down?” I try.
“No, I will not calm down! Why would I calm down? My best friend is that and it’s your fault! You murdered her! I…” and before she can finish her sentence she starts crying and collapses. I catch her in my arms just before she hits the ground. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” She says in between her sobs.
“It’s okay. I understand.” I look at the others for a bit of help.
“Yeah, I mean, you just lost your best friend.” Hermione tries.
“Yes, and that’s probably very hard. Now if you can cry in someone else’s room.” Chantal holds the door as a sign for Lindsey to leave.
“Chantal!” Lotte and I yell. I can understand Chantal’s reaction though. Lindsey has always been so mean to us and now she sits crying on our floor. Weird.
Everything’s weird today.
“A bit more sympathy might be nice.” Ginny suggests.
Chantal rolls with her eyes. “Lindsey, listen, I’m very sorry for your loss, I really am, but this is so odd. I mean, you hate us.”
“Chantal, be nice.” I say. Even though she’s right.
“No, it’s okay. She’s right.” Lindsey says, still sobbing. “I do hate you. You guys are the weirdest kids in school and…”
“Yeah, okay, that’s it.” I put Lindsey’s left arm around my neck and drag her to the door, which Chantal is still holding.
I put Lindsey down right outside the room. “I do feel sorry for your loss, but you can also stop being mean.” I say and I close the door. “That… was weird.”
“Very weird.” Lotte says.
“What do you know about Claire’s dead?” Hermione asks suspicious.
“Nothing.” I’m not even lying. Well, not really.
Hermione doesn’t ask any further and walks to her desk to put down her books, but I don’t think she believes me.
“It did work, eventually.”
“Yeah, but counting to three is so…” I can’t think of the right word.
“Childish?”
“Yes! Exactly.”
“Says the girl who ran away.”
“Did you see Jack’s face?”
“Yep, why do you think I came right after you?”
I look at Lotte’s face and smirk, but not for long.
The door slams open and Lindsey storms into the room.
“You! You killed her!” she yells, pointing a finger at me.
“I’m sorry?”
“Don’t pretend you’re innocent. You killed Claire!”
“I would never…”
“Yeah right! You hated her! You always have! You killed her! You’re not a freak, you’re a psychopath!”
“Lindsey, you can’t accuse her just because you hate her.” Lotte says angrily.
“Oh, I cannot? Well, listen what I’m doing. I do accuse her and you know what? I think you might be an accomplice.”
“Excuse me?” Lotte says indignantly.
“What’s going on?” Chantal, Hermione and Ginny walk in.
“Lindsey is accusing us from murdering Claire.” I say nonchalant.
“What?” Chantal’s surprised face makes me remember that nobody knows yet. Or at least, nobody knew.
“Claire’s dead?” Ginny asks with a sound of shock clearly in her voice.
“So that’s what was going on.” Hermione says. She doesn’t seem surprised, but she can’t hide the shock in her eyes.
“Yeah, sure, just act like you don’t know of everything. This all is one big complot. You’ve been planning to kill my best friend all along.”
I turn back to Lindsey. “Seriously, can you please shut up!” I yell the last words.
“I’m not going to shut up. In fact, I’m going to Headmaster Dumbledore now to tell him what you’ve done.”
“Yeah, okay, go. He’s not going to believe you anyway.” Lotte says.
“Why wouldn’t he? I know you’re the murderers.”
“You need evidence.” Hermione says.
“Even if you would have evidence, it wouldn’t lead to us.” Ginny says confidently.
“Don’t try to convince me!” Lindsey gets angrier every second. I try to understand. She just lost her best friend and she’s sad; she needs something, or someone, to yell at, to get her feelings out. I just don’t think she should blame us just because she hates us.
“Lindsey, can you please calm down?” I try.
“No, I will not calm down! Why would I calm down? My best friend is that and it’s your fault! You murdered her! I…” and before she can finish her sentence she starts crying and collapses. I catch her in my arms just before she hits the ground. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” She says in between her sobs.
“It’s okay. I understand.” I look at the others for a bit of help.
“Yeah, I mean, you just lost your best friend.” Hermione tries.
“Yes, and that’s probably very hard. Now if you can cry in someone else’s room.” Chantal holds the door as a sign for Lindsey to leave.
“Chantal!” Lotte and I yell. I can understand Chantal’s reaction though. Lindsey has always been so mean to us and now she sits crying on our floor. Weird.
Everything’s weird today.
“A bit more sympathy might be nice.” Ginny suggests.
Chantal rolls with her eyes. “Lindsey, listen, I’m very sorry for your loss, I really am, but this is so odd. I mean, you hate us.”
“Chantal, be nice.” I say. Even though she’s right.
“No, it’s okay. She’s right.” Lindsey says, still sobbing. “I do hate you. You guys are the weirdest kids in school and…”
“Yeah, okay, that’s it.” I put Lindsey’s left arm around my neck and drag her to the door, which Chantal is still holding.
I put Lindsey down right outside the room. “I do feel sorry for your loss, but you can also stop being mean.” I say and I close the door. “That… was weird.”
“Very weird.” Lotte says.
“What do you know about Claire’s dead?” Hermione asks suspicious.
“Nothing.” I’m not even lying. Well, not really.
Hermione doesn’t ask any further and walks to her desk to put down her books, but I don’t think she believes me.
“NYAAAAAH!!!”
“SHUT UP!”
“Lotte, how many times do I have to tell you that yelling at the alarm clock won’t let it shut up.”
“You do the same when your phone rings and you’re not in the mood to chat.”
I think about that for a second. “True.”
I turn off the alarm clock and get out of bed.
“You do realize that you’ve got, like, the first two periods off, right?” Lotte asks.
“Yeah.”
“You’re going downstairs, aren’t you?”
I look at Lotte and smirk as an answer.
I open the wardrobe and pick a black dress and some red skinny jeans to wear.
When I’m dressed, I walk to the door of our room, but Lotte yells me back.
“You’re going now?”
“Yeah, I’m not that hungry yet.”
“Then shouldn’t you wear something on your feet?”
“No.”
She laughs.
I open the door the same moment Lindsey passes by. I wonder what will happen.
“Morning, freak.”
I guess yesterday never happened.
I close the door again and walk to the wardrobe.
“Taking the backdoor?”
“Yeah, I think a trip via Narnia will be nice.” I say as I open the hidden door in the back of the wardrobe and walk into the hidden passage. “See you later.”
“SHUT UP!”
“Lotte, how many times do I have to tell you that yelling at the alarm clock won’t let it shut up.”
“You do the same when your phone rings and you’re not in the mood to chat.”
I think about that for a second. “True.”
I turn off the alarm clock and get out of bed.
“You do realize that you’ve got, like, the first two periods off, right?” Lotte asks.
“Yeah.”
“You’re going downstairs, aren’t you?”
I look at Lotte and smirk as an answer.
I open the wardrobe and pick a black dress and some red skinny jeans to wear.
When I’m dressed, I walk to the door of our room, but Lotte yells me back.
“You’re going now?”
“Yeah, I’m not that hungry yet.”
“Then shouldn’t you wear something on your feet?”
“No.”
She laughs.
I open the door the same moment Lindsey passes by. I wonder what will happen.
“Morning, freak.”
I guess yesterday never happened.
I close the door again and walk to the wardrobe.
“Taking the backdoor?”
“Yeah, I think a trip via Narnia will be nice.” I say as I open the hidden door in the back of the wardrobe and walk into the hidden passage. “See you later.”
I open the door to the training center and bump into a pile of wooden boxes. I grab the upper one right before it falls. Jack really needs to clean up the storage.
I push the door and walk to the other end of the center. At the door of Jack’s office I wait for a second and listen; I hear three voices, three people arguing.
I knock on the door and wait.
Jack opens the door almost immediately and looks at me surprised. “Since when do you knock?”
“Since five seconds ago.” I walk to the door and see that Sirius and the Doctor are here too. “So, how’s the investigation going?”
“We think we know what killed Claire.” Sirius says, looking from the Doctor to Jack to me.
“Okay, what?”
“Doctor.” Jack says, insisting that the Doctor tells the story.
“She’s killed by Vondrax.” He starts.
“What are Vondrax?”
“The Vondrax are an alien species. Very old. Very ancient. They are able to travel in time and space. This sometimes creates parallel universes, which produces Tachyons, tiny particles that can travel faster than light. The Vondrax fed on Tachyons.”
“And what’s this got to do with the murder?”
“Nothing. I just thought it was a nice fact.”
“Okay, then, can you go on, please?”
“If you stop asking questions I will.”
Jack muffles a giggle with his hand. Sirius just grins.
“The Vondrax kill their victims just by looking into their eyes. That’s why Jack couldn’t find any trace.”
“Because staring doesn’t leave traces. That’s, like, the perfect murder.” I say.
“They are also capable of changing their appearances. For example, in Japan they appeared as Samurai, in Egypt as Gods.”
“So they can change into someone their victim knows to get close to them. That… That’s brilliant.”
“Brilliant? It’s how they live. The person who came up with the idea to use them, he’s brilliant.” Sirius says. “No leads.”
“But, how do we know it’s them?” I ask.
“Well, Aurora... Uh, professor Sinistra said she heard voices before she found the body. She described the voices as hissing, unnatural.”
“Not human.”
“Exactly. The only aliens with a hissing voice but with human appearances, who can kill their victims without leaving a trace, are the Vondrax.”
“I see.”
“We need to find them before they kill again.” Jack says.
“You think they’re still here at school?”
“Maybe. But what I’m sure about is that they’ll come back. They might appear as people we know, so we need to be careful.”
“Okay. How are we going to stop them if we can’t look them in the eye? People often make eye contact.”
“Wear sunglasses. Just like the Weeping Angels, they can’t look in their own eyes.” the Doctor answers.
“So what? We’re going to persuade everybody to wear sunglasses, inside and outside the building, in January?” I ask him.
“Don’t you think that’d be a bit strange?” Jack asks.
“Oh, yes, but do you have any other options?” the Doctor asks.
Jack thinks about that for a second. “Okay, no, but we should think of one, because the sunglasses are quite ridiculous.”
“I agree.” Sirius and I both say.
“Alright.” the Doctor says. “I think I should go now. I need to make some last preparations for History class.”
“Since when do you prepare that?” Jack asks.
“Since five seconds ago.” the Doctor answers with a big smile.
I push the door and walk to the other end of the center. At the door of Jack’s office I wait for a second and listen; I hear three voices, three people arguing.
I knock on the door and wait.
Jack opens the door almost immediately and looks at me surprised. “Since when do you knock?”
“Since five seconds ago.” I walk to the door and see that Sirius and the Doctor are here too. “So, how’s the investigation going?”
“We think we know what killed Claire.” Sirius says, looking from the Doctor to Jack to me.
“Okay, what?”
“Doctor.” Jack says, insisting that the Doctor tells the story.
“She’s killed by Vondrax.” He starts.
“What are Vondrax?”
“The Vondrax are an alien species. Very old. Very ancient. They are able to travel in time and space. This sometimes creates parallel universes, which produces Tachyons, tiny particles that can travel faster than light. The Vondrax fed on Tachyons.”
“And what’s this got to do with the murder?”
“Nothing. I just thought it was a nice fact.”
“Okay, then, can you go on, please?”
“If you stop asking questions I will.”
Jack muffles a giggle with his hand. Sirius just grins.
“The Vondrax kill their victims just by looking into their eyes. That’s why Jack couldn’t find any trace.”
“Because staring doesn’t leave traces. That’s, like, the perfect murder.” I say.
“They are also capable of changing their appearances. For example, in Japan they appeared as Samurai, in Egypt as Gods.”
“So they can change into someone their victim knows to get close to them. That… That’s brilliant.”
“Brilliant? It’s how they live. The person who came up with the idea to use them, he’s brilliant.” Sirius says. “No leads.”
“But, how do we know it’s them?” I ask.
“Well, Aurora... Uh, professor Sinistra said she heard voices before she found the body. She described the voices as hissing, unnatural.”
“Not human.”
“Exactly. The only aliens with a hissing voice but with human appearances, who can kill their victims without leaving a trace, are the Vondrax.”
“I see.”
“We need to find them before they kill again.” Jack says.
“You think they’re still here at school?”
“Maybe. But what I’m sure about is that they’ll come back. They might appear as people we know, so we need to be careful.”
“Okay. How are we going to stop them if we can’t look them in the eye? People often make eye contact.”
“Wear sunglasses. Just like the Weeping Angels, they can’t look in their own eyes.” the Doctor answers.
“So what? We’re going to persuade everybody to wear sunglasses, inside and outside the building, in January?” I ask him.
“Don’t you think that’d be a bit strange?” Jack asks.
“Oh, yes, but do you have any other options?” the Doctor asks.
Jack thinks about that for a second. “Okay, no, but we should think of one, because the sunglasses are quite ridiculous.”
“I agree.” Sirius and I both say.
“Alright.” the Doctor says. “I think I should go now. I need to make some last preparations for History class.”
“Since when do you prepare that?” Jack asks.
“Since five seconds ago.” the Doctor answers with a big smile.
